210 THE EASTERN SLEDGE JOURNEY 



again by Christmas, we had, therefore, to leave before 

 the middle of November. It would do no harm, how- 

 ever, to be off before this, and as soon as November 

 arrived we took the first opportunity of disappearing. 



On account of getting on the right course, we pre- 

 ferred that the start should take place in clear weather. 

 The fact was that we were obliged to go round by the 

 depot in 80° S. As King Edward Land lies to the 

 east, or rather north-east, of Framheim, this was a con- 

 siderable detour; it had to be made, because in Sep- 

 tember we had left at this depot all the packed sledging 

 provisions, a good deal of our personal equipment, and, 

 finally, some of the necessary instruments. 



On the way to the depot, about thirty geographical 

 miles south of Framheim, we had the nasty crevassed 

 surface that had been met with for the first time on the 

 third depot journey in the autumn of 1911 — in the 

 month of April. At that time we came upon it alto- 

 gether unawares, and it was somewhat remarkable that 

 we escaped from it with the loss of two dogs. This 

 broken surface lay in a depression about a mile to the 

 west of the route originally marked out; but, however 

 it may have been, it seems ever since that time to have 

 exercised an irresistible attraction. On our first attempt 

 to go south, in September, 1911, we came right into 

 the middle of it, in spite of the fact that it was then 

 perfectly clear. I afterwards heard that in spite of all 

 their efforts, the southern party, on their last trip. 



