IIo SCOTT'S” LAST) EXPEDITION [Octoner 
we were all in good spirits, as even if we could not get down to 
Cape Evans by the sea ice, we could make certain of getting 
plenty of food here. Distance about 6 miles. 
October 8.—Bright sun but cold westerly wind with low 
drift when we turned out at 5.30. We were away by 8 and the 
going was much the same as yesterday, only the ice hummocks 
were more numerous and the undulations steeper. In the after- 
noon the sun went behind nimbus haze and the light got very bad 
indeed, and was the cause of us nearly coming to grief. The 
snow was very wind-blown and slippery on the top of the undula- 
tions, but soft in the hollows, and we had been racing down the 
slopes to help us through the soft snow. Soon after 4 the light 
got so bad we could not see where we were stepping, and when 
well on our way down one of these slopes, I thought I saw a 
crevasse in front, so swung the sledge, and was going ahead to 
reconnoitre, when I found we were on the edge of a steep slope 
about 20 ft. high, which went sheer down into a barranca. We 
had to get the sledges up the slippery slope again, no easy job, 
and try round. After about a mile we found a place we could 
cross, but the delays of roping up to prospect made our day’s 
march small. Dickason is bad again. I suppose it must be the 
heavy pulling. Distance 6 miles. The weather thick, with slight 
snow. 
October 9.—I turned out to look at the weather at 4 A.M. 
and found it snowing and so thick I could only just see the other 
tent. 
By 7 it was better though still thick, so after breakfast we 
started and steered a more easterly course to try and get out 
of this broken country. The light and surface were vile, while a 
cold westerly wind did not improve matters. We found our- 
selves in country just as bad, so steered due south, and went 
straight ahead, but even going as cautiously as we could we 
nearly repeated yesterday’s experience, stopping the sledge just 
in time on the edge of the cliff and having to work back up the 
slope and round. The wind had increased to a gale with drift 
to add to our discomfort. About 4 o’clock, however, the sun 
came out, the wind eased, and we got into better country. Just 
before camping, from the top of one of the ridges, I got a view 
of the coast line south of the Drygalski, and the sea ice in Geikie 
Inlet, so I hope the worst of the Drygalski is past. Dickason 
A oe 
