Cook has recorded that he never met the equivalent of the Antarctic ice mountains in the Greenland seas, even at a higher latitude." "What is the reason ?" I asked.
"No doubt that the influence of the south winds is predominant in the northern regions.

Now, those winds do not reach the northern regions until they have been heated in their passage over America, Asia, and Europe, and they contribute to raise the temperature of the atmosphere.

The nearest land, ending in the points of the Cape of Good Hope, Patagonia, and Tasmania, does not modify the atmospheric currents." "That is an important observation, captain, and it justifies your opinion with regard to an open sea." "Yes, open--at least, for ten degrees behind the icebergs.

Let us then only get through that obstacle, and our greatest difficulty will have been conquered.

You were right in saying that the existence of that open sea has been formally recognized by Weddell." "And by Arthur Pym, captain." "And by Arthur Pym." From the 15th of December the difficulties of navigation increased with the number of the drifting masses.