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The Voyages of Captain Scott : Retold from the Voyage of the Discovery and Scott's Last Expedition by Charles Turley
page 31 of 413 (07%)
and on the 5th was moored off the naval station at Simon's Bay.
The main object of staying at the Cape was to obtain comparisons
with the magnetic instruments, but Scott wrote: 'It is much to
be deplored that no permanent Magnetic Station now exists at the
Cape. The fact increased the number and difficulty of our own
observations, and it was quite impossible to spare the time for such
repetitions and verifications as, under the circumstances, could
alone have placed them beyond dispute.' Armitage and Barne, however,
worked like Trojans in taking observations, and received so much
valuable assistance 'that they were able to accomplish a maximum
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amount of work in the limited time at their disposal.' In every
way, indeed, the kindliest sympathy was shown at the Cape.

The magnetic work was completed on October 12, and two days later
the _Discovery_ once more put out to sea; and as time went on those
on board became more and more satisfied with her seaworthy qualities.
Towards the end of October there was a succession of heavy following
gales, but she rose like a cork to the mountainous seas that followed
in her wake, and, considering her size, she was wonderfully free
of water on the upper deck. With a heavy following sea, however,
she was, owing to her buoyancy, extremely lively, and rolls of
more than 40ยบ were often recorded. The peculiar shape of the stern,
to which reference has been made, was now well tested. It gave
additional buoyancy to the after-end, causing the ship to rise
more quickly to the seas, but the same lifting effect was also
directed to throwing the ship off her course, and consequently
she was difficult to steer. The helmsmen gradually became more
expert, but on one occasion when Scott and some other officers were
on the bridge the ship swerved round, and was immediately swept by
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