Staff and crew were settling down to the routine.

Bird life was plentiful, and we noticed Cape pigeons, whale-birds, terns, mollymauks, nellies, sooty, and wandering albatrosses in the neighbourhood of the ship.

The course was laid for the passage between Sanders Island and Candlemas Volcano.

December 7 brought the first check.

At six o'clock that morning the sea, which had been green in colour all the previous day, changed suddenly to a deep indigo.