[Page 55]
the southward and eastward of the extreme position reached by Ross
in 1842. From that position he had reported a strong appearance
of land to the southeast, and consequently all eyes were directed
over the icy cliffs in that direction. But although the afternoon
was bright and clear, nothing from below or from aloft could be
seen, and the only conclusion to be made was that the report was
based on yet another optical illusion.

But in spite of the disappointment at being unable to report that
Ross's 'appearance of land' rested on solid foundations, there was
on the afternoon of the 29th an indescribable sense of impending
change. 'We all felt that the plot was thickening, and we could not
fail to be inspirited by the fact that we had not so far encountered
the heavy pack-ice which Ross reported in this region, and that
consequently we were now sailing in an open sea into an unknown
world.'

The course lay well to the northward of east, and the change came at
8 P.M. when suddenly the ice-cliff turned to the east, and becoming
more and more irregular continued in that direction for about five
miles, when again it turned sharply to the north. Into the deep bay
thus formed they ran, and as the ice was approached they saw at
once that it was unlike anything yet seen. The ice-foot descended
to various heights of ten or twenty feet above the water, and behind
it the snow surface rose in long undulating slopes to rounded ridges,
the heights of which could only be guessed. Whatever doubt remained
in their minds that this was snow-covered land, a sounding of 100
fathoms quickly removed it.