372 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
strong in construction, being built of successive skins of 
heavy planking, and sheathed over all with the hard 
slippery greenheart, the hulls unpierced by any ports or 
windows. They had stood the test of many years’ serv- 
ice in the Arctic seas and their captains were as tough 
and seasoned as the ships themselves. All the vessels 
were good sailers, their steam power being merely auxil- 
iary, used for crossing the belt of calms and for manoeu- 
vring in the ice, sails alone being trusted to for making a 
passage in ordinary circumstances and for the actual 
pursuit of whales. The Balaena (400 tons) was built at 
Drammen in 1872 ; she was 141 feet long, of 31 feet beam, 
and under the command of Captain Alexander Fair- 
weather. The Diana (34° tons), also built at Drammen, 
was 135 feet long, 29 feet beam, and sailed under the 
command of Captain Robert Davidson. The Active (340 
tons) was built at Peterhead in 1852; she was 117 feet 
long, and her master was Captain Thomas Robertson. 
Die Polar Star (216 tons) was also built at Peterhead, 
and was only 105 feet long; she was under the command 
of Captain James Davidson. Mr. William S. Bruce, an 
Edinburgh naturalist, received the appointment of sur- 
geon on the Balaena, and as he had on several occasions 
taken part in the routine work of Ben Nevis Observatory, 
he was a thoroughly trained meteorological observer as 
well. The known enthusiasm and indefatigable perse- 
verance of Mr. Bruce were a guarantee that every oppor- 
tunity presented to him would be taken advantage of to 
the full. . He was accompanied as a passenger on board the 
Balaena by- Mr. W. Burn. Murdoch, an artist whose ambi- 
tion was to paint the Antarctic ice scenery, and who 
became also the chronicler of the cruise. The surgeon 
of the Active was Dr. C. W. Donald, who, although 
