'c'sle, and, after much manoeuvring, we
secured one with a long hand-net.

Soon after, there was a cry of "killer whales!" from the stern. Schools
of them were travelling from the west to the east along the edge of the
pack. The water was calm and leaden, and every few seconds a big
black triangular fin would project from the surface, there would be
a momentary glimpse of a dark yellow-blotched back and then all would
disappear.

We pushed into the pack to "ice ship," as the water-supply was running
low. Just as the 'Aurora' was leaving the open water, a school of finner
whales went by, blowing high jets of spray in sudden blasts, wallowing
for a few seconds on the surface, and diving in swirls of foam. These
finners or rorquals are enormous mammals, and on one occasion we were
followed by one for several hours. It swam along with the ship, diving
regularly underneath from one side to another, and we wondered what
would happen if it had chosen to charge the vessel or to investigate the
propeller.

Close to a big floe to which the ship was secured, two crab-eater
seals were shot and hauled aboard to be skinned and investigated by the
biologists and bacteriologist. When the scientists had finished their
work, the meat and blubber were cut up for the dogs, while the choicer
steaks were taken to the cook's galley.

After lunch every one started to "ice ship" in earnest. The sky had
cleared and the sun was warm and brilliant by the time a party had
landed on the snow-covered floe with baskets, picks and shovels. When
the baskets had been filled, they were hoisted by hand-power on to a
derrick which had been fixed to the mizen mast, swung inboard and then
shovelled into a melting tank alongside the engine-room. The melter was
a small tank through which ran a coil of steam pipes. The ice came up in
such quantity that it was not melted in time to keep up with the demand,
so a large heap was made on the deck.

Later in the afternoon it was found that holes chipped in the sea-ice to
a depth of six or eight inches filled quickly with fresh water, and soon
a gang of men had started a service with buckets and dippers between
these pools and the main hatch where the water was poured through
funnels into the ship's tanks. The bulwarks on the port side of the
main hatch had been taken down, and a long plank stretched across to
the floe. At nine o'clock work was stopped and we once more resumed our
western cruise.

It was found