ear above this domain of rock and snow which had been theirs for
generations.

In adjoining rookeries the Adelie penguins, with their fat, downy
cheeks, were very plentiful and fiercer than usual. Skuas, snow and
Wilson petrels were all in their accustomed haunts. Down on the low
ice-foot at the mouth of a rocky ravine, a few seals had effected
a landing. Algae, mosses and lichens made quite a display in moist
localities.

Before leaving for the ship, we "boiled the billy" on a platform of
slate near the cove where the launch was anchored and had a small
picnic, entertained by the penguins playing about in the surf or scaling
the ice-foot to join the birds which were laboriously climbing to the
rookeries on the ridge. The afternoon was so peaceful and the calm
hot weather such a novelty to us that we pushed off reluctantly to the
'Aurora' after an eventful day.

Those on board had had a busy time dredging, and their results were just
as successful as ours. A haul was made in two hundred and fifty fathoms
of ascidians, sponges, crinoids, holothurians, fish and other forms of
life in such quantity that Hunter and Hamilton were occupied in sorting
the specimens until five o'clock next morning. Meanwhile the 'Aurora'
had returned to her old anchorage close to Cape Denison.

The sky banked up from the south with nimbus, and early on the 23rd a
strong breeze ruffled the water. There were a few things to be brought
off from the shore, while Ainsworth, Sandell and Correll were still
at the Hut, so that, as the weather conditions pointed to a coming
blizzard, I decided to "cut the painter" with the land.

An hour later the motor-launch, with Madigan and Bickerton, sped away
for the last load through falling snow and a rising sea. Hodgeman had
battened down the windows of the Hut, the chimney was stuffed with
bagging, the veranda-entrance closed with boards, and, inside, an
invitation was left for future visitors to occupy and make themselves
at home. After the remainder of the dogs and some miscellaneous gear had
been shipped, the launch put off and came alongside in a squally wind
through thick showers of snow. Willing hands soon unloaded the boat
and slung it in the davits. Every one was at last safe on board, and in
future all our operations were to be conducted from the ship.

During the night the wind rose and the barometer fell, while the air was
filled with drifting snow. On the 24th--Christmas Eve--the velocity of