VICTORIA LAND 
271 
plorers in a like position would have whistled for a wind 
to carry them out of the reach of the ice, but not those 
on board the Erebus and Terror. Never before had the 
Antarctic circle been approached by ships for which the 
ice-pack had no terrors. Cook had to retire before the 
pack-edge in his strong north-country colliers, the sealers 
in their little craft, the circumnavigators of Russia, 
France and America dared not venture within it for their 
ships would have been crushed like egg-shells in the 
grinding ice. To all his predecessors therefore the edge 
of the pack was as effectual a barrier as the glacier 
fronts that girdle the Antarctic land, but to Ross it was 
only an encumbered path. Early on the morning of 
New Year’s Day, 1841, a breeze rose and the ships 
moved up towards the pack and the same afternoon 
crossed the Antarctic circle. There was a heavy swell 
and too little wind to give the vessels steerage way 
amongst the ice, so they held off, while the crews were 
entertained by the issue of extra rations and the presen- 
tation to each man of the special warm clothing provided 
for the polar seas, including the quaint form of head- 
covering known as a Welsh wig. An iceberg was seen 
next morning much discoloured with earthy matter and 
carrying a large block of stone, specimens of which were 
taken. This first evidence of Antarctic land proved to 
be a rock of volcanic origin. A fresh breeze sprang up, 
but with it came fog and snow-showers and Ross stood 
to the northward not anxious to commence navigation 
in the ice in unfavourable conditions. The setting sun 
took 17 1 minutes to sink from sight as it skimmed along 
the southern horizon and commenced to rise again im- 
mediately afterwards. 
The pack was at length entered on the morning of 
