30 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Dec. 



snow-covered mass ; only quite lately could we see any rock 

 at all, but now a few patches are to be made out towards the 

 summit, and one or two at intervals along the foot. It is for 

 one of these that we have now decided to make, so that we 

 may establish our depot there, but at present rate of going we 

 shall be a long time before we reach it. 



'South of this isolated snow-cape, which is by far the 

 nearest point of land to us, we can see a further high moun- 

 tainous country ; but this also is so distant that we can say 

 little of it. One thing seems evident — that the high bluff 

 cape we were making for is not a cape at all, but a curiously 

 bold spur of the lofty mountain ranges, which is high above 

 the level of the coastline, and must be many miles inland. 

 It is difficult to say whether this land is more heavily glaciated 

 than that which we have seen to the north ; on the whole, I 

 think the steeper surfaces seem equally bare. There is a con- 

 solation for the heavier surface and harder labour we are 

 experiencing in the fact that each day the scene gets more 

 interesting and more beautiful. 



'To-day, in lighting the Primus, I very stupidly burnt a 

 hole in the tent ; I did not heat the top sufficiently before I 

 began to pump, and a long yellow flame shot up and set light 

 to the canvas. I do not think I should have noticed what 

 had happened at first, but luckily the others were just 

 approaching and rushed forward to prevent further damage. 

 As it was, there was a large hole which poor Shackleton had 

 to make shift to repair during our last lap ; it is not much fun 

 working with a needle in the open at the midnight hours, even 

 though the season happens to be summer.' 



' December 4. — After a sunshiny day and with the cooler 

 night hours there comes now a regular fall of snow-crystals. 

 On a calm night there is nothing to indicate the falling 

 crystals save a faint haze around the horizon ; overhead it is 

 quite clear. Suddenly, and apparently from nowhere, a small 

 shimmering body floats gently down in front of one and rests 

 as lightly as thistle-down on the white surface below. If one 

 stoops to examine it, as we have done many times, one finds 



