chap, vii THE SASSEXDAL 109 



hard stone-flats or equally level marginal ice-beds to go on. 

 Good progress was therefore made, and in an hour I was 

 standing where the valley broadens out to a great basin, and 

 a long wide view can be obtained. I climbed the bank and 

 gazed around with real delight. Far away in the sombre 

 purple distance were the hills behind Advent Bay. In the 

 opposite direction, across a mile of grey stone-flat, cut up 

 by scores of streams (all to be crossed by us), lay our 

 pass to the Sassendal, clearly visible and of easy access — a 

 wide low opening in the hills. The main valley wound 

 gently up to the SW. between hill-sides striped with melting 

 snow-beds. But the striking feature of the view was farther 

 round to the south, where the huge cliff-fronted and serac'd 

 snout of a glacier swept forth from a deep blue cloud- 

 enveloped valley. The ice-cliff, appearing thus literally 

 from the clouds, produced a most impressive effect. It 

 thundered forth at frequent intervals, when masses of ice fell 

 from it, so we named it Booming Glacier. Gregory, who 

 came up at this moment, was so taken by it that he set out 

 for a nearer view, whilst I levelled the plane-table to secure 

 some observations before the dark storm rushing up the 

 valley rendered work impossible. 



When Garwood came by with the sledges, we began 

 crossing the streams. The mended sledge went bravely 

 through, but we watched the other in fear and trembling, 

 for one of its runners was worn almost as thin as paper 

 and evidently would not hold out much longer. It waved 

 and twisted over and about the stones, but for this time 

 also did not break. At the far side was a bank of snow- 

 bog to be climbed, wherein the ponies floundered up to 

 the withers. Spitz set knowingly to work, prodding with 

 her fore-feet to beat down the snow, and when she found 

 it too deep, refusing to advance till I had gone before and 

 trodden a broad deep furrow. Thus we came safe to land 



