Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/549

the waves, like a living being, instead of behaving like a half-submerged rock.

The albatross and other deep-sea birds were a great pleasure; while south of Lat. 60° the pretty Hour-glass dolphin (first noticed by Dr. Wilson in the Discovery) was often round the ship.

On the 22nd, when ninety miles south of the Macquarie Islands, the long-hoped-for fair wind March 22, 1911, 56° 9′ S., 159° 15′ E. came at last and held till we made Stewart Island. On the 23rd steam was again raised.

The pumps had been a nuisance throughout, and during a gale on the 24th the trouble came to a head: the ship was heeling between 40 and 45 degrees and jumping about considerably, and only a little water could be got through the engine-room pumps. The hand pump had been kept going all night, but during the morning also choked, and as soon as there was a little water in the well, it lifted a plate in the engine-room during one of the ship's bad heels and let all the ashes and coal down into the well. Both bunker doors had to be shut and could not be opened with safety; engines were stopped and steam kept for the bilge pump, whose suction was with great difficulty kept partially free by Mr. Williams. He kept a perforated enamel jug on the end of the suction, and stopping the pump every two or three minutes as the suction choked, removed and cleared the jug, replaced it and then restarted the pump; this process having to be kept up the whole time the hand pumps were being seen to. To accomplish his object Williams had to lie