Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 1.djvu/148

80 course, but there is still a good deal of motion, and would be more if we attempted to increase speed.

Oates reports that the ponies are taking it pretty well.

Soon after 8 the sky cleared, and we have had brilliant sunshine throughout the day; the wind came from the N.W. this forenoon, but has dropped during the afternoon. We increased to 55 revolutions at 10 The swell is subsiding but not so quickly as I had expected.

To-night it is absolutely calm, with glorious bright sunshine. Several people were sunning themselves at 11 o'clock! sitting on deck and reading.

The land is clear to-night. Coulman Island 75 miles west.

Sounding at 7, 187 fathoms.

Sounding at 4, 310

Monday, January 2.—Obs. 75° 3′, 173° 41′. Made good S. 3 W. 119′; C. Crozier S. 22 W. 159′. It has been a glorious night followed by a glorious forenoon; the sun has been shining almost continuously. Several of us drew a bucket of sea water and had a bath with saltwater soap on the deck. The water was cold, of course, but it was quite pleasant to dry oneself in the sun. The deck bathing habit has fallen off since we crossed the Antarctic circle, but Bowers has kept going in all weathers.

There is still a good deal of swell—difficult to understand after a day's calm—and less than 200 miles of water to windward.

Wilson saw and sketched the new white-stomached whale seen by us in the pack.

At 8.30 we sighted Mount Erebus, distant about 115