The threat of the sea had been our portion during many, many days, and a respite meant much to weary bodies and jaded minds.
The accompanying plan will indicate our exact position more clearly than I can describe it.

The cliffs at the back of the beach were inaccessible except at two points where there were steep snow-slopes.
We were not worried now about food, for, apart from our own rations, there were seals on the beach and we could see others in the water outside the reef.

Every now and then one of the animals would rise in the shallows and crawl up on the beach, which evidently was a recognized place of resort for its kind.

A small rocky island which protected us to some extent from the north-westerly wind carried a ringed-penguin rookery.

These birds were of migratory habit and might be expected to leave us before the winter set in fully, but in the meantime they were within our reach.