GLIMPSES OF BIRD-LIFE IN THE ANTARCTIC. 
It. turned out that before he had gone a 
quarter of a mile towards the thermometer he 
realized that he had better turn back, guiding 
himself, quite correctly, by the direction of 
the wind. This brought him to an old fish- 
trap, which he knew to be only two hundred 
yards from the headland. He paced the 
distance in what he thought the right direction 
—and found nothing. The effect of a blizzard 
in blunting the faculties — a greater danger 
than mere chill — is shown by the fact that, 
instead of turning east, where he knew the 
land lay, he dully held on his course, and 
in due time found himself a mile or two 
away at Inaccessible Island, under the lee 
of which he groped his way, suddenly losing 
the cliffs entirely in a swirl of drift when 
he was but a few yards distant from them. 
Only one idea persisted in his brain - 
the homeward course was up wind, and 
up wind he plodded. By sheer luck he 
Vol. xlvi.— 18. 
four or live miles 
from home, round 
which he walked, 
thinking it In- 
accessible Island, 
and dug himself 
a shelter under 
its lee. When the 
moon came out 
he judged his 
bearings well and 
set off ho m c- 
ward. The moon 
went in, and 
soon to his sur- 
prise he found 
the real Inacces- 
sible Island on 
his left. Here he 
waited again, 
expecting t h e 
devastating bliz- 
zard to return, 
till the moon re- 
appeared, then 
shaped his course 
anew, and before 
long saw the flare 
on the headland, 
and so j o i n e d 
s o m e o f t h e 
searchers. T h e 
rest did not get 
in till 2 a.m. As 
Atkinson w a s 
ultimately none 
the worse, his 
narrow escape became the most convincing 
object-lesson to those who might need it on 
the dangers of a blizzard. 
How a Blizzard Comes On. 
These dangers of bewildering wind and 
blinding, choking snow-drift, with cold that 
numbed body and brain, were greatly 
enhanced by the suddenness and absence of 
warning with which they sprang up. Expe- 
rience showed that no weather-sign could be 
trusted as giving warning or not. One night, 
the night of August 2ist-22nd, it was Scott’s 
turn to be on night watch, for all the “ after- 
guard ” took turns to study and record the 
displays of aurora. Ele records u the on- 
coming of a blizzard with exceptional begin- 
nings. The sky became very gradually over- 
cast between t a.m. and 4 a.m. About 2.30 
the temperature rose on a steep grade from 
- 20° to 3°. The barometer was fall- 
CAPTAIN SCOTT'S OWN STORY . 
*39 
hit Tent Island 
