120 SCOTT’S LAST EXPEDITION [NovemBER 
so after going about half a mile we sounded with an ice axe and 
found we were on thin soft ice, which cannot have been much 
more than a day or two old. ‘Turning the sledge we went back 
at a run, not stopping until we got on to better ice by the old 
sledge. Taking the rest of the food we then started W.S.W. 
towards the Eskers. Several leads were so new we had to cross 
them at a run, and it was 7.30 before we found sound ice, with 
no weak leads between us and the shore, and then I decided to 
camp. 
November 4.—Weather overcast and warm. We turned 
out at 4.30, and after breakfast Priestley, Abbott, and Dickason 
went back with the empty sledge to get the remainder of the 
depot, and if possible fit on the iron runners, while Levick, Brown- 
ing, and I went back with packs to get more food. We had a 
long tramp to Butter Point and back over rough ice, and we 
had done 18 miles before we got back to camp, Levick and I 
with a 50 lb. pack and Browning with a smaller one, as he had 
not quite recovered. 
The change in Browning’s condition owing to the biscuit is 
marvellous. 
A week ago he could just walk by the sledge on a march of 
8 or 10 miles; to-night, although tired, he is none the worse for 
his 18 mile walk. We found Priestley and his party had already 
arrived with the rest of the depot when we got back, and to my 
great joy he had been able to fit the iron runners on to the 
12-ft. sledge. 
November 5.—We turned out at 3.30. A lovely morning, 
with bright sun. After breakfast we started away, steering for 
the Dailey Islands, but we were forced to make a détour to the 
west to avoid rotten ice leads. 
The mirage was extraordinary. At one place we thought 
we saw three men pulling a sledge; Priestley and I walked 
towards them; they apparently stopped; Priestley started sema- 
phoring while I looked through my glasses. No result. Suddenly 
they turned and I saw they were Emperor penguins, miraged up 
in a way that made them look like figures. These leads of bad 
ice seemed to run into Blue Glacier, but I thought I could see 
good ice beyond them, so we raced the sledge straight across, 
getting over without a mishap. Once over we found old ice 
behind a pressure ridge, and after crossing that struck the Barrier 
