5 o SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 
great anxiety — we are making terrible inroads on our 
supply — we have come 240 miles since we first entered 
the pack streams. 
The sounding to-day gave 1804 fathoms — the water 
bottle didn't work, but temperatures were got at 1300 
and bottom. 
The temperature was down to 20 0 last night and kept 
2 or 3 degrees below freezing all day. 
The surface for ski-ing to-day was very good. 
Wednesday , December 21. — The wind was still strong 
this morning, but had shifted to the south-west. With an 
overcast sky it was very cold and raw. The sun is now 
peeping through, the wind lessening and the weather 
conditions generally improving. During the night we 
had been drifting towards two large bergs, and about 
breakfast time we were becoming uncomfortably close 
to one of them — the big floes were binding down on one 
another, but there seemed to be open water to the S.E., 
if we could work out in that direction. 
{Note. — All directions of wind are given i true ' in this 
book.) 
Noon Position.— 68° 25' S., 179 0 1 1' W. Made good S. 
26 E. 2.5'. Set of current N., 32 E. 9.4'. Made good 24 
hours — N. 40 E. 8'. We got the steam up and about 9 a.m. 
commenced to push through. Once or twice we have spent 
nearly twenty minutes pushing through bad places, but 
it looks as though we arc getting to easier water. It's 
distressing to have the pack so tight, and the bergs make 
it impossible to lie comfortably still for any length of time. 
Ponting has made some beautiful photographs and 
