Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/579
is seldom these little birds are found away from the close vicinity of ice.
Fires were put out on the 18th, a good offing having been made, the position being 64° S., 160° 12′ E.
Between the 21st and the 25th it blew hard, the climax being reached on Sunday night (the 24th), when March 24, 1912, 55° 51′ S., 165° 49′ E. a severe storm was raging, the most severe encountered by the ship during her whole commission. It is a wonderful sight to see a comparatively small ship in a storm, particularly at night; the marvellous way she rides over waves that look as if they must break on board, together with the dense darkness in the heavy squalls, relieved only by the white crests of the waves as they break, is a sight that makes up for a considerable amount of discomfort.
The gale was followed by two days' calm, when Ponting was able to cinematograph the birds feeding March 26 and 27, 52° 20′ S., 167° 33′ E. close under the ship's stern.
When off the coast of New Zealand a school of sperm whales was seen and followed for some time with the hopes of getting a photograph. The animals, however, were too shy for the ship to approach within reasonable photographic range.
At daybreak on April 1 the ship entered Akaroa harbour to despatch the telegrams with the season's April 1. Akaroa. news. Here we learned of Amundsen's success in his undertaking.
On the 3rd she was berthed alongside the wharf in Lyttelton again, and, needless to say, received with true New Zealand hospitality.