FROM EDINBURGH TO THE ANTARCTIC 
Glaciers cover the whole slopes of the land, in some 
places sweeping down to the sea and in others ending 
abruptly at the edge of some black cliff. Immediately to 
the north of Admiralty Inlet we can see a deep bight in 
the snow slope that seems to form a horse-shoe bay, with 
steep white sides, sloping into the sea, which terminate 
above in a circle of glacier-capped cliffs. We are filled 
with an intense longing to land and make a closer 
acquaintance with these shores, which have but once 
before been seen by man. What might we not discover ? 
and what a glorious view to the south we could have 
from the top of Mount Haddington ! When the clouds 
lifted we could lay out the chart over leagues of un- 
discovered lands. But blubber is apparently to be 
the only interest, and we steer away south-east — away 
from the land — in search of it. The progress of Sir 
James Ross to the south was here stopped by the loose 
pack-ice — the sort of ice that offers no impediment to 
our vessels. To the south we see loose ice, and beyond 
it blue sky and open water. With our steam power 
and well-protected hulls we could push right through 
it, as easily as what we have already come through 
^south or south-east, for who can tell how far, without 
risk. We are in an unknown world, and we stop — for 
blubber. ... 
We are steering to the south-east, the three ships in 
line ; the Balsena leads, the Active and Diana follow. 
We are leaving the open water in Erebus and Terror 
Gulf, threading our way through the loose pack between 
aisles of many bergs. The water is calm and dark, 
