Part 46 (1/2)

At 6.30 P.M. we steamed out of the bay, the wind moderating as the s.h.i.+p got well out to sea. At midnight there was a moderate breeze from the south, with some snow.

On February 10 heavy pack was met, about fifty miles north of Commonwealth Bay. After coasting along its margin for a while, we pushed among the floes and, after three hours, reached a patch of fairly open water about 1 P.M.

One hour later a large ice-formation was sighted, which tallied with that met on January 3 of the previous year (1912) and which, on this occasion, was no longer in its original position. We came to the conclusion that the whole must have drifted about fifty miles to the north-west during the intervening year. The face of this huge berg, along which the 'Aurora' coasted, was about forty miles in length.

Hannam heard fragments of a message from Dr. Mawson during the evening.

The words, ”creva.s.se,” ”Ninnis,” ”Mertz,” ”broken” and ”cable” were picked up.

Good progress was made on the 11th against a high westerly sea. The sun set in a clear sky and the barometer was slowly rising. Our position was evidently north of the pack and, if unimpeded by ice, there was a chance of the s.h.i.+p arriving at her destination in time.

Poor headway was made for nearly three days against an adverse wind and sea. Then, late on the 14th, a breeze sprang up from the east-south-east and, under all sail, the 'Aurora' made seven knots.

Next morning we were driving along before an easterly gale in thick snow, and at noon the day's run was one hundred and eighty miles.

The journal describes the following week:

”February 16. The weather cleared up this morning and the sun came out, enabling us to fix our position.

”We are doing about eight knots under topsails and foresail. The sky looked threatening this evening but improved considerably before midnight.

”February 17. There were frequent snow squalls today, making it difficult to see. Only a few scattered pieces of ice were about.

”February 18. Bright, clear weather to-day enabled us to get good observations. There are a great many 'blue whales' round the s.h.i.+p, and the many bergs in sight are suggestive of heavy pack to the south. A great many petrels and Cape pigeons have been seen.

”February 19. The s.h.i.+p was brought up this morning at 8.45 by a line of heavy pack extending across the course. The weather was misty, but cleared up before noon. We have been obliged to steer a northerly course along the edge of the pack.

”The margin of this pack is some sixty miles farther north than that which we followed in 1912.

”At midnight we were steering north-north-west; many bergs in sight and a line of pack to port.

”February 20. At daylight we were able to steer southwest, being at noon about twenty miles north of Termination Ice-Tongue. Pus.h.i.+ng through the looser edge of pack for a couple of hours we saw the loom of the ice-tongue to the southward. The pack becoming closer, we turned back to the north in order to try and push through farther west, where the sky looked more promising.

”At dark we were in a patch of clear water, with ice all around. It began to snow and, as the wind remained a light easterly, the s.h.i.+p was allowed to drift until daylight.

”February 21. The morning was very foggy up till 11 A.M. We steered west until noon and then entered the pack; there was a promising sky towards the south. Fair progress was made through the ice, which became looser as we advanced to the south. At 8 P.M. we pa.s.sed through leads by moonlight, having a favourable run throughout the night.

”February 22. At 4 A.M. the wind freshened from the south-east with some snow; the floes were getting heavier and the advent of a blizzard was not hailed with joy. About noon the s.h.i.+p approached open water and the snow ceased.

”We were now on the confines of the sea of bergs where navigation had proved so dangerous in 1912.

”At 8 P.M. the driving snow and growing darkness made it impossible to see any distance ahead. The next seven hours were the most anxious I have ever spent at sea. Although the wind blew hard from the south-east, we pa.s.sed through the sea of bergs without mishap, guided and protected by a Higher Power.

”February 23. At 4 A.M. the loom of an ice-tongue was sighted and we were soon standing in to follow this feature until we reached the Shackleton Shelf.

”At 8 A.M. we found that we were some miles south of our reckoning.

”At 11 A.M. we sighted a depot-flag on the slope. Soon after the s.h.i.+p was up to the fast floe at the head of the bay, the ice being nearly a mile farther north than on the previous year. In fact, the ice-conditions as a whole had changed considerably.

”At noon we reached the Base and found the party all well.”

Wild and his comrades were as glad to see the 'Aurora' as we were to see them. They had commenced to lay in a stock of seal-meat fearing that they might have to pa.s.s another winter on the glacier.