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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Into the Frozen South - -Author: James Marr - -Release Date: January 01, 2021 [eBook #64196] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Tim Lindell, Melissa McDaniel, and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/Canadian Libraries) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INTO THE FROZEN SOUTH *** - - -Transcriber’s Note: - - Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have - been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. - - - - - - -INTO THE FROZEN SOUTH - - - - -PUBLISHER’S NOTE - - -In the beginning it was the intention of Sir Ernest Shackleton to -give Scout Marr the benefit of his guiding hand in the writing of this -book; and indeed up to within a few days of the great explorer’s death, -he spent many moments in talking it over with Marr, and incidentally -gave valuable hints as together they went over the Scout’s notes of -his observations. In this way the framework of the book may be said -to have been laid down by Sir Ernest, and the earlier chapters bear -the impress of his kindly advice as well as the reinforcement of his -wide and wise experience. - -From the sad moment of his death the narrative was continued by Scout -Marr, and then when the MS. was completed, the young author’s work -was given the valued editorial overlook of so experienced a writer -of the things of the sea as Captain Frank H. Shaw. - -In this way the book grew into its present form, and may be considered -the more acceptable insomuch as it reflects the personality of the -“Boss,” and is, moreover, just one more instance of his comradely -spirit toward one on the threshold of life. - - - - - Into the Frozen South - - By SCOUT MARR, of the Quest - Expedition With Twenty-nine Half-tone Illustrations - - [Illustration] - - CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD - London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne - 1923 - - - - - First Published, September 1923 - Reprinted, October 1923 - Reprinted, November 1923 - - Printed in Great Britain. - - - - - To - JOHN QUILLER ROWETT - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - 1. HOPE REALIZED 1 - - 2. LONDON’S GOOD-BYE 6 - - 3. THE VOYAGE BEGINS 18 - - 4. LISBON TO MADEIRA 33 - - 5. EXPERIENCES AFLOAT 44 - - 6. ON THE WAY TO RIO 55 - - 7. CHRISTMAS IN SOUTHERN SEAS 71 - - 8. WE RUN INTO ICE 93 - - 9. THE GREAT BLOW FALLS 102 - - 10. FRANK WILD TAKES COMMAND 106 - - 11. ALL ICE WHERE EYE COULD SEE 117 - - 12. THE GREAT STRUGGLE BEGINS 131 - - 13. GOING DOGGEDLY ON 145 - - 14. WE MAKE FOR ELEPHANT ISLAND 160 - - 15. A ROUGH TIME WITH ICE AND WIND 177 - - 16. SOUTH GEORGIA AGAIN 186 - - 17. A SPELL ON TRISTAN DA CUNHA 198 - - 18. AMONG THE ISLANDS 213 - - 19. ASAIL FOR HOME 224 - - INDEX 241 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Raising the Union Jack given by King George V to the - _Quest_ (Scout Marr is hoisting the left Signal - Halyard) Frontispiece - - FACING PAGE - - Sir Ernest Shackleton and Mr. John Quiller Rowett 4 - - The _Quest’s_ Goodly Company of Adventurers 5 - - On the Way: The _Quest_ in the Trades 58 - - The Ship’s Pets: - Query, the wolfhound 59 - Questie, the cat, on Marr’s Shoulder 59 - - South Georgian Whaling Station: At Work on Blue - Whales 94 - - Some Finny Spoil from St. Paul’s Rocks 94 - - Launching the Kite for Aerial Observation 94 - - Sir Ernest’s Cabin on the _Quest_ 94 - - Penguins at Home 94 - - Dead Whales in Prince Olaf Harbour 94 - - View from above a South Georgia Glacier 94 - - Cape Pigeons at South Georgia 95 - - Gentoo Penguins 95 - - The _Quest_ Narrowly Escapes an Iceberg 120 - - The Midnight Sun in the Land of Ice 120 - - Finding the Magnetic Dip: Jeffrey and Douglas at - Work 121 - - Taking the First Sounding in the Frozen South 121 - - The _Quest_ is Frozen In 140 - - Forging Ahead through Loose Pack Ice 141 - - In the Antarctic: The _Quest_ a Mass of Frozen - Spray 141 - - The Wake of Loose Ice as seen from the Crow’s Nest 182 - - A Close-up View of the Pack 182 - - Entering the Pack 183 - - Collecting Ice for Replenishing the Water Tanks 183 - - Scout Marr presents Sir Robert Baden-Powell’s - Flag to the Tristan da Cunha Troop 204 - - We go in Search of Fresh Food 205 - - The _Quest_ off Inaccessible Island 205 - - - - - [Illustration: Raising the Union Jack given by King George V to - the _Quest_. - - (Scout Marr is Hoisting the Left Signal Halyard.) - - _Photo: Topical._] - - - - -INTO THE FROZEN SOUTH - - - - -CHAPTER I - -Hope Realized - - -It was difficult to believe that I stood a fighting chance of being -chosen as one of that band of gallant adventurers bound for the Frozen -South. Hope ran high when it was made known to me that I was among the -ten candidates who were to be inspected by Sir Ernest Shackleton; but, -even so, my heart misgave me. True enough, we ten had been weeded out -of thousands who had applied, in response to the wide appeal published -in the early summer of 1921, for volunteer Scouts to accompany the -famous explorer on what promised to be an ideal adventure; but that -such good fortune as came would be mine was wellnigh incredible. - -Yet the miracle happened. A dream grew into reality. Together with -Scout Norman E. Mooney, of the Orkney Islands, I was selected as one -of the crew of that famous _Quest_ which, driven by the compelling -determination of Sir Ernest Shackleton, was to attempt to penetrate -the Antarctic fastnesses, and to explore not only those icy wastes, -but also certain little-known islands in the sub-Antarctic seas. - -Imagine how my heart leaped when the news was told! Here was romance -personified. I think that any youth of my age would have felt with -me that all the adventure books ever written were but tame affairs -as compared with what the future promised. We were to follow in -the footsteps of brave men who had dared much; of men who had died -because of their love of perilous adventure. Anything might happen; -imagination filled in the coming years with pictures that set the -mind alive with delight. - -Oh, yes, it was good to be young and ambitious—and chosen! The doors -were to be closed for indefinite years on England—commonplace England, -as I thought it then—and our ship was to bear us, high of heart, -clear across the threshold of adventure. - -Often and often had I thought how splendid it would be to visit those -wastes of snow and ice and furious seas. Like every other healthy -British lad, the hot blood of desire to achieve ran in my veins. -And here were my biggest dreams coming true. Fill in the blanks for -yourselves. - -I was glad to think that my lot was to be cast amongst such tried -and proven men as Sir Ernest Shackleton and Mr. Frank Wild. Every -boy has his private heroes. Shackleton was one of mine. Moreover, I, -a landsman, was to learn the craft of the sea, and under the most -fascinating circumstances imaginable. I thought of Drake, Hawkins -and all those hardy adventurers of the past. I was one of them! - -My first meeting with Sir Ernest Shackleton did nothing to lessen my -enthusiasm, for he satisfied my imagination most completely. Here was a -man to be followed anywhere—everywhere; a man whom it would be a great -thing to serve. A tall, broad man, with a strong, determined mouth, -a man whose smile gave confidence, whose voice seemed always to be -laughing at danger. A full-sized man, judged by any standard, though -his great shoulders carried a just perceptible bend, as token of the -heavy burden laid upon him by his gallant struggles and endeavours -of former years. - -Naturally enough, when face to face with him this first time, I had -little to say. But he possessed the ability to size one up almost at -a glance. - -“Why do you want to go?” he asked crisply. - -“I want to _do_ something,” I said. It was a period when every -right-thinking boy felt he must do something to be worthy of the -sacrifices of Britain’s dead in the recently ended war. I wanted to say -all this, yet words failed to come; but Shackleton read right enough -and smiled. I was chosen, and even to this day I cannot understand -why. My lucky star had climbed into the zenith, I suppose. - -There is really no need for me to record that I counted myself the -luckiest fellow on earth, nor to declare how strenuously I vowed -myself to loyal and helpful performance of all such duties as should -come my way. I wanted to be worthy of my companions. Here were men -who had flocked to a well-loved leader’s standard from all the ends -of the earth; and I was chosen to stand beside them! - -Once the decision was made, the days were full of anticipation. -They seemed tedious and endless, because, being committed, I wanted -to tread the _Quest’s_ planking and feel that it was all really -true. There were so many things that might happen, so many chances -of misadventure. However, fortune stood my friend; the appointed -hour arrived. Not that those final farewells to loving friends were -pleasant, but high resolve made light of them. Others had dared the -long out trail that’s everlastingly new; and homesickness is no fatal -disease. - -Nevertheless, let me be honest and say that my first sight of the -_Quest_ somewhat tarnished the gilt of the gingerbread. She seemed -so very tiny to be destined for so great an adventure—merely a minnow -amongst whales compared with other craft. Still, I doubt if any power -on earth could have tempted me to draw back. - -Mooney and I joined ship on September 15, 1921, and I was allotted a -bunk in the little mess-room in the ship’s after-end. Cramped quarters -enough, make no mistake on that head. The _Quest_ was no leviathan, -and personal comfort was a thing that seemed to have been left out of -her controller’s calculations. So much for first impressions. If I -had had previous sea experience I might, at that first glance, have -counted my quarters almost luxurious. For in addition to the actual -sleeping-place, at least as roomy as a coffin, I was granted a locker -beneath for clothes and a shelf for the careful stowing of trifling -personal belongings. This was my stateroom de luxe. At first it seemed -so tiny, so stuffy, so generally uncomfortable, that I wondered how -any human being, not to mention a well-grown youth of my proportion, -could exist there; but the time was to come when I should consider -this corner of a seagoing ship the most desirable spot in all the -world for my seagoing requirements, and count the minutes until I -was able to fling myself full-length into that seven-by-two sleeping -shelf to sink into the dreamless slumber that rewards hard toil. - -Aboard a Polar exploration ship there is scant room for luxury. Every -available inch of space must needs be crammed with gear that is to -further the expedition’s interests. The human side of things is apt -to be lost sight of by those who have the greater vision, and who -understand, as our leader understood, the amazing adaptability of -mankind. - - [Illustration: Sir Ernest Shackleton and Mr. John Quiller Rowett.] - -Not that Mooney and myself were called upon at once to “render down” -into these cramped quarters. Probably with an idea of tempering the -wind to the shorn lamb, Mr. John Quiller Rowett, who, by reason of -his personal admiration for Sir Ernest Shackleton, was responsible -for financing the expedition, took us under his comforting wing and -gave us a great time at his Sussex home, Ely Place, Frant. - - [Illustration: The _Quest’s_ Goodly Company of Adventurers.] - -In my opinion Mr. Rowett deserves a high place in the records of Polar -exploration. The bravest adventurers imaginable cannot fare forth in -quest of the unknown without monetary backing; born adventurers, by -reason of their very indomitableness, seldom have sufficient capital -to finance their expeditions. If the _Quest_ was to be a cannon ball -designed to thrust herself into the frozen fastnesses of the South, -Mr. Rowett unquestionably supplied the powder that fired her on that -lengthy journey. Expecting nothing in return for his very considerable -outlay, satisfied to know that he was helping a courageous man towards -the realization of his ambition, Mr. Rowett cheerfully provided the -major part of the funds for this, Shackleton’s last adventure, out -of considerations of personal friendship for our leader and in the -general interests of scientific research. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -London’s Good-bye - - -On Saturday, September 17, precisely at one o’clock, Sir Ernest -Shackleton gave the word to cast off, and the _Quest_ started from -St. Katharine’s Dock, Tower Bridge, on her journey across the foamy -leagues. Enthusiastically she endeavoured to celebrate the occasion -by a stentorian blast on her whistle; but no matter how diligently -the lanyard was tugged, nothing beyond a hoarse moan resulted. The -watching crowd, realizing the intention, cheered resoundingly; and -as if put on its mettle by this tribute of farewell, the whistle made -another and more successful effort; a fairly creditable note resulted -as the _Quest_ was towed and warped out through the dock-heads into -the open river. With the great Tower Bridge opened for us, as if we -were a liner of repute instead of one of the stormy petrels of the -sea, we passed up to London Bridge, where we swung about and then -dropped down-stream under our own power. - -We had a wonderful send-off. To me, unaccustomed to crowds, it was -as though all London had conspired together to bid us a heartening -farewell. Crowds and bigger crowds massed on the quays and the banks -of the Thames. Both the Tower Bridge and London Bridge were packed -with cheering people who clustered like flies. The bigger shipping -in the river roared welcome and farewell to the little _Quest_; every -siren was bellowing at its fullest blast, and our ineffective whistle -was hard-set to make even a decent showing in reply, since the custom -of the sea ordains that every signal given shall be scrupulously -answered. Naturally the Press was strongly represented, writers and -photographers alike; and since, in a way, we were public property, the -whole ship’s company posed for the pointing lenses, whilst Shackleton, -desirous that those at home should hold a pleasant final record of -us, kept us laughing broadly at his swift shafts of wit. - -So much for the picturesque side of exploration; but as soon as we were -fairly in the river, work began. Shifting stores is no pleasant job. -Gunny-sacks that hold hard-tack rub the neck and arms unmercifully; -cask-chines cut the fingers; every muscle in one’s body collects -its own individual ache, which joins with every other ache to create -one enormous agony of pain; but it’s a proud horse that won’t carry -its own nosebag, and during the journey down to Gravesend we put our -backs into the commonplace but very necessary job. Probably enough, -Nelson himself had shifted similar stores in his younger days, and -he died an admiral! We realized—I know I did—that we were necessary -to the general welfare of the cruise. - -Anchored at Gravesend, Scout Mooney and myself were permitted no -easement. That’s the way of the sea, I found. She breaks in her -disciples thoroughly at the beginning, so that none of her later -surprises can astonish. Helping the cook prepare supper mightn’t seem -heroic, but it was necessary, for these shipmates of ours depended -on us for their creature comforts on this occasion. Maybe enthusiasm -overreached itself a little, for, serving the prepared meal at -table, I contrived to spill hot coffee over the hand of one of our -members. Scout lore teaches one early to be a philosopher, and here -was an excellent opportunity of acquiring a working knowledge of -the ready-for-use language employed on shipboard, to which we were -initiated by the injured explorer’s remarks. You don’t hear language -like that every day of your life! - -Having served, Mooney and myself ate, and did it heartily. The sea -creates an appetite all of its own; and I have not the slightest doubt -that our attention to the victuals caused some concern in the minds -of those responsible for the supplies of the ship. Then, full-fed and -happy, we washed up the dishes and turned into our narrow berths and -quickly fell into sleep, though the day had been memorable and full -of mild excitements. Just before I dropped off, just as the varied -aches and abrasions with which I had afflicted myself began to get -in their fine work, I remembered those stentorian cheers that had -wafted us down-river. - -“Some of those were for _me_!” I thought. It made the labours seem -light. - -“All hands on deck!” was the cry that wakened me in the early morning -of the Sabbath. There was a note of purpose in the cry, and no -wonder. The _Quest_ was dragging her anchors and running down to foul -the rigging of a near-by steam hopper with her bowsprit. Darkness -everywhere; a medley of men in pyjamas, and not yet familiarized with -the geography of this, their latest home, some shouting; then a twang -of snapping wires, a vast looming shadow sliding away into darkness, -and we were clear, at cost of two of the steamer’s stays, cut through -by some opportunist. Evidently the sea did not permit of long, placid -reveries; there was always something happening or about to happen -once you got afloat. But after the moment’s breathlessness my bunk -seemed doubly inviting, and I was just getting accustomed again to -being asleep when—six a.m. happened, four bells in the morning watch, -and up we youngsters were roused to get breakfast for our seniors. -By seven-thirty the _Quest_ was already under way, and my first real -misgivings troubled me. I, a landsman, had to minister to the needs -of tried and tested seamen! Something of an ordeal, believe me; but -it’s a poor scout who fears to climb! I overcame my tremblings by dint -of sheer determination, and no crockery was broken by being thrown -at my devoted head that meal. Maybe the good spirit that animated -all the company permitted them to overlook my crass deficiencies. - -Not an heroic day this Sunday, my first at sea, by any means. We were -at once initiated into that shipboard creed which dictates that, even -if your ship be sinking, she must sink clean. Cleanliness aboard the -_Quest_, as aboard most other ships flying British colours, ranks -ahead of godliness. Mooney and I washed dishes, washed floors, washed -everything that could be washed, by way of justifying our existences. -We made the little ward-room, where ten of us all told eat and sleep -and generally have our being, shine like silver. By tea time—still -washing something—we reached Sheerness. - -Now, a voyage such as lay before us is not a trifling affair of days or -weeks, with the assurance of thoroughly equipped ports and dockyards -under one’s lee to comfort us. The _Quest_ must needs be prepared for -any hazard that might arise—and there were many to be anticipated. -Divers came off and busied themselves with fitting copper plates to -our hull, to form a suitable “earth” for the wireless installation. -Oddments had to be secured from the shore, other oddments were -returned. A new bowsprit was shipped. There was abundance of work for -all hands; scant time for homesickness. So that the evening was upon -us almost before we realized it; and since, even aboard ship, men -must rest and take their pleasure, the cook accompanied us ashore to -see the sights of Sheerness. The principal one was a picture house. -We saw it, and when we’d seen it it was high time to renew friendship -with our bunks. - -Early in the voyage Mooney and I found the worth of systematic -co-operation in our labours. In cramped quarters, over-packed with -humanity, there must be a place for everything and a definite time for -every duty. We put on our thinking-caps. At present we were having -allowances made for us; but—even a youngster may be allowed to look -into the future. A small ship, many men of varying temperaments, -these might make for friction, and human nature being what it is, -friction under such conditions is inevitable. I had heard of the chaos -that can result aboard ship from discordant elements being present, -and I decided at this early hour that blame for discord should not -rest on me. Mooney and I seemed to have it in our power to lighten -irksome days by swift and diligent service. We accordingly drew up -a programme of duties, which answered very well. I attended to the -table, Mooney washed up as the dishes came away from the board. All -the ward-room crowd being fed, I assisted in that endless washing up; -then, all utensils snugly stowed away in proper Bristol fashion, we -combined to carry out such further duties as were required of us. In -a surprisingly little while we’d reduced the thing to a fine art; and -I firmly believe the senior members of the expedition hardly realized -our presence, so automatically did the work proceed. - -One good thing I discovered about hard work faithfully performed: -it teaches you to enjoy pleasure. Tuesday evening found me ashore in -Sheerness at a whist drive, with a dance to follow. There was room to -breathe, room to stretch oneself. I enjoyed that evening very much. -Ordinarily I might have been bored; but I’d earned the relaxation, -I fancied, and I went into it with all my heart and soul. Yes, you -can play very hard when you’ve worked hard to earn it. - -On Wednesday morning the ship was taken out to the buoys to be swung -for compass adjustment. Not posing as an experienced navigator, I am -unable to describe this very necessary operation in detail; but I -gathered that a ship’s compass is about as uncertain an instrument -as can be imagined. About the one place to which a compass needle -doesn’t point is the Pole. There are so many opposing forces at work -to defeat—or is it deflect?—that slip of magnetized metal that the -wonder is it doesn’t give up the task in despair and point straight -upwards to the spot where Paddy’s hurricane came from. Apart from -the wide difference between the magnetic poles and the true poles—and -that is called variation—there are the wonderful effects of the metal -contained in the ship—the immovable metal of her structure—and every -shroud and every barrel hoop is some sort of a magnet; the other no -less wonderful effects created by the ship’s heeling and pitching, when -what was previously horizontal magnetism becomes vertical magnetism; -and a multitude of chancy irregularities that bewilder me when I think -of them. However, the experts concerned in the matter contrived to -reduce all these warring elements to something approaching order, and -we left Sheerness with the conviction that whatever happened to the -ship her compasses wouldn’t fail. It was after lunch when we finally -got our ground tackle and slid away towards the Channel, across a -sea as flat and smooth as the ice of which we were later to see so -much. Under such conditions, being at sea was about as pleasurable -an experience as one could hope for. It was possible to get familiar -with the thousand and one details of shipboard life which at first -sight seem so baffling. Already, short as had been my time aboard, I -had a sneaking belief that I could pass some sort of examination in -seamanship. - -Here’s a chance now, with the _Quest_ in open water, to say something -about her. She was to serve as a stage for all the comedies and -tragedies of the coming months, and she is worthy of as good a -description as I am able to give. I said before she was no leviathan. -In your mind’s eye, you who read my impressions, please don’t create -a fancy ship, equipped with such gadgets as make ordinary seafaring -a picnic. The _Quest_, originally a small Norwegian wooden barque of -125 tons, was mighty little bigger than a Thames barge. Her auxiliary -steam engines developed one horse-power per ton, 125 h.p. in all. -Ketch-rigged as she originally was, she was supposed to be capable -of steaming seven knots per hour in smooth waters. Being originally -intended for the Arctic sealing trade, she was naturally very strongly -built in every respect, even at a sacrifice of room inboard. Her bow -was solid oak sheathed stoutly with steel—capable of taking a very -severe ice nip; her timbers were doubly reinforced by massive beams -with natural bends. Give her an overall length of 111 feet from bow -to taffrail, a beam of 23 feet or thereabouts, sides 24 inches in -thickness, and there you have her, this twentieth-century Argosy of -ours, as Shackleton bought her from her original owners. - -She underwent a thorough overhauling prior to my joining her. She -might have been much more thoroughly made-over but for the fact of -certain strikes and restlessness amongst the dockyard workers. She -might have been ridded of her steam engines and been fitted with -Diesel oil engines; but this alteration was impossible. Consequently -her already limited accommodation was still further limited by the -creation of new bunker space—the forehold suffered here—which was -estimated to give the _Quest_ a working radius, allowing for the use -of sail and economical steaming, of something like five thousand miles. - -Her rigging was altered to a considerable extent. She was square-rigged -forward, her mizenmast was lengthened, really in order to give the -wireless aerial a chance; her ’thwartship bridge was thrown clear -across the deck from rail to rail, and completely enclosed with -Triplex glass windows. Her foredeck developed a curious growth in the -shape of a deckhouse as big as an average dining-room, twenty feet by -twelve. This house was partitioned off into four small cabins and a -room for housing special scientific instruments. New running rigging -was fitted, also new canvas; and as Mr. Rowett was determined that -every detail of the ship must be as perfect and safe as was possible, -no matter what the expense might be, nothing was left undone that -would assure her being eminently seaworthy. - -Within her diminutive hull, twenty hands, picked from innumerable -volunteers, were bestowed in very limited space, as might be imagined. -She was, indeed, so packed with gear of one kind and another that -I still wonder how her timbers stood the strain. Piecing together -a jig-saw puzzle was child’s play compared with the stowing of her -equipment and stores; not a single inch of space was wasted anywhere. - -She was fitted with two complete wireless installations; not merely -receiving sets, but also transmitting gear. Moreover, she was lit -throughout by electric light, at all events during the earlier stages -of the voyage, but the need to economize in fuel later compelled the -use of oil lamps everywhere. A great quantity of her sea stores and -the equipment that would be required when in the Antarctic was sent -ahead of her to Cape Town, to be kept in store, awaiting our arrival; -but even so she was packed full; and the port alleyway was pretty -completely blocked by the seaplane which we were carrying. Everything -that human ingenuity could devise or demand was there in that little -ship. - -I have forgotten to mention the spirit of loyal determination of all -aboard. There was enough to equip a whole armada of Dreadnoughts. -What did cramped space and minor discomfort matter? We were going -South with Shackleton, and that was enough for us. Everyone possessed -good temper and the determination to rough it without outcry—about -the most desirable qualifications for a crew on such a voyage. - -Throughout the easy run to Plymouth there was nothing to disturb -us; voyaging under these fine-weather conditions was glorious. We -were all in high heart, adapting ourselves rapidly to the existing -conditions; and the time flowed by with that curious smoothness so -noticeable at sea. - -By half-past nine on the morning of Wednesday, September 23, we -sighted Plymouth and passed up through an almost empty Sound. Here -the _Quest_ was welcomed by the mayor and other notables, including -Captain Gordon Campbell, V.C., the man who made himself such a terror -to German submarines during the war. There were speeches—stirring -speeches that exalted the courage and, so far as I was concerned, made -me feel even more heroic than before, so that once again I thanked -my lucky stars for the good fortune that had fallen my way. - -Mooney and myself were given an extra special send-off on our own -account, being invited ashore to a meeting of Scout officers of -Plymouth, where a stirring address was given by Mr. Parr, who is chief -of the Wolf Cubs in London. Then there was tea—we were the served, not -servers! It was a thoroughly good blow out, and afterwards a sing-song -worth thinking twice about, though all through the festivities Mooney -and I were being pestered for our autographs in such a fashion as -threatened to give us stiff wrists and swollen heads. Then they took -us round Plymouth in taxi-cabs and showed us the place from which -the _Mayflower_ sailed on a journey that promised to be even more -difficult than ours; yet Mooney and I thought scornful of _Mayflowers_, -as Mulvaney thought scornful of elephants! - -Until Saturday we lay at Plymouth. Prior to sailing we embarked two -passengers, one temporary, Mr. Gerald Lysaght, who was invited to -accompany us to Madeira; one permanent, in the shape of a very fine -Alsatian wolf-hound puppy, presented to “The Boss” as a mascot. -“Query,” we called this pup, and, as usual aboard ship, he became -a firm favourite with all hands. So now we were all complete. Mr. -Rowett came down from London to see us off, and he gave us a joyful -dinner. We moved off into the Sound, where our compasses underwent -another careful testing; and as the ship swung round the circle she -was surrounded by such swarms of small boats as seemed impossible of -belief. We were a magnet to draw all water-going Plymouth that day, -believe me. Drake himself never had such a send-off as we had, I swear. - -This day was memorable for two reasons. First, the _Quest_ made her -real start on her southward journey; second, I took my first spell -in a ship’s stokehold, not as a spectator, but as a genuine working -member of the black squad! There are some men, I believe, who consider -stokehold work almost a pastime. I didn’t. To learn to become an -efficient stoker you must first acquire the art of coal-trimming. -You go down into bunkers packed tight with coal, breathless caves -below the waterline, where the stench of bilge is thick and clogging, -and you shift coal to within easy reach of the men who are tending -the fires. You breathe coal dust and you absorb coal dust at every -pore. In a little while, if you persevere, you actually begin to -_think_ coal dust—it’s everywhere. Coal is a very fine thing in its -proper place—and that is on a fire—but the getting of it to the fire -is an overrated sport. Coal dust as food leaves much to be desired; -my mouth was full of it; so were my eyes and my ears and my hair -and my nose and my lungs. Still, they say that ship’s firemen are a -healthy race, so there must be _some_ good in coal dust after all. -But, having shovelled and breathed and eaten sufficient of the black -and unpalatable stuff, I was deemed qualified to serve the fires, and -contrived to get on well enough for a beginner, though the heat was -excellent preparation for a future existence. Not that I’m grumbling, -observe; I am merely trying to set down my early impressions as they -came to me. I registered a solemn vow during those hours that my -ambition should carry me higher than a steamer’s stokehold, or I’d -know the reason why. - -It was during this 12 to 4 engine-room watch of mine that the _Quest_ -got properly under way. Her second send-off, and a good one it was. -Plymouth excelled itself that day. An Admiralty tug helped along -the first lap of the journey, a comforting sight, for she was very -much bigger than the _Quest_. Mr. Rowett and Mr. Stenhouse, who had -remained aboard till the last possible minute, now left us with cordial -farewells that made one feel uncommonly lumpy about the throat, and -all hands manned ship to reply. We gave them our fiendish war-cry, -its “music” devised, I think, by Captain Worsley: “Yoicks, tally-ho!” -and gave it them again and again, until our throats were sore. Then -quite suddenly, so it seemed, we were all alone, trudging down-Channel -through a perfect evening, with a sea as smooth as polished glass, -and busy porpoises welcoming us to the glory of deep water. And so, -with the English land dimming into the evening mist, we were really -up and away at last. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -The Voyage Begins - - -There was a great deal to be done before settling down, however. The -ship was so deep-laden with stores and equipment that every precaution -was necessary in the event of our meeting bad weather. Our decks were -still littered with every imaginable object under the sun. Lifeboats -were crammed with supplies; ropes in coils, ropes in flakes, canvas -in bolts, innumerable gadgets connected with science, art and the -human stomach filled the planking. So it was “Lash up and stow” with -a vengeance; for all this clutter had to be brought within reasonable -bounds of safety, and until this was done steady rest was out of -the question. My chief concern, I found, was to keep out of the way -of more skilled seamen than myself. I was uncommonly willing, but a -trifle lacking in ability, like the Irishman who tried to sound the -depth of water in the ship’s boilers by dropping a stone down the -funnel at the end of a rope! - -At midnight I went down to the stokehold again for another watch -amongst the coal dust. They told me that the ship had been literally -bombarded with wireless wishes from our countless friends. But for -the coal dust I should have been as happy as a sandboy; but you can’t -have everything, even when you’re Antarctic-bound. - -In the morning we saw the last of England, or rather the foam that -guards old England, for the big seas breaking on the Scilly Isles and -the Bishop Rock practically hid them from view. As a fair wind was -blowing we stretched our canvas, and I tried to familiarize myself -with the mysteries of a sailing-ship. I decided that I had a lot to -learn that even scouting hadn’t taught me. Ropes are queer things; -they always seem to turn up where least expected; they always foul -something just when they are most needed. Try for the first time to -coil down a split-new rope that hasn’t had its kinks taken out, and -you’ll understand what I mean. - -I should like to draw a thick veil over what happened next. But even a -Scout, selected for such an eventful experience as this, must bow his -head to certain circumstances. Perhaps Neptune didn’t quite understand -how important an individual I was. At all events, the smell of the -engine-room when next I went on watch at noon began to be afflicting. -It hadn’t been attar of roses before, but now——! They said it was -because the _Quest_ was so deep-laden that she rolled so much, but -I wasn’t concerned so much with causes as with effects. Those rolls -seemed unending. At first I was afraid the ship would sink; later I -was afraid she wouldn’t! - -More seasoned men—I wonder why seasickness is always considered -amusing?—advised various remedies. To drink hot salt water steadily -was one; to swallow salt pork at the end of a string was another. -The best remedy proposed was hard work, so I clenched my teeth and -resolved to stick it out. I had to be one up on Mooney, who had thrown -up the sponge by now, as well as practically everything else. I will -draw the veil. - -Yet even when seasick it was possible to realize something of the -splendour of the sea. Big ships went past, thrusting white water -grandly before their bows, with gay-coloured bunting streaming from -their spans to wish us the best of fortune. A noble windjammer, clothed -in shimmering canvas from truck to rail, overhauled us, leaning to -the strenuous breeze, with the dark shadows playing mysteriously in -her bulging canvas and the foam flicking over her catheads. I was -one of that goodly brotherhood, even though a sick one. It was my -right to laugh at the whipping white-caps, though I hardly felt like -laughing at anything. Never mind! Nelson was sick every time he left -port, so who was I to complain? - -At midnight I went down below again and got to work, though my stoking -would not have won a prize. Since no one likes to admit that Neptune -has beaten him, I deluded myself into believing that I had caught a -chill by sitting in the cold air on deck after the stifling heat of -the stokehold. Any excuse serves a victim to _mal de mer_! Then, too, -there was the question of sea-legs. There were so many things to fall -against, and most of them were either very hot or very sharp. The -things one tried to grab when the ship took one of her soul-shifting -rolls floated away out of reach; the floors were mostly on end, so -that, without exaggerating, I decided that death could hold no greater -terrors. Limp and sore and miserable, I found it difficult to stick it -out through the watch; but by assuring myself that it wasn’t really -seasickness at all so much as that chill, I managed it, and crawled -bunkwards feeling several times more dead than alive. No doubt I -could have succumbed, thrown up the sponge, and let the unkindly sea -have its way with me; but already, short as had been my sea service, -I was beginning to learn the deep-water lesson that aboard a small -ship every man counts, and that if one man shirks his job that same -job must be divided amongst others who already have enough to do. - -In my bunk I lay for eight forlorn hours, and then it was up again -and down to that pestiferous stokehold, where the same programme was -gone through. I told myself that I wasn’t the only victim; others -were perhaps even more miserable than myself. And here’s a curious -fact: if you think that it helps you to carry on. Queer, I admit, but -it does. You have a sort of pride in your own powers of resistance. -It gives you something to think of; and as they tell you that _mal -de mer_ is more a mental ailment than a physical, your mind can’t -concentrate quite so closely on its own woes. That’s my opinion, -anyhow, whatever others may think. - -About now all available hands took part in coal trimming, and my -labours were consequently lightened. Scout Mooney was clean out of -the running, suffering ten times as much as I was. And then, by way -of a bracer, came a welcome change in work. Instead of shovelling -coal I was set on to scrubbing and cleaning, part of every ship’s -everlasting programme. Inside and outside I scrubbed the engine-room, -and like the First Lord of the Admiralty in the play: “I scrubbed that -engine-room so thoughtfully that soon I was”—well, not the ruler of -any navee, but at least granted the boon of joining the deck squad -and ordered to take my first trick at the helm, from eight o’clock -at night. After a bit of instruction they handed the wheel over to -me, and I had the ship between my own two hands. That was something -worth while. I counted in the scheme of things. The wind had dropped -somewhat and the ship’s motion was easier. The topsail was furled, and -I found that once I’d got the hang of things steering was enjoyable. -A ship is as responsive to her helm as a horse is to its bit. You -can do practically anything you like with her. And the clean, strong -air up there cleansed me more than I can tell; the shuddering misery -of seasickness lessened. I had the ship to watch and to learn to -understand; she was given to little restive tricks that had to be -guarded against; and when your mind is so closely occupied, your own -woes diminish amazingly. - -It was a quiet, placid night, very enjoyable, with the ship noises -joining together into a chorus that was rather thrilling. Ropes flapped -in the wind, for all the world like distant drums calling to action. -The gently parted water gurgled past our sides and seemed to chuckle -a welcome to the _Quest_. Mysterious lights loomed up through the -growing haze—red, white and green. The magic of the sea was closing -its grip on me, and I took that strumming as applying to myself. It -was my battle call. - -During the rest of the night—I got to my bunk at midnight—we ran -down into fine weather. Coming on deck at eight in the morning, I -saw a bluer sea than I’d ever seen. It was wonderful, beautiful, and -the air was caressingly warm. The wide horizon was flawless, there -was never a cloud in the serene blue sky. Everyone’s spirits vastly -improved; there was laughter and the hearty note of a high endeavour -in the voices of nearly all hands. Because the wind had dropped, -all sail had been taken in, and the ship was proceeding under steam -alone, and, I fear, not making much of a job of it. At her best the -_Quest_ was no ocean greyhound. The top speed we were able to make -under engines alone was about five and a half knots an hour—a little -quicker than we could have walked! But, judging by the stern pounding -of the engines below, we might have been breaking records. - -I was standing the morning watch, 8 to 12, the watch when most of the -ship-work is done; and always there is a lot, even in a little ship. -Before I trod a deck-plank I had a notion that being at sea consisted -for the most part in sprucely pacing the decks and pointing a telescope -at the horizon, hoisting my slacks and singing thrilling sea chanties. -The reality was very different. Apart altogether from taking a regular -trick at the wheel—the easiest part of seafaring in many ways—there -are look outs to be kept, decks to be washed—if the ship is going -down you give a final scrub to her planks, remember!—paintwork to -be wiped over, sails to be loosed and set and furled and overhauled; -old ropes to be spliced, whipped and served; new ropes to be coiled -and recoiled and trailed out astern in order to remove the annoying -kinks that take up so much space on a crowded deck; the cook demands -assistance, there are always errands to go, and so the time slips by -so rapidly that almost as soon as a watch begins it is ended. Then -you go below, where you are at liberty to do what you like—in reason. -Your time is more or less your own, and it is wonderful how many odd -jobs you can find to occupy that time. Of course, you sleep a lot; -that’s the sailor’s favourite recreation, according to my way of -thinking. Sleep aboard ship is a very sacred thing; you never disturb -a slumberer unnecessarily. - -But apart from sleep you’ve got innumerable “chores” to perform in -your own interest. There are your clothes to be washed and mended, -since laundresses don’t form part of an Antarctic ship’s crew; -also, if you are interested in cleanliness, there is yourself to -be kept immaculate, though in none too much fresh water. At first -I didn’t believe it when I was told by one of the crew that he and -seven others had enjoyed a perfectly sumptuous bath apiece in one -half-pannikinful of warm water; but afterwards I quite understood. -They used a shaving-brush! - -Keeping a diary, too, always occupies a certain amount of time, and -from the outset of the voyage I kept as faithful a record of the -little happenings of every day as I could. Of course, I missed many of -the most important happenings that were the property of the seniors -of the expedition; but I have hopes that this casual record of the -life we lived may prove of interest to those who have never braved -the frozen South in a 125-ton cockboat. - -Already, although only a couple of days out, we seem very remote from -ordinary life. We’re a little self-contained community all on our -own, bound together by the bonds of a common determination, aware of -the dangers and discomforts that await us, but cheerfully resolved—at -least, I was—to make the best of anything that came our way. - -I went on watch again at four o’clock—the first “dog.” Good times -and decent health returned: life lost a lot of that brownish-yellow -tinge that had hung at its edges lately. At four a.m. I was roused -out for the “graveyard watch,” turning out into darkness, cold and -reluctant to leave “Blanket Alley.” At daylight I was put on the -general housemaid’s work of the ship: scrubbing decks, polishing -brasses, washing the paint. - -A strong breeze was blowing during this watch, and the ship was more -than a little lively. She shipped a little water, too, wetting us -to the skin; but we were all cheerful and there were no complaints. -We were, as the Boss said, shaking down, dovetailing ourselves into -our allotted places and rubbing off the awkward corners, for aboard -a little ship there’s no place for corners. - -To-day Captain Worsley, the sailing master, gave me the job of -lamp-trimmer, and in pursuit of my duties I went forward to find some -oil, since even Antarctic lamps won’t burn without fuel. I had just -unlashed a drum and was in the act of opening it, when Sir Ernest -Shackleton, who was near by, gave me a needed lesson in common-sense -sailorizing. - -“Don’t try to do too many things on your own until you’ve got the hang -of them,” he said. “If any accident happened and that drum fetched -away, the boatswain would be blamed, because safe stowage is his -job. When you mix in with another man’s job, always remember that he -might have to take blame that’s rightly due to you.” Consequently I -lashed the drum up again; and the Boss, watching closely with those -eyes that always seemed to see everything down to the last little -detail, said: “I see you’ve made it good and fast; but you’ve put on -a slippery hitch. Here’s the right way, and it’s the right way that -counts at sea.” Then he explained carefully how the thing should be -done, and afterwards gave me a lesson in whipping frayed rope-ends. -With all the weight of responsibility he carried on his shoulders, -and all his worries—for he had many—he still found time to interest -himself in an obscure Scout. But he was like that; I think that was -one of the qualities that made him great. The ship was already proving -something of a disappointment to him. Her speed was far short of what -was expected, and there seemed a probability of our reaching the ice -too late; but he still had time and consideration enough to teach me -my job personally. - -Of course, with the freshening wind we had set sail again to help -along our insufficient engines. Under her press of canvas the ship -made fairly good weather, but the amount of water she brought aboard -was considerable, and gave the Boss some concern. We were so stacked -and cluttered with important gear that any sea might seriously damage -our equipment. Sir Ernest wondered what was likely to happen when -we got into the Roaring Forties; but even so, when next day we had -to take in sail he was still able to interest himself in my progress -and safety. - -In taking in sail it was my lot to help make fast the staysail, and -to do it effectively I got into a somewhat precarious position in -the bows. When I went aft Shackleton called me to him and said: “I -saw you right forrard just now, youngster. I like to see you do it—it -shows zeal; but just remember that a sailor isn’t made in a dog-watch. -I don’t expect you to do that sort of thing until you’ve got your -proper sea-legs.” He was always like that; always considerate of his -people, anxious for their safety and comfort and general well-being. -Then he gave me to understand, without a lot of flapdoodle, that I -wasn’t shaping so badly; and I left him in a glow of satisfaction, -because it is something to please such a leader of men. - -We got shortened down in time, but none too soon, because before -very long a real gale, that had got up with astonishing rapidity, -was blowing. In five minutes or thereabouts the ship was rolling -alarmingly, taking such heartful sweeps that I, who knew little of the -capabilities of a ship, wondered how soon she would capsize. She put -her whole soul into that rolling, swinging her yardarms to the water -on either side. White water piled over our rails, and the strumming -and harping of the wind in the stripped spars was awe-inspiring. -Everywhere the sea was whipped to white-capped anger; the sky was -lowering, covered with black-edged clouds; and the rattle of the -hurled spindrift was deafening. You’d never think there could be -so much noise as during a gale at sea. At ten o’clock I went, not -without trepidation, I admit, to take my trick at the wheel; but the -Boss interfered here. I can’t say I was sorry. The ship that in fine -weather seemed friendly and docile under my hands, promised in this -flurry to be more than a bit of a handful. Shackleton told me that -I hadn’t enough experience as yet to handle the _Quest_ in a seaway, -so I got busy with other work. - -I dare say that from the deck of a forty-thousand-ton Atlantic liner -this gale might have seemed a trifle, nothing more than a capful of -wind and a very slightly disturbed sea; but seen from the _Quest_ -it was an eye-opener. Big seas came cascading over the bows in an -unceasing procession, and at every roll the ship seemed eager to bale -half the Atlantic aboard over her rails. I found this everlasting -erratic movement very tiring; the wind sort of confused one, and -the annoyance at the unending slashing of the sprays was great. To -steady her we tried to set the mizen; but almost as it was sheeted -home there came a ripsnorting squall that split it badly, so all our -work went for nothing. The sail was taken in, and the steadiness that -might have resulted from the weight of wind it could have carried -was denied us. - -Officially, this breeze was termed a moderate S.W. gale; at the time -I wondered what a real storm was going to be like. To me the waves -seemed to pile up like mountains, towering high and very high above -us, swinging down towards the shivering hull as if determined to -overwhelm it, only to swing us up and up to a watery, noisy crest, -on which we perched like the Ark on Mount Ararat, to stare down into -vast caverns, veined with milky white and noisy to a degree, until -down we swooped, with a curious, unsettling corkscrew motion that -made one’s middle-part seem like water, to wallow and riot in a very -pit of anger. - -Well, later on I was to learn to my satisfaction what a real gale -was. This was only a fleabite; but it served to give us all some idea -of the seaworthy qualities of the gallant little _Quest_. - -So lively was the motion that it was an impossibility to pretend to -serve a meal below; the dishes and plates refused to remain on the -tables, in spite of the fiddles and the devices seamen use at sea. -Consequently we were supplied with meat sandwiches on deck, which -we ate as best we could, and counted ourselves lucky if we found -our mouths. In my pride of recovery—for seasickness was now little -but an unpleasant memory—I felt sorry for Mooney. He was having the -thinnest of times, but game to a degree with it all. He tried his best -to overcome the complaint, but it was too much for him; during this -snatch of bad weather he was incapable of stirring hand or foot. He -made no outcry about it, but his face told more than many words could -have done. And there was no comfort to be found for him anywhere; he -simply had to stick it out and make the best of it. - -We were making no headway worth speaking of all this time; the wind -was foul, and the lop of the seas undid any useful work the engines -might have done. On account of the slamming and pitching, something -went wrong with those engines; and though, during the afternoon, -the wind lessened and the sea began to smooth itself out rather -agreeably, there was a curious knocking note down in the engine-room -that convinced us all that things were not as they ought to be. - -Later this disorder down below became so pronounced that Sir Ernest -Shackleton decided to put into Lisbon for overhaul, even at the cost -of wasted time. - -During the night the gale decreased into nothing, and in the morning -the weather was quite decent. Very decent, I called it; but that was -possibly by way of contrast—you have to weather a blow before you -can appreciate good times. Sunday though it was, the ordinary work of -the ship had to be performed, and the grimy disorder resulting from -the gale removed. - -We managed to get into wireless touch with Lisbon, and asked that a -tug might be dispatched to help us in our limping progress. We needed -it, for though the weather was growing gloriously fine and the sea -was smooth, we were hardly making headway. A tug was promised, and -we began to look forward to the joys of the land. - -When I went on deck at midnight to stand the middle watch, the lights -of the Portuguese coast were already invitingly in sight. Sir Ernest -Shackleton was in charge, peering anxiously ahead. The Portuguese -coast is not a particularly friendly one, especially at night, for -the Burlings are an awkward reef, on which many a good ship has come -to disaster. At the wheel I was constantly busy, obeying orders to -alter course as this light and that hove in sight. To me there was -a fascination in this creeping through the night that is hard to -describe. But by two o’clock the Boss decided that I had had enough of -it, and sent me below to prepare some food, whilst Mr. Lysaght took -my place at the helm. At four o’clock I answered the frantic call of -my bunk and lost all interest in everything for four gorgeous hours. - -Turning out again, with a thrill of expectancy, I found the ship some -two miles off the coast. Because of the clearness of the atmosphere I -got a very good view of Portugal, which from the sea is very beautiful -and quaint. The land rose steeply out of the placid, colourful -sea, and the green slopes were plentifully dotted with red-roofed, -whitewashed houses. A bright sun bathed the picture radiantly, and -the discomforts of the recent storm were immediately forgotten. Here -was something new, something foreign to occupy attention; now it was -a cluster of smiling houses, again it was a frowning castle perched -high on a mighty peak. We crawled along at slow speed, envying—oh, -how we envied!—the big, powerful liners that steamed vigorously -past; all of which, recognizing in the little, dishevelled cockboat a -ship that was to fare farther and see greater marvels than they had -ever seen, signalled us greetings. An enormous P. and O. boat came -charging up, ran so close alongside us that we swung and cavorted -in her wash like a dinghy, and, with bright bunting slatting from -her span, raced out of sight ahead. She could have carried us on her -deck with the greatest ease, yet we flattered ourselves that we were -proper sailormen and not merely steamboaters! - -Watching the shifting panorama of the coast was not the only -occupation, however. The ship, in preparation for her visit to -civilization and the far from remote possibility of her again -becoming a show-ship, must needs undergo her spring-cleaning; and so -sougee-mougee became the order of the day. Everything washable was -washed, until we shone from stem to stern; and the deck-hamper was -shifted so as to present some appearance of tidiness. But at noon -we got a wireless from Lisbon to say that the ordered tug found it -impossible to face the short, steep seas that were then running, and -consequently we crawled into Cascaes roadstead, at the mouth of the -Tagus, and anchored there on the advice of the pilot who boarded us. -Portuguese pilots like their comforts, I think, and cordially dislike -night navigation; but this one found little to his liking on board -the _Quest_. If the ship was uncomfortable in open water in any sort -of a sea, she was doubly so at anchor, for instead of being permitted -her free, even rolling, every time she started one the anchor-cable -fetched her up with a short, agonizing jerk that seemed to lift a -man’s spine up through his skull and threatened to throw him clean -out of his bunk. So little did our gallant Portuguese pilot like this -motion that he found a means to secure a tug, and at eleven o’clock -we were piloted into quieter water in the river’s mouth; after which -we got what was really the first decent rest since leaving the mouth -of the Channel. - -That was a good sleep; the only trouble was that it was far too short. -At 6.30 in the morning we got up our anchor, and, escorted by the tug, -moved serenely up the Tagus. A very fine panorama of Lisbon unfolded -itself as we progressed. Backing the general view was the high-thrown -Pena Palace, where ex-King Manoel fled to join his mother during the -revolution; almost alongside it was the old Moorish castle built in -days when the Antarctic was unknown to human ken. - -Lisbon being built on several hills, the streets are consequently -steep for the most part. Most of the buildings are white, with red -roofs, showing up finely against a background of olive-green; and the -general effect is one of almost Oriental quaintness. But over the city -there hangs an atmosphere of forlornness and decay, as though this -place, from which set sail explorers as intrepid as those contained in -the _Quest_, in search of unknown lands, had Ichabod written largely -across its clustered roofs. - -At nine o’clock we made fast to a buoy, about which the muddy waters -of the Tagus swirled greedily, whilst a suitable berth was found for -us. Lying there, bathed in sunshine, almost oppressed by the warmth, -we indulged in the glory of a bathe, a privilege which, after long -abstinence, must be experienced to be appreciated. All the caked -salt of our voyaging was washed away, our pores were given a chance; -and the ensuing sensation of vigour and well-being was almost too -delightful for description. In the late afternoon we were taken in -hand by fussy tugs and punted and hauled and wedged into our berth. -During all the working hours of this day I was on duty with Green, -the cook, an enterprising man who thoroughly revelled in his job. -His ability to contrive and make shift was remarkable; and there -were those aboard the _Quest_ who solemnly vowed their belief that, -given an ancient pair of sea-boots, Green could serve up a dinner -that would leave the Ritz or the Carlton amongst the “also rans.” - -On this night we began to understand wherein we differed from the -Elizabethan voyagers. Times have altered since Francis Drake set -forth from England with a high heart and an abounding ignorance, -intent on discovering a short cut to India. Such entertainment as his -ships were provided with was meagre; musical instruments for the most -part. This, our first night in Lisbon, was enlivened by a remarkable -cinema exhibition in the ward-room. Not that we were given hectic -Wild West pictures; we were shown our own hazards during the gale -of October 1—realistic pictures enough, taken on the spot without -any suggestion of faking, and developed and completed aboard. Not a -few of us, seeing how the _Quest_ looked to the camera, came to the -conclusion that we were bigger heroes than we really were, for the -seas appeared so enormous that it was a miracle to us to know how -our ship remained afloat. One thing is certain: had I seen those -pictures before sending in my application to join the expedition, -that application would never have been written. Even the blood of -an enthusiastic Scout turned cold at thought of the dangers he had -passed! But it all gave us confidence in our floating home when we -saw how doggedly she met the big grey seas and trudged resolutely -forward on her southward way. - -Amongst white seafarers the word Dago stands for mild dishonesty. -With a genuine thrill, as one tasting the real salt of adventure, I -heard the order given for the night-watchman to arm himself in order -that the countless valuables aboard the _Quest_ might be properly -safeguarded; and with a big revolver bulging his pocket the selected -man took up his duties, whilst we, more fortunate, went below and -coiled down for the sweet delight of an all-night-in. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -Lisbon to Madeira - - -Our stay in Lisbon was prolonged by reason of the engine-room defects. -No wonder the engines had knocked; the shaft was found to be badly -out of alignment. As a natural consequence the bearings heated, and -this, coupled with the fact that the high-pressure connecting-rod was -bent, accounted for all our woes. The work of repair was set in hand -at once, and our people began to readjust the ship’s stores in order -to make her more weatherly, having learnt much during the passage -out across the Bay. - -Certain alterations in the ship’s rig were also put in hand; but as -all work and no play makes Jack but a dull boy, in the afternoon of -this first real day in Lisbon certain of us went ashore to see the -sights, including a bull-fight. We forgathered at a café, and from -there were motored to the bull-ring. Looking back on the past, I -have come to the conclusion that I would sooner go ten times to the -Antarctic than take one motor ride in Lisbon. Their motor-drivers -seem to run mad immediately the engines begin to revolve. In Lisbon, -so far as I could see, there is neither rule of the road nor speed -limit. The streets are blocked, for the best part, by slow-moving -bullock-carts, three, four and even five abreast. Through this welter -of sluggish traffic the cars charge like six-inch shells; and if the -road isn’t wide enough they use the pavement. Our driver performed -motoring miracles, and I firmly believe that if the pavements had not -helped him he would have climbed the sides of the buildings along the -way. You’d think it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye -of a needle than for a high-powered motor to navigate the streets of -Lisbon, but our driver did it without turning a hair, and deserved -a V.C. every minute of the time he was driving. Of course, accidents -happen, and the tale of dead dogs must be enormous. If our driver so -much as saw a dog he let out a yell and charged straight for it, and -lucky was that dog if it escaped. As for the ordinary, unconsidered -pedestrian, he never troubles to look round when a motor-horn blows—he -just jumps for it; up a convenient lamp-post if necessary, and then -shouts thankfulness to all the saints for safe delivery from the -perils of the streets. - -A Portuguese bull-fight is not quite so bloodthirsty as those held in -the neighbouring land of Spain. In Spain the main idea is to get the -bull killed, after suitable tortures have been inflicted; in Portugal -the bull’s horns are padded thickly at the tips, and the principal -scheme seems to be to show the agility of the bullfighters. - -As soon as the bull, always a magnificent animal, is admitted into the -ring he is annoyed and excited by the waving of gaudily-coloured cloaks -and flags. Being only a bull and not a philosopher, he naturally gets -angry and promptly puts his head down and goes for his tormentors, -who, after risking as much as they dare, leap over the barricades -into safety. These cloak-wavers are merely pawns in the game; for all -the time they are busy the genuine hero of the hour is in the ring, -either afoot or on horseback, showing himself off to an admiring -audience. A successful bull-fighter on the Tagus is a very much more -important personage than the captain of a Cup Final team or a hero -who has knocked up a couple of centuries in a county cricket match. - -Presently the bull gets angrier—very angry indeed. His bovine nature -impels him to cast about for something on which to wreak his spite. -I don’t blame the bull. Even a Scout would be annoyed if a crowd -of yelling idiots waved coloured blankets in his face for half an -hour at a stretch! Seeing the idol of the audience proudly prancing -about, the bull quite naturally lowers his head and goes for him. -Here’s where the sport begins. The bull-fighter, with a twirl of his -moustache and a sort of hand-kiss to the ladies, promptly retreats -and turns, and as the bull slithers past he plants a dart in his -hide. It is a sign of skill and daring to get that dart as near the -animal’s head as possible. As soon as it is embedded in the skin the -bull-fighter, in case anyone didn’t see him, unfurls a paper flag -and waves it exultantly in the air. Then the people cheer and the -ladies kiss their hands, and the temporary hero bows and smiles and -pretends that he is the identical man who won the Great War. Then he -goes to get another dart; a shorter one this time. The shorter the -dart you plant in the unfortunate bull’s neck the greater the glory -that comes your way, it seems. True enough, it is a sign of agility -and courage, even though the bull’s horns are padded; and to hear -the spectators cheer you’d think it was what the Americans call “the -cat’s pyjamas.” To my way of thinking, though, football is streets -ahead of bull-fighting for downright thrills. - -If the toreador happens to be dismounted, he is given even shorter -darts than if he were mounted. The footman’s weapons carry no paper -flags, and he usually sticks them in two at a time, because he’s only -got two hands, I suppose. It must require a bit of nerve to do it, -even though it doesn’t quite come up to a Britisher’s idea of sport. -The bull charges like an avalanche, and I fancy, from the ring, must -look about as big as a landslide. He looked gigantic from where we -sat, with the wine sellers offering us heady Portuguese drinks every -time we breathed; and to the toreador that bull must have seemed as -enormous as the P. and O. boat did to the little _Quest_ outside the -Tagus. I held my breath more than once during those charges, I assure -you, for I was certain the bull-fighter was going to be smashed to -smithereens; but just at the critical moment the man stepped aside, -took a short run, plunged in his two darts fairly into the back of -the animal’s neck, and got clear before he bellowed and turned. Yes, -it was very dexterous indeed; but it didn’t please the bull. He swung -about, scuffling the sand and roaring, and the toreador streaked for -the barricade like greased lightning. - -Another took his place and did the same thing. Instead of trying to -knock up a century in Portugal you try to plant a dart shorter than -any other dart in the back of a mad bull’s neck! And you go on doing -it until the bull begins to look like an animated pincushion. If -Stephenson’s first locomotive was “bad for the coo,” bull-fighting -must be very bad for the bull! - -Folks tire of this exhibition, so presently a whole crowd of -funny-looking fellows in red and yellow are let into the ring. One -of these steps forward as if he intended to be properly introduced -to the bull; whereupon the bull promptly goes for him, because he -thinks he’s responsible for the pain he is suffering. But the man -of the moment leaps fairly between the lowered horns, gets one of -them under each armpit, and then starts a wrestling match with his -four-footed opponent. His object is to throw the bull, and to do so -requires more skill than most of them possess. There’s the indignant -bovine doing its best to throw the man off and stamp him or gore him -to death; there’s the red-faced man working as hard as you like to -pitch the bull over on his side. It seemed rather a waste of energy -to me, but it is the national sport down there, and we Britons must -live and let live. Anyhow, this wrestling was uncommonly exciting. -It would have been even more so if the bull’s horns hadn’t been padded. - -Not that the sport is as bloodthirsty as might appear from the -foregoing description. The darts which are employed have only very -tiny barbs, not much bigger than fish-hooks, intended merely to pierce -the skin and not draw blood. And the bull is not killed, as I’ve -said; it is simply baited. All the same, my sympathies were with the -bulls all along. Get about fifty fish-hooks stuck through your skin -and you’ll understand what I mean. - -Those of our party who had seen genuine Spanish bull-fights, where -the bull’s horns are not padded, said this show was only a mild -imitation of the real thing. In Spain the horses—shocking screws, -taken out of the trams after they’re used up—are gored savagely, and -when they scream with pain they are spurred and lifted clean on to -the murderous horns for another dose of the same medicine. Sometimes -even the toreadors and matadors and picadors get gored in their turn. -I won’t say “Serve them right,” but it’s my own affair what I think. - -We _Quests_ kept our end up so far as cheering was concerned. Whenever -anything really exciting occurred we got up and yelled our famous -war-cry of “Yoicks! Tally-ho!” which naturally aroused interest and -amusement amongst the general run of the spectators, who got to their -feet and cheered back at us very heartily, and no doubt described -us to their friends at a later hour as “Those mad English!” This -bull-fight was particularly honoured by the presence of the President -of Portugal. I’ll say it was an unusual day, very different from an -average day in England! - -Naturally enough, during our stay in Portugal we were swarmed with -visitors. The British and American Ministers were shown over the -_Quest_ by our leader. Like the sight-seers in London and Plymouth, -these visitors seemed to imagine we had joined a sort of suicide -club; they were astonished at the tiny proportions of the ship and -expressed grave doubts as to her future safety. - -The day after the bull-fight was nothing out of the common. I was -detailed for galley duty with the cook, who was now revelling in still -waters, a stove that would burn, and grub that a man could take a -pride in cooking. In the evening I went ashore with some Portuguese -Scouts, who insisted on giving Mooney and myself a truly top-hole -welcome. That’s what Scouting does—it makes you firm friends wherever -you go. But being a Scout, and especially a kilted Scout, makes you -a bit too conspicuous, so I shed my uniform whenever possible and -tried to pass along with the crowd. All the same, the Lisbon Scouts -were good pals and showed us all the sights of the place. In return -we showed them the sights of the _Quest_ and got the debt squared in -some measure. They were keenly interested, and there were so many of -them that we could have filled in all our time in explaining things -to them in such language as Scouts can understand. - -The ship during these days was a hive of activity, for the repairing -gangs were extremely hard at work straightening the shaft and refitting -generally. - -There was so much to be done by all hands that time went by very -quickly during this halt on our voyage, but beyond bull-fighting and -sight-seeing there was nothing extraordinary to recount. I missed -the trip to Cintra, being busily engaged in work, but those who went -told me the view from the Pena Palace was rather gorgeous. Everything -is left exactly as it was when ex-King Manoel had to seek fresh -pastures; even the papers of that day are still lying on the tables; -and the view from the palace top is superb. You can see all Portugal -lying as a map at your feet, they said. But the horses that tug you -up the final steep of the mountain make you gnash your teeth with -sympathetic rage, they are so overdriven and half-starved and brutally -ill-treated. It’s queer how few people beyond Britishers know how to -treat a horse! - -On Monday, the 10th of October, we left our berth, repairs having been -completed, and made fast to a buoy in the stream. Here we restocked -our tanks with fresh water, and made such final preparations as were -necessary for a continuation of the voyage; and after all hands were -well worked up we had another cinema show in the evening, and then -turned in for the last long night’s sleep for a little while. Just -after lunch on the 11th we left Lisbon. - -I’d prided myself on overcoming the woes of seasickness before we -reached the Tagus, but, alas! I boasted too soon. Once outside the -river we hit up against a nasty kind of a sea, worse than anything we’d -hitherto experienced, I think; so the old familiar qualms possessed -me more vindictively than ever. But I had the poor satisfaction of -knowing that others were in as bad case as myself, for very few of -the crew escaped on this occasion. They blamed the smallness of the -ship and her pronounced lack of comfortable accommodation. Maybe it -was so. I wasn’t in a mood to argue, anyhow. So ill were Mooney and -Mason that Sir Ernest Shackleton reluctantly decided that, failing -an improvement, they would have to leave the ship at Madeira. So far -as I was concerned, I think the Boss was quietly giving me a thorough -“trying-out” to see if I could endure the still greater rigours that -were promised us farther south; for I was set to work very hard—with -the cook, stowing stores, in the stokehold, everywhere. It wasn’t -pleasant, but I wasn’t going to let the Scouts down if I could help -it, so I gritted my teeth and went at it for all I was worth. Praise -was not too lavishly bestowed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, because his -own standard of efficiency was so high that a man had to be pretty -good even to be tolerated; but as he seemed pleased with the way I -was carrying on I was satisfied. - -There’s one thing about the sea, I find—it either makes you or breaks -you. You get salted through and through, and in some cases it toughens -you, whilst in others it rots all your pluck away and makes you feel -you’d like to live in the very middle of the Sahara desert and never -see salt water again in your life. - -But during the passage from Lisbon to Madeira I didn’t feel like -keeping a very exhaustive diary. Anyhow, there was nothing exciting -to recount, for the weather wasn’t alarmingly bad; it was only the -vicious run of the seas that made the little vessel so lively. - -On the 15th, however, we had a reward in a brilliantly fine day, with -smooth water and not much wind, and this brightened the spirits of -all aboard, though Mooney and Mason still continued under the weather -and longed for the peace of dry land. - -Notwithstanding the exhaustive overhaul we’d been given at Lisbon, -the engines developed trouble once more; the knocking began again, -and it seemed as though the days spent in Portugal were completely -wasted. Madeira promised to be another welter of refitting. - -During this stage of the voyage Major Carr and Captain Hussey started -in with meteorological experiments, sending up kites and balloons -for observations of the upper air for the first time. - -When I came on deck on the morning of Sunday, October 16, I got my -first sight of Madeira, and that glimpse of beauty seemed to atone -for all previous discomforts. Madeira is a beautiful island, with its -rich vineyards, its noble gorge of the Wolf that literally splits the -island in two halves; its typical semi-tropical houses, with red roofs -and blue or white walls and vividly painted shutters to keep out the -fierce noontide heat. The clarity of the atmosphere is so remarkable -here—indeed, I believe it is the clearest in the world—that you feel -you could toss a biscuit ashore even when you are miles away. We -came to anchor in Funchal Harbour, about a hundred yards from the -shore, and breathed deep sighs of relief as the fretful motion of the -_Quest_ ceased and she lay once more upon an even keel. We promptly -went overboard for a bathe in that amazingly clear water. - -The day after our arrival Mooney and Mr. Mason left the _Quest_ for -home. I know it was with the greatest reluctance that Sir Ernest -parted from them; but both had been very ill during the entire trip, -and Mr. Mason had, indeed, been seriously ill, developing a high -temperature and alarming symptoms. Both were loth to go; their natural -grit prompted them to remain and stick it out to the bitter end. They -made no unseemly fuss about their tribulations; but things promised -to be worse rather than better as the voyage progressed, and it was in -their own interests that they were relieved from further suffering. I -know how elated I felt that I’d been better favoured by fortune, so -I think I know how depressed they must have been. Poor Mooney was a -full-sized brick throughout; he showed all the best characteristics -of the best sort of Scout, and there was not the slightest fault -attaching to him in his inability to endure the rigours. But knowing -that the whole weight of Scout responsibility rested on my shoulders -was rather a startling realization. Still, I was managing to get -hardened by this time, and I hoped for the best. - -This afternoon the cook and myself went ashore, on shopping bent. -Our principal desire was to find fruit, which shouldn’t have been a -difficult matter in an island famous for its fruits; but somehow we -contrived to lose our bearings and wandered into the filthiest parts -of the town—and Funchal can be very filthy in places. We managed to -count at least one hundred and thirty-five different smells—Green -said there were two hundred and fifty, but perhaps he exaggerated—but -all were vile. Every alley corner we passed, every open window, -discharged its fresh offensive; and we seemed to walk for miles and -uncounted miles before eventually we touched down in the market. There -we ordered what we needed, and afterwards went on to see the sights. - -Madeira is interesting. Its foreign note is very marked, for here the -foliage is definitely approaching the tropical; hibiscus flowers are -everywhere in the greatest profusion, and the vivid crimson poinsettias -strike a warm and enlivening note. Huge clusters of wonderful blooms -met our gaze at every turn, and drew our attention from the little -cobblestones of the streets, which are uncommonly hard to walk upon. - -There were not very many wheeled conveyances visible, for the island -doesn’t lend itself to them overmuch; the few motors we saw were -ancient and honourable members of the fraternity. The principal -means of conveyance are the bullock-cars—wooden sledges, drawn by -bulls, fine, big, sleek animals, though very leisurely in all their -movements. One sees these cars going everywhere about the streets -on well-greased runners. Some of the cars are very tastefully got up -and drawn by bullocks as white as snow; and the motion when one gets -inside is far from unpleasant. Of course, the streets are so rutted -and worn in Funchal that ordinary wheels would soon come to grief; -but the long sledge-runners sort of bridge the worst of the holes, -as a big liner crosses from wave-crest to wave-crest without diving -too deeply into the troughs, and consequently you don’t realize how -ill-kept the roads really are. - -As practically all Funchal is built on the side of a hill, you may be -sure the streets are steep. We didn’t try to climb them unnecessarily, -but contented ourselves with standing at the bottom and looking up, a -much more restful occupation than working to the top and looking down. -Then we had tea, where they apologized for a little meal with a big, -an astoundingly big, bill. Still, although the little cakes they gave -us were evidently relics of the ancient Portuguese travellers, the -tea was wet and damped the dry, sawdust-like confectionery excellently. - -A lot of sugar-cane grows in Madeira, and the sight of the groves is -very pleasant. And all amongst the soft green of the young canes you -see those marvellous splashes of colour from the poinsettias and the -hibiscus, so that your brain, refusing to take in the full effect, -perceives only a blur. They told us that the roads and paths between -the groves were constructed by Portuguese convicts, and we believed -them. Honest men could never have made such fiendish roads! - -In the evening we were invited as guests to the mess of the Western -Telegraph Company, who have a cable station here and who publish -the only newspaper in English on the island. Our hosts were very -cordial and did us nobly; they apologized for the general atmosphere -of poverty that characterizes the island by saying that the Lisbon -Government taxes everyone so heavily for Portugal’s good, that when -the taxes are paid there’s nothing left for home improvements. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -Experiences Afloat - - -Next day we hove up anchor and started off for Cape Verde. You’d -hardly think a small ship so full of men could feel lonely, but the -_Quest_ seemed to me to miss our late shipmates. We still carried -our passenger, however—Mr. Lysaght, who had intended to leave us at -Madeira, but who was so well liked aboard that he was persuaded to -stay on a little longer. Immediately on leaving Madeira we picked up -the fine north-east trades, and with every stitch of canvas we could -carry, bowled along nobly toward the South. - -No doubt many interesting things happened aboard that never came -under my immediate notice, though you might think it was impossible -for anything to transpire within such narrow confines as those of the -_Quest_ without all hands immediately securing the fullest information; -but other better qualified pens than mine have dealt with them. I -am trying to give my own impression of this astonishing voyage as -it appealed to me: a raw landlubber and a somewhat young one. And -I suppose that to a mole, its own burrow is of much more importance -than even a European war. - -What chiefly concerned me about this time was the cook’s mishap. Prior -to leaving Funchal, Green had run a fishbone into his hand, causing -him considerable pain, and rendering him useless during the rest of -the day; but with true pertinacity he stuck it out until the morrow -found his hand in a much worse condition; whereupon Mr. Douglas, our -geologist, volunteered to replace him in the galley. For, although all -hands had specific duties allotted to them as regards the expedition -proper—that is: one was meteorologist, another geologist, another -flying-man, and so on, when not actually engaged in scientific duties, -all took part and lot with the general crew. There was a good deal -of the Drake spirit about our leader: “I should not care to see the -gentleman who would refuse to hale and draw with the mariners” was -one of his mottoes, and so—the geologist became acting “Doctor,” -and celebrated his appointment by heaving the disabled cook from his -sanctum sanctorum, as, being a new broom, he wanted to make a clean -sweep. Let’s say Green’s hand recovered rapidly; we won’t blame the -breakfast; but at all events, Green returned to duty after that meal -was served, and so a possible mutiny was averted! - -Beyond washing my clothes, this was about the only incident of the -day. Next day brought us sight of a noble Royal Mail boat snorting -magnificently along; and those who watched her regaled themselves -with moving accounts of the comforts and luxuries to be had aboard. As -Mr. Mason, our original cinema photographer, had returned to England, -Mr. Wilkins, the naturalist, deputized for him, and managed to secure -some very good shots at the moving monster. Daily duties, necessary -and time-absorbing, filled in the hours not unpleasantly, and the -usual even glide of day and night set in after its break in port. -There is no way of eating time so thoroughly as by keeping regular -watch-and-watch at sea: days slip into weeks, weeks into months, so -very smoothly as to be well-nigh imperceptible. - -The summery weather conditions now necessitated something of a -change in our regular mode of life. The little wardroom, snug and -warm farther north, was growing unpleasantly stuffy; and the scorch -of the sun on the decks did nothing to mend matters. Consequently, -awnings were rigged on the poop, and meals were served beneath it -in alfresco fashion; a welcome change from the tinned atmosphere -of down below. So genial were the weather conditions that I felt -it incumbent upon me to celebrate the occasion, which I did to the -extent of a much-needed shave: the first for ten clear days; though -the private opinion of some aboard, I believe, was that I was growing -unnecessarily dandified! Others thanked me politely and vowed that -I had raised the water-line of the ship by a full two inches, thus -guaranteeing her seaworthiness if further bad weather came our way. - -We began, now, to use the deck much more than down below; it was not -only our messroom and our music-room, but also our bedroom. Even the -gramophone seemed to appreciate the change to open air, for it did -its noblest this evening under the awning, when Shackleton’s favourite -airs were played all through and a spirit of mirth and cheer animated -all hands. Excellent amity prevailed: we were shaking down into our -places, fitting ourselves into corners, and determined to make the -best of these present good times in preparation for the prophesied -bad times ahead. - -Turning-in on deck was an enjoyable experience: free air blowing -about your face makes for enjoyable rest; and it is possible, lying -under open sky, to study and marvel over the radiant glory of the -stars. There are no stars like those of the tropical skies; they are -bigger and brighter than seen in English skies, and seem not so much -to be set flat on a board as arranged in proper perspective. Why -anyone should frowst below decks when there is room above, I fail to -understand. Query, the wolf-hound, shared my opinion, for he slept -at my head all night and aroused me at daybreak by licking my face. -He showed promise of growing into a fine dog, and was already a good -friend to all aboard. You’ve simply _got_ to make a pet of something -at sea; and you are lucky if you are given so excellent an object -for your affections as was Query. - -Fine weather at sea means—so I was told by those more experienced than -myself—an orgy of painting. The craze bit the ship’s company now, -and some wonderful decorative effects resulted. And the weather was -really fine—sunny sky, sea like glass, and never an awkward movement -to the ship, save for the long, even swell that was more like a steady -breathing of the ocean than an actual heave. - -But lest too much fresh, sweet air should harm us and increase our -appetites beyond all reason, it was decided that now was the day and -hour to trim bunkers; so all hands turned to to chew coal-dust. The -engines were stopped and all sail was set. Once more our mechanical -heart was showing symptoms of valvular disease; and the engineer was -loudly of opinion that only extensive repairs and alterations could -save the situation. During the day the breeze freshened somewhat, so -that the good, clean rustling of the distended canvas sang a note -of striving; but fair though the breeze was, we made indifferent -headway; and in the evening the engines were started up once more. -It appeared as if the ship was annoyed at this interference with her -placid progress; for the first turn of the screw caused the hull to -give such a fiendish lurch that the entire galley did its best to -turn a somersault and capsized, spilling everything worth while over -the deck. A big can of boiling cocoa plentifully bathed the cook’s -legs; a tin of melted fat smothered the floor; and for an hour we -were as fully employed as we had any desire to be. Cooling fat leaves -much to be desired in the handling; and I was glad that I was over -my seasickness! All that troubled me now was toothache, and that was -getting better. But we mopped up the débris and scoured everything -white again, and turned in with the sweet consciousness of work well -done. Thinking it necessary, no doubt, to take his share in the common -toil, Query contrived to discover a flying-fish which had blundered -aboard in the blind fashion these fish have of doing things. It was -a very toothsome morsel—but not for Query! - -My own individual duties during these days lacked nothing on the -score of variety. Turning-to at six o’clock, I proceeded to assist in -scrubbing decks—as they call it in the Navy; washing down, as it is -designated in the merchant service. A hose and a broom are in demand -for this sea-ritual. Having satisfactorily completed this sanitary -duty, I went aft and got all things in order for breakfast, and -served at table whilst my seniors ate. Simple enough in the telling, -but when the sea got up a bit, as it did about now, and the ship -grew lively, not so simple in the actuality. Since no right-thinking -man cares to have his breakfast spilt down the back of his neck, it -behoved me to be careful, as I had no wish to figure as principal -character at a coroner’s inquest. Another of my daily duties was to -scrub out Sir Ernest’s cabin. Don’t, please, carry away from these -pages an impression of a sumptuous stateroom. This sea-bedroom was -little better than a glorified packing-case: it measured seven feet -by six, and when you were in it you felt half-afraid to draw a full -breath in case you carried something away or burst the bulkheads -apart. The door of this cabin opened on the afterside; and on the -port side was the bunk, stretching the entire length of the room, -with drawers beneath and a single porthole above. A small washstand -stood against the forrard bulkhead; shelves well-filled with books on -the starboard side, and a small, collapsible chair completed the more -elaborate furnishings. In addition, fixed to the forrard bulkhead, -was a small, white-enamelled cabinet fitted with an oval mirror in -the door, and an emergency oil-lamp for use when the electric supply -gave out. That’s as good a description as I can give of this tabloid -apartment, where you could do everything humanly possible without -leaving one spot! - -After daily breakfast I did whatever I was told to do—helped the cook -to clean the galley and prepare the meals, took a trick at the helm, -trimmed coal, gave a hand with the sails and rigging, and made myself -generally useful. As one of my shipmates said: “It was a pity we had -no clay aboard because I might have spent my leisure in making bricks!” - -Wednesday, October 26, was a red-letter day: one to be recorded with -all due solemnity. I had my wages raised! When cleaning out his cabin -on this particular morning the Boss asked me what I had been doing -in Aberdeen in addition to scouting. I told him that I had been at -the University. Whereupon he laid the accolade upon my shoulders by -saying, in that deep, pleasant voice of his which seemed designed -to beat up against the fiercest gale that ever blew: “Well, you’re -pleasing me very much so far, and I want to increase your pay to -£12 a month. That will help pay your fees when you get back to the -Granite City.” - -I was enormously pleased. It wasn’t so much the increase of pay as the -kindly words that accompanied the promise. I was giving satisfaction -to such a judge of humanity as Sir Ernest Shackleton! That was what -warmed my blood. I’d passed severe tests and was qualified to count -myself properly one of the adventurous brotherhood! It seemed to me -as if this honour had been bestowed on all Scoutdom, and I was glad. - -Cape Verde Islands greeted my sight this morning, looming dimly into -view. By noon we were closing the coast, rugged and inhospitable. -Absolutely nothing but bare rock was visible; sun-scorched and lacking -entirely in verdure; bare rock rising majestically some fifteen -hundred feet into the clear air, never a tree to break its monotony, -apparently no soil in which a single blade of grass might grow. St. -Vincent has few charms at the best; it is used for little else beyond -a coaling station and a connecting link in the world’s submarine -cable system. Rain seldom falls in St. Vincent, and it is too remote -from the rest of the world to be fertilized by passing birds. Its -harbour, though, is a fine, natural roadstead, being composed of an -assortment of smaller islands, and the native divers beat anything -I have ever come across, though they are reputed to be as light of -finger as they are deft of movement in the water, and occasionally -they are apt to become truculent and peevish if interrupted in their -favourite hobby of abstracting such movables as they can lay hands -on. Not that it was necessary for an article to be movable. I was -solemnly assured by one who should have known that these same modern -buccaneers had on one occasion endeavoured to steal the funnel out -of the ship that harboured him! - -Bathing off the ship was vetoed on account of rumoured sharks, which -did not appear to trouble the natives overly; but it was permissible -closer inshore, and we only too gladly took full advantage of this -opportunity. It was a delightful experience, for the water was so -balmy as to be like a continued caress. - -At night a farewell dinner was given to Mr. Lysaght, who was to leave -us here and return to England, home and beauty. Throughout the journey -he had quitted himself in most manly fashion, refusing to succumb when -hardier men than himself went down, bearing part and lot in all that -happened with the greatest good cheer. His principal wish seemed to -be to continue aboard the _Quest_, indifferent to the call of home -and comfort; but this was not to be. The ship did herself well that -night: giving of her very best in food and drink, and the occasion -was one to remember. - -Next morning I dressed myself decently and went ashore in company -with the geologist and the naturalist, Mr. Wilkins. At sea, I may -mention, we dressed as convenient and studied our personal appearance -very little, so that we often looked like a gang of scarecrows. The -nigger population of St. Vincent turned out to greet us—not out of -admiration for our noble selves, but with an honest—or dishonest—desire -for gain. They literally mobbed us as we set foot ashore: snatching at -our bags, thrusting diminutive donkeys under our noses, clamouring to -be permitted to show us the sights, and generally buzzing about like -gigantic flies. What they lacked in reserve they made up in enthusiasm; -but we considered ourselves quite able to look after ourselves. We -collected various tiny donkeys, and I found myself very greatly at -sea when I boarded my noble mount. Steering the _Quest_ was child’s -play as compared with navigating that ass at first, but one got the -hang of it after a while and contrived to make some progress ahead -instead of sideways. - -Nothing I saw ashore here altered my first impression of the Cape -Verdes. They are, without exception, the barest, poorest lumps of -land I’ve ever seen. St. Vincent, like the other islands, is purely -volcanic in character, and what is not bare, vitreous rock is simply -dry, reddish volcanic earth that contains no fertilizing qualities, -so far as I am aware. There had been no rain for two years prior to -our arrival; there was naturally no herbage growing, all was sheer -sun-scorched rock and blazing heat, tempered only a little by the sea -breezes. As nothing will grow ashore beyond a few miserable stalks of -maize on the higher slopes, the inhabitants, set down there for their -sins presumably, would starve but for another island in the group. -From this island they secure water, which is ferried across in boats, -and also all their cereals and fruits, though these are nothing to wax -eloquent over. Even this water is not very palatable; it is obtained by -boring down to a great depth, and as there had been no rain to liven -the springs, the general result was stale and unlikeable. Until it is -boiled and sterilized it is practically undrinkable. So that, taking -one thing with another, it is not surprising that occasionally quite -large numbers of the native population die off from sheer starvation. -Their staple food is ground maize, and when it becomes scarce, as it -so often does, they are in a bad plight. - -We travelled up into the hills quite a distance, thanks to our donkeys. -Joining Mr. Wilkins I went bug-hunting; we successfully pursued -butterflies, caterpillars and other creepie-crawlies. Mr. Wilkins added -a small lizard to his bag, and seemed delighted; whilst Mr. Douglas -contented himself with his own particular hobby: studying the dykes, -and hills, and volcanic formations of the island, collecting certain -specimens that interested him on the way. Some of the butterflies, -which we bagged in considerable numbers, were rarely beautiful, -and seemed, in my opinion, to be wasting their time at St. Vincent. -There’s a Scots lament called “The Barren Rocks of Aden,” but the -man who composed it had never seen St. Vincent, or he’d have decided -that Aden was nothing to make a song about. - -Coming back, we seemed so much too big for our donkeys as they braved -the precipitous slopes that out of sheer humanity—to say nothing of -respect for our necks—we dismounted and proceeded afoot along the -scorching rocks which seemed to burn through our boot-soles as if we -walked across red-hot lava. The impression I received was of a weary -plodding through a hopeless desert, and this suggestion was increased -by the great swirls of vultures that were everywhere overhead. How -they lived on St. Vincent I do not know; maybe, like the Maltese, -they took in each other’s washing, or fed on one another. - -Here, again, the Western Telegraph Company gave us warm hospitality: -a rousing good evening with dinner and a sing-song to follow. By -way of a leg-stretcher, and in order, I suppose, to rid ourselves -of the superabundant energy accumulated in the close quarters of the -_Quest_, we then let ourselves go; had a go-as-you-please rugger match -in the passage—much to the consternation of the nigger servants—and -generally took the place apart. When a score of hefty Britishers feel -within them the spirit of movement things are apt to get smashed. -But a rough-house is a good thing occasionally, and I dare say we -should have had one or two aboard but that we were too much afraid -of bursting the ship apart. - -Whilst we sported others toiled, for we found to our unbounded -satisfaction on returning in the ghostly small hours, that the -_Quest_ had been coaled and we were saved the grimy irksomeness of -that unpleasant labour. I was glad enough, I assure you, for though -I don’t profess to be any more afraid of work than the next fellow, -there’s a lot of fine, heartfelt joy in knowing that someone else has -done your job! Late aboard never meant late abed under Shackleton; -six o’clock found me resuming the daily task. A homeward-bound liner, -by which Mr. Lysaght travelled, replenished our lockers with fresh -provisions—much better than the stringy goat obtainable ashore—and also -granted us the inestimable boon of a ton of ice for the freezer. Ice -counted for a lot there near the Line; but the time was to come—yet -why anticipate? - -During our enforced stay in St. Vincent our engines were once more -tuned up, in the hope that the usual discords they played would cease. -Visitors naturally came and went, for anything the least little bit -out of the ordinary is an event in that sun-baked wilderness; but, -with the engines reported fit and ready again, we once more put out -to sea. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -On the Way to Rio - - -We steamed out on the Rio de Janeiro route on October 29. Endless -numbers of albacore welcomed us to the open water, leaping vividly -in the startling blue sea, crisping it with snowy foam splashes. The -Boss drew my attention to them first—he was always very decent that -way in pointing out such details as he considered might interest a -somewhat ignorant first-voyager. That was one of the traits in his -character that drew men to him I think; his infinite interest in the -little things; no detail was too small for him, no trouble too great. -Albacore are fine, plump fish; some that I saw must have measured -quite five feet from nose to tail—perhaps more, for they’re as quick -in the water as the sheep the Irishman couldn’t count by reason of -their liveliness; you only get a fleeting impression of them as they -leap clear into the air then splash back with a noble flurry into -their native element. - -Everything seemed propitious as we went rolling down to Rio; -everything, that is, except our engines. No, it wasn’t the man-made -machinery that played us up this time, but the precious St. Vincent -coal—dust and such poor steam-making stuff that it was impossible to -maintain a working pressure for long at a time. As a consequence, -we crawled; but this lazy fanning along across a sapphire sea is -an enjoyable experience enough. Down in the bunkers loud cheering -announced the finding of an occasional lump of coal by way of a change -from the dust, and after a while a better pressure was secured, -thereby quickening our pace. Flying-fish were very plentiful, and -the feeling now was that we were merely embarked on a yachting cruise. - -Now, to detail each day as it passed would be but a reiteration, -monotonous in the extreme. I find that during certain portions of -this Rio run my diary reads much as Mark Twain’s did when he, as a -boy, endeavoured to keep one. “Got up, washed, went to bed,” about -describes it. And though the routine work aboard a ship at sea can -be uncommonly interesting to the worker, as I always found it, it -can also, in its description, be very boring to those who desire -other things than a plain tale of plain, unexciting happenings. -Daily I got up, did my work, went to bed. True, there were events -which, unimportant in themselves, yet served to interest us who were -dependent on the chance incidents of sea travel for our amusement. What -pleased me personally was the continued keen interest the Boss took -in me. When it would appear that my duties were somewhat monotonous -and irksome he was there to console—not that I needed it, for duty -aboard the _Quest_ was always a pleasure—but the thought that he, with -a brainful of responsibility, aware that his ship, secured after so -much planning, lacked in many respects the perfection that was really -necessary for a thoroughly successful expedition, with all his great -plans constantly seething in his mind, could still take so lively an -interest in the thoughts and feelings of the least-to-be-considered -member of his crew, gratified me and bound me to him with bands of -steel. His desire was that all aboard should be happy, for he knew -how small a mite of the leaven of unhappiness can affect the entire -personnel. The yarns he used to spin of his own youth at sea, too, -were entertaining beyond the power of description; his bluff, hearty -personality infused a happy content into the daily round. - -Through the blazing days and the gorgeous nights of the Tropics we -slid smoothly towards Rio: sleeping out in the open constantly, by -reason of the stifling heat of down below. These nights on deck are a -pleasant memory. No covering was needed save something thrown across -the eyes, lest moon-blindness might result. Shackleton had some yarns -to tell of careless boys in his sailing-ship days suffering from this -curious complaint, as a result of sleeping in the full glare of a -white, tropical moon, that rides like a silver cannon-ball in a purple -velvet pall spangled bewilderingly with myriad stars. Boys, perfect -of sight by day, became as blind as bats by night; they developed -twisted necks and drawn faces, all through the baleful influence of -this beautiful night illuminant, which can be an enemy as well as a -friend to those who go down to the sea in ships. - -Sleeping in the open air, I discovered, was infinitely more refreshing -than sleeping in a cabin below-deck: one wakened instantly, with -every sense fully on the alert, instead of the usual slow heaving up -from the chasms of sleep. But, occasionally these restful slumbers -on deck were rudely interrupted. A rain-squall fetched me from my -plank couch one morning at five o’clock; brilliant lightning was -searing the sky, and the wind, freshening in squalls, was whipping up -a considerable sea. Thus we began genuinely to roll down to Rio, for -the _Quest_—of which no ill be spoken!—could always hold her own at -that rolling game, and seemed as much in earnest about this part of -her work as she did about any other. The big square-sail had to be -furled on account of these quickening squalls, and the staysail set -instead; but the rolling continued; and there were those who vowed -that even in dry dock our ship was capable of liveliness. - -By this time we were learning the value of fresh water during a -prolonged voyage. In every case where salt water could be used in -the ship’s cleaning, it was used; and even our ordinary washing was -reduced to the minimum. Aboard a small sailing vessel with a limited -tank-capacity, fresh water is permissible for only two purposes: -drinking and cooking. All rain-water that falls must needs be carefully -conserved, too: and from the oldsters I received not one but many -serious lectures on the value of economy in this precious fluid. - -One outstanding event was the harpooning of a giant porpoise. Mr. -Eriksen was our harpooner: taking advantage of a shoal of these -sea-pigs being very much in evidence about our bows one morning, he -grew animated, felt within him the northern desire to kill something, -and equipped himself with a harpoon and line, with which he crept out -on the boom-guys forrard and lay in wait. Presently he saw his chance: -a porpoise, more daring or careless than the rest, shot within his -distance. It was a good throw he made: clean into the back-fin went -the steel; and away like a flash of lightning shot Master Porpoise. -It went aft, towing the line with it. Every available hand promptly -clapped on to the whirring line: one man endeavoured to snatch a -holding turn round a bollard; but Mr. Eriksen yelled: “Steek! Steek!” -in a perfect frenzy of excitement—I think he was surprised at the -fairness of his aim!—and those on the rope hung on for dear life; -the swing of their arms and bodies giving enough play to the line -to prevent the harpoon being torn from its holding. But even so, the -helpers seemed to apply too much strain to the light line; for Eriksen -was far from pleased, and, English failing him in his dilemma, he -had recourse to his native Norwegian, which, volleyed forth as he -volleyed it, is a most expressive language. But though expressive it -was not illuminating: confusion grew, until some of Eriksen’s meaning -penetrated to our minds, and the line was slacked off sufficiently -to permit the stricken fish to be brought to starboard, where we -were able to see how truly Eriksen had struck. Blood poured from the -wound; the blowing of the porpoise was fearsome; its strength was -nearly spent, and it was wallowing somewhat pitifully when we drew -it close alongside; so, in order to put a period to its misery, Mr. -Wild promptly shot it. Then we got it aboard and gazed satisfiedly -at our kill. Seven feet seven inches long he was, and seemed to weigh -a ton; but we had no means of verifying that estimate. - - [Illustration: On the Way: The _Quest_ in the Trades. - - _Mr. J. Lister._] - - [Illustration: THE SHIP’S PETS. - - Query, the Wolfhound. Questie, the Cat, on Marr’s Shoulder. - - _Photo: Topical._] - -Query and the cat betrayed curiosity mingled with awe of our catch. -Especially the cat: it completely failed to understand the queer body -with its piglike snout and its scaleless skin; and when, by way of -hardening it to the realities of the sea, the cat was thrown on the -porpoise’s back, you would have thought it had landed on india-rubber, -so actively did it bounce into the air from the unpleasing contact. - -But after a bit of skylarking, the porpoise was taken into stock: -the best parts of the flesh, cut into steaks, were handed over to -the cook, together with the brains and tongue; the tail was cut off -to be used as a trophy of our prowess, and the rest of the carcass -was returned to the sea. - -On the day we killed the porpoise we discovered a new hobby: -coal-sifting. It was necessary, in order to maintain a working head -of steam, to separate the dust from the lumps—much dust to very few -lumps—and all the useless stuff was hove overside. A messy, gritty -job! But the rain helped us somewhat: and it did rain! Solid sheets -of it came cascading down, so that to keep even a semblance of dryness -was out of the question; but the weather was so warm that the downpour -was more in the nature of a blessing than a curse. We were now fairly -in the doldrums. - -Just before lunch the sea presented us with a picture: one that is all -too seldom seen in these days of mechanical progress and stern utility. -A noble sailing-ship: a vast five-masted Frenchman, _La France_, hove -in sight. She was becalmed, a painted ship lying still on a painted -ocean; with her enormous spread of canvas and the beautiful tracery -of her rigging reflected in every tiniest detail in the mirror of -the sea. So taken with the sight she presented was Sir Ernest that he -altered course in order to pass her at close quarters; and so we not -only got an excellent view of this famous Horn sailing-ship, but also -some really fine photographs. Moreover, as is the custom of the sea, -we spoke to her and gave her information such as might appeal to a -windjammer: telling her where we had lost the North-East Trades and the -strength of them as they deserted us. Quite an animated conversation -was carried on between ship and ship: and the amusing part of the -business was that whereas the French skipper was compelled to use a -megaphone to make himself audible, the Boss, simply by funnelling his -hand about his mouth, made himself perfectly well understood across -the intervening space of lifeless sea. - -“She looks peaceful enough now,” said one of the crew to me; “but -you ought to see her as I’ve seen her: ratching round the Horn under -her topsails, scuppers awash, and the big fellows piling aboard as -if determined to overwhelm her. Then you see a windjammer as she -really is: a sea-fighter, depending not at all on machinery and the -ingenious contrivances of this present-day civilization; but just a -conglomeration of steel and wood and wire and hemp, built to “euchre -God Almighty’s storms and bluff the eternal sea”; then you’d begin -to understand a thing or two. Seafaring isn’t what it was—it’s a -pastime instead of hard labour; but so long as such packets as that -keep afloat there’s hope.” - -And, alas for his enthusiasm!—we were to hear at a later date that -the splendid fabric had been totally wrecked on a reef fifty miles -off New Caledonia: that Ocean Graveyard might reasonably be called, -“The Port of Missing Ships.” - -Praise from Sir Hubert Stanley! The Boss, after informing the -Frenchman that the North-East Trades had not entirely gone out of -business, complimented him on the appearance of his ship—which -was well-deserved—and so, with mutual good-feeling, we trudged -past her into lowering cloud-masses that soon developed into noisy -squalls—little wind and much rain, until we hit one squall with more -wind in it, and were compelled to shorten sail to combat the breeze -on even terms. - -We had decided to call at St. Paul’s Rocks—a lonely outpost of Mother -Earth almost exactly on the Line—and as we had no desire to overrun -the land, engines were slowed down in order that we might sight the -rocks at daybreak. There was nothing the matter with the _Quest’s_ -navigation; and soon after daylight we sighted our immediate haven, -with the sun shining whitely on the barrenness of these deserted -islets. - -They are not in any way large: being merely the ultimate peaks of a -deep-sunken mountain range, jutting up through the placid waters of -the equatorial seas. The biggest of them is not more than two hundred -yards long with a maximum altitude of sixty feet or thereabouts; and -from one end to the other they are smothered in guano, thanks to the -sea-birds that rest there in unbelievable clouds. In the frequent -squalls that rage about them, the wind-flung sprays leap high over -their insignificant bulk; and the hot tropical sun at once dries the -spindrift into dazzling crystals of salt; it is these crystals and -the guano combined that make the islands look, at a distance, as if -they were covered with newly-fallen snow. - -Arriving within easy pistol-shot of the largest island, all sail -was taken in and the surf-boat lowered. Shoals of ravenous sharks -swarmed about the _Quest_ as she lost her way: the water was whipped -to whiteness by their quick movements. Without loss of time the first -exploring party loaded themselves into the surf-boat, with gear for -observations and provisions for the day, and moved off from ship to -shore. I counted myself fortunate in being included in this party, -which comprised Mr. Douglas, Major Carr, and myself, with a notable -crew of Dr. Macklin, Mr. Jeffrey, and Mr. Eriksen, Mr. Wild being in -charge at the tiller. We were landed, through the sullen surf, on one -of the smaller rocks, and the boat returned to the _Quest_ for a fresh -load. Mr. Wilkins, with Mr. Hussey and Mr. Dell, the electrician, -landed on the largest rock; and by the time this difficult landing -was effected Mr. Douglas, who was entrusted with the duty of making -a comprehensive survey of the place, discovered that our small islet -was not suitable for this purpose; consequently it was necessary to -hail the boat, load in all our gear, and proceed to the big island. -During the reloading process Douglas was so keen and zealous that he -allowed himself to be soused repeatedly by the grumbling surf. It -was, indeed, a matter of no little difficulty to get anything into -the boat, since its motion was so lively; every time it came within -reachable distance and we began to swing the load towards it, the -backwash licked it out of reach again; and so it was for all the -world like playing a somewhat exasperating game of cup and ball. To -beach the boat was impossible, for the simple reason that there was -no beach: the rocks being steep-to, so that the first part of the -boat to touch land was her stem. However, we managed the transhipment -after a fashion. - -Enormous numbers of crabs were a prominent feature of the island when -we reached it; they scuttled away with queer suggestions of terror -at our arrival. Moreover, it was as though the rocks actually lived -and breathed, by reason of the vast quantities of sea-birds that were -everywhere, and so tame as to be ludicrous. You could go right up to -them without their stirring, save to advance threatening beaks; and -only when they were actually touched did they fly away, and then not -very far. If they were sitting on their nests, as many of them were, -they stayed put, contenting themselves with squawking and flapping -their wings, which was their idea of defence. - -So far as I could see—not being a naturalist—there were two kinds -of birds common to the islands: the one was rather larger than an -ordinary duck, brownish in colour, with big, webbed feet and a long, -yellow, pointed bill. This bird—species unknown to me—emitted, when -disturbed, a wild, squalling cry like an hysterical woman robbed of -her only child: an infinitely pathetic sound. It made a fellow feel -absolutely inhuman to touch these birds, once the queerness of it -all had passed. - -The other type was smaller, no bigger than an ordinary seagull, -brownish-black in colour, and lacking webbed feet. - -The young of the larger species, almost until reaching years of -discretion, boast fluffy coats of white feathers of downy softness, -and made one anxious to secure sufficient of their plumage to stuff -a mattress that might be more kindly to one’s projecting bones than -the “donkey’s breakfast” with which I was provided. The young of the -smaller kind were quite ordinary: being, if anything, a shade darker -than their parents. Flying-fish appeared to comprise the major portion -of the larger birds’ dietary, for we found many of these curious -fish lying about the rocks in the vicinity of the nests. Not that -these nests were architectural masterpieces by any means: they were -merely rough scrapings in the ever-present guano: trifling bowls just -sufficient to contain the eggs or the downy young. - -Mr. Wilkins soon found material for his cameras. He was keen on -securing impressions of life on St. Paul’s Rocks; and quested about -like a newspaper reporter in the silly season. He was fortunate enough -to run upon what can only be described as a piscatorial drama: a huge -crab that had discovered a dead fish and was working overtime to get -it stowed inside. With all the stolidity of an Aberdeen granite-hewer, -the crab was ripping off enormous chunks from its odoriferous catch -and tucking them away. You’d have thought he was a small boy—not -a Scout, of course—bagging apples from a forbidden orchard, with -the owner of that orchard coming round the corner. Something like a -score of smaller crabs were anxious to share his prize, but he had -no intention of making a common cause of his salvage. Every time -they advanced he dragged the fish bodily away; and when the smaller -fellows showed a nasty, greedy disposition, he thought nothing of -kicking them away to blazes-and-gone with his scrabbling hind-legs. -Very evidently that apple “wasn’t goin’ to have no core!” - -Throughout the interesting morning Mr. Wilkins took photographs, both -still and moving, of the life of the island: birds, crabs, even the -fish swimming in the rockpools; and Mr. Dell and I assisted him to -the best of our ability. We were all busy according to our capacity. -In the afternoon Mr. Wilkins killed such birds as he required for -specimens, and went on with his picture-making in order that those -who only Britain know might learn somewhat of the outlying pickets of -the earth. Mr. Douglas made a comprehensive survey of this largest -island, taking Mr. Hussey and Major Carr to assist him; the latter -also did some useful meteorological work, besides helping me in the -bug-hunting labours relegated to me by our naturalist. Spiders and -moths formed the greater part of our bag; and all were of interest, -because they were so entirely different from the spiders and moths -of home. - -As for the boat’s crew, they fished throughout the greater part of the -day, catching small sharks and varied finny victims in considerable -quantities. As sharks are not particularly appetizing food, they were -thrown back into their native element after certain operations had -been performed upon them which guaranteed that they, at any rate, -would never more trouble harassed mariners. - -All this work was done under a baking sun, striking with merciless -savagery down from almost directly overhead. Our moving bodies threw -no shadows whatsoever, but the glare from the rocks caused our skins -to flame and burn with unbelievable thoroughness, so that when we -returned to the _Quest_ we looked more like a party of half-cooked -negroes than white men. - -That our observations might be thorough and of use to civilization, -when once we were all embarked and the surf-boat housed on deck, -the _Quest_ steamed slowly round the entire group of mountain peaks, -taking soundings as she went. Not until seven o’clock at night did -we move off finally and wave farewell to what is, in my opinion, one -of the most forlorn clusters of rock in all the world. - -Forthwith we resumed the even run of shipboard duties: I myself -acting as cook’s mate when required, standing watch, taking the wheel, -trimming and sifting coal; and all the time the sea was running high -and the _Quest_ doing herself proud in the matter of rolling. Such -of us as did the tedious bunker work, in ten-minute shifts because of -the stifling conditions below, cursed that St. Vincent coal heartily -enough to set it on fire on its own account, but felt high reward when -we were granted an afternoon’s easy as a solace to choked lungs and -aching limbs. There were no class distinctions among us, let it be -known. I, the loblolly boy, worked side by side with the leaders of -the expedition at what, ashore and in civilization, might have been -considered menial tasks. The ship was absolutely a commonwealth, all -hands working all-out for the common good; social distinctions were -thrown overboard almost as soon as we left Plymouth. Thus were formed -the bonds of a proved comradeship destined to stand us in good stead -in the coming days of common peril, when every man might be required -to depend upon his nearest neighbour for the boon of continued life. - -Major Carr, during these days, conducted a series of meteorological -experiments, although the uneasy motion of the ship rendered such -work difficult in the doing. He sent up balloons and kites to -test the currents of the upper air and secure the temperatures of -those remote strata, all of which information is of great value in -weather-forecasting and the like. One kite was lost. This work is -rather interesting because, to one not versed in its complications, -it is so infinitely mysterious. You send up a big kite, say, getting -it up as high as you can, or as high as you wish; and then, up the -same wire you dispatch a smaller kite—just as we used to send up -messengers, as we called them—which messenger kite carries with it -the complicated instruments by means of which the records are taken; -afterwards these are tabulated day by day. - -Infrequently, during the run to Rio—though it was more a crawl—I -indulged in the luxury of a shave. I make a special point of mentioning -this, because shaves were amongst the rarest events of existence those -days. A memorable day; the Boss gave me further praise. I told the -cook, because sometimes it is well to give others a correct estimate -of yourself, as seen through eyes that are not biased by long and -close companionship. - -“The Boss asked me to make his tea for him this afternoon,” I said. -“And when he tasted it he said it was the best that had ever passed -his lips.” - -“He always says that,” said the cook with a dreadful sneer, “when -anyone makes it but me—who’d be a cook, anyhow? All the dirty work, -none of the fat! Who’d go to sea at all, if it comes to that?” But -I made allowances for his liver suffering from the constant nearness -to our stove, and forbore to press home my triumph. - -Occasionally becalmed, not infrequently labouring in high seas, we -trudged along the long and uneventful road to Rio, and early on the -morning of November 21 sighted the South American coast. It is bold -in its outline hereabouts, with the Sugar Loaf hill at the entrance -to Rio Harbour striking a dominant note, and as we progressed and -closed the land we secured exceptionally fine views of the scenery, a -welcome spectacle to eyes long used to staring out over the unbroken -horizons of the sea. - -It had not been the Boss’s original intention to make any call until -we reached South Trinidad Island; but the engine-room defects were -developing so rapidly, despite the overhaul at St. Vincent, that -Sir Ernest discovered it absolutely necessary to secure further -engineering assistance, and, moreover, the topmast and rigging were -also giving no end of trouble, which it would not do to risk further. -As Rio de Janeiro offered an excellent harbour of refuge, to that -port we steered, and arriving off the harbour at midnight, cruised -about until the dawn, for South American ports are all alike in the -respect that no vessel may enter or leave between the hours of dark -and dawn. I suppose this rule is enforced in order to prevent surprise -revolutions taking place too often. The hobby of Latin America, so I -was solemnly informed by those much older and wiser than myself, is -revolutions, and there is a definite season for hanging Presidents -to their own flagstaffs. I do not vouch for it; I only record what I -was told. Apparently, when bored after a too long siesta, some South -American will say: “It’s a fine day; let’s have a revolution!” And -the others agree that life is lacking in excitement, so a revolution -they have, and no one makes much ado about it, not even the late -President, because he’s generally past caring one way or the other. -Only sometimes it is the usurper and not the up-to-the-moment occupant -of the Presidential chair who decorates the flagstaff—it all depends. - -On a brilliantly sunny morning, with the sky and sea rainbow-like in -a welter of vivid colouring, we passed up amongst the little network -of islands, and ran beneath the frowning sheer of the Sugar Loaf into -what is surely the most beautiful harbour in all the world. Jealous -Australians will tell me that I am wrong, and that Rio cannot beat -Sydney; but as I’ve never seen Sydney, and I wager most of them -have never seen Rio, I’ll hold to my opinion. Rio is beautiful—with -its richly clad slopes on either hand, its majestic size, and its -clustering white-walled buildings along the cliff-tops. The water is -as blue as sapphire; the sky above is radiant; and—there are worse -places than Rio to visit, when one is wearied of much seafaring. -And yet, not so very long ago, the very mention of Rio sent shivers -through the spinal cords of honest sailormen. The place had an evil -name for Yellow Jack, that most dreaded of plagues, and ships going -there would lose every man of their crews; fresh crews would be sent -out, these in their turn would die, and gradually the ships rotted away -helplessly at their moorings for want of man-power to set them into -open water. But those tragic days belong to past history. A progressive -government, shaking off the apathy and lassitude of the South, drained -the pestiferous swamps in which the fever-bearing mosquitoes bred, -destroyed a few millions of the humming pests and made the port as -healthy as any other port of the Southern hemisphere, perhaps. But -here and there, in the backwaters of the harbour, they will still show -the mouldering hulls of what once were proud ships—charnel houses of -empire, I called them—which had failed to return to their homeland -by reason of that dreaded “El vomito.” - -Already, though the sun was not far above the horizon, it was growing -amazingly hot; and when the port doctor visited us at 7.30, the heat -was well-nigh unbearable. Until his visit took place the _Quest_ -was in quarantine, with the yellow flag flying at her foremast. No -one might board her, none might leave, though boats swarmed about -us as soon as we trudged up through the harbour-mouth and past the -frowning forts that guard the entrance and make the bay well-nigh -invulnerable. But the doctor surged up alongside in his speedy launch; -there was an inundation of gilt-edge officials who all seemed to talk -at once and very rapidly, so that our deck was like a fish-market; -salutations were made, and—thanks to the magic of the White Ensign -which we flew astern—the formalities of giving “pratique” were not -overlong drawn-out. You begin to get some clear impression of the -worth of the White Ensign when you stray beyond your own coastline. -It is a veritable Open Sesame; bureaucratic difficulties melt away -before the sight of it, and instead of doing all they can to hinder, -the foreign Jacks-in-office bow and salute and oil the wheels to some -effect. - -Prior to making Rio we had treated the _Quest_ to another -spring-cleaning, painting her thoroughly inboard and out. She was -now no longer white and yellow as to upperworks and funnel, but -battleship grey, and her appearance was enormously improved. No one -could ever call her beautiful, even at the best of times, but in -her new clothing she certainly looked dignified and what she was: a -pioneer ship embarked on a hazardous cruise. Even the country that -owned the White Ensign had no cause to be particularly ashamed of -her, I thought, as I saw her reflection mirrored in the crystal-like -waters of the harbour. - -We passed up the harbour and anchored off the city: a city of terraces -and palms and much rich foliage. Many anchored craft dotted the surface -of the water: handsome sailing ships, their spars a black forest -against the eye-aching blue of the sky; powerful steamers, coastwise -craft—there was no end to the variety. And now we were treated to real -tropical fruits and vegetables—luxuries that were trebly enhanced -in value by reason of long abstinence. Sink your teeth into a juicy -pineapple, bought for a penny, if you want to know what I mean. Or -wolf a few of those queer, turpentiney mangoes, which disappoint you -so much by reason of the big stone with its tough fibres, to which -clings all that’s best and sweetest of the pulp, until, in your -aggravation you seriously contemplate getting into a filled bath—the -best place by far wherein to devour mangoes—and indulging in a very -orgy. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -Christmas in Southern Seas - - -The _Quest_ was subjected to a very thorough overhaul during her stay -in Rio. Judging by the opinions of the experts Sir Ernest called into -consultation, she needed it—she seemed to be wrong everywhere; and to -venture down into the icebound South with her in her then condition -was practically suicide. - -First of all, her engines were surveyed, and the crank-shaft, which was -the cause of most of our troubles, was properly aligned. The marvel -seemed to be that we’d managed to come as far as we had done without -meeting disaster. We’d met with a certain amount of it, anyhow—and -we’d treated that impostor, as Kipling calls it, contemptuously. -How we should treat triumph when that appeared we hardly knew. Did -I mention that what are, in my opinion, the most stirring lines in -English poetry, Kipling’s “If,” were posted up aboard us conspicuously -as a sort of chart by which to steer our daily course? - -Then, too, it was discovered that the propeller, which had churned -astern so uncertainly, was far too heavy for the ship and her shaft; -she was being racked to pieces by the violent vibration; and so a -smaller, more complaisant propeller was shipped in place of our old -friendly enemy. The scarfed topmast, that had caused more bad language -than I like to remember, was condemned, and a new one furnished by -the Brazilian Admiralty, who offered us every courtesy throughout, was -shipped in its place. I should like to give a detailed description of -these operations, but must leave the task to one better equipped with -nautical knowledge than myself. But, as well as repairs, we recaulked -and tarred the hull, which, like all wooden hulls, was disposed to -leak consumedly. When a wooden ship is sailing on a wind, her weather -side heaves out of the water a good deal, and, in tropical seas, the -sun scorches down on the exposed timber with such merciless effect -that, as soon as the vessel is put about and the once-high side is -below the water-line, her open seams permit the water literally to pour -in, and this keeps all hands busy at the pumps. Moreover, it makes -the bilges extraordinarily unpleasant, for the stench of putrefying -sea water is about the most stomach-turning odour I know. - -We also enlarged our existing accommodation to the extent of erecting -a new deck-house forrard of the old one, to serve as a dining-room, -as the after mess-room was far too small to accommodate all hands. -Since the _Quest_ was to be our home for an indefinite period, we -thought we deserved room in which to stretch ourselves. - -Naturally enough, whilst these alterations were in progress, the -ship became too small by far for us to live aboard; too, she was so -uncomfortable when careened for caulking that we thought it no shame -to live ashore, and accepted the ready hospitality that was offered -to us on every hand. Slight changes were made, too, in our personnel; -Mr. Eriksen returned home, and three new hands were shipped, one of -them to carry on my old job of cook’s mate. - -We explored Rio pretty thoroughly during the month we were there. -For it demanded a whole month to effect sufficient repairs to make -us weatherly, in spite of the Boss’s growing impatience. No wonder he -was impatient: the odds had been against us from the beginning. Here, -and simply on account of defects, we were fully six weeks behind our -programme, and that programme promised to need considerable amendment. -We marvelled at the beauty of Rio itself: a city of really stately -buildings, broad boulevards, and thoroughly up-to-date improvements. -We admired the very wonderful mosaic pavements, which are everywhere, -a tribute to the patience of those who had laid them in this age when -beauty has so constantly to give place to utility, and the labour of -love seems to be becoming a thing of the past. - -Furthermore, we climbed the famous Sugar Loaf, Vao d’Assucar being -its Brazilian title. As I mentioned, this curious peak, ridiculously -like one of the old sugar loaves that I understand used to decorate -grocers’ windows, dominates the entrance to Rio Harbour on the southern -side, and towers vertically out of a placid sea a sheer two thousand -feet into a cloudless sky. At one time its ascent was considered a -feat second only to the conquest of the Matterhorn; and I remember -reading a breathless story dealing with a young midshipman’s conquest -of the problem; but now modern ingenuity has effected a solution, -and we modern adventurers ascended by means of a cable-car running -to the summit. I suppose that if Julius Cæsar suddenly came back to -life and decided to invade Britain again he would do it by aeroplane! - -Even if we had been required to make the ascent in the primitive -manner, our trouble would have been well rewarded, for, at night, -staring out towards the city from the ultimate summit, seeing the -countless lights reflected gloriously on the bay, I viewed what I -consider to be the most enchanting scene I have ever clapped eyes -on: a very City Beautiful, unreal and mystical, as it were a vision -of Fairyland itself. - -Rio heat can be very trying; but Nature has provided a remedy. -Punctually at four o’clock in the afternoon, just when the soggy -heat is becoming absolutely unbearable, when even to think requires -impossible exertion, and to stir one’s littlest finger calls for -lengthy meditation and preparation, there suddenly comes a refreshing -coolness in the air, pleasant wind-currents stir, the oppression -lifts as if by magic and a tingling suggestion of well-being fills -the veins. This wind is known as the “Rio Doctor,” and its qualities -are undoubtedly medicinal. But for that “Doctor,” I fancy prolonged -existence there for a white man would be unbearable. - -Amongst other diversions, I visited a small troop of British and -American Scouts, and amongst them spent a memorable evening. It is -very gratifying to an enthusiastic Scout to see with his own eyes -how far-flung is our movement, and what benefits it confers on those -who are in it. Apart from the white Scouts there are many troops -amongst the Brazilians; but, unfortunately, the movement amongst them, -as in Germany, is, to my way of thinking, too much imbued with the -military spirit, which in these days is being revealed as a worthless -anachronism. - -Owing to our long delay it was not until December 17 that we left -Wilson’s Island, where we had lain throughout the period of our -overhaul, and dropped anchor again on the city side of the harbour -in order to take aboard stores, water, and the other necessary -impedimenta. Not that our alterations were by any means complete; -but the Boss’s impatience was growing to such an extent that he was -firmly resolved to make shift with what was already done and chance -his luck. Once the stores were aboard, we moved off again and dropped -anchor in a lovely little bay on the Nictheroy side, not far from the -harbour entrance; and here we found ourselves with as much work to -tackle as was convenient. During refit all our past careful stowage -had been necessarily disturbed, and as we had to prepare ourselves -to face any kind of weather that might come along, we were as busy -as bees, lashing, stowing, jamming, wedging, contriving innumerable -ingenuities, and trimming the ship into a weatherly condition. A -bathe was very welcome when daylight died. - -Next morning work continued. We got something of a scare when an urgent -message was received aboard, requiring Dr. Macklin to go ashore at -once to see Sir Ernest, who had been taken suddenly ill. Off went the -doctor, post-haste, but on arriving at the house where the Boss was -staying as the guest of hospitable friends, he found him completely -recovered and apt to make light of his temporary affliction. Sir -Ernest was always the sort of man who made light of trouble: he merely -stated that he had been troubled by a slight faintness and that he -had actually sent for the doctor to make inquiry about stores; but -afterwards we knew that this attack was an advance messenger to our -gallant leader, warning him that the sands were running low in the -glass of his life. - -The shipping of a new cook’s mate left me free for deck duties, and -I saw an excellent chance of qualifying myself as a seaman. I started -this Sunday morning by keeping an hour’s anchor-watch: 2-3 a.m. Very -quiet and wonderful the ship was during that hour of darkness, with -those unforgettable stars blazing nobly in a sky that was for all the -world like velvet. Then, during the forenoon, I helped Mr. Dell to -set up a stay and rig halliards for the jib; proper sailorizing work -this, and enjoyable. For, however enthusiastic a man may be, peeling -potatoes can lose its interest and fail to convince the peeler that -his labour is an essential aid to Polar exploration work! Whereas, -when you’re working with the gear that actually means the ship’s -safety and progress, you feel you’re something that definitely counts -in the scheme of things, and your pride swells enormously. - -What with stowing and restowing, trimming and retrimming, it was -four in the afternoon before we finally got under way and, under easy -steam, proceeded towards the entrance. A most invigorating “send-off” -was ours as we departed; our Brazilian friends seemed determined -to “do us proud”; they accompanied us in boats for a considerable -distance, cheering themselves hoarse, firing salutes from guns they -had thoughtfully brought with them. We answered with high-soaring -rockets and our famous “Tally ho!” war-cry, and the scene was a very -pandemonium of enthusiasm, invigorating to a degree. But we left the -clamour behind, and, quickening speed, steamed out past the Sugar -Loaf and the forts, down through the chain of islands, and so to open -sea once more; and glad enough we were to feel the swing and lift -of the gliding keel beneath us; for though our stay in Rio had been -memorable, chockful of pleasure, and revealing the jovial thoroughness -of Under the Line hospitality and encouragement, when you’re embarked -on a definite quest you want to get on with the business in hand, and -lying tugging at your anchors won’t help you to overcome the troubles -of open sea. - -I had the wheel during the second dog-watch, and the Boss was on the -bridge. Knowing how terribly he had worried throughout our stay in the -Brazilian port, it was invigorating to discover him so cheerful and -enthusiastic; he had shed the burden of his woe, and talked to Wild -and Worsley very animatedly about his experiences ashore. An accident -to Jeffrey—his leg was injured—promised to keep him more or less -_hors-de-combat_ for a considerable time; Macklin said three weeks in -bed was absolutely necessary. Jeffrey, a man of action and the exact -opposite of a shirker, grumbled ferociously at this sentence; but -the doctor knew best, and instead of three weeks it was six before he -was fit for the fighting line again. Sir Ernest volunteered to stand -his watch for him. Here, again, he gave evidence of his thought for -others and his unwillingness to add to their burdens, no matter how -weighty those he took upon his own shoulders might be. Had he done -as some men would have done, and required his officers to share sick -Jeffrey’s work between them, he could have given himself greater -easement; maybe averted the tragedy that was already touching him with -the shadow of its wings; but no, he acted up to his motto throughout -and played the man to the very end. - -During the night the sea began to get up more than a bit, and -tested our recent stowage work to the full. The decks became almost -impassable by reason of the confusion. Drums of oil, crates of fruit, -heavy packing-cases, everything that was not actually bolted to the -ship’s framework seemed on the run. It was like chasing excited pigs -to secure many of the loose articles, for the oil splashed about in -earnest fashion, and even when you got a grip on a wallowing cask -your fingers would slide off its chines, and away would go the cask, -as the ship saucily hove herself up on end, for all the world like -that runaway gun in Victor Hugo’s book. So that, what with one thing -and another, it took us all day to get things set to rights and the -decks squared up. - -One part of my work consisted in clearing the chart-room for action. -The Boss summoned me at 7 a.m. to do this, and seemed peeved about -the prevalent disorder. No wonder; his orderly soul must have been -in utter revolt against the chaos that reigned. Everything that had -been overlooked, everything that had come aboard at the last minute -seemed to have been heaved into the chart-room. There were bundles -of clean washing on top of the chronometer lockers, oddments of all -kinds littered the place. Most of these belonged to Mr. Wilkins and -Mr. Douglas, who had started off three weeks before for South Georgia -to make scientific observations. Owing to our long delay in Rio our -meditated call at Cape Town was ruled out, and it was necessary to -alter the original plan of campaign. It should be remembered that -much of our gear had been sent on in advance to Cape Town, which was -to be our base. Shackleton, accordingly, made up his mind to wash out -Cape Town, and avail himself of the resources of South Georgia, where -dogs and impedimenta might be obtained, thanks to an ill-fated German -expedition that had left much of its equipment there in pre-war days. - -“Carry that gear down below into the fo’c’sle, and treat it kindly,” -said the Boss. “Always remember that you think twice for an absent -shipmate where you’d think once for yourself.” So I gradually -brought order out of chaos, thereby easing Shackleton’s not unnatural -peevishness, and then got out on deck to make myself generally useful. - -We were carrying a full press of canvas, but as the wind was falling -light, notwithstanding the boisterousness of the sea, it was decided -to shorten sail, and the topsail was accordingly clewed up. Dr. -Macklin and myself went up aloft to make it fast; and this was my -first experience on a topsail yard. It was rather like being tied -to the end of a piece of elastic. You’d never think one small ship -could be so vigorous in her motions as was the _Quest_. One minute -I was sliding down an apparently unfathomable chasm, the next I was -perched high aloft, staring down with mingled scorn and apprehension -on my opposite number who was busily engaged in furling the other -side of the sail. “One hand for yourself and one for the expedition,” -was the maxim that had long ago been instilled into me, so you may -believe me when I say that the hand for myself was busily employed! -It was a nightmarish experience, but the topsail was ultimately made -fast, and the ship’s liveliness seemed to diminish as a result. - -It was a relief to turn in after all these adventures and win some -sleep; but at midnight I was out again, to find the engines stopped -and the ship rolling as if she intended to have the masts out of -herself, for her headway was stopped and she had fallen off into -the trough of the sea. Once again our engines were causing trouble: -the circulating pump had gone “phutt,” and it was necessary for all -hands to turn out and pump the bilges clear. A lovely job, there -in the darkness, with the ship trying to tie knots in herself! And -bilge water is so pleasant! Pumping is a back-aching job at best, -but when you’re performing nautical gymnastics throughout your spell -it exercises every muscle in your body, and you marvel at the number -of muscles you possess, when they’re all aching at once! Still, the -engine-room staff quitted themselves like men, repaired the damage, -and got us under way once more; and the day broke fine with a calming -sea and enough of a breeze to warrant the setting of all plain sail. -This eased matters considerably, the erratic motion subsided, and -all was well. In the afternoon, by way of variety, I was instructed -to trim coal for the stokehold. Rio was hot; we are led to believe -that there is even a hotter place, but if it is no worse than in the -_Quest’s_ bunkers down here in the tropics, I have no fear of the -future. The particular bunker selected for my attention was situated -quite close to the boiler. It left a baker’s oven ridiculously behind, -so far as heat was concerned, and the coal-dust—phew! Not that I’m -grumbling, mark you, the job had to be done, and there was no reason -why I should have been excused; but it is my way to relate impressions. - -I found out a way to make even this existence tolerable—man, especially -a Scout man, being an adaptable animal. I threw down exactly sixty -shovelfuls of coal, that being my extreme limit; then I dived for -the stokehold, with the enthusiastic eagerness of a Bromley-kite -after a dead Malay, and emerged into that comparative ice-chest in -an avalanche of dust, small coal, and bigger lumps, with the shovel -clattering triumphantly between my legs. In the stokehold I got a -breath of air that was not entirely solid, remembered that mine it -was to do or die, and got back to the bunker just in time to satisfy -the demands of the stoker on duty. A great game! - -Evidently my success at this ploy was so conspicuous that I was -employed throughout the following day in the bunkers as a reward of -zeal. But the weather was cooling somewhat now, and the conditions -were not so irksome; yet sleeping on deck was becoming more of a pain -than a pleasure, and I found my bunk in the wardroom quite inviting. - -Then, on the next day, I completed my bunker work, to my great -satisfaction, and resumed duty on deck. The weather overhead was fine, -the sea was growingly vigorous. On this day I saw my first albatross. -It was sitting on the water, and at first sight looked to be nothing -more important than a large gull; but when it took wing and skimmed -away, I got an impression of perfect and amazing flight. It took -things in most leisurely fashion, obtaining the greatest amount of -result with the least expenditure of energy—circling our mastheads -with supreme insolence, without so much as the quiver of a wing. It -was one of the Wanderer class, I was told; but its wanderings ceased -when it came upon us, for it accompanied us south with the greatest -pertinacity, living on the scraps thrown overboard from the cook’s -galley. - -Also, we saw a “Portuguese man-o’-war”—a nautilus; a flimsy, -bewildering, beautiful sea-curiosity, with its sails that looked -like mother-o’-pearl all fairly set to the breeze. Albatrosses -and nautiluses are seldom seen in company—but we were favoured by -witnessing this remarkable combination. - -It was amusing to watch the envy and admiration with which our two -flying men—Carr and Wilkins—studied the manœuvres of the albatross. -Both of them, apparently, thought that if they possessed ingenuity -sufficient to enable them to construct a heavier-than-air machine -that would duplicate that effortless motion, their fortunes would be -made and their undying fame assured. They talked throughout the day -in a jargon that was entirely unintelligible to me about vol-planing, -and stalling, and banking, and at the end resolved that Nature was -a greater inventor than mere man. - -Just about now, too, there was a certain amount of merriment in the -ship owing to Carr being required to improve the accommodation below. -It takes very little to arouse a laugh on shipboard, where stern hard -work is the prevailing note; and we were grateful to our amateur -carpenter for permitting us to laugh at his well-meant efforts, -which, though rough and crude, suited the conditions. Despite the -alterations that had been made at Rio, the down-below accommodation -was still limited, and every man had to stow himself away in as small -a space as was compatible with continued existence. If in a future -state I am ever destined to become a sardine, I shall know that I’ve -had good training in the art of close stowage! - -As the wind was coming away fair and with a force that promised added -speed, the foresail and staysail were taken in and the square-sail set. -The promise was fulfilled, and now we romped along in an inspiring -manner through a quickening sea that slapped happy little wavelets -against our quarter and threw occasional wisps of spindrift aboard. -In the main the day was somewhat misty, and there was a heavy swell -running as though promising an increase of the wind—what Kipling -calls “The high-running swell before storm, grey, formless, enormous, -and growing.” It’s astonishing to me how Kipling, himself no sailor, -understands the sea so well! He seems to have got right down to the -very inwardness of open water, and if he’d been a trained sailor he -couldn’t understand the sea’s mysteries and wonderments better than -he does. - -The day of Christmas Eve broke to show us a moderate sea and a -refreshing west-south-west wind. During the entire day this breeze -increased, with frequent squalls and a gloomy, lowering sky, and -the wiseacres amongst us prognosticated bad weather. Of course it is -always safest to prophesy bad weather at sea, because you naturally -make up your mind that it is coming and prepare yourself for any -emergency; and then, if it doesn’t eventuate, you thank your lucky -stars for continued good times. But on this occasion the portents -proved correct: before night a big sea was running, and the wind, from -menacing whistle, increased to that deep thunderous note of striving -which indicates the nearness of a pukka storm. We began to ship -water—nothing to worry about, but still enough to drown out the dynamo, -as a result of which catastrophe our lights were extinguished and we -were compelled to resort to the oil-lamps by way of illumination. - -While shortening sail one of the clews of the squaresail, carrying -heavy block and shackle, whipped sharply across the deck and caught -Carr a sickening blow in the face. He was literally clean knocked out, -but contrived to come back to time, and with his hands to his face, -and the blood flowing all too freely through his fingers, tried to -carry on. But this wasn’t to be permitted; he was sent below for the -attentions of the doctor, who diagnosed a broken nose. The doctor and -his assistant worked assiduously to restore the unfortunate’s nasal -organ to its pristine beauty, but though they satisfied themselves -they failed to satisfy the sufferer, who did his best, in front of a -mirror, to flatter his own mild vanity. He made such a poor attempt -that the work had all to be done over again, and during the operation -Hussey consoled him with impertinent remarks concerning the effect -his face would have upon the women of England if he tampered with it -any further. - -This was a funny Christmas Eve, however, far different from those -of the past. To palliate our present uncomfortable conditions, we -endeavoured to create a vicarious atmosphere by remembering previous -Christmases. Here were we, a congregation of desperate adventurers, -collected from all the corners of the world, isolated for our sins -in a little, tossing ship that seemed pitifully small to engage with -the massed forces of the southern seas; all of us separate entities, -dependent upon our imaginations for recreation. We talked about -Christmases past, and groaned in spirit when we reflected upon their -glories; and then, as nothing was to be gained thereby, we went on to -picture the ideal Christmas we would wish to spend. Opinions varied -very considerably. Sentimentally, we mostly drew passionate sketches -of snow-covered fields and church spires pointing upwards, and waits -and skating and honest Christmas fare, carefully omitting, needless -to say, the consequent, inevitable indigestion! It is rather queer how -the exile invariably pictures Christmas as a snow-smothered festival, -whereas the average Christmas, according to my experience, is chiefly -remarkable for its entire lack of snow! - -Anyhow, we all decided unanimously that the Christmas dinners of -the past were to be mere shadows as compared with the Christmas -dinners of to-morrow; for Mr. Rowett and his considerate wife had -made their arrangements well in advance, and the ship was excellently -well supplied with rich and luscious fare. Certain cases, carefully -stowed and treated with exaggerated respect, were rumoured to contain -turkeys, hams, puddings, and all those ameliorations which go to make -Christmas what it is; and on this note of gastronomical anticipation -we welcomed the Day. - -Alas! alas! we builded our hopes on foundations of shifting sand! - -Christmas Day, down there in southern latitudes—where it was officially -midsummer—dawned bleak and grey and threatening. The wind during the -night had increased to a very good imitation of a real gale, and the -ship was showing precisely what she could do in the way of uneasy -motion. A cork could not have been more lively in the sea that was -kicked up by the droning velocity of the unleashed winds. So far as -I myself was concerned, a happening occurred that threatened to make -me entirely indifferent to this Christmas Day, or indeed any others -that might gladden the world. My job was to maintain a look-out on -the bridge—the forecastle by this time being so constantly washed by -whole water that the normal look-out position had become untenable. The -officer of the watch sent me below for a tin of milk wherewith to make -more palatable his morning coffee, and off I started, full of zeal. -Crossing the poop I felt the _Quest_ poise and quiver preparatory to -taking one of her solar-plexus-disturbing pitches. A big, formidable -grey-bearded comber swung up out of the obscurity, gathering weight -as it came; it towered high, growing—always growing. Then it fell, -right atop of me, washed me clean off my feet and promised to wash -me overboard; but with a natural desire for a long life as well as a -merry one, I clung to what came handiest, a bit of the covering-board, -and held on. Noisy water covered me, I felt myself drowning; but the -ship kicked up her stern with a saucy irresponsibility, the water -receded, to the accompaniment of thunderous growls, and I continued -to exist. But I was as nearly overboard as a toucher; and considering -the sea that was running it is doubtful if a boat could have been -launched to the rescue. However, all’s well that ends well, and the -watch-officer got his tin of milk in the long run. - -Let it be recorded here and now, how wonderful a sea-boat the _Quest_ -is. I have probably mentioned the fact before, but it cannot be too -strongly emphasized. She seems designed to stand weather that would -make the biggest Atlantic liner quail. Small and light, she rises -triumphantly to the noisy crest of the biggest waves, and stares down -in supreme scorn at the welter of disturbed water beneath her. Always -she seems to be laughing in her sleeve at the clamorous immensity -of the combers, as though deriding their efforts to overwhelm her. -She is wonderful, a ship to be proud of, a ship to trust! She seems -to look on the whole business as something of a game; and, instead -of shipping vast masses of destructive water as a bigger vessel -would, dodges the big fellows, kicks them under her keel, and roars -up splendidly to the foamy summits to twiddle her fingers at the -Atlantic’s worst. Of course, even the _Quest_ shipped water, but not -in sufficient quantities to tear away her bulwarks, stave in her -hatches, and generally tear her timbers apart, as might well have -happened in the case of a bigger ship. - -But what she gained in seaworthiness she atoned for in her liveliness. -By breakfast-time she was heaving herself about in an unimaginable -fashion, so much so that it was impossible to keep anything on the -table. Everything was thrown about, and the fiddles proved worthless as -a safeguard; and, for this reason, the actual ceremonial of Christmas -was wisely postponed. To cook a satisfactory meal was a problem beyond -even the cook’s skill and resourcefulness, though there is no doubt -that Green was the hero of the day. He did his best; but when the -kettle hits a man in the eye, and the soup-pot empties itself into his -waistcoat, and the stove thoughtfully discharges its hissing embers -on his feet, and every now and then a wave slaps in and extinguishes -the newly-kindled fire, and the floor is swimming knee-deep in greasy -brine, what can a man do that would not cause derision in the mind -of a Parisian chef? The Boss gave orders that the impossible was not -to be attempted, and lacking turkeys and the kindred delights of -Christmas, we satisfied ourselves with heroic sandwiches of bully -beef and bread, eating them as best we could manage, stowed away -in the alleyways for the most part, with our feet and bodies well -braced for steadiness against the soul-stirring rolls of the ship -to which we had entrusted our fortunes. Green, like the hero he was, -unexpectedly provided us with piping hot cocoa, and considering how -thoroughly drenched and chilled we were—for there was no shelter worth -the name to be found—the steaming beverage was better to be desired -than nectar and ambrosia and all the fabulous delights of the gods. -What though its flavour was reminiscent of the bilges! It heartened -us and stimulated us to a nicety, and we asked for nothing better—at -least, we might have asked, but with scant prospect of receiving. - -Notwithstanding all seafaring difficulties, Green, determined that we -should have some sort of a hot meal for dinner. A thick stew resulted, -which we did not attempt to analyse too closely, but ate and were -thankful for. Such as wished it were also served with a tot of grog, -wherewith to drink the healths of the promoter of the expedition -and his wife; and then we compared notes of Christmases past again, -and discovered what a queerly assorted company we were. From Central -Africa, Iceland and Singapore, from New York, Harburg and Lithuania, -from Mauritius, Rio and Cape Town, from London and Aberdeen, and, -seemingly, all the cities of the world, we’d drifted towards this -restless speck now wallowing in the run of a South Atlantic sea, as -a witness that the call of adventure can never overpass the widest -limits of the world. - -And that all things might be finished in real slapdash style, a big -sea lolloped aboard, insinuated itself down the after-companion and -saturated my bunk. Truly a merry, merry Christmas; but what of it! - -And this Christmas Day brought us many greetings, if not from absent -friends, at least from the birds of the air, which were about us in -great numbers: albatross, mollymauks, whale-birds, Cape pigeons—their -name was legion. - -Boxing Day brought an improvement in our conditions; the wind -was lessening, although the sea still ran high, and with only our -fore-and-afters set, we logged an even six knots, which was to us -almost a racing pace. As an offset to improved circumstances outboard -we developed inboard defects again—and the chief of these promised -to be really serious, for our main fresh-water tank sprang a leak, -and before it was discovered the tank was dry and our precious store -of drinking water was washing nastily about the odoriferous bilges. -The Boss took this accident very much to heart; it seemed as though -ill-fortune had dogged him throughout the voyage; but all the worrying -in the world could not mend matters, and the only thing to do was to -practise the most rigid economy in using what little fresh water still -remained, reserving it for drinking and cooking only, endeavouring to -satisfy all our other needs with sea-water pure and simple, though a -little oily water was being distilled from the engine-room exhaust -tank. Fortunately the weather was growing considerably cooler, and -our thirsts were slaked automatically. - -Next day, though the wind was still blowing fairly hard, it was fair, -and we set the squaresail to take full advantage of it. No luck! -Hardly was it set than the out-haul carried away, and down came the -canvas for repair, which was effected with commendable swiftness, so -that by breakfast-time the sail was again set, and in obedience to -the weight of wind in it the _Quest_ began to romp along like a cup -winner. The number of albatrosses accompanying us now was growing; -they are wonderful birds, and well worth watching. Gigantic, too, some -of them are, with a stretch of wing somewhere about fourteen feet, -and an ability to fly untiringly without any perceptible exertion. -As the day progressed the wind freshened, and by four bells in the -middle watch a full gale from the W.N.W. was rioting about us. Coming -on deck at this time I was greeted with the awe-inspiring sight of -a favouring gale, with big seas galloping in our wake like hungry -monsters eager to overtake and devour us. Dark though the night was, -the phosphorescent gleam of the foam was so vivid as to give one a -fine impression of the elemental tumult that raged outboard. The seas -were being kicked up with truly astonishing velocity, and the hissing -rumble of them as they piled along our rails was a sound to remember -for many a long day. - -As the wind was well away on the quarter the engines were unnecessary, -so under squaresail and topsail alone the _Quest_ flashed merrily -southward. We were logging a steady nine knots by this time—better -than we’d ever done before, even with engines working and all sail -set; a mightily invigorating sensation it was, I must admit. - -At four o’clock I went to the wheel, not without a certain amount -of trepidation, for the ship appeared a lively problem to tackle, -rioting about as she was. This was by far the most strenuous trick I’d -experienced, for the following sea played the mischief with her stern -and threw it so recklessly about that only by dint of constant twirling -of the spokes was it possible to steer even an approximate course. -The helm was hard a-port or hard a-starboard all the trick—there -was none of that old easeful turning of a spoke either way. The ship -seemed to go mad; she took the bit in her teeth, and fretting at the -control, simply reared, and capered, and plunged, and bucketed until -you’d think she was incapable of further exertion; but just as you -satisfied yourself that she was quietening down, away she went again, -taking the whole circle of the compass to play with, so that my heart -was in my mouth most of the time for fear she might broach to and, -coming broadside on to the threshing combers, capsize and finish the -matter once and for all. - -Yet it was thrilling, magnificently so, to realize that I’d got this -boisterous vessel between my hands and was master of her destinies. -The clamour of the gale was nothing, the level drive of spindrift as -the roaring wind clipped off the wave-crests and hurled them aboard -was but a challenge to war. Mr. Wild, who had the watch, was not at -all anxious to rid us of the benefit of this good fair wind; and he -cracked on for all he was worth, in regular, old-fashioned clipper -style, and imagined he was back in his younger days when steam -seemed a poor servant and spray-washed canvas the one great thing -that counted, and when he was relieved at four o’clock he passed the -word to keep on carrying on. This we did until six, when the Boss -decided that we’d run quite far enough, and that now was the time to -heave-to, since a ship making no headway at all is better than a ship -plunging to the bottom of the sea. I, being off duty, had just turned -in and was dropping off into that sleep which comes as a reward for -much honest toil, when I was rudely awakened by a sanakatowzer of a -sea that, obeying a purposeful weather-roll of the ship, had boarded -us and was flooding down the companionway towards my berth, which, -unfortunately for me, lay right in its track. I got out on deck as -nimbly as I’ve ever done it, and there was compelled to sheer awe -by the affrighting majesty of the waves, which were towering now to -our very trucks, so far as my impression went, though I’m told the -biggest was not more than forty feet in height from trough to crest. - -I wish I had the pen of a writer to do justice to the majesty of -the gale as it now was. The wind had increased to hurricane force; -and the purposeful intent of the white-bearded combers as they piled -and grew and added others and yet others to themselves and then bore -down upon us, must have been seen to be understood. All hands were -summoned to shorten sail and get the ship ready for heaving-to, and -with the utmost difficulty the big squaresail was mastered, by the -process of running the _Quest_ directly away before the gale, and -letting the big canvas down by the run, with all hands leaping like -furies to throw themselves upon its slatting, cracking, thunderous -mass, to quieten it on the foredeck. Dell injured himself pretty -severely in this operation; he paid the price of his own activity, -for he fouled his foot in a rope when jumping to help another man -who’d got too much to tackle single-handed, and came such a smasher -to the deck that it was many a month before he was himself again. - -Once the squaresail was mastered the topsail was clewed up, and Worsley -and Macklin went aloft to stow it, which they did in seamanlike -fashion, despite the trying conditions under which they laboured. -Then, under a reefed staysail, we hove-to, to wait for better times. - -Heaving-to was a ticklish task, but thanks to the prime seamanship of -our officers it was effected without disaster, and although all hands -were ordered into the rigging when the _Quest_ was eased up to the -wind, in case big water should drench her; and although whole seas -had thundered over our bows whilst running, never a drop of water -worth the mentioning was shipped as the helm was put down and the bow -came gentle creeping up towards the run of the seas. In order to give -us greater easement the wheel was lashed down and oil-bags were put -over the bows, where they trailed ahead, and, leaking oil steadily, -created an almost miraculous effect on the turbulent seas. It was -most curious to watch a towering, foamy crest come hurtling towards -us, growing as it came, as though intent on our instant overwhelming; -but when within about fifteen yards of the bow it would suddenly -loose its viciousness, flatten out, and slink as though ashamed of -its previous bullying uproar, smoothly under our bows. It took in -all some sixty gallons of oil to master that broken water, but it -was worth it! Not that the ship’s motion was eased much thereby, she -still rolled and pitched consumedly, but the savage assault of the -greybeards was lessened, and, although uncomfortable, we realized -that we were no longer in actual danger. - -A little water certainly lopped on board, quite enough to fill the -waist and wash out the galley fire; but when our delayed breakfast-time -came round Green, whom nothing could daunt on shipboard, served out -substantial sandwiches to the satisfaction of all hands, and these we -ate whilst collected round the lee door of the galley, washing them -down with some hot decoction of mingled flavours which our cook had -apparently managed to create out of nothing. - -By three o’clock in the afternoon the back of the gale was broken, -and by seven it was deemed safe to get under way again, with the -engines moving easily. - -It was necessary to pump continuously now, however, because the ship -was taking a good deal of water, but gradually, through the hours -of night, wind and sea abated. After breakfast we took in our storm -staysail and set the jib, topsail and squaresail, and proceeded upon -our lawful occasions. There was no little stowing and securing to -be done, as was only natural; for such a blowing as we had passed -through was enough to test the stoutest lashings; particularly was -the surf boat in danger; but all was made Bristol fashion again, and -as the sprays were no longer breaking inboard I took advantage of -the betterment to dry my blankets and clothes, which sorely needed it. - -And now, once more, our ill-luck waited on us; again it was the -engine-room. The engineer had discovered a serious leak into the -furnaces from the boiler, and it was a leak that could not be repaired -at sea. The Boss had serious thoughts that it might mean the total -relinquishment of the adventure, and this worried him enormously. -All through, from the very commencement—long before the _Quest_ left -London indeed—worry had piled on worry, and Sir Ernest had overcome -difficulties that must certainly have daunted a man of much less stout -fibre than his. But he gave instructions that if the leak developed -steam pressure must be reduced, and so we carried limpingly along, -making the best of it, since this wasn’t precisely the yachting trip -it had appeared to be in more genial waters. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -We Run into Ice - - -On the night following the easing up of the storm I got a fine -sleep, and all the troubles we’d experienced seemed to fade into -insignificance. Sleep is a great healer of wounds and it soothes many -a problem. But in the morning there was a pretty big sea running and -the wind was high, whilst, as the feverish pitching of the hull caused -the propeller to race so disconcertingly that it appeared determined -to twist itself off and sink down to rest on the ocean floor, the -engines were stopped and the ship proceeded under sail alone. I had -the wheel on this morning; but I’d got the knack of handling her by -now, and found it none so irksome. The wind kept on freshening all -the time—not to the same proportions as those of our recent blow, -but some of the black squalls were heavy enough to set the rigging -harping with the real storm-note, which is an inspiring sound—and -we shipped quite a lot of water over the bows. So, as the conditions -seemed to be worsening rather than improving, we hove-to again after -lunch, with the mizen and staysail set; and the clank of the pumps -recommenced. - -Down below everything was soaked, even Sir Ernest’s cabin and Mr. -Wild’s had suffered with the rest. The Boss’s bunk was so completely -saturated that he had a bed made up on the wardroom settee; though he -used this makeshift berth only a little, for during the bad weather -he was almost constantly on the bridge, though his officers, sensing -that all was not well with him, repeatedly urged him to go below and -rest. But instead of resting he actually stood another officer’s -watch in addition to his own in order that his subordinate might -secure what he considered to be much-needed rest. That, of course, -was Shackleton all over, one of the qualities that made him a leader. - -But certain of the officers were growing uneasy; they thought the Boss -was doing far too much, taking more out of himself than he should -have done; and yet, despite their protests, Sir Ernest said: “You -fellows are tired and must get rest; leave the ship to me.” And from -that he would not be shifted, although he must have known in his own -heart that the strain was telling more unbearably every day. - -Throughout the day the wild conditions continued; but, abating somewhat -towards three in the morning, way was once more got on the ship and -the voyage proceeded. Some idea of the havoc wrought by the pouring -seas was conveyed to my mind when I baled out Sir Ernest’s cabin, -which was literally awash with dirty water, everything floating about -at hazard, the whole presenting anything but an inviting spectacle. -But a bit of conscientious swabbing restored things, and in a while, -with a light breeze and a calming sea, it was almost impossible to -believe that we had weathered such a snorter as had befallen us. - - [Illustration: - - 1. South Georgian Whaling Station: At Work on Blue Whales. - 2. Some Finny Spoil from St. Paul’s Rocks. - 3. Launching the Kite for Aerial Observation. - 4. Sir Ernest’s Cabin on the _Quest_. - 5. Penguins at Home. - 6. Dead Whales in Prince Olaf Harbour. - 7. View from above a South Georgia Glacier.] - - [Illustration: Cape Pigeons at South Georgia.] - - [Illustration: Gentoo Penguins. (Note the Baby Penguin in Centre.)] - -So the Old Year came to an end; its departure signalled by a double -ringing of the ship’s bell; and we looked forward with better heart to -1922. I had the first wheel of the New Year—from midnight to 2 p.m.; -the sea was smooth and the wind just sufficient to be comfortable, -so that we ran along easily under fore and aft canvas alone. After -breakfast I came in for a bit of amateur engineering, being detailed -to assist the second engineer to repair the deck-winch—an interesting -if somewhat greasy task. The wind was dropping; in place of the -turbulent waters which had thrashed us so unkindly, a long, oily swell -ran across to the narrowed horizon, and a wet mist drooped over all, -a mist that later turned to heavy rain, persistent rain, which was by -way of being a blessing to people limited in their fresh water supply. -To-day I sighted my first penguin; it was swimming some distance away -from the ship, and, as an inhabitant of the waste world of the South, -was an object of considerable interest. - -The weather was becoming increasingly cold; and already many of the -members of the crew had donned clothing that gave them the look of -Antarctic explorers; most of them, also, were growing beards, which -gave them the aspect of pirates who had lost all self-respect. Early -on the morning of the 2nd of January we passed quite close to a large -school of whales, and later on vast numbers of penguins and other -Antarctic birds. The temperature having dropped to 38, a close look-out -was kept for the ice this temperature indicated, and at 10 a.m. our -first iceberg was plainly in sight, though but a mere speck on the -horizon. I don’t know what the others felt; I know I was decidedly -thrilled, for this was the far-flung sentinel of those vast defences -that it was our aim to penetrate. It was like seeing an enemy’s picket -and knowing that away behind him were massed formidable odds against -which, indomitably, we must pit our strength and courage. - -Course was altered, and by one o’clock we were abreast the berg; no -monster, but all the same, quite big enough to be impressive. It was -a hundred feet high—which means seven hundred feet were submerged, -as icebergs only show one-eighth their bulk above the surface; and, -judging by the gaping fissures in its sides, it was an old-stager, -rapidly tiring of life and returning to its native element as quickly -as it could. It looked very austere, very cold, though undeniably -beautiful, with the blue cavern boring into its massiveness. The sea -about was strewn with smaller pieces of ice which had broken away and -not yet melted; these formed what I was told is called the tail of -the berg. By the time we had passed it fairly the sun was dropping -down the western sky in a blaze of scarlet and saffron and gold; an -inspiring sight that reminded me of that picture of Turner’s, “The -Fighting Téméraire.” - -During the middle watch two more bergs were seen, without difficulty, -for they show up whitely, and seem to give off a curious illumination, -called “ice-blink” by old-timers; so there is slight difficulty in -avoiding them. The blacker the night is the more perceptible the -ice-blink; it is chiefly between lights that the sharpest look-out -must be kept. Nevertheless, whenever in the neighbourhood of ice a -very careful watch must be maintained, for in addition to the lofty -bergs there are also “growlers,” washed masses of ice that lie low in -the water, lurking evilly as though anxious only to tear the bottom -out of a ship and fling her helpless to the seafloor below. But even -with growlers the seas that race over them and cause the growling -note, from which they take their name, create sufficient noise to -give a timely warning; and sharp eyes can detect the thin, white line -of the water breaking upon them. - -Bergs come from two sources. Either they may be large pieces broken -away from the Great Ice Barrier which hems in the Southern Continent, -or they may have detached themselves from some great glaciers, -which glaciers “calve” periodically, on account of their resistless -forward movement down the ravines they create towards the sea. Most -Antarctic bergs are flat-topped, lacking those fantastic pinnacles -that are usually associated with bergs; but many of them are enormous -masses, several square miles in extent and weighing millions of tons. -Not that the bigger fellows are the more picturesque, they are only -awe-inspiring. Gradually, acted on by rain above and warm currents -of the sea below, the berg wears away, whole acres are detached, and -in the course of time the vast concern capsizes; and it is a capsized -berg that is the most beautiful, for its outlines—worn by the action -of the currents—are indeed picturesque. - -Fine weather continuing, it was possible to settle down again to an -orderly routine, and Jimmy Dell found me sufficient work to keep me -from fretting. I learnt the art of splicing—working on the topsail -sheet; and as lamp-trimmer, too, I was occupied in getting the steaming -lights into shape. Maybe it was the strenuous nature of this work -that caused me to commit the unmentionable sea-crime of giving a late -relief next morning. I was aroused by the skipper yelling down the -hatch that eight bells had gone, and I made a record turn-out, being -on the bridge within one minute of the alarm. As a rule, I sleep very -lightly; but this morning I erred, failed to respond to the usual -call at one bell, and so slept on. But I think that quick turn-out -made amends! - -It was the Boss’s watch on deck, and during my trick at the wheel -he talked to me with the utmost freedom and enthusiasm of his last -memorable expedition, and pointed out the route by which he had -crossed South Georgia, the land that was now in view ahead and towards -which we were making for refit and overhaul. He called it “a land -of storm”; and the term fits it well. It is a little, lonely island -situated in the very south of the South Atlantic Ocean, amongst the -stormiest seas of all the world. It is over a thousand miles from Cape -Horn—the sailors’ graveyard—and nearly three thousand from the Cape -of Good Hope. Captain Cook discovered it in 1775, and no doubt was -sorry such a dreary wilderness existed. For a long time it was the -happy hunting-ground of American sealers, who played such havoc with -the valuable fur-seal with which the island then abounded that these -animals are now practically extinct. To-day this far-flung outpost -of the British Empire—for South Georgia is a British possession, and -surely one of its most dismal—is the headquarters of five permanent -whaling stations, one of them British, one Argentine, and the rest -Norwegian. - -At this time of year—official summer—the snow was present on the -mountains in patches, but the valleys which open very invitingly -to the sea were all white. In each valley was a glacier which ended -abruptly at the water’s edge in a high, pale blue wall. But the whole -aspect of the island was grim and forbidding: a wilderness of rock -and ice. - -Preparations were put in hand for entering harbour; the doctor, with -me helping, put a genuine harbour-stow on the sails, and squared up -all ropes and gear forward into an orderliness that would not have -disgraced a man-of-war. As we plodded on towards our destination -large numbers of penguins insisted on popping up unexpectedly out of -the still water alongside, and Cape pigeons were numerous. Shortly -after 3 p.m. we dropped anchor in the safe and sheltered harbour of -Gritviken, near to the whaling station. - -The old-timers amongst the crew were in their element now; you’d -have thought they had suddenly come in sight of home. Particularly -was the Boss exultant; he kept on pointing out familiar sights, and -the weight of depression that had recently troubled him was quite -shaken off. He was brimming over with vigour and energy, as happy as -a sand-boy, and sniffed the air like a war-horse scenting a far-off -battle. Sight of past victories must have quickened the fighting -blood in his veins, and he could hardly restrain himself from rushing -ashore at once. There was so much to do and so little time to do it -in, that he felt as though every second were precious. - -The water of the harbour was red with blood, and everywhere was the -awful, nauseous stench of rotten whale carcasses. Whale oil may be -a very necessary thing, but it is beastly in its securing! Several -whalers were anchored near where we lay, and alongside the rough -wooden quay lay an Argentine barque and a Norwegian cargo steamer. - -We were promptly visited by the manager of the whaling station, who -went ashore with the Boss, who was bursting with lively zeal; and as -soon as possible such of us as were to be spared, pulled ashore in -the surf boat, to watch the process of flensing a whale on the slip. -For whalers nowadays do not cut-in and try-out their blubber in open -water—they tow their catches into harbour where machinery exists for -the purpose. The Norwegians who worked at the flensing struck me as -being mighty heavy and ponderous, and distinctly bovine of feature. - -The whole system of whaling is, of course, very interesting, even -though unpleasant to those not accustomed to it; but it differs -entirely from the methods in the old days of the Dundee whalers. It -was then counted an exciting, dangerous calling, and to hunt a whale, -harpoon it and bring the fish alongside was about the most thrilling -sport in the world. The odds seemed to be somewhat in favour of the -whale, and the risks the whalemen ran were unquestionably great. -Nowadays there is so little danger as to be negligible, for instead -of going out for months and years in lumbering barques, hunting -the cetaceans in small whale-boats, and securing them by means of -hand-harpoons, untiring persistence and cold pluck, tediously flensing -them in the ship’s tackles and rendering down the blubber in the -try-works established on the deck, fast steamers set forth in quest -of the mighty game, and these steamers are armed with powerful little -guns which project a heavy and deadly harpoon, which, fitted with -a bomb that bursts when the weapon has penetrated into the whale’s -interior, invariably inflicts a fatal wound. No doubt this is a -more merciful way of dispatching the monsters; but it savours of -cold-blooded slaughter. The whale stands no chance, the whalers run -no risk; whaling to-day is merely systematized butchery. And to me, -steeped in the old whaling traditions, primed with the picturesque -accounts of real whaling, it was subject for sadness to think of these -huge and nowadays helpless creatures being preyed upon so mercilessly. -Once the whale-ship has secured as many whales as can conveniently -be towed—each dead whale being buoyed and marked until the tale is -complete—full steam is made for port, and the catch is hauled ashore -on to a sloping plane, where the blubber is rapidly and scientifically -stripped from the unwieldy corpse and conveyed to the try-pots to be -converted into the oil of commerce. - -We spectators found it treacherous work walking on the slip, which -was several inches deep in a slimy horror of blood and blubber. For -a considerable distance on each side of the whaling station there is -a white fringe of bleached bones washed up by the tide, sole relics -of what were once huge fish; but when man, and the sharks, and the -birds had all taken toll, these poor remains were all that showed -the magnitude of the sea’s finny spoil. - -Having completed the round of the works, having breathed the oily -atmosphere to our complete satisfaction, having seen the entire process -of creating oil out of dead whale, we went for a short walk inland, -up a slope to a small lake, turning to the left along a route where -wet moss and sparse grass grew, returning by way of the shore, where -the going was difficult on account of the dry bones littered there. -So far as I could see, the land is mainly barren. This wet moss and -short tussocky grass flourish to a height of about three hundred feet -above sea level, but elsewhere I saw nothing but bare scree slopes, -glacier-polished rocks and snow-covered shoulders, topped by the -high-soaring, white-clad peaks that never alter though centuries come -and go. - -Better places than South Georgia certainly exist as holiday resorts, -I must say. It is administered by certain Britishers, notably a -magistrate, an assistant magistrate, two Customs officers, and one -policeman. Every barrel of oil exported from the island has to pay a -tax, and this staff is here to see the law is enforced. It must be a -lonely, monotonous life enough, I should say. These Britishers live -together in a house at the entrance to Gritviken Harbour, and what -they do in their leisure moments puzzles me to know. - -We had a volunteer for the _Quest_ here in the shape of a nigger, -who spoke with a pronounced Yankee accent, and seemed anxious to -enrol himself as assistant cook or something of the sort. He paddled -alongside in a canvas canoe, and seemed anything but happy—which is -not surprising, for South Georgia and black men somehow don’t seem -to mix. He had stowed away aboard an outward-bound steamer from St. -Vincent, and he must have found the change trying; but as he belonged -to a breed that is noteworthy for its loafing propensities he appealed -to us in vain for employment. That night the Boss was in excellent -spirits, and vowed our Christmas should be kept on the morrow! - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -The Great Blow Falls - - -January 5th dawned in nowise different from other days. I kept -the anchor watch from 3 to 4 a.m., arousing automatically without -being called. Almost at once I felt a suggestion of suspense in the -atmosphere; what it was I could not tell. But at 7.30 that morning Mr. -Hussey came down to the wardroom with the order that all hands must -muster forthwith on the poop. We dressed quietly, asking ourselves -what this portended. It was a dismal morning; the South Georgian sky -was weeping copiously, and we donned oilskins and waterproofs as a -matter of course, and got us to the poop, where we were joined by -the rest of the hands from forrard, included amongst them being Mr. -Jeffrey, who had been confined to his bunk ever since we left Rio, -with a torn muscle in his thigh. When the doctor saw him he was very -wroth and ordered him back to his bunk again, saying that no permission -had been given for such a mad action; but before this little incident -ceased, Mr. Wild came to us, his face drawn and terribly downcast. - -“Boys,” he said, “I have terrible news for you all. Sir Ernest -Shackleton died early this morning. The expedition will carry on. -That’s all.” And then he turned to Dell, our boatswain, and said: -“You’ll carry on the same, Dell.” - -“Yes, sir,” replied Dell. There was no more to be said. Whole volumes -of dramatic rhetoric could not have conveyed the sad, sad truth to -our hearts more convincingly. We did not expect this tragedy; when -it came, therefore, it was staggering. - -Mr. Wild left us, and we slowly dispersed to our quarters, walking -quietly, hushing our voices, for we were in the presence of death; a -hero had passed on. During the rest of the day we talked of nothing -else, recalling his kindnesses, his interest in us all, his genial -comradeship, his staunch courage and indomitable determination in the -face of the most trying odds. A great man had left us, and the ship -was lonely. - -He had died suddenly, almost painlessly we were glad to know. To the -last he retained his old courage and good cheer; then in the chilly -solitudes he went hence, mourned by all as trustworthy leader, loyal -shipmate and wise counsellor. After midday he was wrapped up in our -silken ensign and reverently lowered into a motor-launch and taken -ashore, for Mr. Wild decided that all that was mortal of one of -Britain’s heroes should worthily lie in the soil of the land he had -served so well. That was the last I saw of the Boss. - -So, wrapped in his country’s flag, to which he had brought nothing -but honour—the flag he loved with a genuinely passionate devotion -that was not merely expressed in words but also in stirring deeds—the -great British Antarctic explorer passed from amongst us. His name -will live when many others are forgotten; for the men he led, who -were his friends, must necessarily pass down to the generations the -truth of his greatness. - -They took him ashore, intending to dispatch his body to the England -he loved; and we others, his followers and devoted disciples, were -left behind to mourn. - -By the natural law of the sea the command passed to the next senior, -Commander Frank Wild, one who was prepared to carry out to the last -letter the programme of the man who had conceived the expedition. -It could not have been entrusted to a worthier substitute. Commander -Wild was engaged on his fifth Antarctic expedition; he knew intimately -every phase of the work involved, and there is no question that had -both hemispheres been fine-combed, a better man could not have been -selected. - -Cæsar died, another Cæsar reigned in his stead; but it took some time -for our minds to adapt themselves to the altered order of things, -and for many days life was hazy, fogged and unreal. For it needs -the narrow environment of a small ship, I think, to enable one to -understand what death can really mean. In a shore community, with -many outside interests, the loss of even a great man is merely a -matter for temporary regret; but aboard ship when one goes hence his -loss is grievously felt: familiar echoes cease, the impact of the -dead man’s personality seems to vanish entirely and leave the vessel -without its soul. - -It was not immediately possible to convey the sad tidings to the -outer civilized world. South Georgia is not in telegraphic touch with -England, or, indeed, any country, and our wireless was so limited -in its scope that it was hopeless for us to expect to transmit the -message of Shackleton’s death. Thus, lacking all knowledge of Lady -Shackleton’s desire, Commander Wild decided to send the body of our -leader to England; and ashore there in the little hospital the mortal -remains were prepared for the final journey. Mr. Hussey was delegated -to form the escort; he was one of the most competent members of the -staff, and his loss to the expedition would be irreparable, but a -good man deserves good companionship on his progress to the tomb, -and Commander Wild considered Mr. Hussey best qualified for the sad -duty. Right sorry we were to lose him; right sorry was he to go, for -he was the life and soul of the party; always provided with a quip -and a jest to ease off the foulest conditions, and his laughter made -even the worst days seem shot through with sudden sunbursts. - -There was a steamer named the _Professor Gruvel_ lying in the harbour. -As she was due to clear for Monte Video in about ten days’ time, her -captain was prevailed upon to convey the coffin thus far, where it -could be transhipped for home. It subsequently transpired, however, -that Lady Shackleton preferred that our leader’s grave should be dug -in such a position that it would command the Gateway to the South; but -long ere he came back to the scene of one of his greatest exploits, -we, his comrades, were faring southward ho! with our new leader imbued -with desire to fulfil all Sir Ernest’s ambitions. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -Frank Wild Takes Command - - -Commander Wild had a vast load of trouble upon his capable shoulders. -The most serious, most dangerous part of the voyage was to be faced, -and the troubles that had dogged us throughout promised to continue -in latitudes where ports of refuge were unknown. However, since the -spirit of the genuine adventurer was his, he showed a bold face to -the hazards, and we who followed whither he led saw scant outward -evidence of his perturbation. All he said was that the trip promised -to be a somewhat risky one, but that it was up to us to keep the -Boss’s memory green by means of uncomplaining devotion to duty, and a -determination to see the matter through. He gave us the opportunity -of withdrawing, if we so desired; but never a faint-heart asked for -a passage home. It may be that national pride was involved, for it -would naturally have meant a great humiliation to betray, before -the Norwegian element there in South Georgia, a lack of desire to -continue; or it may be, as I prefer to think, that all hands were so -imbued with the idea of fulfilling Sir Ernest’s dreams that at any -cost they were prepared to continue, whatever the days might bring. - -The day of the Boss’s departure ashore was wet and depressing, and -on the following day even the _Quest_ appeared to be restless and -unsettled, for she dragged her anchors, and it was necessary to work -her to a more secure holding-ground. The general run of things down -there in South Georgia is for constant heavy squalls to blow fiercely -off the land, and to lie there at anchor with any sense of security -you must have implicit faith in your ground-tackle and be constantly -on the _qui vive_. The least carelessness is liable to result in -your ship being driven ashore and hopelessly lost. We came to safer -moorings, and, since our time was short and nothing was to be gained -by protracted mourning, we set to work to ready the _Quest_ for the -coming hazards. Three Argentine Germans were employed to set up the -rigging, overhaul all lanyards and seizings, and, driven assiduously -by Jimmy Dell, our boatswain, they made excellent headway. For myself, -I endeavoured to forget my natural grief in downright hard work of -an unpoetical kind—attending to my below-decks duties for all I was -worth. I found the panacea effective enough. But even so one missed -the Boss’s quiet words of encouragement and his approval of duty done -to his liking; it needed a firm grip on one’s resolution to prevent -one from wondering what the ultimate issue of the venture might be. - -There followed now a sequence of wet, depressing days—miserable -days, quite in harmony with our feelings. Pack ice drifted into the -harbour where we lay, and gradually solidified about the ship; the -mists drooped heavily over the hills, narrowing our horizons, and -throughout this time a thin, infinitely penetrating rain fell, which -was not permitted to interfere with our deck duties. My immediate -duty was a simple one: the rigging was being thoroughly served, and -I passed the spunyarn ball whilst other men, more competent than I, -did the actual work. If I thought that I was like the Hibernian who -carried bricks up a ladder whilst another man expended himself in -tiresome toil, that is my own affair. - -High winds accompanied the misty rains, and the surrounding ice -lowered the temperature enormously. All hands were busy as could be; -such as were not employed on deck found plenty to do down below. The -boiler was due for its periodical scaling, the encrustations formed -inside the plates by reason of the corroding salts in the water had -to be removed, as their presence lessened our steaming powers. On -one of these indeterminate days, as I think I might call them, Mr. -Wilkins returned in a whaler after three weeks’ scientific work on -the island; and on the day following his return to the _Quest_ I was -up at an early hour to accompany him in the small whaler _Carl_ to -bring back Mr. Douglas, who had established a research camp on the -shore of a tiny bay some two hours’ journey away. It was necessary for -Wilkins and myself to serve as crew aboard the _Carl_, since the only -other people aboard were the skipper and a man who called himself the -engineer. Fortified by strong coffee and noble sandwiches, we set off -in good spirits, despite the considerable breeze that was blowing. -Although the wind blew a whole gale, the sea, thanks to the shelter -of the many islets and the greater shelter of the towering hills, was -smooth enough to rejoice the heart of even the most timorous tripper. -My experience as helmsman of the _Quest_ naturally fitted me—in my own -estimation—as qualified quartermaster for any ship afloat; so I took -the whaler’s wheel without the smallest trepidation. Ships differ, -however; they say they are like women in this respect. I wasn’t used -to a craft that literally leaped to answer the slightest touch on -the helm, and as a result I very nearly ran the Carl ashore on the -rocks; but our miss was as good as a mile, and once I’d got the hang -of things I managed better. - -Without further mishap we reached Douglas’s little cove and dropped -anchor there. Not without difficulty, since a sea of kelp lay between -us and the shore. Wilkins and myself lowered the whaler’s boat and -pulled ashore, where Douglas came out to lend us a hand in beaching -the boat. Having collected him and his much gear, we transhipped the -lot to the _Carl_, and, lifting anchor, headed back for Gritviken, -which we reached without startling adventure by early afternoon. In -our absence the boiler had been scaled, refilled with fresh water, -and our small dynamo had also been repaired. - -Next day we made an early start by heaving up anchor at 6 a.m. in -order to go alongside to secure an adequate supply of fresh water. -By contrast with previous days this January morning was bright, mild -and sunny. I came to the conclusion that the South Georgian climate -had taken our own unmistakable British climate as a model. It gave us -a thoroughly good imitation of an English June, I must say—frostbite -one day, sunstroke the next, with a sort of _olla podrida_ of all -sorts of changes, from crisp frost to sultry heat, in between. Mr. -Wilkins and Major Carr vanished on another mysterious expedition in -the _Carl_, and as at three o’clock our fresh-water tanks were filled, -we shifted ship to the opposite side of the bay, and an adventurous -party promptly proceeded ashore in search of deer. Commander Wild -succeeded in bringing one down at long range; but—alas for our hopes -of fresh venison!—an impassable river intervened between killer and -killed, and, as time did not permit the lengthy detour necessary, the -hunters returned more or less empty-handed, for sea-birds and seals -hardly count. - -Commander Wild’s intention was to enter the Antarctic ice without -any delay, by reason of the lateness of the season. Pushing to the -eastward, and then striking south through the pack ice, he wished to -reach the Great Ice Barrier, and, having reached it, to turn westward -and comprehensively map out the whole coastline in the direction of -Coats Land, so long as the ice remained loose enough to permit of -an escape before the winter frosts solidified the whole mass. But as -the _Quest’s_ engine power and general structure made her ability to -deal with the ice something of a matter for conjecture, the plan was -subject to modifications. There was to be no sensational dash to the -South Pole; no attempt to outrival previous explorers’ daring; the main -idea of the expedition was purely scientific, with an underrunning -desire to verify certain theories of the past that had never been -definitely proved. - -As the season was fast advancing, Commander Wild was most anxious, -consequent on our annoying delays, to get clear of South Georgia -and away southwards; and his haste was understandable when, the day -after watering the ship and moving into Leith Harbour, we wakened to -discover the surface of the bay covered with pancake ice. It is called -by this name because, instead of being one broad, continuous sheet, -it appears in a great number of large round pieces, ridiculously like -pancakes, which, as the temperature falls, freeze solidly together to -form a single sheet of what is known by Arctic and Antarctic experts -as “young ice.” - -There was still much to be done: fresh clothing to be secured, fresh -stores and coal to be embarked. We of the crew were all fitted out -snugly with fur-lined leather caps, like those worn by flying men, -socks and mitts beyond the counting, stout ankle boots, much warm -underclothing, pea-jackets of weather-resisting quality, wind-proof -jackets—very necessary, these, considering what awaited us—stout -pants, blankets and warm coverlets. Every man’s wants were supplied -through the generous kindness of Mr. Hansen, the manager of the -whaling station at Leith; no trouble seemed too great so far as he -was concerned. The old-timers said that this outfit, which seemed -amazing to me, was nothing to the genuine Antarctic equipment which -was waiting for us at Cape Town, having been sent there by Sir Ernest -Shackleton before the expedition started; but it promised to suffice -us for one season, at all events. Mr. Hansen also fashioned for us -in his workshops ice anchors, hand harpoons, ice picks and ice axes; -and I must give the Norwegian population of South Georgia full marks -for the unvarying interest they showed in our preparations and the -ready help they gave under all circumstances. - -After a morning’s “Peggying,” i.e. performing the general charwoman’s -duties of the ship, I went ashore with the cook in the surf-boat for a -load of fish and bread, and when we started off found some difficulty -in making headway. Our combined knowledge of handling small boats -was remarkable for its minuteness; the surf-boat spun about in giddy -circles, but the little cherub sitting up aloft had an eye open, -and we reached the _Quest_ in a manner that would have resulted in -our scalps being served up on the wardroom table had we been pukka -man-o’-warsmen, where style counts as well as results. - -But even so, breathless as this adventure was, it was better than -“Peggying”! Some day I shall write a whole book about the Peggying -art; but space forbids a lengthy diatribe here. - -After dinner that night we had guests aboard, a small party of -Shetlanders favouring us with a visit. We entertained them to the -best of our ability: music on the gramophone, mandolin, mouth-organ -and violin; for the _Quest_ was a musical ship in intention, whatever -the result might be in performance. - -Gradually now we became equipped for our venture. The ship was coaled, -supplied with oil, her store-lockers were packed to bursting; the -friendly Shetlanders cut our hair! But, prior to setting forth, one day -was devoted to a shore excursion. Such as wished to study the whole -art of whale-flensing were at liberty so to do, for a ninety-foot -whale was being cut up on the slips; such as preferred to practise -gymnastics had their opportunity, too, for a blown-up whale was -tethered to our mooring-buoy, and a lot of fine, confused exercise -was obtainable by jumping off our rails on to the distended carcass, -which had the resilient qualities of india-rubber, and coming back -aboard by means of the rebound. For myself I accompanied the hunting -party in the capacity of assistant to Mr. Wilkins, who was determined -to secure a photographic record of the activities. - -It was an interesting day for me. The first noteworthy thing that -greeted us was a regular school of young sea-elephants: square-faced -brutes with bulging nostrils and expressions that seemed to suggest -that each one was fitted with a very pungent mustard plaster on his -chest. They were lying half hidden amongst the tussock grass, through -which their sleek grey bodies were not easily distinguishable. Very -ferocious and awe-inspiring they showed; their grunts on our approach -might merely have been grunts of inquiry, but they sounded extremely -like grunts of rage. Halting, we threw small stones at them, after -the fashion of inquiring humanity, which caused them to rear angrily -upright on their hinder parts, snarl with wide-open mouths at us, -then, curving their backs in high disdain, they moved off towards -the water, their heads over their sleek shoulders, grunting—always -grunting. Sea-elephants really are one of the many tribes of seals, -and they get their particular name from the fact that the young -bulls are equipped with short trunks which give them a most ludicrous -appearance. They are the largest of all the seals, and some of them -weigh up to four or five tons apiece. Relying on the gallantry of -the bulls, the cow seals cluster together in “harems,” so-called, of -perhaps fifty strong; but their faith in their male protectors seems -doomed to disappointment, judging by the behaviour of the young bull -seals we disturbed. - -The shooting-party went on their way, and I followed up the hill in -company with Wilkins, who was constantly securing some fresh snap -of interest. We stumbled across a great number of giant petrels, -sitting complacently with their young. So intent were they on their -nursery duties—it must either have been that or else an utter absence -of fear of man—that they refused to move an inch as we neared them, -contenting themselves with ear-piercing squawks and snappings of their -long bills. Wilkins in his turn did some snapping, too, securing very -excellent pictures of these interesting birds at close range. The -daring hunters meanwhile trudged after problematical deer, and found -none alive, but discovered the carcass of the one previously shot; -and for obvious reasons decided to leave it where it was. - -Thoroughly fatigued by the unaccustomed exercise we returned to the -ship, and took her across the bay to Gritviken, where anchor was -dropped for the night. A short night enough it proved, for at 4 a.m. -all hands were called, to hoist and stow the surf-boat and get the -_Quest_ under way. Having got our anchors the engines were started, -and away we went, coasting along the forbidding shore, with the Kelvin -sounder going briskly, in order that existing charts might be verified -or corrected as to the varying depths of the water. It is a great -invention, this Kelvin sounder, and perfectly accurate soundings can -be taken to a depth of 300 fathoms or more whilst the ship is going -ahead at full speed. The Kelvin is a very great improvement on the -old sounding methods, when it was necessary to heave the ship to, -carry the lead forward, drop it, wait until the leadline paid out, -and then haul it in astern by hand; even then not knowing whether -your measurements were accurate to a fathom or two either way. - -The Kelvin sounder, which owes its genesis to Lord Kelvin, is in -reality a simple affair; it depends for its accuracy on atmospheric -pressure. It consists of a sinker—merely a weighty chunk of shaped -lead—and a tube in which is slid a narrow glass tube coated internally -with a chemical substance, which the pressure alters in colouring. -The sinker is attached to tough wire capable of standing a terrific -strain, and this wire is wound about a drum worked by friction clutches -and friction brakes. When the sinker reaches bottom a slight pressure -on the winding handle checks the run of the wire, a little added -pressure puts the handles in action, and two men can comfortably -wind up the lead from the greatest depth. Once the sounding-tube is -brought aboard the glass tube is applied to a graduated gauge, and -the limit of the changed colouring of the contained pigment marks the -actual depth of water. The bottom of the sinker is hollowed slightly -and “armed” with tallow, which, impinging on the bottom, either -brings up a sample of sand, gravel or shell, or, if hard rock alone -is below, brings up an imprint which sufficiently shows the nature -of the bottom. The depth-reading, being measured purely by vertical -atmospheric pressure, is necessarily accurate, no matter how fast -the ship is going or how much wire has run out. - -Presently we stopped, lowered the surf-boat and dispatched a crew -ashore to bring off Douglas and Carr, and, if possible, secure some -penguins for food, as our preserved stores required the most careful -shepherding, by reason of the lengthy cruise ahead of us. The doctor -and I, on landing, took sticks and proceeded up the hill as if for a -wager. The penguin can waddle along at a considerable pace on level -ground; but up a gradient he is clumsy and handicapped, and a man -can beat him easily. We were out for food, not sport, so we didn’t -believe in giving Master Penguin too many chances. In a very little -while we killed as many as were necessary for the larder, and this -without undue exertion, for the quaint fellows literally swarmed. -We collected our bag and retraced our steps, and found that Wilkins -had killed two Rock Hopper penguins, these for specimens, while for -the cook’s benefit he had shot several Skua gulls, which make really -excellent eating, being less fishy and oily than penguins and the like. -Returning aboard I skinned and cleaned the birds for Green, and by -the time the last stripped corpse was ready we were dropping anchor in -Larsen Harbour. This is a snug little bay—very suggestive of some of -the Norwegian fjords, I believe, having an extremely narrow entrance, -and the land all round and about rising in precipitous crags from -the placid water—sheer rock walls varying from a thousand to fifteen -hundred feet in height, in general effect somewhat overwhelming. It -makes an average-sized man feel more than insignificant to be brooded -over by these towering walls. - -Just as we anchored, a wire was discovered fouling the propeller; but -the trouble was not serious, and “Old Mac” managed to set matters to -rights without any great difficulty. - -Because of the indifferent holding for our anchors, it was necessary -for the anchor-watch to maintain a regular system of soundings, as -the danger of dragging ashore was not inconsiderable. - -At 5 a.m. on Wednesday, January 18th, we got our ground-tackle and -steamed out between the frowning cliffs that guard the right little -tight little Larsen Harbour; and I, coming on deck just before -breakfast, was amazed and fascinated by the glorious beauty of the -innumerable tabular icebergs in our vicinity. They shone pure white and -dazzling in the glory of the sunlight, a truly wonderful spectacle, and -quite enough to give one a working impression of what the Antarctic -wastes really were. Furthermore, even at this early date I was able -to understand what is meant by the ice-lure—the queer fascination -which draws men from all the corners of the globe; which makes them -leave home, comfort and peace for the sheer sake of waging war with -the frozen wilderness. - -As the skipper was anxious to secure absolutely correct bearings of -Clerk Rocks, whose charted position was somewhat open to doubt, we -headed that way; but the sunny conditions quickly gave way to thick -mist, and so we missed the rocks completely, which was a pity, as -it had been reported that recent volcanic eruptions had taken place -there, and the sight of an active volcano amongst drifting ice would -have been something worth seeing. Still, there was no time to waste -in hunting the rocks, for we were now embarked on the really difficult -part of our enterprise—the beating of the icy fastnesses of the South. -Every day, almost every hour, indeed, was of supreme value. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -All Ice Where Eye Could See - - -Every one of us was, I think, eager to join issue with the frozen -enemy. The desire to conquer must always remain a dominant instinct -in men’s souls, whether the object of conquest be human or merely -geographical. You feel that life isn’t worth living unless you’re -fighting! - -But in ice-fighting caution is a useful adjunct, and so, with the mist -thickening and much ice about, speed was eased to a mere crawl, and -with keen eyes on the look out we slogged placidly along. There were -bergs everywhere, by the hundred, wonderfully varied in size and shape, -but all speaking of the Antarctic continent that had mothered them. -I knew now why our dead leader had been so enthusiastic concerning -the solitudes he had made his own by right of conquest. Throughout -my association with him he had rhapsodized about the call of the ice -and the eager hunger with which your iceman goes forward into battle. -Some of that hunger troubled me as I steered the _Quest_ along her -menaced route. - -The next day broke bright and inspiring; the mists had fled, and -everywhere was floating ice. These bergs need a volume to themselves -adequately to describe, for to me it seemed as though no two were -alike. Some were flat-topped, calves from the great Ice Barrier; others -were fantastic in outline, like fairy islands, indeed, pierced by -dull blue-green caverns through which the seas roared and thundered -and hissed and whined. You could see what might have been frozen -cathedrals, rearing inspiring spires to the untroubled blue of the -sky; ice-clad ships of an older time, castles, glittering palaces, -shifting, bowing, curtsying to the bidding of the sea that was drawing -them north to inevitable destruction. Many of them were cluttered -thickly with penguins and other sea birds, in clouds of hundreds at -a time; and the high sea that was now running threw itself in angry -foam far, far up the icy obstacles in a bewilderment of shifting -beauty that left me near breathless. - -As the weather was becoming more and more rigorous, I decided that -now was the day and now the hour to discard shorts and “hard-case” -clothing and rig myself out as an Antarctic adventurer. My appearance -on deck, garbed in a big fur cap, heavy sea-boots and a sheath-knife -capable of carving up a whale into tiny collops, created some amusement -amongst the after-guard, who inclined to the opinion that I looked -a thoroughgoing ruffian, because my beard was growing to pirate-like -dimensions, and my entire appearance was awe-inspiring to a degree. -Still, that didn’t matter; and as I gathered that those who gibed -were really not displeased with the way I was shaping, I put the best -face possible on their taunts, and decided that it was worth while -being held up to derision if only for the sake of hearing laughter -ring about the ship. - -There had not been overmuch laughter of late, but now the spirits of -all aboard were rising; and the return to duty of Jeffrey, who had -been _hors-de-combat_ ever since we left Rio, was a further matter -for rejoicing. - -About four o’clock in the afternoon of January 20 we reached the island -of Zavodovski, the most northerly of the South Sandwich group. Just -before sighting this outlier we saw several big bergs drawn up with -almost military precision in line. Zavodovski is a low volcanic island, -with a black basaltic coast, steep-to, but insignificant in height; -nowhere do these miniature cliffs rise to a greater altitude than ten -feet. Only the cliffs themselves are visible; the rest of the land is -ice-covered. It rises by easy slopes to a peak that, when we saw it, -was veiled in mist, so that the exact height could not be measured; -but it was estimated from the contours that the maximum altitude was -round about nine hundred feet. Forlorn and desolate enough the island -looked, distinguishable from the neighbouring bergs only by reason -of this pitiless black fringe of rock, populated by countless legions -of penguins, who congregate in rookeries that stretch for a mile at a -time. The tabular bergs about are literally black with these birds, and -the water in a constant boil by reason of their diving and bobbing. -Passing near-hand to one of these bird-covered bergs, Mr. Jeffrey -let off a rocket, which exploded with a thunderous detonation. Did -the penguins take alarm? Not a bit of it! They merely looked up, for -all the world like deaf old men who imagined they might have heard -a distant clap of thunder. - -A second rocket was fired, and, precisely like a sour-tempered old -man leaving a group with whom he had quarrelled, one solitary penguin -waddled to the edge and slid off. Before the splash of his departure -fairly showed, the remainder, uncountable hundreds of them, like so -many sheep rose and followed his example. It was the funniest sight -I have ever seen. The numbers were so vast, and the hurry was so -great—those behind crying “Forward!” and, presumably, those in front -crying “Back!”—that the rearguard pushed the advance guard willy-nilly -over the edge in a black and white cascade. A regular avalanche of -penguindom poured over into the sea; the foremost, protesting strongly -against the unceremonious treatment they were receiving, endeavoured -to hold stubbornly to their ground; but it was no good; weight of -numbers told, and very shortly the berg was clear and the water in -a boil by reason of the diving, swimming, indignant birds. - -It is quite on the cards that a certain amount of volcanic activity -still exists amongst these South Sandwich Islands, for we clearly -discerned what might easily have been sulphur fumes rising from the -rocks near the water’s edge. Soundings were taken about the island, -and having secured all the scientific data necessary, we sheered off. - -Shortly after midnight the _Quest_ had a narrow squeak. It came about -in this wise, and it is worth describing as showing the countless risks -that await the vessel navigating amongst floating ice. Although dark, -there was still sufficient light to see two large bergs ahead, one -on either bow, with a perfectly clear stretch of water between them. -To make a detour seemed altogether unnecessary, and the _Quest’s_ -bow was accordingly notched on a course that should take her clear -through the open space. Suddenly Commander Wild, who was on watch, -realized that the ship was heading straight as a die for the middle -of another gigantic berg. It was a moment for instant action; there -was no time for hesitation. On a full helm the _Quest_ swung sharply -round and cleared the first of the bergs, though with little enough -space to spare. But for seamanlike promptitude she might easily have -lost her number and gone to join the long roll of the lost in the Port -of Missing Ships. What had actually happened was that Commander Wild -had mistaken a great cave bored deeply into the flank of a giant berg -for open water! It was a narrow squeak enough, and, realizing it, it -became more possible to put faith in Clark Russell’s remarkable story -of the Frozen Pirate. That great berg could have taken our little -ship and tucked her away in a crevice and never noticed its tenant! - - [Illustration: The _Quest_ Narrowly Escapes an Iceberg.] - - [Illustration: The Midnight Sun in the Land of Ice.] - - [Illustration: Finding the Magnetic Dip: Jeffrey and Douglas at - work.] - - [Illustration: Taking the First Sounding in the Frozen South.] - -A very considerable sea was running down here, and the _Quest_ set -up a lively motion, rolling with the purposeful thoroughness she had -always displayed. Next night we had another narrow shave of colliding -with a deceptive berg. As we progressed we got case-hardened to these -risks, and the ship’s work went on much as usual. Whether you’re under -the Line or nearing the Pole, your work must be done; the ship must -be cleaned and kept in weatherly condition, for she is your only home, -your safeguard against death. The most scrupulous cleanliness goes as -a matter of course, for dirt breeds disease, and in a small, tightly -packed community like ours anything in the nature of an epidemic might -have truly appalling consequences. Snow fell for a while during this -Sunday, and though the wind was not high the restlessness of the sea -was very marked, and the _Quest_ was as lively as a ball on a piece -of elastic. That more nearly describes her movements than anything -else I can think of. Ice was everywhere, and big combers where the -ice was not. But beyond the ordinary routine of eating, working and -sleeping I find there is little enough of interest to narrate during -this portion of our journeying. We ate heartily and spent practically -all our leisure in sleep. It is astonishing what a great amount of -sleep a man can stand down there in the Antarctic. Astonishing, too, -the quantities of food he can consume! Life was just one darned meal -after another, we used to say, with spasmodic interludes of work, -and then deep, deep, dreamless wells of slumber. - -But on January 25 we took the first really worth-while sounding of -the expedition, an event of no little importance, in which all hands -could bear a share. Something like 4,550 fathoms of wire were run -out—27,000 feet separated us from the sea’s hither floor. Then—snap! -the sounding wire parted, and the operation proved fruitless. It was -just the luck of the game; a kink in the wire, no doubt; but that -sounding was never recorded in the archives. - -The ship had been leaking extensively ever since we left Rio; but -now the leaks were becoming so considerable that active pumping was -necessary. It is a much overrated pastime, let me say. All right -enough in smooth water when the decks are dry; but when the ship is -piling white water aboard with every heave she gives, when that white -water, as cold as the ice itself, is tearing at your legs, drenching -you, insinuating itself into your sea-boots, sweeping over your bent -shoulders, as generally happened, pumping leaves much to be desired. -Still, we couldn’t have the old hooker settling down beneath us, and -what Kipling calls “the ties of common funk” helped us to endure the -rigours and make the best of what was a bad job amongst many bad jobs. - -One day’s fine weather rewarded us. We mopped up the worst of the wet, -endeavoured to dry saturated gear, flattered ourselves that good times -were coming, and then—promptly ran again into vile conditions. But -during the spell of fair weather another deep sounding was attempted. -Since the general opinion aboard was that the reason for our initial -failure was the too eager willingness of all hands to take a share -in the operation, this occasion was marked by the astonishing lack -of helpers, Watts and Jimmy Dell alone officiating. Nevertheless the -luck was out: 480 fathoms of wire were lost, and with it the sinker -and the snapper. All in the day’s work, of course, but disappointing -enough to make some whisper, “_Quest_ luck again!” The best of good -fortune was most certainly not accompanying us on this expedition! - -There were whispers that a ship’s magazine was to be started—Naisbitt -was to be responsible for it. We welcomed its advent, and hoped that -some bright brain might dig up some new joke from its depths and -favour the company with it. The old stories had been told and retold, -and we were pining for some new jest. In _Expedition Topics_ we got -lots of humour—all of it at our own expense! Our pet weaknesses -were enlarged upon, our chiefest foibles exploited in the sacred -name of literature; and without a doubt the mirror was held up to -nature with a vengeance. There were secret meetings a many—low-voiced -conversations held in obscure corners, and all of them had the same -objective: the blood of the editor! But we laughed, and laughter is -the finest antidote known to boredom. So after our natural passions -had subsided, we accorded Naisbitt a cordial vote of thanks. - -On January 30 what might have proved a tragedy happened. Commander -Wild, who seemed to prepare for every possible emergency well in -advance, gave orders for the provisions of the various boats to be -rearranged. This was done; all our sea-boats were made ready to take -the water for thirty days at a stretch in the event of the _Quest_ -being nipped between two bergs and sinking; but as the surf boat -was likely to be in constant use, and as the stored provisions in -her were in the way, these stores were shifted and equally divided -between the two lifeboats. Then, in order to give more room on our -hampered decks, it was decided to swing out the port lifeboat, and by -an arrangement of spars and fenders, keep her swung out. All hands -were accordingly mustered for the task, for as the ship was rolling -heavily to a big beam swell, all hands promised to be necessary. We -manned the davit tackles and hauled the heavy boat clear of her chocks, -swung her outboard in the davits, and then—the big roll came. She -came back with a rush, as though determined to crush us to fragments, -for between us and the funnel was very little space. Those who -dodged nearly fell down the engine-room hatches. But Captain Worsley -didn’t dodge in time. He was always the head and front of this sort -of offending; delicate work invariably found him eager and willing. -The heavy boat’s prow jammed him between itself and the wheel-house, -and the timber of the structure surrendered at discretion. There was -a cry, the splintering of wood, the awful snapping of human bones, -and Worsley’s ribs gave to the impact of the weighty craft. But for -the smashing of the wheel-house he must inevitably have been killed -outright, so there’s something to be said in favour of defective -construction! Commander Wild, who was inside the boat, and having an -exceedingly thin time of it, called to McIlroy to tend the injured -officer, who was promptly carried to his cabin, where it was found -that the damage, though alarmingly serious, was not necessarily fatal. - -Meantime the boat was swinging wildly to the uneasy movements of the -sea, and Mr. Jeffrey, with language to correspond, shouted to us to -hold on to her; but this was easier said than done, for the boat, -heavy enough when empty, now carried something like a quarter of a ton -of stores in addition to her normal equipment. For a time she seemed -to be filled with angry life; she was like a mad bull, determined -to destroy. So there we were, grappling the runaway boat, bracing -ourselves determinedly, our teeth set and the skin flying off our hands -in square inches, so it seemed, and we could do nothing to quieten -her. No doubt she would have banged herself to wreckage against some -of the ship’s top-hamper, but Commander Wild, with the presence of -mind of your proper sailor, suddenly saw a chance, and as the boat -swung inboard, cut the rackings that held the lifeboat suspended, -and she dropped with a thud into her chocks. Working like ferrets, we -clapped on the gripes, bolted the chocks into position and mastered -her, telling her meantime in round, deep-sea phrases what we thought -of her. She’d nearly won, though; it was only the lightning-like skill -of the commander that gave us the victory. As the _Quest_ seemed to -take rather a delight in the scrimmage, throwing herself about all -this time gleefully, like a bad boy who has been chidden for some -wrong-doing, it was decided to let the boat stay out; and since we -were all handy, another deep sounding was taken; but once more the -wire parted at the critical moment. But forty fathoms remained to -be wound in, when—snap! More wasted effort! Some seventy-eight years -before the _Quest_ passed over that particular spot an officer of the -_Pagoda_ had logged the existence of a rock there, and it was our -intention to prove the worth of his record; but as we got a depth -of close on three thousand fathoms where the rock—named the Pagoda -Rock—was supposed to be, we decided that even if there, it was deep -enough to be out of the way of such scanty shipping as crossed over -it. But when we satisfied ourselves that the older navigator was in -error, we almost called ourselves mistaken, for a big blue berg was -sighted four points on the port bow, and in appearance it was so much -like a rock that we must needs alter course and trudge right up to it -before we were satisfied that it was merely ice. An old capsized berg -it was, hence our mistake. The day was fine and sunny, and although -there was a long oily swell running, which accounted for our drastic -rolling, there was no sea as “sea” is understood by shipmen. - -Under canvas, when any wind worth mentioning blew, and consequently -blessedly steady, we proceeded on our unexciting way. I managed to -get in a bit of reading in intervals of work. Mason’s “Four Feathers” -proved uncommonly interesting and exciting; and we all of us had a -look at our new newspaper, which exceeded the wildest expectations, -as I said. Apart from the biting personalities, _Expedition Topics_ -contained some very clever drawings, and gave us something to think -about outside ourselves. To harp on such a comparative trifle may seem -waste of time; but it is the trifles that count when folk are situated -as we were situated. I have heard that aboard certain small ships in -lonely waters a sort of green mould settles down on the crews, silly -trifles are exaggerated and magnified into enormous proportions, and -bitter enmities are aroused simply through the unvarying monotony. -The _Quest_ didn’t come into this category in any way, but we caught -at any happening that promised the faintest interest, for only those -who have experienced this sensation of being entirely clipped off -from the outer world, that might easily shift its moorings and vanish -into thin air in our absence, this brooding loneliness, can understand -what possibilities such isolation can possess for enlarging the worst -traits of humanity. - -Daily our lifeboats were overhauled, examined, and their stores -tallied, to see that everything was in perfect order in case of -emergency. A lifeboat mayn’t be necessary for ninety-nine years, -eleven months and twenty-nine days out of a century, but when you do -want it you want it in a hurry, and with a ship settling under your -feet there isn’t always time enough to add a new coat of paint or -mend a broken oar! - -The first day of February brought us a freshening breeze and a -consequent increase in speed. Under a press of canvas we made rousing -headway, which was invigorating, for the sense of even motion is -delightful. To one standing on the bridge, listening to the hoosh-hoosh -and lap-lap and gurgle of broken water as it streams away to leeward, -it appears as though the ship were storming along at a twenty-knot -clip; for when the _Quest_ did move she made as much fuss about the -job as a battleship. I used to delude myself with the idea that I -was on the spray-washed bridge of a destroyer hurtling through the -seas at the speed of an express train; and imagination helped in the -self-deception, though the best the old packet could do, with a strong -favouring wind behind her, was about seven knots and an onion. Still, -what does it matter if you _feel_ you are doing thirty? It is a great -joy to feel a sailing ship thrilling with life beneath your feet, -to listen to the even drumming of the reef-points on the distended -canvas, the harping of the wind through the tautened rigging and the -whole glad chorus of striving. - -As time went on we got all the storm-music we needed; for this -breeze shifted to a point forrard of the beam, unfortunately, -which necessitated our taking in the square sail. Here’s where the -“unfortunately” comes in. We of the middle watch must needs add our -aid to housing the sail and setting the somewhat unwieldy foresail -in its stead, and it was so refractory that it kept us out of our -bunks till long after we should have been relieved. But with the wind -freshening to a good half-gale, bunks looked very inviting, and none -the less so because we had been deprived of their cosy welcome for -certain precious minutes. You can take a very tolerant view of heavy -weather from the shelter of your blankets, I found! But the gale -increased by leaps and bounds, and in a very short time the _Quest_ -was at her old game. Every one of those nautical exercises in which -she had become so proficient were indulged in with admirable gusto; -we pitched, rolled, spun and lurched as though qualifying for a prize -as the most restless ship on deep water. Big seas rolled aboard in -monotonous succession; high sprays lashed over us, and the grey, -clammy griminess of hard weather claimed us for its own. - -It struck me during the beginning of this blow that it would be almost -better to have one long unbroken succession of snorters, without any -of those tantalizing intervals of fine weather, because in a little -while you acquire a habit of balancing yourself under the most drastic -conditions; but one day of a steady keel gets you out of practice, -and so the lesson needs to be learnt all over again every fresh storm -that comes your way. Fortunately our giddy evolutions did injured -Worsley no harm; he took advantage of the gale to report that he was -feeling much better, though how broken ribs and crushed muscles could -benefit by such movements puzzled me infinitely. - -During the night the storm grew in force, and Commander Wild was -reluctantly compelled once more to heave to. His disappointment was -keen, for he was so anxious to make every mile he possibly could to -the east; but you can’t drive a ship with weak engines dead in the -teeth of a snorter, and the only thing to do is to resign yourself to -adverse circumstances and wait for better times to come along when -the fates are more propitious. Smothered in crashing water, washed -off our feet, clinging breathlessly to everything that afforded a -handhold, waist deep when we were not over our shoulders, we handed -the foresail—an ugly sail to tackle in a breeze—and got the _Quest_ -laid to under her staysail alone. Then the ship friskily beat all -her previous bests. She pitched things about that you’d think an -earthquake couldn’t have started. She lifted wedged books out of their -shelves and flung them to the floor amongst dirty swilling water; -she turned the galley into an imitation slap-stick comedy; and Green, -trying to retrieve his belongings—now plunging gallantly into Gubbins -Alley after a soup-kettle, now flying across the galley to collect -a kettle—used language that would certainly have shocked our troops -in Flanders. - -That we should not be bored to death through inaction, the _Quest_ -leaked handsomely, and the daily spells at the pumps were increased, -all hands taking spell about at the labour, which has very little -to recommend it as a pastime. Query, the dog, made an indifferent -showing in this rough weather; he seemed unable to acquire the good -sea-legs necessary in a ship of our dimensions, and as every fresh -lurch of the ship flung him helplessly to leeward, we had to chock -him off in the wardroom with coats and blankets and anything that -would serve as padding, in order that the poor brute might sleep in -peace. - -At the wheel that evening I stared wishfully to windward, hoping to -see some sign of the storm abating; but there was nothing save an -ominous grey-black horror of drooping cloud, and a waste of black-grey -water, whipped to foamy spite between the narrowed horizons. Majestic -enough in very truth, awe-inspiring, indeed, but far from promising; -the sort of outlook that made you grit your teeth together and swear -you _wouldn’t_ be dismayed, although every thinking bit of you felt -that it ought to be. - -Nevertheless, black as were the portents, four o’clock in the morning -brought an easing up of the conditions, and by noon we were steadily -under way with fore and aft canvas set to a breeze that was not at -all terrifying. By contrast with the past days it was like being on -an inland lake; the steadiness of the ship seemed unnatural; you were -always reaching out for the old familiar grip of something substantial, -in readiness for the inevitable lurch; but when it was discovered that -it was possible once more to serve a meal as it should be served—in -the dishes instead of the eaters’ laps or down their necks, it was -soon possible to grow familiarized with the better times. Peggying -in real hard weather is no joke, let me assure you. As often as not -you find the entire meal lying to leeward, a hideous blend of tea, -milk, bacon fat and jam, together with a few spoons and forks and -broken fragments of crockery thrown in. Sometimes, also, you discover -a stray breakfaster, resigned to the state of affairs, eating off -the floor, as being the lowest depth to which he could descend. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -The Great Struggle Begins - - -We were now moving over a sea that was empty of bergs completely; -the floating outliers of the Great Barrier had gone north on their -summer journey; but at 10.30 a.m. on February 4, the sea then being -calm and a thin mist hanging over the horizon, a few small pieces of -ice were sighted ahead. Was this at last the pack-ice of which I had -heard so much from the old-timers? Yes; the mist lifted, and there, -unmistakably, were long white belts of ice fragments—stream-ice, as -it is called, the heralds of the heavier pack not far off. The _Quest_ -entered loose pack at about noon, in latitude 65° 7′ south, longitude -15° 21′ east, and now it was necessary to take in all sail, because -the courses to be steered in order to avoid the heavier fragments of -ice were most erratic, and as often as not the ship was thrown wholly -aback as she turned and twisted along the narrowing channels. - -Everyone was now in the highest of spirits. To enter the pack was -the goal we had set ourselves—one of the goals, at least; and we -were entered. Moreover, the ice had lessened the sea greatly; we -were moving along on an even keel; the wind had dropped almost to -nothing; and, too, so far as the veterans were concerned, this was -to all intents and purposes a home-coming. Especially noticeable -was this delight in old Macleod, an iceman to his finger-tips. He -paraded up and down the main deck ceaselessly, with his face wearing -as beatific a smile as ever human countenance carried, I warrant; -so that to me, an amateur, it was as though he himself had placed -the ice there for the general entertainment. Undoubtedly his mind -was soaring to unimaginable heights; his eyes shone, uplift radiated -from him—until he slipped on some loose ice on the planking and came -sprawling somewhat ludicrously down to the deck and the realities of -existence. - -At two o’clock I took my trick at the wheel, and enjoyed two hours -of genuinely strenuous exercise. Dodging ice is a most fascinating -sport. Ordinarily a trick at the wheel is a dreary and eventless -matter enough, except when hard weather is running, but in the pack -the helmsman hasn’t a moment for cogitating on his woes, for the -officer of the watch, eagle-eyed and vigilant as they make them, is -everlastingly yelling: “Hard a-port; hard a-starboard! Give it to -her quickly—quickly! Hard over with her!” and so on, and the muscles -must follow the bidding of the brain simultaneously with the order -being received. It is very good exercise for the arms and chest, -far more invigorating than frowsting over a stove or snugging down -into blankets for warmth; and as you realize how dependent the ship -is for continued safety on your activity, you take a keen pride in -almost anticipating the orders, waiting for the next one with all -the eagerness of a terrier alert for a stick to be thrown. - -The pack thickened as the day went by; the open lanes of water -between the congealed masses grew fewer and fewer. One or two seals, -lying prone on the ice-floes, lifted their heads and looked at us -with astonishment and supercilious disdain as we ploughed forward, -but betrayed otherwise no symptom of alarm. Over all was the solemn -mysterious stillness of the frozen wastes, broken only by the -crunching of the young ice our sheathed bow parted on its determined -progress. And somehow the nearness of the ice bred up a queer kind -of exhilaration; it created a sort of “do or die” feeling that is -not easily expressed in words. I fancy, though, judging by what the -veterans said, that it was very much the same effect as is produced -on old soldiers who smell powder—it recalls past victories and gives -promise of further achievement. These mysteries are beyond my ken; -I can only speak of what I experienced, and I know that my first day -amongst the ice left me tingling all over. - -Even Query seemed to get a dose of the prevalent feeling; he could -not keep still for long at a time, but kept jumping to the bulwarks, -where, with forefeet propped, he stared out over the pack, his nostrils -distending, giving a curious whine every now and then, as though he, -too, wanted to join issue with the vast power that we were opposing. -Every now and then, too, in the open stretches of water, we sighted -whales—killer whales, as they are called—who occasionally, in search -of air, charged wildly upwards to break the newly formed ice with -their heads; it gave me quite a shock to see broken ice flying upwards -in a cloud, with water and spray mixed amongst it, and then, below -the flurry, to detect the heads and piggish little eyes of the whales -themselves, like weird denizens of the hither deeps who had appeared -to protest against our violation of their sanctuary. - -During the morning watch of Sunday, February 5, I was kept at the -wheel for nearly the whole of the four-hour watch, as Mac, who usually -shared the duty with me, was otherwise employed in Peggying duties; -and, because of the vigorous exercise, I was quite ready for a rest -when eight bells sounded my release. As the wind was now favourable, -and as every added inch of headway counted, we set the topsail to -assist our hard-striving engines. After lunch we passed a very large -floe, on which, entirely indifferent to our approach, three seals -were basking lazily, and Commander Wild, who, like a careful leader, -realized that the success of the expedition depended on the health of -its members, decided that now was the hour to replenish our larder. -Consequently he shot all three of them, and their carcasses were -hoisted aboard by means of the yardarm tackle of the squaresail. -Certain of the old-timers at once set to work with vast enthusiasm, -and in three short minutes the quarry was flayed, the tidbits obtained -from the general bulk—brains, kidneys, liver, the heart and the back -steaks dissected from each seal, and the refuse thrown overboard. The -skins, with their two and a half inch thickness of blubber adhering, -I helped to cut up and convey to the bunkers, in readiness for use -as fuel for the boiler fires, since every unit of heat producing -material was now of extreme value. - -This was my first experience of the gentle art of butchering. An -unlovely job, entirely lacking in romance, but very necessary, and -so not to be growled at. - -During this Sunday the pack hourly grew thicker and the weather -became colder, but not unpleasantly so, and I found this crisp cold -much easier to bear than the wet, soggy cold of the lower latitudes. -Altogether the day was very pleasant, for the sun was shining -throughout and the sky quite clear of cloud. Daylight, too, lasted -all the twenty-four hours, even though the sun did disappear for -a little while. But I was getting hardened to the lack of night by -this time, just as I was getting hardened to all the other peculiar -features of exploring the vicinity of a Pole. - -Coming on deck at four o’clock on the following morning, I discovered -the ship hemmed in with close pack-ice of a heavy kind. There were -very few visible areas of open water, but the lanes amongst the -ice had disappeared. It was still possible to make headway, and the -_Quest_ pushed slowly on, with a suggestion of purposeful striving -about her that was very good to see. It was as though she said: “In -spite of all disadvantages, and no matter what sort of bad luck I’ve -had in the past, I’m going through with the job now that I’ve started!” - -Though from the deck it was impossible to see any open lanes, from the -crow’s nest it was different, and by dint of stationing a keen-eyed -lookout in that breezy eminence, who shouted out whenever an open -stretch of water showed, and indicated to those on the bridge in -which direction to steer, steady progress continued. The noteworthy -feature was the appearance of many more killer whales, who welcomed -us by breaking through the young ice with their backs, and as soon -as they reached open air, blowing with a very unpleasant noise and -then, as though playing a game of surprises, whisking from sight -like lightning. Ugly brutes they were; seafaring nightmares is the -best way of describing them. Having reached latitude 67° 8′ south, -we expected to get a sight of land at any time. - -It was very astonishing to take the first trick of the middle watch -in broad daylight; but the lack of darkness was a godsend, as it -enabled us to pick our way in amongst the floes and so keep going -steadily. The sun was not above the horizon, but the light was quite -as clear as early afternoon of a winter’s day in Scotland. Of course, -the dazzling white surface of the ice itself helps a lot, and the -remarkable clearness of the air is another consideration when reckoning -up this curious visibility. - -As the day wore on the floes began to pack much more closely together, -and the ice itself was increasing in thickness, so that we made only -indifferent headway; and at last, coming to an unusually heavy belt -of pack, we decided that it would be necessary to give up altogether. -To force a way through appeared impossible, but just ahead showed -a clear space of water, and it was determined to make an effort to -cut the frozen barrier that parted us from further progress. To get -through the five hundred yards that separated the _Quest_ from free -water took exactly two hours of steady thrusting. For long spaces -of time we would find ourselves jammed tightly between floes as high -as our bulwarks, where, with engines rattling away at full speed, we -failed to make an inch of headway. Then it was a case of stopping and -going astern, after which the ship was stopped again, engines opened -to full speed ahead, and like a ram we crunched into the solid mass -and bored a little way farther towards our goal, with the broken -ice grating and roaring and screaming along our sides in a crashing -chorus of spite. Then, as soon as we gained a trifling expanse of -open water, we were through it and up against the solidifying ice -once more, when the whole process had to be repeated. - -While we were held up in this way great numbers of seals floundered -around us, apparently sucking at the ship’s sides for food, and we -thus had an exceptionally good opportunity of studying these mammals -at close quarters and under natural conditions. Their movements under -water, plainly visible from our rails, were surprisingly graceful -and extraordinary to a degree. - -After infinite striving we gained a stretch of open water, but, -crossing it, we found the thickened pack on the farther side to be -even worse than what we had successfully negotiated, and Commander -Wild, coming on deck at four o’clock to take over the watch, went -immediately to the masthead, where, by personal observation, he -satisfied himself of the utter futility of attempting to proceed -farther in that direction. He decided then to turn away to the -eastward, in hope of discovering a lead that would carry us southward. -Course was accordingly altered and we trudged slowly on. It was -growing colder and colder; the real ice nip was in the air; but the -rigour was not at all unbearable. - -Later in the day five seals were shot and flayed on the ice; their -fat proved a welcome addition to our bunkers, to say nothing of dainty -fare for our larder. The big risk in our kind of work is scurvy, close -quarters and a monotonous diet of preserved foods tending to encourage -this most dreaded of all shipboard diseases, so every opportunity of -feeding the crew on fresh meat was naturally taken. Like explorers -in more temperate zones, we were determined to live more or less on -the country. But as there were other considerations besides food, -Mr. Wilkins sighted, stalked and shot one lone, lorn Emperor penguin, -which he gleefully added to his growing collection. - -Throughout the following morning the _Quest_ continued working to -north and east in search of an opening that would lead her to the -south. Here the pack was looser, and not infrequently the ship was -steaming quite gaily across lagoons or down wide, promising lanes, -with many seals and those ugly killer whales accompanying us. Worried -by reason of a possible shortage in our coal supply—all along it -was admitted the _Quest_ was too small for the task imposed upon -her—Commander Wild stopped the engines at noon and all plain sail -was made, under which, as the breeze was strong, we made excellent -progress even through the pack. During the afternoon, ambling along -quite pleasantly, we passed the first sea-leopard I had ever seen. It -was basking on a floe and seemed quite unconcerned at our appearance -in its native solitudes. - -Watching as the _Quest_ edged her way through the pack under sail -alone was quite an interesting experience. She managed quite well, -and seemed to lean all her weight on the ice when it hampered her, -thrusting forward in a purposeful fashion; and it was quite possible -to realize why earlier Polar explorers had done so well before the -era of steam. But during the first watch we took in sail and got the -engines going again, and with a lookout constantly in the crow’s -nest to direct our devious twistings and turnings, we continued -throughout the night, with the occasional screech and bump of ice to -haunt our slumbers. This bumping was supplying us with extra work, -for it strained the ship’s timbers no little, and the pumps were our -principal recreation, the ship leaking considerably. - -During the middle watch bigger gaps and wider lines showed to the -westward, so our course was accordingly altered; by 4 a.m. that -course, instead of N.E., was S.W. By way of a change from the recent -sparkling brilliance of the atmosphere, this morning was so thick that -we could not see very far; but being sent to the masthead lookout, -I saw, over the blanket of mist, free water both to the north and -the south. Thus throughout the day we steered a series of devious -courses in hunting open water; and up there I experienced the deep -sense of loneliness that attacks a man when perched up in the crow’s -nest, staring out across the illimitable wilderness of ice, veined -only slightly by the ever-shifting water lanes. The sight even of -just one seal was warming and heartening, as presenting a relief to -the everlasting brooding mystery of the frozen south. Furthermore, -sight of a basking seal gave us an added interest in life, for, if -at all possible, the fellow was promptly shot, not only with a desire -to replenish our larder, but also to eke out our supply of fuel. - -All hands were very fit these days, in excellent spirits, and -possessed of appetites that would have created dismay in the soul -of a boarding-house keeper. The cessation of the ship’s wearisome, -exasperating rolling and pitching brightened our outlook, I think; it -is impossible to keep optimistic and joyous when you’re being hove -about like a parched pea on a hot shovel. We did not realize fully -how trying that incessant liveliness of the little ship was until it -ceased; but now our troubled souls were given a chance to forget the -galling fatigue, and so we laughed and rubbed our hands and decided -that the Antarctic wasn’t at all a bad health resort. - -The weather was steadily growing colder, though not nearly so cold -as I had been led to believe it would be down here in the Antarctic -Circle. I had expected a frigidity that would freeze the eyelids to -the cheeks and the breath on the lips; but my experience of this -temperature was that it was more bearable than an average clammy -winter day in Scotland. On February 10 we had the greatest cold of -the voyage thus far, but we made no complaints about it, for once -more our bows were notched on the south point of the compass and we -were driving through heavy pack. No lanes were visible even from the -masthead, so all we could do was just to hack doggedly on, in a sort -of blind yet hopeful quest of some open passage as yet invisible. - -Not that we always pushed on blindly, let it be understood. There -are certain indications by which men are led down here where fresh -instincts are created and the old familiar senses of sight and hearing -are given a temporary rest. Invariably where there is water, even -though it be beyond our range of vision and tucked away below the -horizon, the sky above is definitely darkened, as it were, by a faint -rain-cloud. This is known as a water-sky, and, I suppose, must be -due to reflection. Throughout the middle watch this day a shoal of -seals followed us—thankful to us, no doubt, for breaking the ice and -permitting them access to open air. At 2 a.m. Mr. Jeffrey ascended -to the masthead, and with a shout of delight announced open water -to the south-west, and towards this welcome clearance we joyfully -steered. As a change from previous mist, the dawn of this day was -wonderfully brilliant—a gorgeous display of natural colouring that -awed the senses and turned one’s thoughts upwards. Glorious sunshine -continued throughout the day; high spirits characterized all aboard; -the atmosphere was intoxicating. The nearest land, we found, was 2,160 -fathoms away, less than three miles; but the direction was purely -vertical, and the distance was measured by our sounding machine. During -all this day we headed fairly south through encouragingly open water, -with countless killer whales, seals and Adelie penguins to companion -us. But our heartening progress was arrested towards evening by a -gradually thickening pack, and the bumping and scrunching recommenced -as we crashed along through virgin ice. - -The ice thickened through the night; the morning found us in really -heavy pack, making practically no headway, and at two o’clock a -fresh sounding gave us a depth of 1,450 fathoms. This fairly rapid -shoaling seemed to indicate that land could not be far distant. In -order that our then position might be plotted down on the map the -following details may be useful: Noon position, February 11, latitude -(by observation) 68° 52′ south; longitude (observation) 16° 43′ east. -Run for previous twenty-four hours and course made good: S. 15 E, -5L miles. Temperature, 18° F. No colder, you will see, than many a -Scotch winter day; almost as cold, let us say, as an average English -summer! - - [Illustration: The _Quest_ is frozen in.] - - [Illustration: Forging Ahead Through Loose Pack Ice.] - - [Illustration: In the Antarctic: The _Quest_ a mass of Frozen Spray.] - -It appeared towards evening as if we could not under any circumstances -make much more progress, for floes of great weight were everywhere -about, packed so closely that it was a miracle we made any headway -whatsoever; for heavy floe ice seems at sight to be as invulnerable to -the attack of a ship’s bow as so much granite. However, we persisted, -and scratched and bored a little way farther. Through the night this -sort of work continued, an inch gained every now and then, and no -definite headway secured; and by morning—a beautiful clear, sunny, -typical Antarctic morning—the pack was to all intents and purposes -impenetrable. Through the four hours of the morning watch I doubt if -we made more than a mile. As we were only expending our valuable fuel -to no definite purpose, the ship was stopped at about 8 a.m.—literally -frozen in. - -With the phlegm of the explorer, who comes to accept all circumstances -without repining, we put out a Jacob’s ladder, and tumbled out on to -the ice for a welcome leg-stretching; and it was good to see Query’s -delight at finding freedom from the narrow confines of the ship. He was -like a mad thing—all over the place at once, up in the air, scooting -at our heels, dodging and larking like a born joker. He was coming -on well, growing to be a fine dog with a splendid coat. Afterwards -I helped Mr. Wilkins to photograph the most interesting details of -our surroundings. - -The colour effects about here were rather amazing. Those who have -never seen pack-ice probably get an idea that it presents one long, -unbroken wilderness of staring whiteness to the gaze; but such an idea -is wrong, especially when the sun is shining. The sunset effects were -particularly wonderful, the ice taking to itself all the colours of -the rainbow. At noon it is golden, but with the sun lowering itself -down the long path of the western sky, the snow above the ice assumed -a delicate pale pink tinge, a veritable _Alpen-gluhe_, with every -protruding hummock throwing a mysterious shadow, whilst newly frozen -water was a vivid green and shining like a mirror. But the paradox -of the Antarctic is that the better the weather overhead the less -promising the chance of making headway. Clear weather predicates -tight pack, misty weather loose ice; so you can’t have it both ways. -Commander Wild was anxious about this time. The main thing he dreaded -was lest the _Quest_ should get properly frozen in, for she was not -of suitable construction for this ordeal, her shape being wrong to -resist the inevitable lateral pressures. We had visions of seeing -her cracked like a nutshell by the vicelike nip of the tightening -ice, and other visions of the ice parting and permitting her to drop -clean down to the floors of the Antarctic sea! - -Fresh soundings were taken when we returned to the ship, and rapid -shoaling was indicated. A series of magnetic observations were also -made by Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Douglas, so that the day was not only -enjoyable but lucrative. But as nothing was to be gained by remaining -there we took advantage of a chance to break up the young ice, and -the ship was turned away to the north again, after much intricate -manœuvring, in search of an opening that would permit her to advance -farther to the south. - -During the middle watch there was a further decrease of temperature, -nothing very alarming, but not particularly promising, as low -temperature naturally means heavier pack. We were then steaming in -a general N.N.E. direction through fairly heavy ice, broken here -and there by open water. Shortly after 3 a.m. the sky, over all its -vast dome, assumed a glorious pink radiance, which deepened in parts -to vivid purple and a most lovely blue. The water reflected these -colourings, and also the floes themselves to a certain extent, and -there we had a perfect picture of the South. The open water spaces -were strangely regular, and we appeared to be steaming through a -series of open docks with marble quays and pink-purple water; it -was for all the world like a dream city. About thirty yards away on -the port bow a tall berg glittered in the orange-gold glory of the -sunrise, like a stately cathedral. All the fairy tales in all the -world seemed possible when gazing at this earthly paradise; but...! - -We were fetched back to the earth by a smell of burning that suggested -the extreme opposite of paradise. There was a big blaze at the base -of the funnel, which looked extremely alarming, and Mr. Jeffrey, who -had the watch, immediately called all hands, under the impression that -the bunkers were afire. Old Mac and myself drenched the flames with -buckets of water and fire-extinguishers, and found that the whole -blaze resulted from someone’s temporary carelessness in leaving a -coil of tarred rope too close to the funnel’s base. Maybe the glory -of the morning had a soothing effect on the troubled souls of those -who turned out in obedience to the alarm, for though very scantily -clad they did not even murmur a protest against the rude awakening. - -In the afternoon we made the same course through open pack. Four -seals were shot and flayed at 6 p.m. The crow’s nest lookout reported -clearer water on the starboard bow away to the eastward, and course -was accordingly altered to reach the promised opening, which, when we -reached it, proved to be as free as it looked, and so we made good, -even progress for a while. Only for a while, however, for after an -inspiring burst of speed—unfortunately our bows were pointed in the -wrong direction—we were again held up. - -The chief engineer, Mr. Kerr, had been busy lately in constructing -a harpoon for Mr. Douglas, and to-day he formally presented him with -the finished article, as if it were some newly discovered treasure. -To test this fearsome weapon Mr. Douglas took up a position on the -rail, as eager as Macduff himself for combat; and as there were -any number of crab-eaters swimming about, he let drive at one as -it came alongside. He aimed true to the mark; it was a wonderful -throw. However, it is better to draw a veil. Mr. Kerr’s enthusiasm -was greater than his constructive powers, for as the seal felt the -agonizing bite of the harpoon it gave a swirling leap and a quick -turn, and the famous harpoon bent double, dropped clear of the hide, -and the seal got away with a flick of its tail, almost as if it sent -an insolent message to the fabricator of the weapon that had caused -it torment. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -Going Doggedly On - - -Commander Wild decided to get clear of the pack altogether and work -to the westward before again attempting to make for the land, and -consequently he held on the northerly course, through close but broken -ice. I had the wheel at 4 a.m., after he came to this decision, and -as the steering was nothing to worry about, I found myself with time -on my hands to study the trifling happenings that went on around the -ship; and it is the trifles that make for interest during a sojourn -in solitudes. So that I found a lot of enjoyment in watching the -manœuvres of a sea-leopard, who kept shoving his big ugly head up -above water some little distance away. He differed from ordinary -seals in the respect that he refused to come near to the ship. Every -now and then it was as though his curiosity got the upper hand. He -stared at the _Quest_ with an expression that was laughably suggestive -of a taxi-driver estimating the tip-giving possibilities of a fare; -but discretion was his strongest feature, and after a long survey -he invariably turned up his nose at us, gave a flick of his tail and -dived again. - -The _Quest_ was leaking badly again, by reason of the savage bumping -she had endured in her struggles through the pack, and the order of -the day was: Hands to the pumps! Some of us pathetically declared -that we had pumped the entire Antarctic Ocean out of our bilges, and -that in a little while we should be aground for sheer lack of water; -but much as we pumped there was always more water trickling in; for -exercise, indeed, we lacked nothing. When day came the clear sky -was gone, a dull grey and brooding had given place to the brilliant -colouring, and the breeze was cold and biting. We thought longingly -of our Polar clothing lying uselessly in store at Cape Town, whence -we had been unable to retrieve it, and, biting on the bullet, made -the best of it. - -There was plenty of variety that day. Our course alternated between -steady steaming through wide-open lanes and dogged thrusting through -close pack-ice, whilst during the official hours of night a lot of -snow fell; and, to remind us that the _Quest_ was a mobile entity, -a moderate but growing swell began to tempt her into a fresh display -of her aquatic gymnastics. - -For the next twenty-four hours or so we continued along similar lines. -Open water in stretches, loose pack alternating, and a lot of snow -falling; there you have the conditions. But the increasing predominance -of water showed us that we were approaching open sea; so, too, did -the growing swell. A sounding of 2,340 fathoms showed us that we were -leaving the land behind us, and an increasing temperature backed the -idea; but though the thermometer registered 34° F. we found the cold -much more biting and penetrating, by reason of the raw-edged wind that -was blowing stirring up the marrow in our bones and setting the teeth -a-chatter. Killer whales and seals provided plenty of local colour, -and I was much interested in watching one seal that was perched on a -lonely floe far too small for it. It was like a very fat woman in a -very small donkey-chaise, and I wondered what would happen when the -floe capsized. - -After a while we ran alongside the ice and moored the ship to a big, -hummocky floe. What this was for I did not immediately understand, -for the seniors of the ship did not go about the decks shouting their -intentions to all hands; and though I felt myself an integral part of -the expedition, I was not in the leader’s confidence at every moment -of the day. No doubt if I’d been a hero of fiction the commander of -the expedition would have left the running of the show to me, and -welcomed my advice; but this being real life I kept in the background -and did as I was told. Then I learnt by chance that we were about -to water ship. It seemed to me that ice congealed from salt water -was about the last substance in the world out of which to make fresh -water; but I was told that in the process of freezing much of the -salt in sea-water is precipitated, and that the upper portions of -the floes at least are always quite fresh. - -Several of the hands went out on the ice with pickaxes and commenced -to chip off the tops of the hummocks. Others carried the resultant -blocks to the edge of the floe and hove them to waiting hands on -deck, who stowed them in a huge heap on the poop. By stretching the -imagination during this operation it was possible to conceive oneself -a millionaire potentially. Ice in a tropical city was worth so much a -pound. We had ice, lots of it—continents of it. If only the ice could -be transported and retailed, the treasures of the Indies would have -seemed like chicken-feed by comparison, and Jules Verne could quite -easily have managed the trifling task of efficient transportation. -However, he was not aboard. So we remained poor. - -Melted down, this ice-water proved quite palatable; a great -improvement, indeed, on the stale water, much churned about by long -rolling, in our tanks. - -With a sufficient store of ice aboard we cast off from the floe -and proceeded, until we ran clear of the pack altogether; and then -Commander Wild, realizing how rapidly our fuel was diminishing, -and knowing how many hundreds of miles of icy wastes we still had -to penetrate—with no coaling stations nearer than a few thousand -miles—ordered the engines to be stopped and sail to be made. At 6 -p.m. we were well clear of ice and bowling along at a vigorous pace -to the N.W., with a stiff, uncommonly chilly wind astern. - -At three o’clock in the morning, cold, raw and dark, all hands were -roused out to wear ship. I doubt if I shall ever forget those bitter -bleak mornings. To turn out of a snug, if narrow bunk, half-awake, -with the dregs of sleep still clinging to sticky eyelids and parched -palates, to be required to heave and haul at cold, frozen ropes, with -water swishing weirdly above your knees and slapping its feathers -of spray into your face—ugh! To grope for a stray coil of iron-hard -rope in two feet of water, and, just as you were gripping it, to -have the heel of some shipmate’s sea-boot come down on your fingers -excruciatingly—ugh—ugh! To feel the raw wind biting through to the -core of your dismal soul; to hear the hurl and rush of water against -your oilskins; to steady to the ship’s wild plunging—who’d sell a farm -and go to sea! But the job had to be done; the welfare of the ship -demanded that every man should do his best and bite off his natural -growls ere they were definitely enunciated, lest growl begot louder -and bitterer growl; so the job was worried through. By the manœuvre of -wearing, the ship—not quick in stays by reason of her propeller—was -turned to face the pack-ice again, and by nine o’clock at night we -were again in the stream-ice, with a heavy swell running, the ship -improving on her previous liveliness and thick snow falling. Peggying -was actually a welcome task, because it occupied the mind and kept -one below. - -For a change the middle watch was entirely dark, and as we were moving -amongst some really nasty lumps of ice—chunks that could have made -a comprehensive mess of the ship—it was necessary to proceed with -the utmost caution. The swell continued with unabated determination, -and all the ship’s upperworks were thickly covered with snow. We had -miniature avalanches every few minutes through the wild rolling, the -ship seeming determined to rid herself of her fleecy covering. Imagine -a buck-jumping mustang newly harnessed into a landau, and you will -get some idea of her fretful behaviour. - -With the coming of the grey dawn Mac and myself, lone-handed, set the -squaresail; but shortly before eight bells Mr. Jeffrey gave orders to -stow it again. By some mischance we let it go by the run, and, thanks -to the rolling and the breeze, it promptly went overboard, to trail -in the water and soak itself with icy brine. There was nothing for it -save to try to retrieve the runaway canvas. The squaresail is a heavy -sail, and in the ordinary way seven or eight hands are told off to -handle it. We were two alone, so picture Mac’s attitude towards the -matter. He made a great outcry, lifted his face to the indifferent -sky and cursed—how he cursed!—the Antarctic gods who decreed that -two poor men should be required to perform the work of half a score. -Cursing, he worked like a plantation full of niggers; the harder he -cursed, indeed, the harder he pulled, until, as though the bad language -were indeed, as Marryat says, the powder behind the cannon-ball, we -mastered the refractory canvas and brought it aboard, saturated, stiff -and unkindly. Believe me, we bragged about our achievement afterwards. -I am not sure that we did not derisively inform the other members of -the expedition that they might conveniently apply for long leave, -in that we two were quite capable of carrying on unaided. And the -many, very many, stormy petrels that surrounded the ship in the early -morning seemed to be cheering us for our display of heroic endurance. -The snow continued to fall with unabated persistence, and, meeting -on our sluicing decks the water Mac and the sail had lifted aboard -over our rails, dissolved into hideous slush. The stoutest sea-boots -in existence cannot adequately cope with the bite of such slush, and -for myself I lost all sensation in my feet. The afternoon brought -a lessening of the snowfall—brought fine weather, indeed; and we -smiled and patted ourselves on the back, and assured ourselves that -we were steaming nobly in the right direction—Southward Ho! In open -water, too, though that water was very unkindly in its motions, and -the _Quest_ as lively as ever. - -By 5.30 we ran into ice again, and after bumping and boring until -ten o’clock hove-to for the coming of daylight, so that we should -not waste coal in aimless wandering to and fro without any resultant -progress in the right direction. Blundering about in the dark was -certainly an unprofitable pastime for a ship with depleted bunkers. -Let it be remembered that the atmosphere near the edge of the pack -is not nearly so clear as it is well inside the ice masses, and -consequently the weather is generally very dirty and the nights as -black as the inside of your hat. To my regret the doctor on this day -sent me to bed because of a chill I had acquired, possibly after the -frantic struggle with that pernicious squaresail. - -On Monday, February 20, Commander Wild decided to work to the westward, -towards rumoured land, reported by Ross as “an appearance of land” in -1842. We accordingly got under way once more at three in the morning, -steaming a S.W. course through plenty of thick ice dotted with large -bergs. At nightfall the engines were stopped through the dark hours, -and I, still in my bunk, enjoyed an undisturbed sleep. It made up -for the lost food, denied to me by the doctor—not that I wanted it. - -At the first show of daylight the _Quest_ once again got under way, to -plough a devious course through fairly thick ice. I was told that I -might get up and eat a meal, though I was still kept from performing -duty on deck. Just as well, maybe, for it was snowing heavily, and I -found occupation enough in restowing my locker and bunk and donning -a change of warmer clothing—with which I was well supplied, thanks -be to kindly donors. Then, in a spirit of carelessness, for the day -of leisure seemed to demand some ceremonial, I opened two boxes of -Scotch shortbread that I had brought with me from Aberdeen; discovered -the contents beautifully crisp and fresh; sent one box forrard to -the other mess, and we aft consumed the remaining box with eager -appetites. As though even the weather were growing hilarious, it -blew a heavy gale that night, and the ship was necessarily hove-to. -Sleep was impossible by reason of the scream of the wind amongst our -stripped spars and the grinding and scraping of ice along our outboard -planking. Not very easeful hours for a pseudo-invalid; but I’d been -told that I could turn to on the morrow, so what did it matter? - -During the morning watch we drifted clear of the ice, and going on -deck I found open water about, snow thickly falling and the ship -wreathed in sound-deadening white. The wind, vigorous and chilly, -gave us a level six knots of speed with all sail set, and we bowled -along in heroic fashion, until at midnight ice was sighted, and then -it was a case of “all hands shorten sail!” with a vengeance, for we -found that otherwise we couldn’t check our headlong career and seemed -disposed to ram solid floes, which could only result in disaster. -This day was Worsley’s birthday, a day to be celebrated with mirth -and feasting, for the birthday boy had reached his fiftieth year and -was still going strong and looking youthful. From some hidden corner -of the ship beer materialized—genuine, actual beer, which was greeted -with loud acclamations. After a satisfying repast of seal-meat and -the like—and seal meat can be jolly good—Green entered, bearing with -graceful ease, posturing like a Pavlova, a noble birthday cake that -was iced to perfection and inscribed with an insulting motto. Worsley -himself, as being the pivot on which these celebrations turned, was -instructed to cut the cake, and was furnished with a boarding-axe to -do it. It resisted his efforts; for Green, in a humorous moment, had -iced a 56-lb. sinker belonging to the sounding machine. However, after -the gibes and lurid language had ceased, the real cake was produced -and we stodged ourselves to our complete satisfaction. The occasion -was a welcome break in an existence that tended to become monotonous -and also somewhat wearing, for the work of grinding through the pack -tends to deaden one’s senses somewhat and breed a fretting irritation -against unavoidable circumstances. - -Shortly before midnight Mr. Wilkins, who had charge of the first -watch, roused out the watch below to set the squaresail. We groaned -both inwardly and outwardly. We knew what it would be—clambering on -top of the forrard deck-house, fumbling about with the steel-hard, -frozen canvas, with everybody growling and everybody in everybody -else’s way! A lovely job, but nothing, so I was repeatedly told, to -real old-fashioned windjamming. Oh, but it tests one’s temper to be -turned out on a cold night, with the ship dipping her rails under -water at every roll, for such a job. But mark how Nature brings -its own palliative! Once the arduous task was performed—thanks to -our efforts—our blood was hot and tingling, our spirits elated, and -we felt more like singing than cursing—we forgot that we cordially -detested our next neighbours and had sworn cold-blooded feud against -those we most esteemed, and in a happy frame of mind repaired to the -bridge to comfort ourselves with hot, strong coffee, shared with Mr. -Jeffrey, who had the wheel. The sea was rather plentifully dotted -with “growlers,” but we had little difficulty in clearing them, -since the ship was proceeding under sail alone and more kindly on -her helm. Later in the day we passed through a very strange area of -finely powdered ice—this powder lying on top of small snowball-like -fragments of ice—which gave one the impression of moving through a -lake of milk. From this phenomenal area we passed into a belt of -newly-freezing ice, and everywhere was greyness—sky, sea and ice -alike blending into one grim monotone. - -During the night we sailed into heavy ice, which checked our way and -compelled us to head again for the north and open water, which was -reached before 8 a.m., the engines going slowly. Followed a period of -dodging bergs and finding the pack again, pack that grew heavier until -nightfall brought the need to heave-to, by reason of the indifferent -visibility, until daybreak came, when course was resumed, but always -to the north and west. We tried the pack repeatedly, but instead -of butting our heads against an implacable wall, whenever we found -that further progress was impossible we followed the line of least -resistance and edged away in search of more impressionable zones. The -sound of shots startled me from a peaceful doze at 8 a.m., and with -mad dreams of hectic adventure troubling me, raced on deck, where I -was greeted with a truly wonderful sight. Hundreds, literally hundreds -of seals were in plain view; many of the floes—not very big ones—held -ten or a dozen of the brutes apiece. We made very good use of this -opportunity, you may be sure, because of our yearning bunkers. - -A little later in the day, as I was scrubbing down below, some would-be -benefactor yelled to me to get on deck as quickly as I could, to -behold another great sight. A sight for the gods it was, indeed, for -the ship had run into a great school of whales—more than eighty really -large fellows, and in every direction these giants were blowing like -geysers. The click of a cinema camera showed us that Mr. Wilkins -was already busy—I feel sure that if the _Quest_ had been sinking -he would have secured a realistic picture of her final plunge from -the truck!—and we others could only marvel at the wondrous splendour -of the sight. The whales did not remain long in view, however; they -disappeared ahead on their own occasions, and we spectators discovered -that work called us. We spent a watch trying to pump out the forehold, -and did not entirely succeed. The other principal event of note was -when Major Carr cut my hair with a very blunt machine—and I decided -that scalping might have been preferable. - -The night came on very dark and misty, and it was necessary to exercise -the greatest caution in proceeding, for the sea was thickly strewn -with growlers of a dangerous size, so that it would have been folly -to continue at our customary speed. Consequently we crawled, engines -going dead-slow, and two men alertly on watch on the bridge to direct -the helmsman whenever solid ice showed looming through the haze. - -Day followed day with but small variety now. The cold and the actual -fatigue engendered by this ice-fighting bred a love of sleep; so that -we spent our every spare moment, I think, in coiling down reserves -of slumber. In one waking period it was decided to tie up alongside -a big growler and renew our fresh water in a manner similar to that -I have previously described, but the heavy swell caused the berg to -pitch and heave very alarmingly, so we desisted; and it was just as -well, for had we continued we should probably have had our side stove -in, and that would have concluded my narrative before the appointed -time. With wind falling light it was necessary to make fresh inroads -on our very precious fuel, but we proceeded at an economical speed and -entered open pack, where we continued during an entire day. Seal-meat -was our staple diet, and we grew to like it, though I discovered that -it lacked in “spirit.” - -At midnight we were once more among the growlers, and it was so dark -that we could only tell their presence by hearing the growling wash -of the seas on them as they tilted with the high-running swell. Even -with engines merely turning over the centres we hit several of these -ugly fellows, and from the reluctance with which they bobbed and bowed -away it was plain to understand that they were very deeply submerged. -With welcome light showing at 2 a.m. it was possible to proceed with -greater confidence, and in the forenoon, well assured of the safety of -the ship, the two surgeons, Dell, Argles, and myself spent a strenuous -watch trimming coal in the bunkers. By contrast with previous trimming -in tropical waters, we found it quite a pleasant operation; and no -doubt, at the South Pole itself, had we gone there, we should have -counted it a pastime! Latitude means as much, perhaps, so far as work -is concerned, as it does in regard to morals! During the afternoon -we hard workers were also strenuously employed in ballasting ship -more satisfactorily. She was carrying too much topweight, and the -opinion was that this added to her dire rolling propensities; so -as our depleted coal supply afforded us plenty of room, we carried -below and methodically stowed an amazing assortment of oil-drums, -spare spars, oars, davits, and, indeed, everything that could be -spared from the upper deck. A lot of snow petrels watched and seemed -to criticize our labours—we had been seeing numbers of these birds -of late. Apparently as a result of high living on seal-steaks and -brain sauce, the men of the skipper’s watch took a pull on the main -topsail sheet and carried it away as if it were a piece of twine. To -all seeming a reduced diet was indicated; but maybe it was merely zeal! - -The 1st of March was conspicuous by reason of its sunny brightness; -a day of which to take advantage to dry soaked gear. All spare sails -were run into the rigging for the genial breeze to play through, and -when thoroughly dried were stowed away below as an addition to the -ballast. We sighted a most beautiful iceberg of towering height on -this day, and I express the opinion here—expecting no profits from -the same—that it is worth anyone’s while to go South if only for the -sake of seeing such stupendous loveliness. - -Being once more in open sea the ship’s rolling recommenced, as a sign -and a token that our arduous labours in ballasting her had been in -vain. Not that we were hitting the floes. Thanks to the tempestuous -brash and several belts of heavier ice; but officially we were out of -the pack. Then once more we ran into heavier ice after breakfast on -March 2nd, and it was necessary to shorten sail because of the force -with which we were hitting the floes. The heavy weather continuing, I -got another job of work: to clean out the chart-room. Two jam tarts -had slipped free from their moorings, and the chart-room was simply -a viscous horror of jam. Sir Ernest Shackleton always contended -that a square inch of jam was sufficient to anoint a square mile of -surface, and he was right. Several square inches of jam went to the -making of those tarts, and so the chart-room was sticky! This done, -I accompanied Mac aloft, where he delights to be, especially when the -ship is throwing herself about, to repair the port squaresail outhaul, -which had carried away when the sail was let go in the forenoon. - -Proceeding steadily to the westward, always in search of open leads -to the south, we encountered fickle weather: one day fine and serene, -the next squally and snowy, the ship placid and comfortable now, -and, again, making heavy weather of it and washing herself down -fore and aft with water that no pumps were needed to supply. Argles -contrived to mix himself up with quite a number of accidents, as a -result of the big rolls we took. Argles, it should be remembered, -is the stokehold’s bright light, the bunker king—being the official -coal-trimmer. Emerging from his favourite den into the stokehold, -the ship rolled savagely, and he, missing his hold, was thrown clean -across the stokehold, bruising his side badly. No doubt thoroughly -sickened of the dangers of below, he made his painful way on deck, -and here found no better luck. He slipped, travelled at express speed -from scupper to lee scupper, and fetched up with a thud against a -chance stanchion. Now, a hurt man demands a sympathetic audience to -whom his woes can be recounted. Argles discovered in me the proper -recipient of his confidences concerning the _Quest_ and her rolling, -and came down to the wardroom to ease his overloaded soul. The _Quest_, -righteously angry at the aspersions cast upon her—for she was a very -model of dignity when she was not trying to dance a cake-walk, and no -doubt considered herself superior to all other craft afloat—promptly -gave the father and mother of a roll and chucked him clean over the -table! After that he retired in a silence that was redolent with the -odours of brimstone. - -With our waking hours amply occupied in work of varying kinds—and -especially the never-ending labour of cleaning ship—time passed -uneventfully enough. We saw much floating ice—bergs of vast expanse -and mighty height; and as the nights were black dark between ten and -two—regular graveyard blackness—it was necessary for the watch to -supply extra look-outs in the narrowest part of the bows, where, from -a comparatively low level, it was possible to detect the presence of -big ice by its blackness against the greater blackness of the sky. By -dint of these precautions we successfully negotiated quite a number -of large bergs that might otherwise have brought disaster upon us. -The second we saw a shadow we yelled, and the ship, answering her -helm cleverly, dodged. No time to waste at this job, because often -enough we were almost on top of the berg before we realized it was -anything beyond a fantasy of the strained brain. But after dense -nights we were given one with star-spangled, luminous heavens, and -got a glimpse of the eerie dancing lights of the Aurora Australis. -After seeing this atmospheric phenomenon I went below and turned in, -and was rudely wakened by several considerable bumps and jolts, which -gave me the impression that the ship was being ruthlessly battered -to pieces. Hurrying on deck, I found that we were under plain sail -in amongst a veritable morass of large growlers—some big enough to -deserve being called bergs, indeed; and were hitting them right and -left, willy-nilly. To my uninstructed mind it appeared the ship must -be suffering really serious damage; she seemed uncontrollable and -determined to batter herself to splinters against the implacable -bergs; but whatever her other faults, she was a stout little packet, -built by men with consciences, if without imagination, and beyond -a few slivers of timber torn from her and a few started planks she -appeared to be but little the worse. Of course, had we been under -steam, we should probably have run through this chain of bergs; but -a high berg becalmed her and made her temporarily unresponsive to -her helm. - -It was a delightful morning: bright and clear, and the sun played gay -games with the whiteness and soft yellows, the browns, purples and -deep blues of the pack. We reached open water again about noon—where -were only a few smallish pieces of ice; and when evening fell had -another of those wonders of colourful splendour presented to our -attention by Nature, the master scene-painter, who seems to wield a -more glorious brush down in the Antarctic than anywhere else in the -world. - -Morning brought a flaming golden sun uplifting itself from the -south-east in a welter of radiant glory that suffused the entire -horizon. Being once again free of ice we made sail and stopped the -engines—harbouring our precious coal—and continued on a westerly course -with a light northerly breeze, balmy and soothing, to urge us forward. -But early appearances were deceptive; and by eight o’clock the wind -had freshened considerably, whilst by noon a full gale was blowing. -We were, however, under the lee of the pack, and the sea failed -to rise, consequently even the _Quest_ behaved decently. The snow, -though, drove down in a blizzard, the harsh flakes striking the skin -like grapeshot, and the face of the waters was blotted out in a fine -powdery drift of ice particles that gave an aspect of utterly bleak -desolation. The gale continued to increase in violence until 2 p.m., -when it was so heavy that all hands were roused out to double-reef -the foresail. Strenuous work in that breeze of wind, with the driven -snow pelting us mercilessly; but we reaped the reward of our labours, -for it eased the weight of the sail, making the ship pretty snug and -sea-kindly. Not for long was our peace to endure, however. At eight -bells—4 p.m.—heavy ice was met, and we were required to take in the -foresail altogether. Some difficulty was experienced in making it -fast. We struggled with might and main; and just as we congratulated -ourselves that we had the lashing, cracking monster under control, -the wind, with a howl of demoniacal glee, snatched it from our grasp -and flung it riotously aboard on its breast, whilst we, our fingers -numbed and the blood oozing from beneath our torn nails, had to set -our teeth and start all over again. But, as usually happens after -shortening down, the wind quickly abated, so that by midnight we were -able to proceed in something approaching comfort again. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -We Make for Elephant Island - - -During the middle watch commencing at midnight of March 5 it froze -hard, but the pack was more open, and, after running north for some -time, we altered course and made more to the westward, Commander -Wild’s idea being to skirt the pack as far as possible. We entered -the ice again in the morning. During the previous few days remarkably -little animal life had greeted our eyes; there was practically -nothing to break the awful, monotonous desolation; but on this day -we saw a single Adelie penguin, dignifiedly in command of a solitary -hummock—looking for all the world, so old-timers said, like the -skipper of an old-world windjammer—one of the kind who wore a frock -coat and tall hat: a gaff-topsail hat, as they used to call them—even -when rounding Cape Horn in a rip-snorter—loftily conning his ship -through the smother and haloed in his own enormous dignity. Desirous -of disturbing this colossal equanimity—and I have seen honest Kirk -elders on a Sabbath morning who looked frivolous by comparison—we -made rude remarks to the bird, who treated us with lofty disdain, -and beyond showing a supercilious interest—as a pretty waitress in -a café might show to a chafing client—took no further notice of us, -until Captain Worsley, who is rather clever at mimicry, gave a loud -“caa-aa,” which started Master Penguin’s hoops and lifted him from his -god-like aloofness. He took to flight with all speed, casting scared -glances backwards as he went, as if he thought the special Antarctic -devil were after him. Still laughing at the ludicrous spectacle, -we tied up to a large floe and iced ship, an operation occupying -the greater part of the afternoon, and causing us much amusement by -reason of Jeffrey’s agility. He offered to catch any ice that was -thrown to him, and we were resolved to beat him—much, I fear, being -thrown at him. Nevertheless, he held his own pretty well, spite of -the thunderous fusillade with which he was assailed. - -Query ventured on to the floe on this occasion and betrayed great -interest in a killer whale that was swimming about near at hand. -He barked himself hoarse at the monster without causing it any -perturbation; but of a sudden, as if bored by his exhibition of -ill-feeling, the killer rose quite close to the floe and “blew” for -all the world like a Bowery tough spitting disdain, whereupon Query -tucked tail between his quarters and bolted like a scared rabbit. - -The following day was marked by an increase in the cold and a -tightening of the ice. I spent the day in proper sailorizing work, -under the excellent tutelage of old Mac; helping him to repair the -mizen tack and secure the gaff. He was a very capable instructor, and -from him I learnt how to perform most intricate tricks of seamanship—he -was always patient and ready to answer questions, and I look on him -to this day as my sea-daddy. He had a way of imparting information -that left a definite impression in the mind, and many a University -professor might have benefited by adopting his plan. Coming to very -heavy pack we had to interrupt our westward course and once more to -head away to the nor’ard, where we passed large bergs. - -Sunrise of extraordinary beauty heralded yet another day. Beautiful -though the dawning was we considered it pessimistically, for a -fair dawn down in these latitudes so often portends a foul day: our -prognostications were fulfilled, for by eight o’clock it was blowing -and snowing to beat the band. The day grew dull and ominous by -contrast with the early brightness; and away on the horizon, owing -to the unnatural refraction, strange black shapes appeared like -towering mountains and frowning coast-line. It required much mental -concentration to avoid giving a false alarm of land, so vivid was the -impression conveyed by this Antarctic mirage. Darkness closing in on -top of the flurry made it dangerous to proceed, and the _Quest_ was -accordingly hove-to for the night. - -I was called to keep the middle watch, and as I had evidently convinced -the after-guard that I was beginning to understand my job, charge of -the ship was given to me during this watch; I was left alone on the -lookout. Orders were left with me by Mr. Wilkins to call Mr. Jeffrey -at once if the ship drifted too near the ice. The ship was hove-to -in a large pool and it was still blowing with considerable violence -from the south-west. There was not a soul to talk to or to borrow -confidence from, and all around and about me was that vast cold -wilderness of ice. The loneliness was a sort of wall that seemed to -shut me off from all my kind. A salutary lesson in man’s minuteness -as compared with gigantic natural forces! - -We drifted slowly across the pool, and I, feeling that we might come -to harm by hitting heavy ice, called Mr. Jeffrey at a quarter to one. -He promptly came on the bridge—his presence sent a warm glow clean -through me, and my sighs of relief must have ascended to highest -heaven. But there was really no cause for alarm, for at one o’clock -we came slowly alongside the ice, as if we had been warped into dock, -and lay snugly alongside as though in a peaceful harbour. But at -2 a.m. I called Dell and got below—where even sleeping berth-mates -seemed genial companions. - -Way was got on the ship again during the morning watch, and we -proceeded through fairly heavy pack which was open in places and -dotted with big bergs. The temperature fell considerably at midday, -and when on lookout at the masthead, the cut of the wind was bitingly -fierce. In the afternoon the floes were larger still and hummocky, -and small groups of penguins mounted solemn guard on many of them. -The sun shone at intervals through a very hazy sky, and the refraction -was even more pronounced than ever, the most astonishingly fantastic -shapes appearing on the horizon and sparkling with a silvery light -in the sun. Once again we hove-to for the night. - -Followed a strenuous day with Dr. Macklin and Naisbitt, tallying and -restowing stores, which was not a bad job for cold weather. Outboard -the outlook was not inviting: the floes being large and heavy—old -Weddell Sea ice, they said it was—and the intervening water frozen -over thinly with young ice, which naturally delayed our by no means -considerable speed still more. The temperature had dropped to 9 F. -At 10 a.m. a noisy commotion on deck fetched us up into the open -like corks popping out of a bottle, curiosity overcoming our sense of -duty. We found several of the more active-minded of the crew chasing -penguins round and round a big floe. The game was a pure farce, the -birds stolidly refusing to leave their harbourage, and showing a -clever readiness in dodging their pursuers, twisting this way and -that like professional footballers, until Argles started playing -footer, too. He hurled himself full-stretch at one penguin, tackled -it low in approved Rugby style, and fetched it down, squawking and -vociferous as a fishwife. The catch was brought aboard alive, and -Query displayed canine curiosity in its quaintness, but the penguin -was a match for the dog, and once again he had to retreat with his -tail between his legs. - -At eight p.m. the bosun and I took a sounding; it was intensely cold, -and by the time we had wound in the last fathom I found myself frozen -to the rail. The cold also burst the water-jacket of the paraffin -engine that ran the main dynamo, so it became necessary to start -the spare dynamo in the engine-room, to run which there was a small -steam-engine. - -Throughout the night we lay to in rapidly freezing ice, and the -skipper grew concerned, for the outlook displeased him greatly. To -be frozen in hard and fast would be fatal, consequently just enough -way to prevent this happening was maintained on the ship; and then, -at 4.30, a full head of steam was raised and an attempt made to get -clear. But though we backed and rammed and stopped, and backed and -rammed again, making a furious bobbery all the time, the ship, shaking -fore and aft at the impact of her bows on the thickening ice and the -harsh grind and rattle of the broken stuff filling the air, we made -paltry progress, advancing a bare mile during the entire morning -watch. To burn coal at that rate without any commensurate progress -was foreign to our best interests, so we gave up the attempt and lay -to alongside a convenient floe, there to await the pleasure of the -elements, and whistle for a favouring breeze. That breeze coming, -we drifted to the northward with the ice, which during the forenoon -gradually opened. So precious was our coal becoming now that the -small quantity required to run the steam-driven dynamo could not be -spared, and as the paraffin-run dynamo was out of action, I busied -myself in filling and trimming lamps for the ship. - -When I went on watch at midnight it was still blowing very strongly -from the south. The mere words convey no adequate impression of what -an Antarctic gale is like; but if you imagine a northerly blizzard -blowing its hardest and then magnify all the unrest and bitter -discomfort and annoying insistence of the driving sleet and noisy wind -by about a hundred, you may gain some idea of the real thing. We were -fast frozen into the ice, which every now and then bore against our -sides with an impressive and somewhat alarming squeaking sound that -was very weird, underrunning the main diapason roar of the storm as -it did. - -The gale was not long-lived; with the flush of dawn the wind subsided, -and the morning broke beautifully clear and calm. All hands turned to -after breakfast to ice ship—and there was ice enough and to spare, for -even the young ice that had recently formed was now thicker and whiter -and older looking, and seemed to be merging into the main pack. Certain -of us busied ourselves in squaring off the decks—ridding them of snow, -coiling down ropes fairly and stowing away loose gear; and whilst we -were so employed a big killer came up close alongside, breaking the -ice as he came. These killers are particularly evil-looking brutes, -and the nearer view of them you get, the nastier they seem. It must -have been a killer that swallowed Jonah—this fellow seemed almost -capable of swallowing the _Quest_. - -In assisting Mr. Douglas and Mr. Jeffrey to make magnetic observations -on the floe during the rest of the morning, working in the hold with -Dr. Macklin after lunch and then pumping out the always filling bilges -with old Mac, putting a harbour-stow on the topsail and so on, time -did not hang very heavily on my hands. My leisure time I spent in -heaving chunks of ice along the floe for the edification and amusement -of Query, who never tired of chasing the fragments and took a keen -delight in the vigorous exercise. Then, at night, a sounding was taken; -but after the lead touched bottom the steam winding-engine gave out -and we had to leave our cast on the sea’s bed until the necessary -repairs were effected; and then, as a gigantic red moon came slowly -sailing up the sky, we sat back and watched the lovely picture it -made of the spectral ice that was all about. - -Being now, as it were, in dock, regular watches were abandoned: all -hands turned to at eight o’clock and continued working until 1 p.m., -after which their time was more or less their own for purposes of -recreation, with one man standing a two-hour watch during the night, -like an ordinary anchor watch aboard an ordinary sea-going ship. -The ice was now thickening rapidly; the temperature having dropped -to 5 F., but despite this, the water rose steadily in our hold, and -first thing in the forenoon Mac, Dell and myself pumped out the ship. -Various duties, such as preparing the oil stoves for the boats—very -necessary precautions remember, for the threat of being nipped and -sunk was very real—overhauling the lamp-room and trimming the lamps -occupied my day; but before dinner we younger ones climbed overside -and had a rousing game of football on the ice. A lone, lorn penguin, -interested in that queerly curious way these birds adopt towards -happenings beyond their normal experience, slithered near and begged -to be enrolled in our company. Quite unabashed, it held its own against -all our tacklings and charges; and when Query took a hand in the game, -it chased him incontinently all over the floe—a most comical sight. -It was what the Yankees would call _some_ football. Penguins and dogs -do not usually figure in a Cup Final, nor do the players fall through -the ice, as Naisbitt did, at places where floes imperfectly joined up -with one another. But it was invigorating exercise enough, and after -the close confinement of shipboard, very welcome to men who looked -on exercise as a religious rite. We managed to pull Naisbitt out, -and he was really none the worse for his adventure. Our football was -composed of tied-together gunny-sacks that had held ship’s bread. -Whilst we played others worked; Kerr, for instance, repaired the -burst water-jacket of the dynamo engine, so that we were able to run -it again and get a light that at least made darkness visible below. - -I slept like a log that night, and found myself reluctant to turn -out when I was called at 6 a.m., but needs must; and when I got to -the bridge I saw the outlook was more promising. The ice was slacker, -its nip on our sides less pronounced and the floes were beginning to -come apart—a welcome sign. The run of a growing swell caused them to -bend visibly, and there was much groaning and snapping, so that one -might easily have thought the ice a great living monster that was -trying to burst its bonds. Throughout the day, with a slightly higher -temperature, the ice opened up more and more. We lost our sounding -lead, though—the wire parted owing to the strain—and we had to resign -ourselves to the fact with such equanimity as we could command. By -evening we lay in a pool of open water, the nip was gone, and we -looked forward hopefully to getting under way again on the morrow. - -But our hopes proved to be nothing more than ropes of sand; the -following day, although the pack was distinguishably thinning, it -was still far too close for us to go ahead. A strong gale bellowed -furiously from the north-west, but, being from the northerly quarter, -it was actually warmer than usual—though its force was so great that -the impression conveyed to the senses was that the temperature was -falling. In the forenoon Dell rigged up the dredging machine and for -Mr. Wilkins’s benefit let out 3,300 metres of wire, with dredge and -deep-sea thermometer attached. It required the whole afternoon to get -it inboard again, with the steam-winch fussing away, very certainly, -no doubt, but also very slowly—so slowly, indeed, that after a while, -becoming exasperated, we man-handled it and made better progress. It -was pretty ticklish work, for the dredge wire was constantly being -fouled by small floes, and Mr. Douglas out-Blondined Blondin by his -dexterity in balancing himself on the wobbling floes and keeping -the wire clear with an extended boat-hook. The result justified the -exertion, for the dredge contained fifty-seven specimens of quartzite, -tuffs and so on; but there was no living matter in the haul, though -the rocks were plentifully threaded with worm-cells. - -Next day, thanks to a falling thermometer, the ice had thickened, and -the floes were compacted once more into a solid mass. Some of these -floes, scattered here and there like gaunt icy islands in a sea of ice, -were very big, with noticeable hummocks uprearing from the main mass. -As a strong southerly wind was blowing, which was favourable to our -purpose, we got busy and set topsail and staysail. Seen from outboard -we must have looked much more like an ice-yacht than a sea-going ship, -I fancy; but under the weight of this canvas we edged a very slow -and very difficult way to the north. Our movement was actually with -the ice rather than from it—we were acting as motive power to the -entire ice-field. Although the ship was officially under way, there -was no difficulty in slipping outboard and walking on the ice; and -Commander Wild and Captain Worsley, together with Watts, did this. -During their promenade they happened upon a large sea-leopard asleep, -and the skipper promptly killed it, bringing its head triumphantly -back to Mr. Wilkins as spoil of war. - -Many of us went for walks during the forenoon, and I took several -photographs of the _Quest_ in her icebound condition. She drifted into -a pool of open water during the afternoon, and the skipper and Dr. -Macklin went out on the floe with a line to pull her alongside, because -we desired to play football again. We found a large, convenient floe -and had a hectic game, beating the other side 7-4. It is astonishing -what a lot of confused exercise you can get out of football on the -ice—much more than during ordinary games, even on the muddiest days. -It’s a fine tonic for depression and ennui and lethargy, and the -various ills shipboard life is apt to breed. You have to exert yourself -terrifically to make any real headway, and the ball, weighing about -a ton when thoroughly sodden, needs the driving force of a steam ram -behind it to move it at all. Our side was composed of Dr. Macklin, -Mr. Douglas, the skipper, Naisbitt (cook’s mate) and myself. Our -opponents were the Chief, the Second, Ross and Young (stokers), Major -Carr and Watts. - -Turning from play to work, we set the squaresail at 6 p.m. and began -to move; but almost as we started we had to lower the canvas in a -hurry, to avoid what might have been a serious collision with a large -floe ahead, and our progress was stopped. In the event of opportunity -offering for getting under way during the night, I kept the binnacle -lights trimmed and ready for immediate use. - -Another day came, to show no practical alteration in the -ice-conditions. The wind came away strongly from the S.S.E. and the -outlook was bad, for the sky showed no vestige of a “water-sky,” and -with a lowered temperature the ice was freezing more thickly than -ever. Very grim conditions again; but in the Antarctic you don’t -grouse about circumstances—you make the best of them, and thank your -lucky stars when each succeeding day finds your ship still afloat -and not crushed to flinders in the pack. - -Whatever else we were doing, we were certainly making progress either -with the ice or through it. We had made about ninety miles since -working into our frozen dock, and that was something to be thankful -for. - -After breakfast I went for a walk with Dr. Macklin and Major Carr. -There was a large berg in the distance which we wanted to inspect -at close quarters, and this appeared to be a promising opportunity. -But we could not get quite close up to it because of the scattered -character of the ice in its vicinity, though from our position we -could see it making its way through the pack, leaving a long lane of -clear water behind as it came. The _Quest_ bore up against the pack, -throwing broken ice from the bows as a ship throws up spray; and we -admired the spectacle—myself a little awestruck—never realizing that -Commander Wild was feeling the gravest anxiety aboard, fearing lest the -iceberg should charge the _Quest_ and damage her badly. Fortunately -the menace passed more than half a mile astern and then disappeared -over the northern horizon. - -These movements of icebergs in the pack are caused by strong currents -under the ice which grip the vast submerged portions and urge the -giant masses relentlessly onward through everything that lies in -their path; and when, owing to the wind or other circumstances, the -pack is moving in an opposite direction you get a wonderful illusion -of uncontrolled speed and power charging blindly forward. - -Getting back aboard, Dell and myself cleared the wire of the Kelvin -sounding machine. After a hearty lunch we enjoyed another game of -football with a more respectable ball this time—a ball composed of -a canvas bag stuffed with cotton waste, which didn’t take so much -out of our feet and shins. We found a perfectly flat floe whereon to -play, though owing to the swell causing the ice to bend and undulate -we got a new effect: it was like playing football on a rubber floor. - -Throughout the night a sharp lookout was kept for bergs bearing -down upon us: a menace of the Polar wastes not often taken into -consideration, I fancy, by those who do not know the peculiarities -of those parts. Several such bergs were in the vicinity and one -crossed our bows rather too closely to be pleasant. The temperature -was rising during the night, and, in anticipation of a start, the -hands were turned to at 6 a.m., with instructions to ice ship. The -pack was now much more open, and the engines were gingerly started -at six bells—seven o’clock. Once more we were definitely under -way, forging ahead with innumerable stoppages and much wheel-work, -with “Hard a-port!” “Hard a-starboard!” “Midships!” flying from the -watch-officer’s mouth like machine-gun fire. Tediously we wound in -and out among the floes; but presently, coming to a clear lane of -water, sail was set, which quickened our speed, and by eleven o’clock -in the morning we were pretty nearly clear of the pack. During the -day I counted fifty-six bergs, most of them large. - -With an overcast sky and a strong easterly wind blowing, another dawn -came. As the day continued the wind increased to a moderate gale. -Commander Wild had practically proved to his own satisfaction that -Ross’s “Appearance of land” was merely a flight of fancy, and he now -decided to make for Elephant Island—primarily to obtain blubber for -fuel. But apart from any material reason I think there is no doubt -that he was inspired by a longing to see again the place where he had -spent those famous four and a half months with the survivors of the -ill-fated _Endurance_ expedition. All aboard who had borne part and -lot in that memorable adventure were imbued with the same desire. We -headed to the westward and, with a stiff breeze to help us, bowled -along at a merry six knots—for us, real clipper speed. But at 5 p.m. -we came suddenly on very heavy pack and, dropping our squaresail with -alacrity in order to avoid disaster, eased down for the night. With the -morning we set sail again, amid extraordinary surroundings. The entire -ship was sheeted in ice: upperworks, bridge and deck-house appeared -to be determined to give an imitation of their environment. Ice was -everywhere: bulwarks like hummocks, monstrous icicles pendant from -every salient. The deck itself was overlaid with the frozen stuff; and -all tackles, ropes and hamper were grotesquely distorted; whilst the -rigging was simply solid. The _Quest_ was completely transmogrified, -like a fairy ship at first glance; but, owing to the freezing up, -anything but a ship of dreams when it came to handling her. To go -aloft meant breaking a way like pioneers—and, my! it _was_ cold. Mac -and I shovelled what seemed like half the frozen Antarctic overboard -during the morning watch, and even then the other half was still -aboard. Breaking off from this necessary task, we set the squaresail, -which seemed scared at the changed appearance of the ship, for it took -charge for several hectic minutes, slamming and banging—hammering its -blocks against the bulwarks as though determined to sink the _Quest_ -out of hand. We philosophically decided that the sail was lending -a hand in clearing the ice from the upperworks, and I must say the -ice-splinters flew vigorously. Being under shell-fire was a small -matter by comparison. As a foot or so of water was sluicing across -the decks every time the ship rolled, work was not easy; but this -water was nothing to worry about, it was merely the _Quest’s_ happy -little way of acting up to her usual reputation, though she did not -lift big water over her rails. It was blowing hard and the cold was -terrific as the wind came away from the southward; indeed, I believe -that this day and the following—March 23 and 24—were about the worst -we had experienced. Certain of the old-timers wondered what on earth -had ever tempted them down again to the southern seas. Commander Wild -said that any man who went Antarctic exploring once was mad, if he -went twice he was an adjectived idiot, so that he himself—having made -five voyages—was competent to inhabit an asylum all to himself. He -said this with trimmings—not with flowers. - -Conditions were more than a little unpleasant—quite enough to ruffle -the normally placid calm of our souls. Every minute some whipping wisp -of spindrift came slogging in our faces, and everything was saltily -damp. The only place where it was possible to be even moderately dry -was in one’s bunk; and the _Quest_ did her best to heave a man out -into the slopping water that flooded the floors below, even when -he coiled down in blanket-haven. Poor Query suffered a lot. Dogs -may be philosophers, but their philosophy deserts them under such -conditions as those we endured when working along the edge of the -pack. And although we were salted, pickled indeed, any amount of the -people—even the hardiest veterans—succumbed to _mal-de-mer_; or, as -this particular brand was even more atrocious than seasickness, let’s -call it _mal-de-Quest_. - -Wearing ship at midnight under these conditions among Antarctic combers -was horrible. After a while we hove her to under a topsail, her head -pointed to the east; and under these circumstances she revelled in -dirtiness. Her rolls were jerky and fitful—so that, even below a -fellow felt as if he’d been dropped down a bottomless pit with a long -rope attached, which tautened at the unexpected moment and nearly -jerked the teeth up through the skull. Whilst wondering what it was -all about, another heave and lurch pitched him out of his bunk, and -so on. - -But even the worst of gales do not endure for ever; and after a -while conditions improved. A great orgy of straightening up followed, -for everything was filthy and saturated. Then we sighted land from -aloft, what time the topsail was being made fast. After living in a -wilderness of ice and water for so long my heart warmed to that good -sight, for I had begun to wonder whether land really existed at all. - -By seven o’clock on the morning of March 25, we had Elephant Island -on the starboard bow and Clarence Rocks to port. The summits of the -peaks were hidden by low clouds, but it was perfectly good land, and -heart-warming to a degree, even though snow-flurries frequently hid it -from sight. It was something stable in a whirling world of instability. - -To the old-timers it was like sighting the Promised Land itself, I -fancy. Those who had been with Shackleton in the _Endurance_ expedition -spent all their spare time staring through binoculars at remembered -landmarks—swapping reminiscences and recollections. They shouted -and pointed at Cape Valentine, where the draggled survivors of that -unfortunate expedition landed after being two hard years adrift in -the ice desert, and where Shackleton, who had not slept for eight -days, coiled down on the shingle of the beach and slept for eighteen -hours without moving an eyelid. We others worked, getting rid of the -fresh accumulations of ice and taking running soundings as the ship -went forward. It was necessary to hack the purchase blocks clear of -their congealment before the rope would run over the sheaves. The -evening favoured us with an exceptional mirage—with vast icebergs -floating apparently in a sky of purest gold, and shoals of spouting -whales swimming in between them, most marvellous to behold. The -ensuing sunset was like something by Doré: both the islands in sight -seemed to be blazing with fire, and the sky was a flaming crimson, -awe-inspiring in its magnificence. I wished I could paint so that I -could have transferred that memorable sight to enduring canvas, for -my poor words entirely fail to give an adequate description of the -atmospheric miracle. - -By four o’clock the following morning, when I went on the bridge, we -were coasting along the shore of Elephant Island, which we did not -approach too closely, for obvious reasons. And now our minds were -filled with the history of that desolate rock; it was the topic of -general conversation. They told of how Commander Wild had cheered -and brought nineteen men through four of the most difficult months -in all the terrible history of Antarctic navigation. They told of -how Shackleton, with Worsley and four other stalwarts, had made that -amazing passage from Elephant Island to South Georgia in an open -boat, and how subsequently the staunch-souled Boss had left no stone -unturned till he had brought his stranded comrades back from Elephant -Island to civilization. It was a narrative to warm the blood and to -make one glory in the pride of race, for it was an epic, no less, -told simply as it was, in curt expressions for the most part, without -gestures but modestly, in the way that Britons have when narrating -heroic deeds. - -A high, precipitous coast met our gaze as the ship ploughed forward, -with high-soaring crags and a general machicolated effect that made -the whole place show as a gigantic mediæval fort; whilst between the -jutting crags showed frequent glaciers and glimpses of the towering -ice-cap that tops the island. A picture of stern majesty it showed -to our ice-wearied eyes. And, too, on the port beam was Cornwallis -Island, whilst on the bow were five smaller islands, as though whoever -threw the land down there had sprinkled a few handfuls extra for luck. - -After breakfast the boatswain and myself re-marked the deep sea -leadline, and made a clearance forward to have everything in readiness -to let go our long-disused anchor at the appointed time. We rounded-to -in a small bay, some hundred yards or so from the sheer face of a -glacier end, and there dropped our hook and came to rest for a blissful -while. Blissful, I mean, by comparison with recent episodes; though -no doubt there are some who might count Elephant Island a curious -sort of a pleasure resort. But all things go by contrast, and to our -tired eyes the most romantic of South Sea Islands could hardly have -appeared more desirable. - -Magnificent, lofty crags held us in on two sides; the scenery indeed -was so striking as to be almost overwhelming; and on the placid water -the _Quest_ floated like a swan. It was possible at last to lie down -without holding on, and for that blessed boon we returned heartfelt -thanks. - -The party detailed to go ashore was lowering away a boat in -preparation, when Query, who had almost gone mad ever since land -was sighted and smelt, in his eagerness to get ashore overdid it and -dived overboard. We let the boat go by the run and secured him—almost -frozen, but really none the worse for his bath. Commander Wild went -away in charge of the boat, and to my great delight included me in the -party. Before we landed he shot a sea-leopard that showed pugnacious -symptoms. They can be very terrifying in the water, these evil-avised -brutes. We tied up to a big boulder right underneath the towering -blue face of the glacier, and whilst walking ashore it struck me how -crazy and rotten that ice-face looked. It seemed as if any minute -might fetch down a few hundred tons of it on top of the boat; but we -were used to ice by then, and didn’t worry. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -A Rough Time with Ice and Wind - - -Elephant Island deserves its name: not because of its shape, but -because of the innumerable sea-elephants that litter its shores. -Furthermore, there were penguins by brigades and divisions, and skua -gulls and long-legged, ungainly “paddy” birds. Commander Wild shot -nine elephants, one of them being a huge bull measuring over fifteen -feet in length. - -As our principal reason for visiting the island at all was the desire -to renew our fuel supply, we promptly set to work to flense the kill, -cutting up the blubber and dragging it over the foreshore to the -waiting boat. Another party presently came on shore to carry on in -our stead what time we returned to the _Quest_ for a meal. Returning, -Mac and I were detailed to ferry the boat from shore to ship and ship -to shore, whilst Commander Wild ran the hunting and flensing parties, -and was so eager in his share of the work that as often as not he -was up to his waist in the icy water. - -Whilst we worked at this unsavoury, messy, but very necessary job, -the scientific staff busied themselves with observations of one kind -and another. - -After a most strenuous day, soaked in oil and icy water, tired out -but rejoicing, we regained the ship late in the afternoon, the last -boat bringing a big load of penguins, paddies and seal-meat, together -with rocks for the geologists. My intuition concerning the rotten -state of the glacier face was well-founded, for as we were hoisting -the boat aboard a vast chunk of the glacier broke off and fell with -a stupendous roar, sending a regular tidal wave racing out towards -us. Fortunately we were too far away to be overwhelmed; but if the -boat had been under that falling mass—however, she wasn’t! - -We should have stayed there longer and added to our fuel supply, -but, the surf increasing very rapidly and growing to threatening -proportions, Commander Wild was anxious to get away before darkness -set in; so accordingly we got up anchor at 6 p.m. and made our way -round the coast, the _Quest_ as nimble as ever as soon as the full -weight of the swells got her. We kept at sea, in open water, all -through the night, standing on and off from the land, and the morning -came bright and sunny, which was, so Dr. Macklin said, unusual round -about Elephant Island, where perpetual mists and storms represented -the experiences of adventurers. At 11 a.m. we anchored again near a -narrow beach, several miles in length, which ran along the foot of -high cliffs. From the ship we saw several harems of sea-elephants, -with thirty or forty cows in each. A party promptly went ashore to -secure more blubber, and the work of the previous day was resumed -in all its necessary messiness. Many elephants were closely huddled -together in groups on the sand; there were also some crab-eating seals -and paddies. Major Carr, evidently feeling the need of exercise, -climbed a long way up the rocks, and coming to loose screes, sent -down avalanches of pebbles, much to the discomposure of poor Query, -who happened to be in the way; while Dr. Macklin, who was following, -had to scramble for shelter to an overhanging boulder which saved him -from danger. A certain, though not the required, amount of blubber -was obtained. Commander Wild remained aboard the _Quest_, having -contracted a severe chill through his previous day’s exertions. We were -still busy at the job when the roaring of the steam whistle recalled -the shore-party. An ominous change of weather was taking place, and -the ship’s position promised to be precarious; consequently we were -quickly up-anchored and made our way to the lee of some high rocks not -far distant, where we again dropped the hook for the night. By nine -o’clock it was blowing hard, and by two in the morning a hurricane -was raging, coming away for all it was worth from the south-west, -so that the rocks which had previously sheltered us were now of no -avail. Dr. Macklin had charge of the watch, and so alarmed was he by -the weather conditions that he roused Commander Wild, who still was -not at all well, telling him that we were dragging our anchor and -generally in a rather parlous plight. - -All hands were promptly called, and turned out into the roaring frenzy -of that appalling night. Word had been sent to the engine-room for -instant full steam on the boilers, and immediately the hands turned -out the cable was hove short. The _Quest_ promptly began to drag more -insistently than before, and the outlook was alarming. Rocks to leeward -showed very menacing in the darkness, fast-scudding clouds racing -behind them and giving them the aspect of moving monsters intent on -our destruction. As if to increase their menace, something went wrong -with the cables; they wouldn’t go down through the spurling gates, but -piled up on deck, hampering us. The winch was jammed, but Macklin and -Carr went below and cut the bulkhead of the cable locker adrift with -axes, giving the chain more room, and eventually the crisis passed, -though the weird wailing of the penguins ashore, for all the world -like a premature lament over our doom, and the crashing thunder of -the near-by breakers, caused us an apprehension that was anything -but pleasant. A very high sea was running, and there was nothing to -do but count discretion the better part of valour by turning tail to -the storm, running away before it for all we were worth. Otherwise -we stood a remarkably good chance of going to ruin on the pitiless -rocks. Once clear of immediate danger, and possessing, as we did, only -enough coal for one day’s steaming, though the blubber we had secured -promised to eke out that meagre supply, we set the topsail, and under -it ran like the wind itself, beating all our previous speed records -as we hurled from crest to bellowing crest, roaring down sickeningly -into the troughs, soaring high and very high, and screaming with the -fury of our speed. - -By eight o’clock, when next I came on deck, the wind seemed to be -increasing, and the _Quest_, racing before it, seemed of no more -account than a chip of driftwood. She was heavily listed to starboard, -and as her continued existence seemed something of a problem, all -hands were summoned to trim ship and shift all movable stores from -the boats, top-hamper from the decks, to down below in the empty -port bunker. It was wild work, carried out in a wind that was blowing -something like a hundred miles an hour; but the ties of common funk -bound us all closely together, and the labour went forward with a -swing. - -Commander Wild had determined to take advantage of the gale to make -straightway to South Georgia. According to the evidence of the weather -experts, no change in the direction of the wind was likely for some -days, and as it was fair for South Georgia, where coal could be -obtained, it was decided to make the best of it. Wilkins was almost -swept overboard when setting sail; everyone thought he had gone, -indeed, but he cheerily announced his continued presence in the land -of living, and carried on with his job. - -Wild work? I assure you it was wild. To stand without holding on was -an impossibility, whole water deluged us, and it was simply a case of -keeping the _Quest_ ahead of the enormous following seas, which rolled -up, gathered weight, towered high to a level with our gaff, and then -fell with the clamour of sundering worlds in our yeasty wake. The -ship was like a scared horse bolting with a bit in its teeth, urged -on by the stinging blows on her quarter. Occasionally those blows -were punishingly heavy—for about noon a heavy sea pooped us, stove in -the after wardroom scuttle, and flooded the entire after-part. Under -a lash of spray and occasionally a deluge of whole water, I repaired -the damage as well as possible, by means of planks and a tarpaulin -cover; and then went below, where everything was floating about in a -state of confusion; my own bunk came in for the lion’s share of the -initial dollop. The water that had drenched me froze after a while and -turned me into a very good representation of an iceberg; but that was -only a small part of the trouble. It was indeed a case of “one hand -for myself and one for the ship”; and working with one hand whilst -clinging like a monkey with the other was an exciting experience. - -But all things come to an end sooner or later; and after we’d -squared up the major part of the damage, the wind lessened during -the afternoon, though we were unable to dream of beating back to -Elephant Island, as the wind set straight from it, and the course had -to be continued towards South Georgia. This was hard lines on the -old _Endurance_ hands, for they had set their hearts on revisiting -their old haunts and fighting their battles o’er again. - -I say the wind lessened, but even so it continued a vigorous gale, -though the worst of the weight was out of it, and we were able to set -more canvas to keep us ahead of the run of the seas. The following -day broke fine, and with a brilliant sun shining its happiest -on our ice-coated fabric we presented a wonderful spectacle. The -ice taking on all the prismatic colours, the effect was well-nigh -dazzling—unbelievable, indeed. The _Quest_ became a flaming jewel as -she hurled herself across the white-veined plain of the tumultuous -seas. - -We crowded on sail for all we were worth, and setting the big, -unhandy squaresail, which was frozen stiff, was excellent exercise -and caused some lively gymnastics. Both watches were required to -clear and set the foresail; under it the ship streaked along with -energetic purpose and left a white, yeasty wake astern. With the wind -increasing again it was no great while before we were making a level -7½ knots per hour—unbelievable speed for the old tub, which caused -her to give herself all the airs and graces of a China clipper. It -was invigorating, because, although the log only recorded 7½ knots, -the fuss that was made was quite equivalent to forty; and by dint -of exercise of a bit of imagination it was quite easy to pretend we -were breaking all previous ocean records. - -Big seas overtook us frequently, however, striking savage blows at -us, as if the Antarctic were thoroughly angry at our having escaped -its clutches and were determined to beat us even yet. On the night -of March 30, at about eleven o’clock, a whacking big fellow overtook -us, and we thought we were for the Locker, because we were literally -smothered; but we won clear, and after shortening sail ran with -greater steadiness though less speed. - -During the following forenoon watch our ship reeled off thirty-one -knots in the four hours, nearly eight knots per hour. Good going, this; -it looked as if the South Georgians had got a grip on the towrope and -were hauling us thither hand over hand. Because of the steady swing -of the seas, which here run clean round the world without meeting -any untoward obstacles, the motion of the _Quest_, though vigorous, -was uniform and easy. - - [Illustration: The wake of Loose Ice as seen from the Crow’s Nest. - (Capt. Worsley is on the ladder.)] - - [Illustration: A Close-up View of the Pack.] - - [Illustration: Entering the Pack.] - - [Illustration: Collecting Ice for replenishing the Water Tanks.] - -On April 1, under similar weather conditions which were growing so -familiar that even the capsizing of a tin of syrup in a locker created -no more than a passing anathema, Mr. Jeffrey made an April fool of an -albatross by catching it. Albatrosses possess an acquisitive nature, -and would probably thrive well in Aberdeen. The proper way of fishing -for them is to construct a small hollowed triangle out of sheet tin -or brass, lash strips of blubber or other highly scented provender -along the metal, and stream the bait temptingly astern at the end of -a stretch of fishing line. The albatross promptly swoops down for the -succulent morsel, and having got a grip of it with its mighty beak, -holds on. The drag of the line naturally jams the acute angle of the -triangle over the bird’s beak, so that even if it wanted to let go -it couldn’t; and it is, in the result, ignominiously drawn aboard, -where, once it has set its feet on the deck, it cannot rise. Then -you strangle the gentleman, so that his snowy, downy plumage shall -not be discoloured, and skin him, using his wing bones for pipe stems -and his beak and wings for trophies. - -April 2 started well, but failed to fulfil its initial promise. The -wind was coming away in lessening puffs—somewhat tantalizing for the -helmsman—but in a while it freshened again with mist and rain, which -lessened our outlook considerably and caused some little concern, -for we were expecting to sight land and had no desire to overrun -our reckoning, with no bunker fuel to help us to steam back against -a wind that was always fresh and sometimes strong. Since eyesight -was not much use under these conditions, sounding was taken with the -Kelvin machine, but no bottom was discoverable! and as the log line -fouled the wire after the cast was taken, I got an extra hour’s work -in clearing the ghastly tangle. A spinning log line and a spinning -sounding line together can make a twist that seems invulnerable to -human effort; but a bit of that patience taught to the Scouts helped, -and the tangle was gradually reduced. - -At four in the afternoon the heavier canvas was furled lest we ran -too far, and the last of the ice left our decks about the same time, -thawed by the persistent rain and the increasing temperature. All -the diligent scrubbing with sand and canvas in the world could not -have left our planking whiter than had the scouring of the friendly -ice. Just as well the ice was gone, for the rolling and pitching were -awful, so that we kept our feet only with supreme difficulty. - -Because of the weather and the speed we were making, the skipper -decided to get the ship hove-to after dinner, rounded her to on the -port tack, and sounded constantly without finding bottom. Navigation -under these circumstances is no easy matter, and I was glad I was -not responsible for the safety of the ship. - -Alternating running and heaving-to, with the sounding machine -constantly at work, except when it broke down—as it sometimes did—we -went on, until at eight o’clock on April 4 the sun appeared and a -clear horizon showed, so that it was quite possible to get chronometer -sights and double altitudes, by means of which our position on -the watery waste was definitely fixed. That comforted everybody; -and by way of added solace, shortly before 1 p.m. land was sighted -again—the snow-capped peaks of South Georgia showing plainly on our -starboard bow. Throughout a drizzling afternoon, with a strong wind -blowing—typical South Georgian weather, observe, for the bit of -sunshine was soon only a memory—we crowded on every possible ounce -of steam and tried to gain harbour, but because of the short, high -head-sea that was running we made little if any progress. At six p.m. -it became necessary to keep the _Quest_ off with staysail and mizen -set; and all that was then to be seen of the island was a blanket of -thick, impenetrable mist, with the occasional ends of giant glaciers -and the irregularities of the coastline showing. - -A lot of bergs were floating about in our neighbourhood, and during -the night the ship was kept under steam in order to make her handier -in dodging these floating masses; but at 8 a.m. we set every inch -of canvas the vessel would carry and headed up towards the land. By -about three in the afternoon we were fairly close in, and it was a -great pleasure to look on green grass again, though by reason of its -sparseness it was almost possible to count the blades. - -South Georgia hadn’t altered much during our absence; the only change -was that, winter coming on, there was more snow on the hills and -a general suggestion of greater bleakness. And now, for the first -time in many months, we saw shipping again: whalers leaving harbour -or making for it. Other human beings besides ourselves existed, and -the knowledge warmed our hearts. Absent yourself from your kind for -months at a stretch, and even an African bushman seems a friend. - -But we couldn’t make harbour yet, and were compelled to dodge the bergs -and idle about off the land because the wind had fallen light, except -for frequent willie-waughs coming gustily down from the ravines of the -island, throughout the beautiful, moonlit night, which was as much -a poem as that famous sunset I mentioned before, though the colours -to-night were silver and grey, rather than crimson and gold. A big -iceberg, lit up by a noble moon, looks like an enchanted castle; and -as you watch it you find yourself thinking of long-drowned Camelot -and the wonders of the Round Table. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -South Georgia Again - - -At six o’clock next morning, all sail being then taken in and the -ship proceeding under engines alone, boilers fed with blubber, we -entered Leith Harbour, and anchored with both anchors as a precaution -against the violent squalls that strike down from the hills. - -Almost as the cables ceased their rumbling, a motor-launch was -alongside bearing Mr. Hansen, of the whaling station, and Mr. Hussey, -who had been appointed guard of honour to our well-loved leader. Mr. -Hussey gave us all the news, which we were very greedy to hear. He had -taken Sir Ernest Shackleton’s body to Monte Video, with the intention -of escorting it home to England for a great public funeral, such as -a man of our Boss’s heroism deserved, but Lady Shackleton had sent -word that she desired the remains to be laid in an even more fitting -resting-place—in South Georgia, the gateway to the Antarctic which he -had by right of conquest made his own; the spot closely associated -with one of the greatest of his many great exploits—that memorable -journey in the dead of winter across the glaciers and rocky heights -of the island, of which the whole world knows. - -And so, over in the old pathetic graveyard of Gritviken, he was buried -simply, the Shetland whalemen carrying the coffin, with no funereal -pomp and circumstance, and the bareheaded Norwegian sea-fighters -following him respectfully to his last resting-place. It was what he -would have wished. - -When the rocky grave was filled in, a simple wooden cross was erected, -and on its arms Mr. Hussey placed the wreaths brought from Monte Video -on behalf of Lady Shackleton, Mr. and Mrs. Rowett and the members -of the _Quest_ expedition. So the restless soul found rest at last; -but his memory must endure, for Sir Ernest Shackleton was brave, not -with the sudden hot courage of battle, but with the quiet, determined -bravery that lasts through terrible, tedious days, when hope drifts -sullenly away and leaves bleak despair. - -But though his labours were ended, ours were not; much of his original -programme remained to be carried out, and in order that this might be -done, work was resumed with vigour under Commander Wild. Accordingly, -after hearing Mr. Hussey’s news, all hands turned-to to clear the -bunkers of the gear that had been stowed there aforetime; and whether -it was the hard work or the change from recent ice surroundings, I -know that, for one, I found the weather quite sultry and overpowering. -Really it was very cold, but we began to wonder where we could lay -our hands on tropical clothing, by reason of the thickening of our -blood. - -The general view of Leith Harbour gave me the idea of a smooth lake -surrounded on all sides by abruptly rising hills. Short, precipitous -glaciers come down at short intervals towards the shore; the lower -steeps are splashed with snow, whilst the raw earth shows abundantly, -though here and there is a heartening patch of green. The greater -heights are eternally snowbound, and as often as not veiled in mist -and thick clouds; and there is practically no flat land whatsoever; -the whole island seems to stand on end, with the exception of a few -acres at the far end of the harbour where the noisome whaling station -lies. - -Peaceful days followed, during which we worked hard and played as -hard. Some of our party went fishing, and returned with great catches -of coarse fish which compared unfavourably with the toothsome spoil -of our northern waters. We played football; overhauled the ship fore -and aft, aloft and below; entertained the Shetlanders with impromptu -musical evenings, and generally joyed in a return to moving life. The -weather was Scottish in its changeableness: sunny days alternating -with bleak misty days, so that it was almost possible at times to -believe that one was back at home and the happenings, at the best, -but a vivid dream. - -Whaling proceeded with great activity during this present stay of ours -in South Georgia; whales were constantly being towed in and flensed, -and the white smoke from the trying-works hung constantly over the -busy station, whilst the reek of rendering oil was appalling. Fishing, -in which sport I indulged frequently, proved an easy occupation, -especially amongst the thick kelp which everywhere clings to the -coast. All that was necessary was to drop over a hook with a piece of -fat blubber attached, and a second or so later came a tug, and there -was a fat fish. So greedy were these rock cod that often they would -bolt the bare hook and not trouble us to rebait. - -By way of a change from sport, I blacked down the rigging with tar -and made a filthy mess of things in the process, smearing as much -of the delectable mixture on myself as on the rigging, I think, and -earning a severe choking-off for dropping tar on our immaculate—or -nearly immaculate—decks. - -Bridge in the evenings, with music, honest work, plenty of play, and -there you have the record of our South Georgian days. One pleasant -break, however, came when I was ordered away in the whaler with Mr. -Douglas, Mr. Wilkins, Major Carr and Mr. Jeffrey, for a survey of Cape -Saunders at the entrance to the harbour. We were towed by a greasy -old motor-launch which the Norwegians employ for towing the whales -about the harbour, but it gave us headway enough for our purpose. A -heavy sea was running, however, and this made it impossible for us -to land on the cape itself, so we turned back and got ashore a mile -farther inland where the going was easier on account of a bit of smooth -beach. Having landed—it was very hot clambering up the rocks—we took -observations enough to satisfy the most critical of surveyors, then -returned, but the weather having become worse during our activities, -we got a thorough drenching before we regained the ship. - -On Easter Saturday, April 15, we left Leith Harbour. The battered -old _Neko_, a disreputable packet, entered harbour from Deception -Island, her holds crammed to bursting with oil barrels, and, thanks -to our wireless, we gave her G.M.T. as we steamed past her, for -which she was very grateful as her chronometers had not been rated -for long enough. It was cold as we steamed down the harbour; and the -mountains, from which much of the snow had departed, were covered -with drift. We were bound for the Stromness whaling station, which -lies at the end of another arm of the bay; and on arriving there -we went alongside the Norwegian steamer _Perth_. Our manœuvres must -have seemed clumsy to her crew, for a sudden gust of wind drove us -down aboard her with such force that our bowsprit fouled one of her -boat-davits and snapped like a match; so that next morning Dell and -myself were early at work repairing the damage, stripping the broken -spar of its tangle of foot-ropes, guys and outhauls, and the like. -Here at Stromness we had fresh relays of visitors, both from the shore -and the British steamer _Woodville_, which lay there; they wondered -how we’d managed to win clear of the pack ice down farther south. -Most of our after-guard went aboard the _Woodville_, where they were -royally treated; but as the cook had departed on a holiday I helped -Jimmy Argles and Oompah—a South African, whose real name was Young—to -prepare lunch for the forrard party. - -During the night following this day of carnival the wind increased -to hurricane force again, and I was roused at 4 a.m. by the skipper -yelling for a cork fender. His cries were almost drowned by a great -crashing and rending; but the noise was the worst part of the business. -We were rolling and churning against the _Perth_, thanks to the -pressure of two whalers which lay outside us, but after they’d cleared -out, the worst of our troubles were over. At ten o’clock we gave the -_Woodville_ a salute with our ensign and moved off, housing our boats -in readiness for the rough weather that was only to be expected. - -Out in the open we washed down, and as our hose was somewhat the “waur -o’ the wear” we all got a satisfactory drenching, as a reminder that -we were seamen and not shore-fellows. We entered Prince Olaf Harbour -during the afternoon, where we tied up to a buoy. There is another -whaling station here, and the backing of the great pinnacle rocks -is very fine indeed. At 4 p.m. we went alongside the tank steamer -_Southern Isles_ and made fast for the night, during which the rain -sluiced down in miniature Niagaras. Still, the rain laid the dust -somewhat, which was a good thing, for our particular job next morning -was to coal ship, and that as everyone knows is an uncleanly operation. -From after breakfast until 5 p.m. we were hard at it: taking aboard -53 tons in that time. Argles, Young, Ross and myself shovelled on -deck; three Portuguese trimmers from St. Vincent did the trimming -below. To-day was Commander Wild’s birthday, and so, once we were -bathed and presentable, we had a great dinner by way of celebration. -After dinner he came down aft, where we drank his health generously, -Jimmy Dell proposing a genuine sailor’s toast, “Long may your big -jib draw,” and the night died away in song and story, in preparation -for another muling day at coaling, which became hard work on account -of the bright sun and considerable heat. But by noon we’d bunkered -ninety tons in all—our quota; and after squaring up the decks and -washing down I went fishing with Mr. Jeffrey and the skipper of the -_Southern Isles_. During the day a large number of whales were brought -in, and their swollen pink carcasses surrounded us on every hand, -whilst their effluvia—phew! Whales and still more whales continued to -arrive during the night, giving promise of a plentiful oil supply; -and some of the whalers that entered were towing six whales apiece, -each one as big as the ship itself. - -But we cleared out of the immediate vicinity of the whales after -breakfast and lay off Bird Island, a small, pleasantly green piece -of land, where was plenty of tussock grass. Here we anchored, and -whilst letting go the port anchor a joining shackle fouled in the -compressor and broke short off like a carrot, so that we lost a good -anchor and fifteen fathoms of cable. Mr. Wilkins and a few others -went ashore in search of albatrosses, with which mighty birds the -place was literally alive, many of them wheeling splendidly overhead -or hovering like watchful hawks, whilst others squatted peacefully -on the little hillocks which are their nests; though certain less -peaceful members of the community squabbled fiercely, squawking like -fishwives all the time, with their huge wings outspread to their -utmost span. From a distance their uproar sounded precisely like the -indignation of a world full of young pigs all being led to slaughter -at one time. - -Young albatrosses are good eating, and we killed some to replenish -our larder. It was Commander Wild’s intention to remain here at Bird -Island—well named—for several days in order to carry out an exhaustive -survey, but the weather was not fair enough to permit our lying there, -so we put back to Prince Olaf Harbour, there to await more favourable -weather. - -With good weather we got under way, housed the surf-boat, and steamed -out into a moderate sea. We headed towards the bank at the north-west -of the island, where we took exhaustive soundings, and the _Quest_, as -though glad to be free from smooth water, gave an excellent display -of liveliness. Lord! how we grew to loathe her dirty movements! It -is easy enough to write of them in retrospect, but whilst they were -happening our wearied bones and aching muscles caused loud protest -in real deep-water curses, such as would have joyed the soul of the -old-time Paddy Westers who went down to the sea in ships in a day -when seafaring was seafaring. - -The decks were thoroughly awash before very long, whole water piling -methodically aboard at every roll and pitch; but spite of all this, -having reached the bank, soundings commenced, and every hour, day -and night, the machines were busy. - -Maybe a brief description of the whole art of taking comprehensive -soundings may appeal to the more scientifically minded of my readers. -The skipper sets the ship on a definite course, and along this course -we are steered steadily, with the lead constantly going, the depths -ranging from one hundred to two hundred fathoms, until we fail to -find bottom at three hundred. Knowing then that the ship is no longer -above the bank, course is altered until soundings are picked up -again; and so, by dint of a series of criss-crosses over the sea, the -exact size, depth and relative shape of the bank is quite accurately -learnt. Sounding is a delightful job, especially when you turn out -for it during a cold, bleak, windy middle watch. The proceedings being -illuminated by a flaring hurricane lamp, away goes the lead, one man -“feeling” the wire as it whines over the lead, until there comes a -sudden slackening of tension, whereupon the feeler cries, “Bottom,” -and another man applies the brake, not suddenly for fear of mishap, -but gently, collecting the strain by degrees. Then it is necessary to -wind in the wire and weights by hand; and at “three hundred fathoms -and no bottom,” on a deck that is as nearly vertical as ever a ship’s -deck could be, with the ship curvetting friskily and water cascading -aboard, it is excellent exercise. Watches of this kind can become -very long and dreary. - -It took three full days and nights of steady work to get an accurate -charting of the bank, but when Commander Wild was satisfied that the -work was thoroughly done we made back to Prince Olaf, and, anchoring -there, had lunch in placid waters, greatly to our contentment of -spirit. Our prayers of thankfulness went up high, they were so -fervently uttered. - -We remained at Prince Olaf for one clear day, spent chiefly in violent -political arguments amongst our very mixed ship’s company; and then -returned to Leith Harbour in heavy snow squalls, which covered the -entire coast with glittering white. Fierce blizzards blinded us as -we entered the harbour; and as the steam whistle lanyard carried -away and I had to repair it, I found that my idea about the warmth -of these latitudes was all wrong; it was cold—cold! - -So strong was the wind that three attempts were necessary before -we moored to the buoy. The winter now being properly set in, South -Georgia looked a God-forsaken place enough to sadden any watching eyes. - -On Friday, April 28, a general holiday was decreed for all hands. -Fishing was attempted, but returning to the ship the boat was caught -in a blizzard that necessitated a hard, cold pull; and the rest of -the day was gorgeously spent in my bunk, delightfully reading and -sleeping—with, perhaps, more sleeping than reading. - -In Leith Harbour we rigged a new bowsprit to replace the one carried -away and replenished our stores, and on May 2 left for Gritviken -in very squally weather, the launch pulling us clear and the people -ashore firing a salute of rockets. The last thing I heard as we moved -off were the cheers of the honest Shetlanders. Outside the weather -was glorious, and Mr. Wilkins put down his dredge, bringing up some -beautiful samples of maritime life. Arriving at Gritviken at 1 p.m. we -anchored with our big spare anchor, which required the entire ship’s -company, together with half a dozen tackles and Portuguese windlasses -to get overside. In the evening I went ashore with Commander Wild, -Dr. Macklin and Dr. McIlroy to the magistrate’s house for a game of -billiards. The magistrate, Mr. Binney, owned a remarkable dog, whose -favourite diet appeared to be cigarette ash. - -On May 3 a great work was commenced—our offering to our dead and -revered leader. A great cairn was to be built on top of a high, noble -bluff, commanding a magnificent view of the bay; and accordingly a -large party put ashore, armed with shovels and picks, and, borrowing -a couple of sledges from the magistrate, proceeded to the summit of -the bluff. Mac commenced at once to dig out foundations; and as there -were no suitable stones at hand, we others climbed a steep slope and -quarried out the side of a hill a quarter of a mile away. Despite -the labour this entailed we all worked with a will, for there was -a definite feeling in all that Shackleton himself was directing our -efforts as of old. His spirit seemed to hover over us, and we exulted -in our tribute. - -Mr. Douglas attempted to blast the rock nearer the side of the cairn, -but had no success; so we continued our work all day, bringing the -stones down the hill on the sledges, and by evening the cairn was -three feet high. - -Immediately after breakfast next day we went ashore again to continue -our labours. Young ice had formed overnight on the water, and pulling -the boat was no easy task. In order to expedite our work we lashed -boxes on the sledges to increase their carrying capacity, but Dr. -Macklin’s sledge came to grief at the foot of the slope and he had -perforce to return to the magistrate’s for another. Up and down we went -as hard as we could go, and in the course of the forenoon transported -about ten tons of rock. Mac made an excellent job of the building, -and whilst we ashore toiled hard, the engineers aboard fashioned a -noble cross, and this was erected on the summit of the cairn in the -afternoon. - -On the day following the finishing touches were put to the cairn, -and a brass plate was cemented in, bearing just a simple inscription, -which said more than whole volumes, maybe: - - SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON, - Explorer, - Died here January 5, 1922. - Erected by his comrades. - -It was evening when this work was done, and in the waning light we -gazed on the completed cairn standing out dark against the snow, and -felt how grand and beautiful was its setting. How fitting it was for -a monument to Shackleton! The dying sun made a lovely picture on the -smooth frozen waters of the bay and enhanced the exquisite beauty of -the white mountains beyond. We turned away and walked slowly homewards, -not speaking much, because he seemed to be very near. - -We left Gritviken on May 7—a Sunday—and steamed across to Cumberland -Bay. On the way we passed Sir Ernest’s cairn, and the ship’s company -stood to attention facing it in salute. The skipper afterwards remarked -to me on the excellence of the selected site. It promised to stand -there as a perpetual landmark to all who entered the bay. Gradually -was lifted the inevitable pall of sadness that had clung about the -_Quest_ after our sorrowful labours. - -At Gritviken we had secured a live black and white pig, and an instant -hostility arose between this porker and Query; it was very amusing to -watch their antics. Commander Wild went ashore with a hunting party -and presently returned with four large deer, a welcome prospect of -venison. They were skinned and cleaned and lashed up in the rigging. -Next day, after landing the magistrate’s dog, which had somehow been -left aboard, we steamed along the coast towards Royal Bay, where the -German Antarctic Expedition of 1892-3 had wintered, and here, shortly -after 2 p.m., we dropped anchor quite close to a great glacier that was -rotten with crevasses. Great masses of ice kept constantly tumbling -down with a continual rumbling, and as they entered the water they -sent out waves towards us like the wash of a giant ship proceeding -at full speed. The whole bay was covered with growlers and smaller -fragments of ice. The surveying party promptly went ashore, and I -accompanied them. A biggish surf was running, and the shore was very -steep and very stony. Youthful enthusiasm prompting me to leap ashore -with the painter, a roller promptly took me off my feet, carried me -under the boat, threw me up on the beach and effectively drenched me. -I returned aboard, changed and went fishing, which was a more peaceful -pursuit. Then the survey party was collected without mishap and taken -off aboard, the boat was hoisted in and secured, for the last time -our anchor was hoisted from the South Georgian bottom, and we set out -on our journey to what is almost the last, loneliest sentinel of the -British Empire, Tristan d’Achuna, or Tristan da Cunha; the spelling is -optional, I believe. We kept a course along the moon-path, in order -to avoid the growlers; and before I turned in at midnight I took a -last long look at shimmering, moon-bathed peaks of the stern island -that now meant so much to me. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -A Spell on Tristan da Cunha - - -Our passage across to Tristan da Cunha was in the main uneventful -to men who had endured the rigours and inclemencies of the more -southern waters. True, there were episodes. The _Quest_ was as dirty -as ever, if not dirtier, when she met the long run of the seas; and -Gubbins Alley was deeply awash with the water we took aboard over -our swinging rails. Gubbins Alley, let me explain, is the name given -to the port alleyway, where by some strange process of maritime luck -and forces all the litter of a ship—the dirt or, as it is called, -the “gubbins”—manages to accumulate. No one is to blame for this -accumulation; it is merely chance that collects it, for the alleyway -is religiously scrubbed out every morning; but the cook works a lot -here, and the stokers empty the ashes from below on this side, so -these activities may have something to do with it. But, whatever the -reason, it is always just “Gubbins Alley.” - -Down below was also very damp and ungenial, for despite all our -defences the water insisted on penetrating into the wardroom, whilst -Commander Wild’s cabin was clean swept more than once. The ship -seemed determined to show what she could do. She tried to roll the -surf-boat out of its davits, and almost succeeded—would have done, if -Mac had not raised the alarm and called us to his aid in the nick of -time. She tried with success to roll us out of our bunks just at the -hour of deepest sleep, when things of that sort appear anything but -humorous. Sometimes we thought she possessed the temperament of an -elf, but mostly she was diabolical. She flung breakfasts, lunches and -dinners off the tables into the scuppers; she shifted carefully-stowed -stores; she scalded the stokers and half-buried the trimmers. A very -lively packet. - -Storms beset her with monotonous regularity; but one storm is so -like another to the lay mind that it is not necessary to enter into -intricate details. One outstanding feature of these restless days was -the souring of certain of our stores. When diving into the storerooms -to make preparations for the supplies for landing parties at Tristan -and the adjacent islands, we discovered that several bags of flour -and beans were going wrong, due, no doubt, to the constant dampness -and lack of ventilation. The stench was appalling as we hoisted up -the rotting stuff to open air for drying and disinfecting. - -But at last, after a boisterous passage, we sighted Inaccessible -Island on May 19, and this island we passed about four bells in the -middle watch. The morning was dank and misty and but little could be -seen, but when our watch came on deck at 4 a.m., Commander Wild had -already sighted Tristan ahead, though it was now obscured by a dense -black cloud. Shortly afterwards the weather cleared, and we, too, -saw the island looming black and lonely out of the fog some three -points on the starboard bow. By half-past seven, being within half a -mile of the shore, we fired a rocket to attract the attention of the -islanders, or, what was perhaps as likely, to arouse them from slumber. -It was raining heavily by this time. Presently three boats put out, -and, pulled by eager hands, swiftly came alongside. The islanders -clambered aboard in a great hurry, and were all over the ship in a -moment, crying to each other in high-pitched, squeaky voices. Queer -though their intonation was, however, their English was quite good. -They were but poorly clad, clothes being one of their greatest wants. -In a few of these people the dark strain is very apparent, but the -majority are pale of face and not at all unpleasant to look upon. On -the sandy beach a bevy of women and children and dogs turned out to -give us greeting. - -From where we lay the island presented a very massive front, the land -rising precipitously a thousand feet or more all along the water’s -edge, and then sloping away to the summit, some six thousand feet or -so higher. At the north-west end there is a stretch of low land like a -raised beach, where the settlement of thatched cottages lies. These, -with their vegetable gardens in front, look very like the cottages -found in the Highlands of Scotland. The whole place is very green, -especially where the houses are, and on the steeper slopes the bare -earth shows a reddish colour, and small shrub-like “island trees” grow -quite abundantly. A little to the left of the settlement is the sandy -spit where the boats are beached. These boats are commodious, if not -particularly elegant, and are made on the island, being constructed -of a stout wooden framework and a covering of waterproofed canvas. - -Once aboard, our friends were not at all slow in asking for what -they wanted, offering to barter goods of their own creation in -exchange, for there is no money in the island. To them calling ships -are fabulous storehouses of wealth, sent specially to them by a -beneficent Providence—to be emptied of everything they contain for -the islanders’ immediate benefit. More insistently even than the -St. Vincent cadgers they pester one mercilessly for gifts—gifts of -any and every sort; and if any member sternly refuses to part with -his most cherished belongings they seem hurt and somewhat aggrieved. -Not that the islanders ask for things for the mere sake of asking; -I give them credit for better instincts. They are deplorably lacking -in many necessaries, and luxuries are hardly known to them. Clothes, -timber for building, implements wherewith to till a soil that is -unquestionably fertile, tools of every kind, tea, sugar—these are -the things they lack and seek. - -In the matter of exchange they displayed a naïve ignorance of relative -values, and each individual established his own standards of value, -urging one to be quick before the others came along and altered the -market. - -“Mister,” one smooth-tongued islander said, “have you got a mouth-organ -to give me, or a pipe, or some old clothes? I wish to be fair, and -in return I will give you a penguin skin, or a skein of home-made -wool, or a sheep, although some of our sheep are sorry specimens.” -Dr. Macklin was actually offered a perfectly good sheep for a single -stick of tobacco! Well, what can you do with such innocents? They -seem as trusting and simple as the penguins themselves; a primitive -people, unspoilt by intercourse with a prosaic, matter-of-fact world, -betraying the natural qualities of untutored mankind. You give them -everything you can spare, of course. In return they promised us a -bullock, three sheep, a pig, a number of hens and geese, and two -hundred eggs—if they could find them! - -After the boats came alongside we steamed closer inshore and dropped -anchor in eight fathoms of water, in the middle of a thick field of -kelp. After breakfast the rain ceased, and for the rest of the day -the weather continued mild and warm, although the calendar told us -it was officially winter down there. I’ve known many a summer’s day -in Scotland that could have learned much from Tristan da Cunha weather! - -Our forenoon was spent in hoisting on deck the stores and the mail-bags -and parcels we had brought out from England for these islanders. - -Oh, you who sit at home at ease, and grow fretful if the postman -is a minute late on his rounds, think of those who depend for news -of the outer world on chance exploring expeditions which might call -every two or three years or so! Imagine a land that concerns itself -not at all with the sensational murder of yesterday nor the pending -divorce case of to-morrow, but learns vaguely, long after the last -echoes have ceased to ring in the ears of a staggered world, that -there has been some sort of a war in Europe! But the seasickness of -one of the visitors, due to the _Quest’s_ rolling—we seasoned fellows -did not notice it—was of infinitely greater importance. “‘Solid as -ocean foam!’—quoth ocean foam!” - -Next day certain of us went ashore to have a good look round this -far-flung patch of civilization. We had been warned to have a care; -that, owing to the paucity of men, the women of the island had a -husband-hunting look in their eyes; and so, naturally, we walked -warily. There is an ancient deep-sea legend to the effect that a -distressed sailor, sole survivor of a deplorable wreck, was washed -ashore at Tristan da Cunha in a state of unconsciousness, and wakened -to find himself firmly married to most of the eligible females of -the island! - -Our first visit was to the graveyard. Most sailors, I notice, do visit -graveyards first when they go ashore in foreign ports. I don’t know -why, unless it is to envy those who lie comfortably asleep instead -of being compelled to disturb their slumbers at every turn of the tide. - -Tristan da Cunha’s graveyard was not a picture to dazzle the sight. I -thought it very dilapidated. Some few of the graves were indicated by -crazy crosses, but the large majority were hardly to be distinguished -from the surrounding earth. One, it is true, had a wooden slab at -the head. The grave of John Glass, however, a native of Kelso, and -the first settler—the Robinson Crusoe of the place—was dignified by -a marble memorial stone. Other nameless graves were defined meagrely -by square-cut blocks. - -Tristan da Cunha boasts a good water supply, for it lies in a region -of much cloud, and many small streams, born in the higher lands of -the interior, flow noisily through the little settlement. Through -the ages these streams have cut deep gorges in the rock and look like -miniature cañons. All around are boulders, washed down from the hills -by the torrential rains that lave the island in the wet seasons; and -some of the houses are built crudely of these boulders, which lie -ready to hand. The problem of acquiring a house here is a simple one. -You carry a few stones to a selected site, pile them together, say -the result is a house; a house it is within the meaning of the Act, -and as there are no destructive critics to say, “It’s like a house, -but is it a house? Where’s your visitors’ bathroom and the lounge -hall?” - -Not that all the houses are so ambitiously built—small stones from the -beach serve as building materials in many cases; but, even so, Robinson -Crusoe would have envied these islanders their dwelling-places. Lying -as the island does right in the track of storms, indoor embellishments -are easily obtained. If you live there and have the desire to make -an ornate home for yourself, you wait until the next ship is wrecked -and collect such timbers as come ashore; with these you panel your -_pied-à-terre_ and look down tolerantly on your less fortunate -neighbours. - -It is whispered that the prayer of the really ambitious Tristan da -Cunha bride before marriage is: “God bless father, God bless mother, -God send a mail steamer ashore before my wedding-day!” - -But, crude though some of the homesteads are, each one boasts its -kail-yard at its front door, its extent marked out by a fragmentary -paling. There is good soil, and in skilled hands the land could be -made lucratively fruitful. - -Locomotion is two or three hundred years behind the times. The strident -“honk-honk” of the motor horn is unheard in the land. The name of Ford -is unknown. I believe there are so-called savages in Moroccan deserts -who fully appreciate the subtleties of the latest Ford car story; but -the simple people of Tristan da Cunha have never seen a Ford. Could -anything convey a more perfect impression of their remoteness? - -When an islander desires to transport himself or his belongings from -one point to another he employs a rough wooden cart with solid wheels, -rough-hewn from virgin timber, and drawn by placid oxen. There is no -lack of livestock. They number their kine by the score and their sheep -by the ten-score. Donkeys are there and dogs, cats in abundance, and -thrifty, succulent geese. - -Women and children dress quaintly in an old-fashioned way, wearing -long, loose garments that would either drive a Parisian _modiste_ -crazy or else make her famous as the creator of a new mode. All of -them wear vivid red or yellow handkerchiefs tied about their heads, -according to the fashion established by the buccaneers of the Spanish -Main in 1680 or thereabouts. - -Talking to one of the inhabitants, whose name was Henry Green—a -dark-complexioned man, whose short, curly black hair gave a hint of -African blood—I learnt that the worst months on the island were August -and September. - - [Illustration: Scout Marr presents Sir Robert Baden-Powell’s Flag to - the Tristan da Cunha Troop.] - - [Illustration: We go in Search of Fresh Food: Scout Marr (left), - McIlroy, Commander Wild, Dr. Macklin on the shores of Cooper’s Bay, - South Georgia.] - - [Illustration: The _Quest_ off Inaccessible Island.] - -The cattle then become very poor and die off from exposure on the -hills. There are no adequate shelters for them, though material to -construct such shelters exists in abundance; so they stray abroad -and die. Further, the islanders have but few agricultural implements -wherewith to develop the island’s resources. Given the advantages of -civilization, I believe they would make Tristan da Cunha a blossoming -garden; as it is, the place struck me as being derelict. - -Of wood worth while there is none; island wood, cut from the trees, -is useless save for burning purposes; but occasionally the sea-gods -are kind and throw up on the beaches masses of driftwood from sinking -ships. There is turf in abundance, and a little honest hard work would -enable the people to protect their cattle thoroughly. However, hard -work and they seem to have had a quarrel some time ago, and, judging -by the evidences, the quarrel does not yet appear to have been made -up. - -Whatever else the island lacked, it boasted a troop of Scouts, -inaugurated by the Rev. Martyn Rogers, who, with his wife, devotedly -immured himself in this far-away wilderness with an idea of bettering -the lot of the islander population. This troop promised well, and the -honour was given me to present it with Sir Robert Baden Powell’s flag, -especially sent out for the occasion. I accomplished the ceremony in -due form, regretting that I lacked the ability to deliver an inspiring -speech; and after it was all over—after I had inspected the Scouts and -endeavoured to tell them what scouting really meant—I accompanied the -parson and his wife to their vicarage and took tea and damper-bread -with them. - -Mr. and Mrs. Rogers made light of the hardships, but it was given to -me to realize how brave a work they were doing. Delicately nurtured, -they had willingly sacrificed themselves in order that the work of -God might progress. And only those who have actually seen with their -own eyes the conditions of life in Tristan da Cunha can realize -what these devoted Christians undertook when voluntarily they cast -themselves away on this isolated patch of wave-swept land. - -After dark we returned to the _Quest_ and weighed anchor immediately, -preparatory to starting for Inaccessible Island, taking with us three -Tristan volunteers as guides. But first crack of dawn showed us that -the weather conditions were entirely unfavourable for a landing on -this island; accordingly we ran for shelter to Nightingale Island, -about nine miles distant, and anchored there in a good lee. Nightingale -Island is very much smaller than Tristan, though the latter is not -enormous, measuring as it does only about twelve miles by eight. Our -immediate destination was very little more than a single sharp peak -rising some two thousand feet into the air, with lush vegetation of -tussock grass and bracken. There is no lack of bird life; thrush-like -birds, finches, skua gulls, mollymauks and petrels are abundant enough -to please the most enthusiastic ornithologist; though save for the -birds the island is uninhabited, being merely visited occasionally -by Tristanites in search of driftwood, which is the most valuable -harvest the sea gives them. Thus these inhabitants of the loneliest -populated spot on all the earth’s surface benefit by the misfortunes -and sufferings of others, for driftwood only results from wrecks; -and the fragments of many a noble ship have gone to benefit these -poverty-stricken outliers. - -A landing party of Wilkins, Douglas and Carr, together with myself, -left the ship in the surf-boat; we got ashore with difficulty at a -spot where the rocks rose sheer from the sea; but there was a narrow -ledge at a negotiable height which gave us a chance of a rough, wet -scramble to terra firma and enabled us to land our scientific and -lethal equipment after a more or less breathless struggle. - -We climbed a short way along the jagged rocks with our baggage, and -came to a flat, table-like area backed by high cliffs, with gigantic -boulders at their base. The geological party went right on up a narrow -gully, with the intention of inspecting a guano patch at the farther -side of the island; we others remained on our tableland for a while -whilst Mr. Wilkins shot a few birds, then we followed up the hill. From -the ship we had thought this would be easy going up a grassy slope. -We were sadly disillusioned, however, for the grass was rank tussock -and grew high above our heads, being some six to ten feet in length, -and gave the effect of a miniature jungle, being extraordinarily -difficult to break through. I was surprised at the activity of John -Glass, one of the islanders who had accompanied us. He was a man of -over fifty, and he climbed with the agility of a mountain goat. Under -foot the ground was rotten and soaking, and at every second step it -gave way, so that we sank knee deep and farther into the loathsome -bogginess. Mr. Wilkins, scoffing at danger and discomfort, continued to -shoot birds as we laboriously progressed; but though his aim was good -the reward did not always follow, as by reason of the long, tangled -grass his victims were not always found. By the time we reached the -top we were drenched to the skin; but, having achieved, we looked -breathlessly about us on an openland of small trees and loose rock, -with a peculiar kind of round-bladed grass which grew in close tufts, -very difficult to walk upon. Here more birds were shot, and then, all -parties satisfied by the exploration, we returned, sliding down the -soaking, rotten earth, stumbling blindly through the long tussock, -and slipping with monotonous frequency into the gaping potholes, all -of them full to the brim with water. We were glad to reach the ship -again to get towelled and changed. - -For the night we lay off about a mile from the island under easy steam, -in order to keep clear of the rocks. At four o’clock, when I turned -out on watch, it was raining very heavily; a depressing morning, the -crash of surf on the near-by land dominating all other sounds. As -soon as it was considered safe we put closer inshore again, feeling -a very cautious way with the hand-lead, because of the indifferent -surveys of these waters, and dropped anchor once more amongst the -kelp in fifteen fathom water. Mr. Douglas and Henry Glass—another -islander—we landed on Middle Island, a small rocky patch of land -a hundred yards or so off the coast of Nightingale Island. We who -remained on board had an exciting forenoon fishing for sharks—good -sport. Our earliest intimation of their being in the neighbourhood -was when the cook, fishing with ordinary line, brought a small shark -to the surface; afterwards, with a good heaving line, we managed -to haul a round dozen of the brutes aboard—not giants of the breed, -but considerable fish of six to eight feet in length. We also caught -shoals of other fish, edible and inedible, for the waters about these -islands literally swarm with finny loot. - -After fishing my fill I helped Wilkins to skin and clean the birds -he had shot, turning, as was my habit, from sailor to naturalist, -enjoying the change immensely. A trip aboard the _Quest_ ought to -qualify any man to undertake any job known to civilization, and a -few that aren’t! - -At eight bells in the afternoon the boat pushed off for the shore, -and, as it was by now blowing a really stiff gale, it had a thin time -in making the island. The shore party were taken off with enormous -difficulty, at cost of thorough drenchings; but we were lucky in having -the islanders with us during this operation, for their knowledge of -the intricate channels and the really dangerous rocks enabled us to -avoid catastrophe, which threatened many times. They were excellent -boatmen and seemed entire strangers to fear. - -At four o’clock next morning anchor was weighed for Inaccessible -Island; and during this short passage the _Quest_ outdid all previous -rolling performances—thanks to the stern and unanswerable bidding -of a high ground swell that ran heavily abeam. I thought I knew the -length of the ship’s foot; I thought it was impossible for her to -astonish me, but this time she did it; and a dozen times or more I was -certain nothing could prevent her capsizing. As it was, she tossed -me lightly out of my bunk—at least, I left it lightly, but gained -the deck heavily—so I thought the best thing to do was to go on deck. - -Seen from a distance, the island well earns its name, for it looks -inaccessible enough to deter the stoutest hearts. No low land is -apparent, the whole rising sheer out of the fretting water; a green, -more or less oblong mass with nothing inviting about it. The boat was -got ready, stored with food and utensils and gear enough to last the -landing party for several days, as the continued inclemency of the -weather rather pointed to the fact that a return to the ship at our -own sweet will might not be possible. Two alpine axes were added to the -outfit, and a coil of rope, together with the complicated instruments -necessary for biological and geological work. The landing was effected -without mishap, although the beach was both steep and stony, and big, -noisy rollers were breaking thereon with a stern determination and -soul-curdling roars. Still, surf-bathing is a hobby with some people, -so we managed to dodge the worst of the white-crested combers, running -in between them, thus getting ashore with no serious wetting. - -The beach extended for about three-quarters of a mile on either side -of where we landed, the rock rising sheer and forbidding at the ends -of the comparatively level stretch; but throughout the entire mile and -a half ours was the only safe spot for getting ashore, as elsewhere -the rocks were big and the surf very tumultuous. Behind this narrow -strip of beach the rocks rose vertically all along to an average height -of four hundred feet or thereabouts, and no doubt these conditions -determined the first discoverers to give the place its name. Rank -tussock was growing in the greatest abundance everywhere, and high up -on the skyline “island trees” were faintly visible. But anything less -like the desert island of romance it would be difficult to imagine. -Half a mile to the left of the landing-place a narrow waterfall -came tumbling over the edge of the cliff, three hundred and fifty -feet up, and splashed and roared into a deep pool gouged from virgin -rock by its own play. Beyond this the slope was slightly easier, and -there Mr. Douglas and the two men from Tristan who accompanied him -made the ascent with the greatest difficulty and no little daring. -They followed the old Alpine plan of using the rope to overcome all -obstacles. - -As mountaineering was not in my own immediate programme, I assisted -Mr. Wilkins with bird-shooting and photography—gentle sports compared -with the efforts of the others. By 3 p.m. Mr. Douglas had returned, -after having fixed the contours roughly and ascertained the greatest -height for the purpose of the finished survey. - -We arrived back on the _Quest_ by four, anchor was weighed at seven; -thereafter an exhaustive series of soundings were taken, and certain -errors in earlier surveys were rectified. At breakfast time we anchored -in Falmouth Bay, Tristan da Cunha, where we were promptly besieged, as -before, by swarms of curious islanders, who gave us as much attention -as though we were a strange ship arrived for the first time. - -In order that the isolated denizens of this lonely isle should know in -future what events progressed in the outer world, Mac and Watts went -ashore to erect the mast for the Reverend Rogers’s wireless aerial. -I busied myself with shipwork, though the pig hampered me greatly by -an insistent determination to thrust her snout into my wash-bucket. -Oompah dredged overside and caught a young octopus, surely the ugliest -brute on earth, a veritable devil-fish, bright red in colour and with -arms full three feet in length—an ugly customer to tackle even then; -so what its great-grandfather could have been like is best left to -the imagination. We had him crawling lopsidedly about the poop for a -time, where he looked like some creature of an evil nightmare; and -then, when we’d tired of his ugliness, he was handed over to Mr. -Wilkins, who entombed him in a noble jar of methylated spirit. - -In the afternoon Naisbitt, Oompah and I went ashore, to discover Mac -and Watts, more or less assisted by a hundred or so of the islanders, -trying, with the aid of tackles, ropes, improvised sheerpoles and -Portuguese windlasses and the like, to raise a sixty-foot hollow steel -pole into a vertical position. With a patch on a patch and a patch -over all, as they say at sea, they promised to be successful. Amid a -breathless suspense the structure was elevated—up and up, swaying like -a fishing-rod; but at the critical juncture the principal contraption -buckled and broke, the islanders flying like chaff before the wind; and -as the damage was irreparable, the experts had to content themselves -with erecting about two-thirds of the original length and hope for -the best, though I doubt if even now the Tristan da Cunha wireless -station is functioning to any epoch-making extent; for Mr. Rogers -admitted that he had not mastered the Morse code and was ignorant of -not a few technical details. - -We three holiday makers continued on our journey, after suitable -jeers at the mechanics, in the direction of the island’s potato -patch; but as we failed to discover this historical spot we made the -best of it, caught three donkeys and rode triumphantly back to the -settlement, named after a nobler city—Edinburgh. John Glass met us, -bidding us welcome to his home with tea and pumpkin pie, which were -joyously received and rapidly consumed. He is by nature a very fine -gentleman, this islander. He entreated me not to be shy. I am rather -shy, as a matter of fact, but never until John Glass, himself a shy -man, perceived it, did I realize quite how shy. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -Among the Islands - - -A rising swell and indications of increasing bad weather caused us -to hurry our departure from Tristan da Cunha; and when the whistle -was blown in warning the able-bodied population flocked aboard in -a last desperate determination to rid us of all our surplus gear. -Perhaps they were not to be blamed—they were mentally half-grown -children, no more—but by their behaviour on this occasion they undid -any good impressions we had formed of them. Greedy? That wasn’t the -name for it! Unashamedly, with clutching fingers, they started in -to scrounge whatever they could see. It was rather disappointing, I -must confess. Of gratitude for our earlier bounty they betrayed no -trace whatsoever. They had promised us fresh supplies in return for -the enormous amount of stores we had freely given them, but only at -the very last did they reluctantly disgorge two skinny sheep which -were hardly worth taking aboard. - -One party of the steadier elders brought off mail-bags and oddments of -parcels for us to convey to Cape Town. They had forgotten to address -the parcels, and, when told of it, seemed to think we possessed -sufficient second sight to deliver the goods at the required addresses. -So active did they become at last that Commander Wild was compelled to -order them back into their boats, where they went sulkily, like whipped -children; but the narrow conditions of their lives, the hardships -they everlastingly endure, may cause these weaknesses of character. -Anyhow, we left them to their drear isolation, and in drenching rain, -with the ship’s decks woefully littered with the gear the islanders -had disdained to convey below, we put to sea on the next lap of our -journey—towards Gough Island. - -An orgy of cleaning and stowing followed, in order to get the ship in -trim to face expected bad weather. Mr. Wilkins dredged for samples of -the sea’s bottom, but, alas! the dredge wire parted and all his trouble -went for naught. Sounding regularly every hour, through grey, bleak, -thick weather, we journeyed on, and, with the mist thickening, judged -our chances of even sighting Gough Island very remote. Nevertheless, -we sighted it dimly through the thickness early on the afternoon of -May 27, and by eight bells in the afternoon watch were close up with -it. At first a dense mist bank hid all of it, saving only a hundred -feet or so, but the mist soon lifted, and, sailing a hundred and fifty -yards off-shore, with the hands in the chains continuously sounding, -we saw a fairly lofty, rugged island with varied vegetation. The -outstanding feature of this island was the large number of spires and -minarets that seemed carved by the hand of man from the immemorial -rock; there were sharply pointed peaks, too, in quantities, and many -of these stood out like clustered chimney-stacks against the sky, so -that an impression of dense population was conveyed. Over the cliffs, -which for the most part rose sheer from the sea, small streams fell -in perpendicular waterfalls, as they do in Norway, so I was told; and -the wind, blowing hard, scattered these cascades into white clouds of -feathery spray, infinitely beautiful, long before they reached bottom. - -Shortly after dinner we came to anchor in a bit of a bay at the -north-east end of the island, where a beautiful and very densely -vegetated glen opened invitingly to the sea. Near by the water had -cut a tunnel through the cliffs, forming a natural arch of some -magnificence; such arches we found were fairly common around the coast. -This snug valley branched and branched again into innumerable smaller -ravines and gullies, with thick growth a good three-quarters of the -way up the slopes, merging into what appeared to be an open grassland, -which continued to the summits of the highest peaks. Out from this -open land, in full view of the ship, there rose a very singular peak -of dome-like rock, absolutely bare, with precipitous sides, standing -well clear of all the rest of the land, and looking curiously like -some noble monument erected to the memory of the sailormen who had -perished in these wild latitudes. - -Whilst coasting along close inshore we had sighted several other -anchoring grounds, though none of them, possibly, so good as the one -we had selected; and we congratulated ourselves on snug moorings as -we busied ourselves with preparations for landing. After a very early -breakfast the boat was lowered and stowed with instruments—geological, -meteorological, biological—with tents, clothing, cooking utensils -and stores to last for a stay of four or five days. Mr. Douglas, Mr. -Wilkins, Major Carr, Argles, Naisbitt and myself formed the landing -party, Commander Wild taking charge of the boat with the two doctors -and the chief. The water was delightfully clear and calm, and landing -was a comparatively easy matter to seasoned veterans such as we had -now become. A few yards back from the stony beach were two small -huts, one an unlovely structure of corrugated iron, its roof lashed -down to ensure against the risk of being blown away by the furious -gales that rage here almost all the year round. The second hut was -a rude but substantial structure of rounded stones from the shore, -and looked like a relic of prehistoric times. Even its thatched roof, -which had come adrift in places, suggested uncared-for antiquity. And -all around and about these two shacks lay the debris of a deserted -flyaway mining venture—pickaxes and shovels, pans and sieves, a -centrifugal machine, a pump and suction-hose. Various food stores -and cooking utensils were lying about in both huts, and in the iron -erection we found a cooking-stove in good working order. We pitched -our own tent securely and stowed all our gear away in the sound hut, -enjoying all the sensations of those making unexpected discoveries; -for what all this assortment of derelict gear actually meant was -something of a mystery. It showed, however, that the place had been -visited at no very distant period; the general impression was that -a search for diamonds had been conducted here. A box half-filled -with matches was found; we struck one and it ignited immediately, a -surprisingly good advertisement for the tightness of the hut whence -they were collected. Then, in a little cave to the right of the huts, -we discovered a stone bearing an inscription, “F. X. Xeigler, R. I. -Garden, J. Hagan, W. Swaine, J. C. Fenton: Cape Town: 1/6/19,” showing -that years had elapsed since this futile quest had been abandoned. -No further evidence offered; the exploring party, apparently having -searched here and searched there for precious natural loot, seemed to -have dumped down their tools, disheartened, and gone clean off the map. - -The glen was interesting; we divided ourselves into parties to explore -it, each party taking a separate branch. In the bottom of the valley -a torrent brawled and tumbled amongst large boulders, and trekking up -this path was a difficult and arduous matter, as Wilkins and I found -to our cost. But in the blessed name of scientific research obstacles -only exist to be overcome, and on we went. Many trees of island wood -greeted our eyes as we progressed, and what struck me particularly -was the number of extremely beautiful parasites which grew thickly on -these trees. Wilkins secured samples; very fragile they were, and of -great length, their colour being for the most part a pale yellow-green. - -After proceeding a mile the stream fell over a precipice into a narrow -gorge, so, striking off sharply to the right at this juncture, we -climbed a slippery slope of rock covered with a soaked matting of -mosses. This slope soon became almost vertical, and our way was beset -with difficulties. We had to dig our feet into the wet mould, which -fetched away continually from the bare, dripping rock below, or else -secure precarious foothold on the short tree-ferns, which themselves -were very insecurely rooted. But there was all the thrill of discovery -in the adventure; it was just like exploring a perfectly deserted -island on which we might be required to exist for unnumbered years; -and the feeling that the unexpected was going to happen round every -corner was very strong. - -Thus, after struggles unending, we reached the summit, one of those -rugged pinnacles we had observed from the ship prior to landing. Even -at this considerable height the vegetation was profuse, whilst on -every side the land rose in similar steep and rugged eminences. From -this vantage-ground we were able to discern the easiest route to the -island’s summit. For the first fifteen hundred feet it lay through -the thick growth of the glen and the left branch of the left fork. -Then our best way appeared to be to take to one of the grassy ridges -which separated the innumerable gullies and ravines converging on the -main glen. Having discovered so much, we also discovered that the day -was so far advanced that it was time for us to make our way back to -camp; and the return journey was not such hard going as the outward -venture. For myself, I simply slid down the greasy moss helter-skelter, -breaking up every now and then by clutching—and uprooting—a tree-fern. -Mr. Wilkins preferred shooting waterfalls to this method, but there -was not much to choose between the two, both being equally wet and -equally rapid. After dinner most of the shore party indulged in an -orgy of mice-hunting; for the huts swarmed with the little beasts—the -only living relics of the mysterious expedition whose traces we had -discovered. - -At six the following morning we all roused out and had a gorgeous dip -in the stream—cold but invigorating—and then squatted down to a most -delicious breakfast of burgoo and bacon (burgoo, as the initiated -know, is sailorese for porridge). Immediately thereafter the work of -exploration was resumed, both parties joining forces until we reached -the first fork in the glen, where we separated. Mr. Douglas took -the right branch towards the huge natural monument of which I have -spoken before, Mr. Wilkins the left, according to the route we had -mapped out the previous afternoon. As the vegetation was dripping wet -we were quickly and thoroughly drenched. We tried for the most part -to keep to the bed of the stream, but as we constantly encountered -perpendicular and unnavigable waterfalls, we had to take to the slope -again and break a tedious way through big tree-ferns and island wood. - -At last we came out on the open grasslands about two thousand feet -up, and here we made better progress. Mr. Wilkins shot a few finches -in true castaway fashion, to heighten the impression of our being -shipwrecked mariners; and once, hearing a loud cheeping, thrust his -hand into a hole and brought out, pecking and fighting protestingly -against the unceremonious usage, two large birds of the petrel family. -He also took specimens of a very unusual plant that considerably -resembled a young fir tree. There was little else to be seen here, so -we came to a halt a few hundred feet from the summit, on a small flat -ledge where was a providential pool of rainwater. Here we lunched on -biscuits and sardines, washing down the cold collation with draughts -from the pool, in drenching rain. I have eaten uncomfortable meals -under different circumstances, but never in all my recollection have -I eaten one in less pleasant conditions. - -Nothing was to be gained by going farther, so we descended, sliding -as on skis downwards because the ground was so wet and slippery. -Battering again through the vegetation, which was for all the world -like walking up to one’s neck in water, we gained camp late in the -afternoon, as woebegone a pair of objects as even a desert island -could expect to produce. Robinson Crusoe on first landing wasn’t a -patch on us, and the Swiss Family Robinson were fashionable members -of highly civilized society as compared with our sorry selves. We -promptly kindled a huge fire at which to warm and dry, Major Carr -and Argles shooting large numbers of sea birds, which the vivid blaze -attracted. By dint of exercising a little imagination it was easily -possible to believe that we were the survivors of some maritime -disaster waiting—waiting for the appearance of a friendly sail, -constantly alert against attack by bitterly hostile savages. - -The next day it was blowing hard and promising bad weather generally. -A big surf was running, and Commander Wild, finding it impossible to -land with the boat, had to yell his instructions to us on the beach, -so deafening was the noise of wind and breaking water, in addition -to instructions he threw us delicacies—crayfish and Naisbitt’s pipe. -Naisbitt welcomed the latter as a mother does her long-lost child, -for, lacking this vital necessity of civilized existence, he had -fashioned a wonderful and fearsome affair, which he treasures to this -day—a pipe composed of a chunk of driftwood and a stalk of tussock -grass. - -Early in the afternoon the geologists set out with the intention of -gaining the ultimate summit. Towards nightfall the weather became -pronouncedly worse, and the wind, sweeping down the gullies with -hurricane violence, made us wonder if the island itself would remain -firm on its foundations. Rain and hail accompanied the wind, and away -above the peaks were white and glistening with driven snow. A wild, -bizarre night enough; and the sensation of being marooned and left to -our own devices was very strong, by reason of our lack of communication -with the ship, which was only occasionally visible through the noisy -squalls. What was happening to the geologists upon the distant peaks -we could only surmise. As there was nothing to be done to succour -them, we turned in at ten o’clock, amid the thunderous flapping of -the tent’s canvas, which battered about at such a rate that we felt -certain it must inevitably carry away. We were right. At four in the -morning it did carry away; a whole side was blown out. In rushed the -storm, roaring its delight at having penetrated our inner defences. -We had perforce to turn out, collect our belongings and store them -in the hut, where we continued our sleep with philosophical calm, -except for the irritation of the mice, which scampered all over us and -evidently thought we were manna sent from heaven for their especial -benefit. - -The morning breaking somewhat better, Commander Wild was able, with -careful handling, to bring the boat ashore and effect a landing, -taking off Mr. Wilkins and Naisbitt and their baggage. Naisbitt, who -is the unlucky man of the ship, contrived to carry out his usual act -of falling overboard whilst helping to ship the stores. Giving me a -rifle, they left me alone on the beach, to soliloquize in Selkirk -fashion as best I cared. I had a very pronounced Robinson Crusoe -feeling, I must admit—and the rifle failed to bring comfort to my -lonely soul, for there was nothing to use it against that I could see. - -Standing on a lonely beach, holding an unnecessary rifle, struck me -as being waste of time, so I set to work, in true castaway style, -to employ myself—in making a meal. Food plays a large part in the -economy of desert-island life, and I was no exception to the rule. I -experimented to the extent of boiling a number of flint-like ship’s -biscuits until they were quite soft; then I poured off the water, put -in some baking-powder, and pounded the lot into a solid mass. Adding -salt, pepper and other condiments, I placed the mixture in one of -the mining pans, which I had previously smeared with dripping, and, -inverting another mining pan on top by way of a lid, proceeded to bake -my impromptu pie. I am in nowise disposed to brag about my culinary -masterpiece, but it really was quite good to taste; and I pass on -the recipe for Pi à la Gough Island to such potential castaways as -might happen to read these pages. The dish is cheap and uncommonly -filling—considerations worth while when lost to the resources of the -outer world. - -Whilst I was busy, Query, who had accompanied us ashore and followed -the geologists, turned up, accompanied by Argles. Argles was full -of details of a bleak, comfortless night spent on the hill; he told -how, when starting for the summit that morning, he had fallen down -a steep place, so that he hurt his side and was compelled to turn -back. I sympathized, fed him, and we awaited the return of the rest -of the party, which occurred later in the day. Both Mr. Douglas and -Major Carr were very excellent imitations of drowned rats; their woes -clung thickly to them; their faces were blue and lacking laughter. -They’d reached the top, however, where they had been able to do some -useful work regarding surveys of the other peaks. - -We turned in for that night on the floor of the hut—no more -experimenting with fragile tents for us, thank you—and the mice -carried on their best entertainment for our benefit, scampering about -us, over our faces, over our blankets, everywhere. One wakened me at -break o’ day by nibbling my nose; and deciding that discretion was -the better part of valour, we surrendered their citadel and turned -out. We packed up everything, as Commander Wild had determined to -take us off this day or perish in the attempt; for it was quite on -the cards that if he failed to-day a favourable opportunity might -not occur again for weeks, or maybe months. As Gough Island offered -scant entertainment either for body or mind, we were quite determined -to run all reasonable risks to regain the _Quest_. - -The boat arrived about 8 a.m., and Commander Wild was craftily -bringing her inshore, slacking away on the anchor rope to prevent -her being smashed, when he saw the danger of the scend of the surf -lifting her and banging her bottom down on the unkindly beach. He -pulled off and made for the lee of a high cliff, which we ascended -after landing, with the aid of ropes, hauling our gear to its summit, -afterwards lowering the lot down the other side and sliding down the -ropes ourselves. Query presented a problem, as even a South Polar -dog can’t negotiate ropes; but some bright genius thrust him into a -sack and lowered him down willy-nilly, Query making no end of a fuss -of it all the while. - -Fierce, very fierce gusts were coming away down the glen with a loud -screaming as of hordes of fiends, and the surface of the water was -curdled with spray, whilst the spindrift hurtled in blinding clouds. -Pushing off, we gained the _Quest_ after a stiff pull, and the ugly -old packet seemed to smile us a genial welcome, so homelike did she -appear to our eyes. - -Anchor was weighed and we steamed along the coast for a short distance -to where a narrow island rose like a gigantic pillar out of the sea -for about two hundred feet. There the surf-boat went ashore again, -but, though a nasty swell was running, she came to no harm, because -a dense bed of kelp provided an ample buffer if at any time we hit -a boulder too hard. In the meantime Jimmy, who is a man of varied -accomplishments, slew the pig. - -Accompanied, so it seemed, by his dying screams we got under way for -Cape Town and the joys of civilization. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -Asail for Home - - -These days, I find, occupy little space in my diary. Nothing at all -happened out of the recurrent round of work and watches, beyond my -suffering from some sort of illness created by a too greedy indulgence -in succulent crayfish. We spent some active hours day by day in -“treacling up” the ship for the critical eyes of possible visitors; -and as the ship was steady and the conditions were good, time passed -pleasantly indeed. There was a genuine homeward-bound feeling about -everything. We had done most of our work—unexciting and unromantic -maybe, but useful from the scientific point of view; we had surveyed -certain hardly known lands and seas; and we felt we deserved some -few of the ameliorations of an ordinary world. - -Certain rumoured reefs were supposed to lie in our track, and very -assiduously we worked with the sounding machine to verify these -potential dangers to shipping; but no evidence was forthcoming. Two -thousand fathoms gave us no bottom, and a reef buried deeper than -that below the sea’s surface wasn’t likely to do much harm to passing -ships. - -After a delightful period of calms and smooth seas the wind breezed -up again, and the _Quest_, awaking like a startled horse from long -sleep, renewed her old-time vigour and enthusiasm. The wind was fairly -ahead, and with engines going their hardest we could make but little -more than a knot an hour. A dreary passage promised, but after a while -the wind freed, and under sail, with engines stopped, we ramped along -in heartening style. But on June 9 a real tragedy occurred—Query lost -the number of his mess. During the voyage he had got very cunning -in the tricks of the ship and had developed excellent sea-legs, so -that we never felt very much concern about him even when the _Quest_ -was playing her most fantastic tricks. I was assisting Dell to skin -and cut up a Tristan da Cunha sheep—a very scraggy brute, with only -about enough flesh on its bones to form a decent meal for one healthy -Scout. Query, who always followed the work of the ship with sagacious -interest, was absorbedly watching our gory toil when the ship gave a -sickening lurch, and the poor dog, before he could brace himself into -a state of readiness, slipped, clawing and scrabbling, clean over -the side. I heard Jimmy crying out, and running to the poop saw Query -bravely swimming in our direction; he was fully fifty yards astern. -Then, as I looked, my heart aching for him, a big wave hit him and -shut him from view. It was impossible to do anything for him. Had he -been a man his fate must have been the same, for we were running hard -before a gale, and to heave-to might easily have spelt our complete -destruction; to lower a boat was impossible. Poor Query! His loss was -felt very keenly by every man aboard, for there is something in the -atmosphere of a ship that makes a man keen on pets, and Query was a -great pet, well loved by all. I have known many dogs, but never one -with so lovable a disposition as his. And so of all the medley of -animals carried by the ship during her voyage only one solitary cat -remained. - -On June 17 we got into wireless touch with Cape Town—by telephone, -so please you—and heard all the news that had happened during our -prolonged absence from the busy world that makes the news. It was -like coming back into life after a Rip van Winkle existence. We -heard of the ascent of Mount Everest, the sinking of the _Egypt_—the -big ship lost, while our puny cockleshell survived more hazardous -days than had ever befallen the liner!—and all the sporting news -worth while. At noon we faintly discerned flat-topped Table Mountain -ahead. The sea was smooth; we were sailing under ideal conditions; -a strong elation was ours. We planned our adventures amongst men of -our own kind; wondered whether the Cape Town girls were pretty; hoped -they’d secure a good grip on our tow-rope and that they’d pull their -hardest; and generally indulged in fantastic daydreams, as is the way -of sailormen the world over, though steam has done its best to kill -romance. We celebrated this day of days by an uproarious concert in -the ward-room, and all of us, I think, went rather mad. - -Going on deck at midnight was a sheer delight; a wonderful sight -presented itself. The night was perfect—still, serene; and a big -silver moon shining gloriously on the vast expanse of Table Bay vied -with the glowing lights in the distance. The ship was just creeping -along in order to make her anchorage at daylight. Round our quietly -moving bows, in the luminous wake as well, hundreds and hundreds of -phosphorescent fish were playing recklessly, shooting like shafts of -vivid light through the water, and the soft-sounding “wash-wash” of -their breaking surface, a sound which blended so perfectly with the -low seething rustle of the broken water of our progress as to seem -like fairy music. - -A great reception awaited us in the morning. Dense crowds packed the -quays, and many boatloads of enthusiastic people followed in our wake -as we trudged up the harbour. As we steamed to moorings off Robben -Island I thought gratefully of the wonderful experience I had had; -and although I was very sorry it was almost over, yet within my heart -I was glad indeed to be here, for I know of no more splendid emotion -than the home-coming after a great adventure. We had tried and we -had achieved; but sorrow underlay the joy, too, for this reception -was Sir Ernest Shackleton’s triumph, and he was not there to share it. - -During the following days the people of Cape Town gave us generous -greeting and unstinted hospitality. We spent a memorable week-end at -Bonnivale, the estate of Mr. Rigg, situated about 200 miles from Cape -Town—no distance at all in a country of staggering distances—and had -grateful experience of the honest Scottish hospitality of Mrs. A. H. -Smithers, of St. James’s, who received us royally at her home, allowing -us to come and go precisely as we pleased. Wherever I personally went -the Scouts were kindness itself to me, and my great regret was that -I had not sufficient time wherein to see as much of them as I could -have wished. For I owed my great adventure to the fact that I was a -Scout, and gratitude to the organization that gave me my chance must -always be uppermost in my heart. - -It would be utterly impossible for me to write of the many -distinguished, generous people we had the honour to meet, of the -countless functions we attended or of the impressive, interesting -sights we saw. What with lunches, dinners, dances, motor drives and the -like, Jack was ashore with a vengeance and thoroughly enjoying himself; -whilst, considering the people—thousands of them, literally—whom we -had to conduct over the ship, it is a marvel to me how we managed -to get a full day into every twenty-four hours. Every day was a -red-letter day on its own account; and I must always remember our -stay as a truly wonderful month. - -Toward the close of our stay we moved down to the Naval Dockyard at -Simon’s Town to refit; but Commander Wild, prostrated by a severe -attack of influenza, was unfortunately unable to accompany us there. - -Thus, after much delight, we left Table Bay on July 13 very hurriedly, -and once more faced the elements. Not very trying on this occasion, -however, for the weather was beautifully fine; though, thanks to -our high living when ashore, certain of us began to realize that -seasickness, a thing forgotten, was still a real affair. Nevertheless, -across a sea as smooth as glass we pursued our way, until South Africa -dropped below the horizon and our visit was nothing but a golden -memory—a memory that set one longing to be possessed of wings, to -fly back and continue the prolonged farewell. - -Once fairly at sea, I learned to my keen regret that we were homeward -bound—definitely homeward bound. I say “with regret” advisedly, for I -had looked forward joyously to cruising amongst new seas, of seeing -great new lands—Australia, New Zealand, and the romantic, colourful -islands of the South Pacific. Still a journey of considerable interest -was in prospect, and many a day would pass before we loomed in sight -of English shores. - -It was like yachting—yachting _de luxe_—as we steamed along placid -seas, under broiling suns and cloudless skies. Pleasant travelling -this, but we of the _Quest_, hardened to bad weather, occasionally -found the lazy times a trifle boring. Not unduly so, mark you. We did -not precisely pray for big gales and high seas, for we had had our -share, and more than our share, maybe, of such happenings of ocean -travel; but even lazy loafing about the decks with a book can grow -monotonous, and a gale certainly provides excitement and the element -of the unexpected. - -Without any event of outstanding importance, following a placid -round of commonplace duties, living on the fat of the land, since -there was now no pronounced need to conserve our stores, cleaning -ship diligently, fishing for albatross, taking occasional soundings -and dredgings, we reached St. Helena and anchored off Jamestown. It -is a pretty little town, which straggles picturesquely for a long -way up the bottom of an acute-sided valley. The island itself is a -mountainous mass, intersected in every direction by deep valleys, those -opening to the sea in our direction being of a very regular V-shape. -An exceedingly fertile land, its chief industry is the growing of -flax. The natives are black, some being rather less so than others, -and white people are few and far between. - -Mr. Douglas and I rode across the island to inspect some dykes he had -heard about, and on the way stopped at Napoleon’s last abiding-place, -his lonely home during his tragic banishment. We saw his tomb only -from the distance, having no time for a closer inspection. The roads -we negotiated were uniformly good, but at a certain point on the far -side of the island, in order to reach our destination, we had to alight -and lead our sturdy animals down the rough side of an extremely steep -hill. At the bottom Mr. Douglas stopped and purchased some exquisitely -dainty lace at a native cottage. St. Helena rather specializes in -lace of delicate fashioning; its manufacture is an industry of some -importance. - -The dykes were situated beside a ruined Dutch fort which once guarded -a small cove, and I wondered what feature of history this stronghold -illustrated, but was able to secure no worth-while information on the -subject. A few shattered cannon, crumbling to nothingness under the -influence of the sea air, still remained—grim relics of a forgotten -era in colonization. We stayed in the vicinity for an hour, Mr. -Douglas taking many photographs and gathering various geological -specimens. The country hereabouts was rocky and barren and not at -all inviting. Having satisfied our lust for information so far as -possible, we returned; it was already dark when we clattered into -Jamestown. After months at sea, and to a man untutored in the art, -riding was a painful business at best, and I was so sore by the -time we sighted our destination that I could not sit in the saddle, -but, jockey-wise, rode in the stirrups alone. Counting everything, -I think my performance wasn’t so bad—I only fell off once; but then, -as I said, anyone who could exist aboard the _Quest_ when she was up -to her tricks could sit anything, even a drunken giraffe. Next day -brought its penalty of adventuring: I was so sore that if there had -been a mantelpiece aboard the ship I’d have eaten my breakfast from -it. Lacking so unusual a table, I suffered in stoic silence, mentally -anathematizing all horses; but the smart soon disappeared, helped by -activities aboard. - -The weather at this time was blazing hot, so hot that even to wind -up one’s watch was an exertion to be seriously considered for long -half-hours at a stretch before completing the operation. Sweat ran -from us in rivers, for we were all carrying flesh as a result of lush -feeding on the passage from Cape Town. - -My general impression of St. Helena was that it was a derelict island; -its glory had departed. Its name rings down through the aisles of -history, and will probably never be forgotten, for here the Corsican -Ogre was housed in safety after peace was given to a war-ridden world; -but it is its name that matters and not the place itself. However, -I was very glad to have seen it, and it was easy to picture the -ambitious Man of Destiny eating out his heart in a galling captivity, -reflecting on the glories and triumphs that once were his. - -We departed for Ascension Island the night Mr. Douglas and I returned -from our equine gymnastics, and spent a fairly lazy time on the -passage, for the heat was against arduous exertion. During these days -the dominant feature of the seascape—a placid plain of shining water -for the most part—was the enormous swarms of flying-fish that dashed -away from the warning of our thrusting bow and scattered wildly in -every direction, rising foolishly into the air until their wings -dried, then plopping and pattering back into their native element, -to become easy prey, one supposes, to the voracious bonitos who are -their natural enemies. We found amusement in endeavouring to coax the -last lonely albatross that had accompanied us northward to continue -its journey; but an uncanny instinct prevented it from venturing. It -is said these birds will never under any conditions cross the Line, -and this fellow seemed a living proof of the fact. - -In the afternoon of August 1 we sighted the sharp peak of Ascension -Island—where the turtles come from—and after dark we came to anchor a -few hundred yards from the naval barracks. I went below into the hold -to find some clean clothes, and the Chief, entering the ward-room, -fell down through the open hatch. Under normal conditions he would -have expressed his feelings with such words as occurred to him at the -moment, and I should have wilted under his torrential profanity; but -the homeward-bound feeling was evidently strongly within him, for he -maintained a silence that was more pregnant than many words. He made -a game struggle against his natural feelings and won—all credit to him. - -During the war there was on Ascension a big wireless station, with a -coaling station for our patrolling cruisers also; and the garrison -of marines is still maintained, probably in readiness for the next -war, or it may be that they have been forgotten. Anyhow, there the -garrison still is, and also the Eastern Telegraph Company have a -cable station on the island; so no doubt the two groups keep each -other company. - -Ascension lies very near the Equator, and is naturally hot. With the -exception of St. Paul’s Rocks it is, I think, the hottest place I -have so far struck. It is an amazing contrast to St. Helena; utterly -barren of vegetation except, strangely enough, on the very summit of -the peak, which is 3,000 feet high or thereabouts, there is a single -farm, which supplies the garrison with fresh meat and vegetables. For -the rest the island is nothing but a monotonous series of huge red -mounds of ashes and piles of clinker, due to the one-time extraordinary -volcanic action here. There still remain some two dozen perfectly -discernible volcanic craters, any one of which appeared ready to -start into immediate eruption. - -Early on the morning of arrival I accompanied Mr. Douglas ashore, clad -weirdly in his garments for the most part, for hard work had taken a -bitter toll of mine. We walked for a little while along the road that -leads to the farm on the ultimate peak, and then struck off towards -a hill known as Dark Slope Crater. The geologist had learned that -there was some ejected granite to be found there, and was curious to -investigate. - -Our way led us across many piles of clinker, which emitted a strangely -musical tinkle when we set foot on them. It was intensely hot; the -scorched cinders struck through our boot soles as if they were merely -paper. They say at Aden that there is only a single thickness of -brown paper between them and the nether regions; the same remark -applies to Ascension. On top of the crater we ate our modest lunch -and inspected the crater itself—extinct, though suggestive. At the -bottom was a yellow, sun-dried area like the bottom of a pond in a -severe drought. Mr. Douglas took samples of this dried mud, thinking -it to be fuller’s earth, and no doubt dreamt of uncountable riches; -he also got samples of the granite he sought. Having satisfied our -hunger for the unusual, we entered Wideawake Valley, called by this -unexpected name because it teems with millions of wideawake birds. -When I say millions I mean millions; there is no exaggeration. It was -nesting time, and the noise as we walked through amongst the sitting -mothers was deafening, whilst the air was literally darkened by the -wheeling, startled birds, who pecked gallantly at our headgear in -the endeavour to beat off our innocent intrusion. Unfortunately they -were in the right of it, for so thickly were the nests strewn on the -open ground that we trampled eggs and so on into a hideous omelette -in our progress, without in the least wishing to do anything of the -sort. - -From this yelling tornado of ornithological resentment we made a -detour, the general direction being toward the peak road. Ascending a -dried-up creek we came upon a beautiful specimen of a lava flow. The -flow was in the act of rounding a bend, and was so good an example -that Mr. Douglas took photographs and measurements. Ascension is, -indeed, a rare spot for a geologist. Farther on I picked up half a -volcanic “bomb,” and a piece which might have been a “teardrop.” Mr. -Douglas took samples from many striking dykes, one running for half -a mile down the side of a hill. Every foot of the journey brought -some new surprise, something of keen interest. A large mass of grey -rock—trachyte, I think it is called—was weathered into fantastic -shapes. We also found ejected gneiss, and the presence of this, -together with the granite, supports the theory that Ascension is -connected, under water, with the main African continent. - -Presently we gained the peak road at “God-be-thanked Well,” a most -appropriate name, for I was dying for a drink, as were unquestionably -those who originally named the well. A long draught of cool water -bred feelings of profound thankfulness in our souls. - -At length, with what seemed at least a hundredweight each of rock -specimens slung on our backs, we arrived at the station, racing -the swiftly falling darkness during the last lap of the journey, to -discover that a mail-boat was in the harbour. Whilst awaiting the -arrival of our boat it was interesting to watch the marines working -by the light of acetylene flares; and there was superior joy in -realizing our own immediate immunity from labour of this trying sort. - -Next day, securing shore leave again, I dressed myself appropriately -to the consuming heat that threatened, and Mr. Douglas and I pushed -off for the land. When aboard ship for a long time even a naked rock -promises a relief from cramped surroundings, and we welcomed these -shore excursions very cordially. We started at once up the hot, dusty -road to the peak, halting three miles inland at God-be-thanked Well -for a relished drink and an equally enjoyed smoke. As the gradient -began to steepen we encountered sparse vegetation—thin-growing grass -and cactus plants, palms and casuarinas—which vegetation culminates -in the fertile farmland of the peak. About two and a half miles from -the actual summit we left the road and climbed a steep grassy ridge, -but frequently crossed the main thoroughfare, which ascended in a -series of remarkable bends. Emerging on the road at one of these -bends we met a fine old gentleman in khaki shorts, with a horse and -a little daughter. He was very tall, with silver-grey hair and a -fresh countenance. This was Mr. Cronk, who runs the peak farm. With -astonishing generosity he lent me his mare, which promptly bolted up -the hill as I set foot in the stirrup, being exceptionally spirited -from long confinement in the stable. Nor did she slacken speed, -notwithstanding the steepness of the way, until she drew up with a -clatter at the stable door. She gave me a hazardous passage, for every -time she swung round a bend I was nearly off, retaining my seat only -by dint of my sailor’s grip. - -At the farm we bathed and were entertained most regally, afterwards -making our way round the left slope of the mountain, along a path -cut with no little skill by Mr. Cronk. On the way Mr. Douglas poked -his stick into what seemed very like an ordinary rabbit burrow, and a -huge land-crab immediately emerged, ready for battle. He presented a -most ferocious front, but decided that the odds against him were too -heavy, so promptly retreated. We saw many more of these unsightly, -nightmarish brutes. We made a thorough inspection of the country -surrounding the peak, saw many strange sights, and returned to the -farm, where Mr. Cronk served us with an excellent dinner; and then -to bed. How deliciously inviting a landsman’s bed can be! - -The following morning, in clear sunshine, with a swift, cool breeze -to temper the heat, we set forth again. Mr. Douglas promptly occupying -himself with photography, secured some amazing views. The vistas were -beyond description, and well worth recording permanently. One gazed -on a scene which, except for the dirty yellow-white of the scattered -patches of withered grass, had but little variation in colour. The -dominant features were the bright red of the conical hills and craters -and the darker brown of the piles of clinkers; and the impression -conveyed was that one stared out over the raw world as it must have -been almost immediately after the creation. Growing on the distant -lower slopes were palms, casuarinas and green grass, and on the peak -itself was an extensive vegetation of conifers, greener grass and -bamboos, these last being on the very summit, sheltering a small pool -made by Mr. Cronk. - -After a breakfast to treasure in memory through many years—never -were such delicious cold chicken, such sweet eggs, such vegetables -and fruit!—we listened to our worthy host’s pleadings that we should -inspect a bridge of his own fashioning, and followed him along through -tunnels and arches and cuttings, balancing ourselves on precarious -ledges with sheer drops on the one side that terminated thousands of -feet below, until we reached the bridge, which spanned a small gully -and was composed of steel piping, cemented smoothly over and giving -the impression that it had existed from time immemorial and would -continue to endure for ever—a striking piece of work. - -Those who gave the place-names to this island were evidently obsessed -with a belief that the entire country owed its origin to Plutonic -ingenuity. There’s the Devil’s Punch Bowl, there’s the Devil’s Riding -School—this latter a peculiar crater, perfectly circular and looking -from above precisely like a giant target that has fallen over on its -back. There would seem to have been successive volcanic eruptions -here, and the resultant deposits are laid out in concentric circles -of varying colour, quite conveying the idea of the conventional target. - -The flaming sun took toll of us during the return journey. My face, -back, neck, arms and legs were baked bright scarlet when I boarded the -ship at five o’clock, just before she weighed anchor; and in some way -I’d picked up a temperature, too, which resulted in my being ordered -to my bunk for the night. - -But the temperature did not long endure; in the morning I wakened -quite normal, to find the _Quest_ in open water and practising -her rolling evolutions with gusto. Beyond a few blisters and much -smarting, my sunburn failed to trouble me. From Ascension we brought -the beginnings of a menagerie—sailors must have pets of some sort—and -in addition to a monkey and a canary we boasted quite a flock of -young turtles, as proof we had visited Turtleopolis. We tended these -fellows carefully, changing their water frequently and feeding them -regularly on salt pork. This Saturday night, as had been our custom -throughout, we drank the old navy toast of “Sweethearts and Wives,” -to which the inevitable joker solemnly added, “May they never meet!” -an amendment as customary as the toast itself. We then turned on the -faithful gramophone, suffering by this time from much hard usage, -but still determined to do its best and producing quite decent music. - -Next day we cleaned ship, and, with the wind dying down into puffs, -encountered heavy rain, which gave us all the joy of baths. This being -Sunday I took opportunity for a “sailor’s pleasure,” and turned out my -bunk, which, from its peculiar situation just below the companion-hatch -into the wardroom, seemed to be the harbouring-place of every oddment -in the ship. The sum total of these accumulations is interesting. -Listen: Sea-water, sea-boots, enamel plates and other eating gear, -soup, salt pork and tinned fruit, and a sample of every article of -food ever consumed aboard. - -August 8 we crossed the Line again in blazing heat. During the -uneventful days of the passage to St. Vincent we exerted ourselves -faithfully in cleaning ship, washing her inside and out, up aloft -and down below. She shone like silver as a result of our exertions, -but we wondered what would happen to her when the coaling began. -Still, aboard ship the hands must be kept employed, otherwise they -might grumble and slack and grow discontented. When there’s no other -employment for them they clean ship and go on cleaning. Then the -coaling crowd come aboard and take a diabolical delight in smothering -her with foulness. Still, no bones are broken, so no one is any the -worse. - -The hours spent at the wheel during these fine-weather days were -enjoyable in the extreme. With the sun shining across the easily -rolling sea in a broad dazzling beam, and a cool north-north-east -wind blowing gently six points or so on the starboard bow, the heat -of the day is delightfully counteracted and sailing conditions are -perfect. During such hours a man is allowed to think—those deep -thoughts which cannot be put into so many prosaic words, but which -lift the soul gloriously out of itself and teach one the majesty of -God. One drifts aimlessly from subject to obscure subject, lost in -a hazy dreamland of introspection, until—— - -“Hallo! What might you be trying to do with her? Write your name with -the —— —— ship?” comes from the officer of the watch, and you spring -to alertness and stare aghast at the loops and twists of the bubbling -wake. - -In due course we reached St. Vincent, and found it and the adjacent -islands in even a sorrier plight than when we visited them on the -outward journey, for the drought had spread to the neighbouring -islands, and as they supply St. Vincent itself with cereals and -vegetables and water, a condition nearly approaching famine existed. -Throughout the day of our arrival we were surrounded by bumboats in -charge of extremely ragged boatmen, who endeavoured to tempt us into -buying their trifling variety of fruits. Certain of these enthusiasts -varied their hours by diving for the chunks of coal which fell -overboard from our coaling, and they inevitably secured their loot. We -coaled ship, smothered ourselves in grime, bathed, and finally left -St. Vincent on Sunday, August 20, in a whirl of excitement, firing -rockets lavishly, and sent on our way by much cheering from women -and children who had massed in a high place to see the last of us. - -Placid workful conditions continued until, on September 3, we reached -San Miguel of the Western Isles and anchored there. A very pretty -picture this island presents from the sea, reminding one greatly -of our own northern land—green fields, much vegetation, and regular -walls. Going ashore here, I enjoyed a Portuguese Sunday—the busiest, -most careless day of the week, apparently, for the cafés were all -wide open and doing a roaring trade, and the streets were thronged -with islanders dressed in their best, determined on enjoyment. A -very different scene from Tristan da Cunha, let’s say! I enjoyed this -colourful scene immensely, it was such relief from the monotones which -had been our experience for so many months. But all things have an -end, and on Monday, September 4, we weighed anchor and headed out -upon the final lap of the homeward trail. After certain sunny days -we ran into screaming hard weather, with a fortunate fair wind that -bade the _Quest_ do her best—an order she obeyed, both as to speed and -rolling. Her firm intention seemed to be to leave us with poignant -memories of her activities in this direction. But we endured, and -we blessed her for carrying us so far so worthily; and now that the -hazards are past I retain nothing but the tenderest recollections of -what we used to call in our wrath “that perishing old wash-tub of a -rolling son of a gun.” - -And so the closing stage of the memorable voyage approached. Long -before there was even the remotest hope of our sighting England -we commenced our packing, three parts of which had to be promptly -unpacked; and then we painted the weird assortment of boxes which -contained our accumulated possessions, and hoped they would look a -little less disreputable than they actually did. Late on the evening -of September 15 we crept into Plymouth Sound and dropped our anchor—an -anxious anchor that had repeatedly tried to break loose from its -moorings on the homeward trip—in Cawsand Bay. We were home—home from -the great adventure! - -On September 17, the anniversary of the day on which she had left St. -Katharine’s Dock a year before, the _Quest_ was finally berthed and -our work was done. Here in her resting-place I said farewell to the -many staunch friends I had made and to the stout, plucky, wonderful -ship that I had grown to look upon as a second home. - -And now I can hardly believe that it was all true. Yet it _was_ -true—gloriously so. I, too, have seen and known and learnt; I, too, -have companioned with the great souls who help to make our island -history. Sir Ernest Shackleton, Commander Frank Wild and the others, -all great of heart and fearless of soul, had been my shipmates and -my friends. - -It was a memorable year indeed, and for all time I know I must carry -with me a vision of tumbling waves by day and phosphorescent breakers -in the darkness; the grind and bellow of the closing pack, the rush -and roar of broken waters at the growlers’ feet; the hushed noises -of the seals as they come to the surface in the still water of the -pack; and always shall I see in mind’s-eye the glory of the Antarctic -night. - -And most poignant yet inspiring of all my memories there is that of -the lonely cross outlined against the whirling drive of the South -Georgian sleet, the sign which remains to tell of the great spirit -that led us forth into the Frozen South and died, yet lives again, -as a magnet to draw the brave away from the sleek comforts of life -into that outer world of daring where men may gaze in awe upon the -wonders of the Lord. - - - - -INDEX - - - Adelie penguin, a solitary, 160 - - Albacore, a shoal of, 55 - - Albatrosses, fishing for, 183, 191 - flight of, 80, 88 - - Antarctic Circle, weather in the, 139 - - Antarctic exploration, Commander Wild on, 172 - - Argles, Mr., 155, 156, 157, 190 - a series of accidents, 157, 221 - catches a penguin, 163 - - Ascension Island, 231 - intense heat of, 231 _et seq._ - - Aurora Australis, a glimpse of the, 158 - - - Bergs (_see_ Icebergs) - - Billiards at Gritviken, 194 - - Binney, Mr., and his dog, 194 - - Bird-covered bergs, 118, 119 - - Bird Island, 191 - - Bird-shooting, 207, 210 - - Biscuit-pie, recipe for, 221 - - Bonnivale, a week-end at, 227 - - Bull-fight, a Portuguese, 34 - - Bull-fights, Spanish, 37 - - Bullock-cars, 42 - - Burlings reef, 29 - - Butterfly-hunting at St. Vincent, 52 - - - Campbell, Captain Gordon, war work of, 14 - - Cape Saunders, a survey of, 188 - - Cape Town, welcome at, 227 - - Cape Valentine, 174 - - Cape Verde Islands, impressions of, 49, 51 - - _Carl_ (whaler), 108 - - Carr, Major, accident to, 82 - as barber, 154 - in a football match, 169 - meteorological experiments of, 40, 62, 64, 66, 109, 178, 215 - studies manœuvres of an albatross, 81 - - Christmas in Southern Seas, 82 _et seq._ - - Clerk Rocks, volcanic eruptions on, 116 - - Coal-sifting, 59 - - Coal-trimming, 15, 18, 47, 79, 155 - - Coaling at Port Olaf Harbour, 190 - - Cod-fishing in South Georgia, 188 - - Compass adjustment, experiences of, 11, 15 - - Cook, Captain, discovers South Georgia, 97 - - Cornwallis Island, 175 - - Crabs on St. Paul’s Rocks, 62, 64 - - Cronk, Mr., and his farm at Ascension Island, 234 - - Cumberland Bay, 196 - - - Deer-hunting in South Georgia, 109 - - Dell, Mr., as coal-trimmer, 155 - asked to carry on, 102 - electrician of _Quest_, 62, 64, 97, 122 - injured in a gale, 90 - skins a sheep, 225 - - Divers, light-fingered, 50 - - Donkey riding at St Vincent, 51, 52 - - Douglas, Mr., 206, 208, 215 - and a defective harpoon, 143 - and Sir E. Shackleton’s grave, 194 - as footballer, 169 - buys lace at St. Helena, 229 - geological researches of, 44, 52, 233 - rejoins _Quest_, 109 - replaces _Quest’s_ cook in the galley, 45 - scientific observations in South Georgia, 77 - surveys St. Paul’s Rocks, 62, 64 - - - Eastern Telegraph Company, cable station on Ascension Island, 231 - - Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha, 212 - - Elephant Island, in sight, 174 - weather of, 178 - why so named, 177 - - _Endurance_ expedition, 171, 174, 175 - - Eriksen, Mr., 62 - harpoons a giant porpoise, 58 - returns home, 72 - - _Expedition Topics_ and its editor, 123, 126 - - - Falmouth Bay, Tristan da Cunha, 210 - - Firemen (ship’s), and their duties, 15 - - Fishing in South Georgia, 188, 191, 193 - - Flensing, 99, 177, 188 - - Floating ice, risk of navigation amongst, 120 - - Flying-fish, 63, 230 - - Football on the ice, 166, 168, 170 - - Funchal, bullock-cars of, 42 - steep streets of, 43 - - - Gales in Southern Seas, 88 _et seq._, 127, 130, 151, 157, 164, 173 - - Glacier ice, dangers of, 177 - - Glass, John, agility of, 207 - welcomes _Quest_ holiday-makers, 212 - - Glass, John, first settler at Tristan da Cunha, 203 - - “God-be-thanked Well,” Ascension Island, 233, 234 - - Gough Island, 214 - a derelict hut on, 216 - exploration work on, 215 _et seq._ - landing on, 215 - - Green (cook of _Quest_), 31, 86, 91, 128 - accident to, 44 - and Worsley’s birthday feast, 151 - - Green, Henry, a Tristan da Cunha inhabitant, 204 - - Gritviken, harbour of, 98 - Shackleton’s grave at, 186, 194, 195 - the British quarters at, 101 - - “Growlers,” definition of, 96 - - “Gubbins Alley,” why so called, 198 - - Gulls, Skua, 113 - - Gymnastics extraordinary, 111 - - - Hansen, Mr., manager of whaling station at Leith, 110, 111, 186 - - Horn sailing-ship, a famous, 60 - - Housing problem, the, how solved at Tristan da Cunha, 203 - - Hussey, Captain, 62, 64, 83, 102 - and the death of Sir E. Shackleton, 104, 186 - meteorological experiments of, 40 - - - Ice and wind, a rough time with, 177 _et seq._ - - Ice, football on the, 166, 168, 170 - - Icebergs, 117 - beauty of, 95 - capsized, 97, 125 - source of, 96 - tabular, 115 - - “Ice-blink,” 96 - - Ice-water, and how obtained, 147, 154 - - Inaccessible Island, 199 - a landing on, 209 - - - Jamestown, 229 - - Jeffrey, Mr., 62, 124, 152 - an accident to, 76, 102 - and an albatross, 183 - as ice-catcher, 160 - convalescence of, 118 - rocket-fire by, disturbs penguins, 119 - - - Kelvin sounder, the, 113, 114, 183 - - Kerr, Mr., engineer, 143 - - Killer whales, 133, 135, 165 - - Kipling, Rudyard, his understanding of the sea, 71, 82, 122 - - - Lace-buying at St. Helena, 229 - - _La France_ becalmed, 60 - wrecked off New Caledonia, 61 - - Land-crabs, 235 - - Larsen Harbour, and its cliffs, 115 - - Leith Harbour, South Georgia, 186, 187, 193 - - Lifeboats, daily overhaul of, 126 - - Lisbon, a remarkable cinema exhibition in, 32 - _Quest_ overhauled in, 33 - the Pena Palace, 31, 38 - - Locomotion, primitive, 204 - - London’s farewell to _Quest_, 6 - - Lysaght, Mr., a farewell dinner to, 50 - embarks on _Quest_, 15 - popularity of, 44 - returns to England, 53 - - - Macklin, Dr., 62, 178, 179 - an urgent message to, 75 - billiard-playing at Gritviken, 194 - plays football on the ice, 169 - seamanship of, 90 - Tristan islanders’ offer to, 201 - - Macleod, 131, 156 - and a refractory squaresail, 149 - and a wireless installation, 211 - and Sir E. Shackleton’s cairn, 194, 195 - as instructor in seamanship, 161 - averts a disaster, 198 - - Madeira, first sight of, 40 - flora of, 42 - remarkable atmosphere of, 41 - sight-seeing in, 42 - - Mailbags delivered at Tristan da Cunha, 201 - - _Mal de mer_, and its terrors, 19 _et seq._, 39, 173 - - Marr, Scout, alone on Gough Island, 220 - as butcher, 134 - as helmsman in a gale, 88 - as lamp-trimmer: Sir E. Shackleton’s hints, 25 - Christmas Day on _Quest_, 84 - experiences miseries of _mal de mer_, 19 _et seq._, 39, 173 - first day among pack-ice, 133 - first meeting with Shackleton, 2 - football on the ice, 163, 169, 170 - fraternizes with Lisbon Scouts, 38 - his wages increased, 49 - joins _Quest_, 4 - meets brother Scouts at Plymouth, 14 - on the sick list, 150 - presents Sir R. Baden Powell’s flag to Tristan Scouts, 205 - reaches home, 239 - selected for _Quest_ expedition, 1 - Shackleton and, 55, 56, 66, 97 - sight-seeing in Madeira and St. Vincent, 42, 51 - - Mason, a martyr to seasickness, 39, 40 - leaves _Quest_, 41 - - McIlroy, Dr., a game of billiards at Gritviken, 194 - and Shackleton’s cairn 195 - tends Worsley, 124 - - Meteorological experiments, and how conducted, 66 - - Mice-hunting on Gough Island, 218 - - Middle Island, 208 - - Mirages, Antarctic, 162, 163, 174, 181 - - Monte Video, Shackleton’s body taken to, 105, 180 - - Moon-blindness, 57 - - Mooney, Scout Norman E., his duties, 10 - joins _Quest_, 4 - leaves _Quest_, 41 - selected for _Quest_ expedition, 1 - suffers from seasickness, 19, 21, 28, 39 - welcomed by Portuguese Scouts, 38 - - Motor rides in Lisbon, 33 - - Mountaineering on Inaccessible Island, 210 - - - Naisbitt (cook’s mate), edits _Expedition Topics_, 123 - falls overboard, 220 - falls through the ice, 166 - fashions a tobacco-pipe, 219 - plays football on the ice, 169 - - Napoleon I at St. Helena, 229, 230 - - Nautilus, first sight of a, 80 - - Navigation among floating ice, dangers of, 120 - - _Neko_ enters Leith Harbour, 189 - - Nelson, Admiral, his tendency to seasickness, 20 - - New Year’s Day (1922), 94 - - Nightingale Island, 206 - - - Octopus, a baby, 211 - - Oil on troubled waters, 91 - - Oompah (_see_ Young) - - - Pack-ice, 153 - colour effects of, 141, 142, 158 - _Quest’s_ entry into, 131 - the helmsman’s difficulties in, 132 - - Pagoda Rock, 125 - - Pancake ice, 110 - - Parcels, unaddressed, 213 - - Parr, Mr., addresses Scout officers, 14 - - “Peggying,” definition of, 111 - in a gale, 130 - - Penguin, a, witnesses football on the ice, 166 - - Penguin-chasing and its humour, 163 - - Penguin hunting in South Georgia, 114 - - Penguins, 95, 163 - and how they resented rocket-fire, 119 - - _Perth_ at Stromness, 189, 190 - - Petrels, photographing, 113 - - Phosphorescent fish, 226 - - Pig, a, Query and, 196 - - Pilots, Portuguese, 30 - - Plymouth welcomes the _Quest_, 14, 15 - - Plymouth Sound, _Quest_ anchors in, on her return home, 239 - - Polar exploration ships, accommodation on, 4 - - Porpoise, a shoal of, 58 - - Portugal, first sight of, 29 - - Portuguese bull-fight, a, 34 - - “Portuguese man-o’-war,” a, 80 - - Portuguese Sunday, a, 230 - - Prince Olaf Harbour, 190, 192, 193 - - _Professor Gruvel_, Sir E. Shackleton’s body conveyed on, 105 - - Pumping, the rigours of, 122, 145 - - - Query (wolf-hound puppy), and a killer whale, 161 - and a penguin, 163, 166 - and a pig, 196 - embarks on _Quest_, 15 - his cold bath, 176 - his curiosity regarding pack-ice, 132 - how he fared during a gale, 129 - loss of, 225 - - _Quest_, a blaze aboard, and its cause, 143 - a description of, 12 - a nigger volunteer for, 101 - a rough time with ice and wind, 177 _et seq._ - alfresco meals on, 46 - amongst floating ice, 120 - anchors in Funchal Harbour, 41 - arrives home, 239 - _en route_ for Cape Verde, 44 - engine trouble, 28, 40, 47, 55, 71, 79, 92 - first impressions of, 3, 4 - hemmed in by ice, 134, 141, 165 - her wireless installations, 13 - leaves Lisbon, 39 - London’s good-bye to, 6 _et seq._ - makes for Elephant Island, 171 - narrow escapes of, 120, 121 - Plymouth’s welcome to, 14 - runs into ice, 95 _et seq._ - Sir E. Shackleton’s cabin, 48 - top speed of, 22 - - - Revolutions, and how fostered, 68 - - Rigg, Mr., entertains crew of _Quest_, 227 - - Rio de Janeiro, 67 - a month at, 72 - beauty of, 68, 73 - departure from, 76 - past and present, 68, 69 - _Quest_ in quarantine at, 69 - - “Rio Doctor,” the, 74 - - Rogers, Rev Martyn, and his wireless station, 211 - and the Scout movement, 205 - - Ross (stoker), 169 - - Rowett, John Quiller, a dinner to officers and crew of _Quest_, 15 - author’s tribute to, 5 - bids farewell to _Quest_, 16 - finances _Quest_ expedition, 4, 13 - prearranges Christmas fare, 83 - sends wreath for Shackleton’s funeral, 187 - - Royal Bay, 196 - - - Saddle-soreness, an experience of, 230 - - Sailing-ships, mysteries of, 19 - - St. Helena, 228 - geological researches at, 232 - natives of, 229 - - St. Paul’s Rocks, a call at, 61 - - St Vincent, and its harbour, 50 - _Quest_ at, 238 - - San Miguel, 238 - - Scouts, a troop at Tristan da Cunha, 205 - Brazilian, 74 - Plymouth, 14 - Portuguese, 38 - - Scurvy, and how it is encouraged, 137 - - Sea-birds of St. Paul’s Rocks, 63 - - Sea-elephants, a school of, 112 - flensing, 177 - harems of, 178 - - Sea-leopard, a discreet, 145 - fate of a sleeping, 168 - first sight of a, 137 - - Sea-leopards, pugnacity of, 176 - - Seasickness, reflections on, and remedies for, 19 - - Seal-hunting, 153 - - Seal-shooting, 134 - - Seals, schools of, 112, 136 - shot and flayed on the ice, 137, 143 - - Shackleton, Lady, her wishes as to funeral of her husband, 105, - 186, 187 - - Shackleton, Sir Ernest, a dictum of, 156 - a motto of, 45 - a pen-picture of, 2 - and author, 55, 56, 66, 97 - death of, 102 - his cabin on _Quest_, 48 - his makeshift berth, 93 - his thought for his men, 77, 94 - hints on common-sense sailorizing by, 25, 26 - inspects candidates for _Quest_ adventure, 1 - last resting-place of, 186, 194, 195 - sudden indisposition of, 75 - talks of a previous expedition, 97, 98 - - Shark-fishing, 208 - - Sheerness, _Quest_ at, 9 - - Shetlanders as barbers, 111 - - Ships, essential discipline of, 7 _et seq._ - - Simon’s Town, _Quest_ at, 227 - - Skua gulls as food, 115 - - Sleep as recreation, 23 - - Smithers, Mrs. A. H., hospitality of, 227 - - Snow petrels, 155 - - Sounding under difficulties, 183, 184 - - Soundings, fruitless, 121, 122, 125 - old and new method of, 113, 192 - - South American ports, rules as to entry and leaving, 67 - - South Georgia, discovery of, 97 - kindness of Norwegians of, 110, 111 - _Quest_ at, 98 _et seq._, 186 _et seq._ - Shackleton buried in, 186 - the administration of, 101 - typical weather of, 102, 106, 109, 184, 188, 193 - - South Sandwich Islands, 118 _et seq._ - - _Southern Isles_, 190 - - Spanish bull-fights, 37 - - Stars of tropical skies, 46 - - Stenhouse, Mr., his farewell to _Quest_, 16 - - Steering, reflections on, 21 - - Stoker, first experiences as, 15 - - Stores, shifting, 7 - - Stream-ice encountered, 131 - - Stromness whaling station, 189 - - Sugar-cane groves in Madeira, 42 - - Sugar Loaf, the, 67 - ascent of, 73 - - - Table Bay, _Quest_ at, 226 - - Tobacco-pipe, an unusual, 220 - - Tree parasites, 217 - - Tristan da Cunha, a spell on, 198 _et seq._ - first sight of, 199 - graveyard at, 202 - islanders of, 199, 200, 213 - - Turtleopolis (_see_ Ascension Island) - - Tussock grass, rank growth of, 207, 210 - - - Vao d’Assucar (_see_ Sugar Loaf) - - Volcanic islands, 119, 120 - - - Water, fresh, need for conserving, 57, 87 - - Waterfalls, 210, 214 - - Water-sky, a, and its cause, 139 - - Watts (of _Quest_), and a wireless aerial, 211 - plays football on the ice, 169 - - Wearing a ship, method of, 148 - - Weddell Sea ice, 163 - - Western Telegraph Company as hosts, 43, 53 - - Whalers and whaling, past and present, 99 _et seq._ - - Whales, a school of, 153 - process of flensing, 99, 177, 188 - - Whaling stations, 98, 188 _et seq._ - - Wideawake Valley, Ascension Island, 232 - - Wild, Frank (Commander), an attack of influenza, 227 - and a runaway boat, 124 - averts a disaster to _Quest_, 120 - birthday celebrations, 190 - contracts a chill, 178 - imparts news of death of Sir E. Shackleton, 102 - on Antarctic exploration, 172 - plays football on the ice, 169 - seal-shooting by, 134 - seamanship of, 125 - shoots a porpoise, 59 - takes command of _Quest_, 103, 106 _et seq._ - - Wilkins, Mr., a narrow escape from death, 180 - as photographer, 45, 64, 112 _et seq._, 141, 153 - bird-shooting on Nightingale Island, 207 - butterfly-hunting at St. Vincent, 52 - rejoins _Quest_, 108 - scientific observations in South Georgia, 77, 109 - shoots an Emperor penguin, 137 - studies manœuvres of an albatross, 81 - - Wilson’s Island, 74 - - Wireless in Tristan da Cunha, 211 - - _Woodville_ at Stromness, 189, 190 - - Worsley, Captain, accident to, 124 - and the _Endurance_ expedition, 175 - as mimic, 160 - birthday celebrations on _Quest_, 151 - sailing master of _Quest_, 16, 24 - seamanship of, 90 - unfailing courage of, 128 - - - “Young ice,” 110 - - Young, stoker of _Quest_ (“Oompah”), 169, 190, 211 - - - Zavodovski, island of, 118 - - - PRINTED BY CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, - LA BELLE SAUVAGE, LONDON, E.C.4. - - 20.1123 - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INTO THE FROZEN SOUTH *** - -***** This file should be named 64196-0.txt or 64196-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - https://www.gutenberg.org/6/4/1/9/64196/ - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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