The barrier was 70 ft. high, with cliffs of
about 40 ft. The 'Scotia' must have passed this point when pushing to
Bruce's farthest south on March 6, 1904, and I knew from the narrative
of that voyage, as well as from our own observation, that the coast
trended away to the south-west. The lead of open water continued along
the barrier-edge, and we pushed forward without delay.
An easterly breeze brought cloud and falls of snow during the morning
of January 11. The barrier trended south-west by south, and we skirted
it for fifty miles until 11 am. The cliffs in the morning were 20 ft.
high, and by noon they had increased to 110 and 115 ft. The brow
apparently rose 20 to 30 ft. higher. We were forced away from the
barrier once for three hours by a line of very heavy pack-ice.
Otherwise there was open water along the edge, with high loose pack to
the west and north-west. We noticed a seal bobbing up and down in an
apparent effort to swallow a long silvery fish that projected at least
eighteen inches from its mouth. The noon position was lat. 73° 13? S.,
long. 20° 43? W., and a sounding then gave 155 fathoms at a distance of
a mile from the barrier. The bottom consisted of large igneous
pebbles. The weather then became thick, and I held away to the
westward, where the sky had given indications of open water, until 7
p.
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