Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/586

nevertheless was worked through small ice belts and she rounded Cape Bird on the morning of the 18th. About breakfast time the sun dispersed the mist and shone brightly. The now familiar features of McMurdo Strait were clearly outlined to the southward, and our stout little ship steamed at full speed past Cape Royds towards our winter quarters.

We had spent the last twenty-four hours in 'squaring up' and preparing our comfortable, if somewhat limited, accommodation for the reception of our comrades at Cape Evans. The mails were all sorted and each member's letters done up in pillow-slips with his name boldly printed thereon. We had only one piece of bad news, the death of poor Brissenden, for all the wives and relations were well, and eagerly looking forward to the return of the Expedition. Every telescope and binocular in the ship was levelled on the hut as Cape Evans opened out from behind the Cape Barne Glacier. The bay was free of ice and one or two figures were discernible outside the hut.

The ship rapidly closed the beach, and by the sudden lively movements of those ashore we knew that the Terra Nova had been perceived.

As we stopped engines a crowd collected before the hut and we could count nineteen men—it was an exciting moment.

The shore party gave three hearty cheers, to which the ship's company replied. The Commanding Officer, espying Campbell, shouted through a megaphone, 'Are you all well, Campbell?' At this our friends on shore became speechless, and after a very marked hush, which