CHAPTER LVII 
THE SOCIETIES' ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 
First Year. 
Lyttelton, New Zealand, was selected for the head- 
quarters of the expedition in the southern hemisphere. 
It was a long voyage thither and there was natural 
anxiety respecting the behaviour of the new ship. As 
time went on, however, Captain Scott became more and 
more satisfied with her seaworthy qualities. She proved 
wonderfully stiff and, as her sail area was small, it was 
rarely necessary to shorten sail, even in the most violent 
gales. She was wonderfully free of water on the upper 
deck, and the peculiar rounded shape of her stern gave 
additional buoyancy to the after part and caused her to 
rise more quickly to the seas. One day, driving before 
a very heavy gale, the ship made 223 knots in the 
24 hours. 
In 51 0 S. and 131 0 E. a very interesting magnetic area 
was reached, where there appeared to be a curious incon- 
sistency in the distribution of magnetic force to the north 
of the magnetic pole. Captain Scott, therefore, resolved 
to proceed south for some distance to explore this area 
more effectively. On November 15th the 60th parallel 
was crossed, and next day the first ice was seen. Soon 
loose pack ice was all round the ship. They were within 
200 miles of Adelie Land in 62 0 50' S. when the ship's 
head was reluctantly turned again to the north. The 
soundings at the furthest south were 1750, then 2300 and 
2500 fathoms. Scott noticed and was much interested in 
the abundance and variety of bird life, most of the birds 
being familiar to those who have rounded the Horn. 
On the 22nd Macquarie Island was reached, and the first 
penguin rookery was visited. On the 30th November 
they arrived at Lyttelton and the ship was docked. 
After a thorough refit, the receipt of more and supple- 
mentary provisions, and the enjoyment of much genuine 
