CHAPTER XVI.

A POLAR STORM.


Early in February the voyagers, whose progress had been slow, found
themselves in a veritable sea of "Pancake ice." Everywhere in a
monotonous waste the vast white field seemed to stretch, with only a
few albatrosses and petrels dotting its lonely surface. The
thermometer dropped to ten below zero, and the boys found the snug
warmth of the steam-heated cabins very desirable. There was a fair
wind, and sail had been set on the Southern Cross to aid the work of
towing her, and she was driving through the ice with a continuous
rushing and crashing sound that at first was alarming, but to which
her company soon grew accustomed.

Captain Barrington announced at noon that day that they were then in
lat. 60 degrees 28 minutes, and longitude 59 degrees 20 minutes
West--bearings which showed that they would be, before many days had
past, at the Great Barrier itself. Excitement ran high among the boys
at the receipt of this news, and Frank and Harry, who had fitted up a
kind of work-room in the warmed hold, worked eagerly at their
auto-sledge, which was expected to be of much use in transporting
heavy loads to and from the ship to the winter quarters.

Before the two vessels reached the Barrier, however, they were