Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/601

them sounding. Either this group is charted a great deal out of position, or, what is more likely, does not exist at all.

North-east winds continuing, the ship was driven a good deal farther south than was intended and met with March 27, 1913, 58° 51′ S., 142° 29′ W. a considerable amount of fog and thick weather.

On the 27th she passed three bergs, and another one on the 29th, but the weather all these days was so thick that ice could only be seen at a very short distance. On the 29th, however, she was able to alter to the north-east and soon to leave these March 29, 1913, 58° 39′ S., 134° 54′ W. rather uncomfortable latitudes.

There was a marked dearth of birds all across the Southern Ocean, great grey shearwaters and the little black-bellied petrels being the most common, while the mollymawks and sooty albatross were only occasional visitors.

Cape Horn was passed on April 11, in a strong gale; but as the ship entered the Straits Le Maire at daybreak the next morning the wind dropped and the sun rose over Staten Island, ushering in a beautiful day; and from here, with very little exception, fine weather was experienced all the way to England.

While crossing the shelf on which the Falkland Islands stand, Lillie was able to trawl, and once again after leaving Rio de Janeiro, for the last time on the commission, the catch in this case being almost entirely composed of swimming crabs.