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CHAPTER IV 
In August, with the gradual return of light, we were able to get 
about more and consequently took more exercise. A small ski 
slope was made running down from the rear of the Hut and also 
a small jump was fixed by Gran. On fine days there was a con- 
tinual stream of men labouring slowly up the slope and making 
their way down again with varying success. The sea ice condi- 
tions still continued bad and there was some doubt now as to 
whether we should be able to make our way over the sea ice to 
Hut Point. 
On August 12 for the first time we saw the sun’s rays on the 
summit of Erebus and the smoke rising from the crater was 
painted a beautiful pink. One of the difficulties that we had to 
encounter for the next sledging season was the lack of sledge- 
meters. We had only one left, but Lashly, our handy man, was 
trying his hand at the manufacture of another under the direction 
of Nelson. By means of a bicycle wheel and the front fork of 
a bicycle we got our lead and wheel, while the register was made 
from the meter attached to the dynamo. This looked exceed- 
ingly promising, and after it had been used over short distances 
gave very good results eventually. On the Barrier it proved of 
assistance up to One Ton Depot and then had to be abandoned. 
The new sledges, called Finnesskis, were the cause of much 
discussion. Six had been ordered from Hagen of Christiania, 
and these arrived with tapered runners, the breadth of the runner 
in front being 4 inches, diminishing to 24 on the after part of 
the sledge. We tried these sledges with the old 12-foot, man- 
hauling over various surfaces and with equal loads. In every 
case the new sledges ran more easily, but it was impossible to 
judge if there was sufficient bearing surface for them with heavy 
loads on the soft Barrier surface. They eventually proved to be 
of the greatest service, and animals or men could move loads 
on these sledges which it was impossible for them to move with 
the ordinary 12-foot and broad runner. The idea of the sledge 
