174 ON THE BARRIER 



enough ; we had no need to fear any kind of disturbance 

 here. The site had the additional advantage that we 

 could see the ship from it, and would always be in 

 communication with those on board. 



From here the valley turned slightly to the south. 

 After having marked the spot where our first tent was 

 to be set up, we continued our investigations. The 

 valley sloped gradually upwards, and reached the ridge 

 at a height of 100 feet. From this elevation we had an 

 excellent view over the valley we had been following, 

 and all the other surroundings. On the north the 

 Barrier extended, level and straight, apparently without 

 interruption, and ended on the west in the steep descent 

 of Cape Man's Head, which formed the eastern limit of 

 the inner part of the Bay of Whales, and afforded a snug 

 little corner, where we had found room for our ship. 

 There lay the whole of the inner part of the bay, 

 bounded on all sides by ice, ice and nothing but ice- 

 Barrier as far as we could see, white and blue. This 

 spot would no doubt show a surprising play of colour 

 later on; it promised well in this way. 



The ridge we were standing on was not broad about 

 two hundred yards, I think and in many places it was 

 swept quite bare by the wind, showing the blue ice 

 itself. We passed over it and made for the pass of 

 Thermopylae, which extended in a southerly direction 

 from the ridge, and after a very slight descent was 

 merged in a great plain, surrounded by elevations on all 



