I9I2J THE WORST STORM OF ALL 
387 
is seldom these little birds are found away from the close 
vicinity of ice. 
Fires were put out on the 1 8th, a good offing having 
been made, the position being 64"^ S., 160° 12' E. 
Between the 21st and the 25th it blew hard, the 
climax being reached on Sunday night (the 24th), when 
March 24, a severe storm was raging, the most severe 
1912, 55 encountered by the ship during her whole 
51' s., 165° / : 
49' E. commission. It is a wonderful sight to see a 
comparatively small ship in a storm, particularly at 
night ; the marvellous way she rides over waves that 
look as if they must break on board, together with the 
dense darkness in the heavy squalls, relieved only by the 
white crests of the waves as they break, is a sight that 
makes up for a considerable amount of discomfort. 
The gale was followed by two days' calm, when 
Pouting was able to cinematograph the birds feeding 
March 26 close under the ship's stern. 
and 27, 52 When off the coast of New Zealand a 
20 o., 107 
33' school of sperm whales was seen and followed 
for some time with the hopes of getting a photograph. 
The animals, however, were too shy for the ship to approach 
within reasonable photographic range. 
At daybreak on April i the ship entered Akaroa 
harbour to despatch the telegrams with the season's 
April I. news. Here we learned of Amundsen's 
Akaroa, success in his undertaking. 
On the 3rd she was berthed alongside the wharf in 
Lyttelton again, and, needless to say, received with true 
New Zealand hospitality. 
