456 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part ii 
hospitality, the Discovery was again ready for sea on the 
2 ist December. Besides the dogs, there were 45 sheep 
on deck. A short service of farewell was held by the 
Bishop of Christchurch on the mess deck, and the voyage 
was continued. 
The first iceberg was sighted in 65 0 30' S. on the 
2nd January, 1902, and by evening as many as seventeen 
could be counted. On the 3rd the Antarctic Circle was 
crossed. Soundings were taken in 2040 fathoms. Soon 
afterwards the pack was entered, and they forced their way 
through grinding floes, taking advantage of every favour- 
able lead when the ice loosened. Seals and penguins were 
plentiful on the pack, and very tame, for the only dangers 
they knew were in the sea. On the 8th a strong water 
sky was reported, and soon they were in a clear open sea, 
after only five days in the pack. There was a well-defined 
edge to the pack, which indicated the presence of southerly 
winds at this season. There must have been heavier 
obstruction than was met with by Sir James Ross, for 
he got through, in bluff-bowed sailing ships, in four days. 
Far to the south the high mountain peaks of Victoria 
Land were visible. Scott anchored in Robertson Bay, 
which is formed by the long peninsula of Cape Adare, but 
next day the anchor was weighed and the southward 
course continued. 
It is very difficult to write an abstract of this voyage, 
for the perils of ice navigation, the lovely scenery in fine 
weather, and the gallant struggles against the ice helped 
by gales of wind and tides, are so delightfully described 
by Captain Scott that condensation seems impossible. A 
visit to the land, south of Cape Washington, satisfied Scott 
that there were possible winter quarters in a bay which 
he named Granite Harbour from the huge granite boulders 
on the beach. By 8 a.m. on January 21st the Discovery 
was in the middle of M'Murdo Sound, with fine views of 
the lofty mountains and of Mounts Erebus and Terror. 
A landing was effected on the north side of Cape Crozier, 
and Scott, with Dr Wilson and Royds, climbed to a height 
of 1350 ft., whence they obtained a glorious view of Ross's 
great ice barrier. For the first time this extraordinary 
formation was seen from above. 
Captain Scott then proceeded to make a closer exami- 
