CHAPTER III 
LAND 
Saturday, December 31. New Tear's Eve. — Obs. 72 0 54' 
S., I74°55'E. Made goodS. 45 W. 55'; C. Crozier S. 17 W. 
286'. 'The New Year's Eve found us in the Ross Sea, 
but not at the end of our misfortunes. ' We had a horrible 
night. In the first watch we kept away z points and 
set fore and aft sail. It did not increase our comfort 
but gave us greater speed. The night dragged slowly 
through. I could not sleep thinking of the sore strait 
for our wretched ponies. In the morning watch the 
wind and sea increased and the outlook was very dis- 
tressing, but at six ice was sighted ahead. Under ordi- 
nary conditions the safe course would have been to go 
about and stand to the cast. But in our case we must 
risk trouble to get smoother water for the ponies. We 
passed a stream of ice over which the sea was breaking 
heavily, and one realised the danger of being amongst 
loose floes in such a sea. But soon we came to a com- 
pacter body of floes, and running behind this we were 
agreeably surprised to find comparatively smooth water. 
We ran on for a bit, then stopped and lay to. Now we 
are lying in a sort of ice bay — there is a mile or so of pack 
