Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/567

heavy ice ahead forced her to turn back on her course some twelve miles and then work through the eastern belt of pack.

The following extract is from the ship's journal:

'Following the edge of the pack north, it was seen to be very heavy and the blink gave no sign of open water inside it until the ship was east by north thirty-five miles from the end of the Drygalski, when there was a belt of pack some two miles broad and clear water inside, at any rate for some distance: this belt was entered at 2.30 p.m., and it shows the heaviness of the ice that she was not clear till past 9 o'clock (a speed of a third of a knot), although it was comparatively loose-looking pack.

'The wind was rising as she worked through this strip of pack, and soon after it came on to snow heavily. Nothing could be done but to remain under easy steam, to avoid the floes, if possible, and look out for bergs. Before midnight it was blowing storm force and objects were visible at only a few hundred yards.'

The storm continued for two days, the latter half without snow, when Mount Melbourne showed up in great beauty.

The open water the ship was in was about six miles broad, and though across the pack another lead (or possibly open water) could be seen, five miles or so distant, yet it was absolutely out of her reach.

The wind was steady in direction from the south-west, and the whole pack and ship drifted slowly but surely north until it became imperative to regain the open