Chapter XIII. Along the Front of the Icebergs

           AlthoughtheseasbeyondthePolarCirclewerewildlytumultuous,itisbutjusttoacknowledgethatournavigationhadbeenaccomplishedsofarunderexceptionalconditions.AndwhatgoodluckitwouldbeiftheHalbrane,inthisfirstfortnightofDecember,weretofindtheWeddellrouteopen!

           There!IamtalkingoftheWeddellrouteasthoughitwereamacadamizedroad,wellkept,withmile-stonesand“ThiswaytotheSouthPole”onasignpost!

           Thenumerouswanderingmassesoficegaveourmennotrouble;theywereeasilyavoided.Itseemedlikelythatnorealdifficultieswouldariseuntiltheschoonershouldhavetotrytomakeapassageforherselfthroughtheicebergs.

           Besides,therewasnosurprisetobefeared.Thepresenceoficewasindicatedbyayellowishtintintheatmosphere,whichthewhalerscalled“blink.”Thisisaphenomenonpeculiartotheglacialzoneswhichneverdeceivestheobserver.

           ForfivesuccessivedaystheHalbranesailedwithoutsustaininganydamage,withouthaving,evenforamoment,hadtofearacollision.Itistruethatinproportionassheadvancedtowardsthesouththenumberoficepacksincreasedandthechannelsbecamenarrower.Onthe14thanobservationgaveus72°37’forlatitude,ourlongituderemainingthesame,betweentheforty-secondandtheforty-thirdmeridian.ThiswasalreadyapointbeyondtheAntarcticCirclethatfewnavigatorshadbeenabletoreach.WewereatonlytwodegreeslowerthanWeddell.