148 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Feb. 



' Here the nature of the barrier surface towards the south 

 could be seen well. South of the rising slope ahead of the 

 ship I had expected to see a continuous level plain, but to my 

 surprise found that the plain continued in a series of long un- 

 dulations running approximately east and west, or parallel to 

 the barrier edge ; the first two undulations could be distinctly 

 seen, each wave occupying a space of two or three miles, but 

 beyond that, the existence of further waves was only indicated 

 by alternate light and shadow, growing fainter in the distance. 

 In the far south a bank of cloud had all the appearance of 

 high land, but such indications are now too well known not to 

 be received with caution, and even as I looked through my 

 glasses, faint changes in outline were perceptible. Far over the 

 snow expanse a small black dot represented our sledge party ; 

 they must have been nearly eight miles away, and their visi- 

 bility shows how easily a contrast can be seen on the 

 monotonous grey of the snow.' 



When I again descended to the plain, Shackleton took my 

 place, armed with a camera. I had hoped that in the afternoon 

 other officers and men would have been able to ascend, and 

 especially our engineer, Mr. Skelton, and those of his depart- 

 ment who had so successfully inflated the balloon, but the 

 wind was gradually increasing, and our captive began to sway 

 about and tug so persistently at its moorings that it became 

 necessary to deflate it. 



The sight of so many seals on the previous evening had 

 reminded us that our winter stock was to be thought of, and 

 whilst ballooning operations were in progress, the majority of 

 our people had been despatched once more on a murderous 

 errand. The work of killing and skinning was now performed 

 with greater dexterity, but the labour of transporting the 

 carcases to the ship was found to be very great, and it was late 

 in the day before it was accomplished and all hands tumbled 

 aboard dead tired. 



Meanwhile our sledge party had returned. Armitage 

 reported that he had crossed two undulations before camping 

 for the night, and in the morning had left his camp, and 



