284 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [October 



moraines lie exposed, offering a succession of interesting spots 

 for a visit in search of geological specimens. Behind this fringe 

 there is a long undulating plateau of snow rounding down to 

 the coast; behind this again are a succession of mountain ranges 

 with deep-cut valleys between. As far as we went, these valleys 

 seem to radiate from the region of the summit reached at the 

 head of the Ferrar Glacier. 



As one approaches the coast, the ' tablecloth ' of snow in 

 the foreground cuts off more and more of the inland peaks, and 

 even at a distance it is impossible to get a good view of the 

 inland valleys. To explore these over the ice cap is one of the 

 objects of the Western Party. 



So far, I never imagined a spring journey could be so 

 pleasant. 



On the afternoon of the 24th we turned back, and cover- 

 ing nearly eleven miles, camped inside the Glacier Tongue. 

 After noon on the 25th we made a direct course for C. Evans, 

 and in the evening camped well out in the Sound. Bowers got 

 angles from our lunch camp and I took a photographic pano- 

 rama, which is a good deal over exposed. 



We only got 23^ miles on the 26th when a heavy blizzard 

 descended on us. We went on against it, the first time I have 

 ever attempted to march into a blizzard; it was quite possible, 

 but progress very slow owing to wind resistance. Decided to 

 camp after we had done two miles. Quite a job getting up the 

 tent, but we managed to do so, and get everything inside clear 

 of snow with the help of much sweeping. 



With care and extra fuel we have managed to get through 

 the snowy part of the blizzard with less accumulation of snow 

 than I ever remember, and so everywhere all round experience 

 is helping us. It continued to blow hard throughout the 27th, 

 and the 28th proved the most unpleasant day of the trip. We 

 started facing a very keen, frostbiting wind. Although this 

 slowly increased in force, we pushed doggedly on, halting now 

 and again to bring our frozen features round. It was 2 o'clock 

 before we could find a decent site for a lunch camp under a pres- 

 sure ridge. The fatigue of the prolonged march told on Simp- 

 son, whose whole face was frostbitten at one time — it is still 

 much blistered. It came on to drift as we sat in our tent, and 

 again we were weather-bound. At 3 the drift ceased, and we 



