Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/544

appeared to run down from snow-covered rounded hills, Feb. 23, 1911, 69° 29′ S., 162° 49′ E. while behind it a rugged range of hills ran down to a point, apparently forming the eastern point of a large bay, as away to the west could be seen high cliffs with outcroppings of rock, but everything in that direction was much obscured by mist or haze. The ship's position, fixed by sun and moon, was 69° 43′ S., 163° 17′ E.

Forty-seven icebergs could be counted from this spot, all being in the pack and probably mostly aground. This trend of the land to the northward would well account for the hang of the pack and icebergs north of North Cape.

At 8 a.m. the ship started to skirt the pack to the westward, noting what details could be made out of the coast, which were not many. The routine now was for Rennick to sound every forenoon and middle watch, and if in comparatively shallow water, as often as time could be spared. The sounding-machine was worked by hand, and on many nights was a cold and patience-trying job.

As she worked westward the pack pressed the ship out Feb. 24, 1911, 69° 4′ S., 161° 19′ E. from the land, and in the afternoon a light fog and snow came down again. In the middle watch it blew a strong wind from the S.E., with thick snow, and she was hove to.

The snow stopped about 8 a.m., but the day was dull and one could not see far. Course was shaped S.S.W. and Feb. 25, 1911, 68° 50′ S., 159° 11′ E. by 2 the Terra Nova was stopped by pack with what appeared to be a miniature archipelago close to the southward. These turned out to be icebergs, probably aground, and some of large