Page:Aurora Australis.djvu/162

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AURORA AUSTRALIS.

been called King Edward VII Land, in honour of the Great King;

But they could not, for their way was barred by mountains and plains of ice, which were broken up and scattered abroad over the whole face of the waters, in such quantity that no ship fashioned by the hand of man could force its way through, or withstand the pressure thereof.

Many of the great leviathans of the deep did they see, like unto the one which the traveller Jonah of old time did explore, and also vast numbers of the fierce beasts of the sea that do abound in this strange country.

¶ And it came to pass that after many more troublous and weary days, they came to that mountain of fire and smoke which is called Erebus.

And near unto the foot of this burning mountain did they build them a house, and for the space of nineteen days they did lustily labour until they had taken out of the ship sufficient food and raiment and all their goods and chattels, their horses and dogs, and everything that was needed;

Then did the ship Nimrod return to the land of sunshine, where women and men do dwell, leaving Shackleton and his people to sojourn and to labour