1903] OUR SLEDGES BREAK DOWN 169 



without protection ; on the hard, sharp ice, however, it was a 

 different matter. In such circumstances, a wood runner would 

 be knocked to pieces in a very few hours, especially if the 

 sledge was heavily laden. At all hazards, therefore, it was 

 necessary to protect our runners over this hard ice, but un- 

 fortunately the German silver protection had already stood 

 one season's work, and this had worn it thin without giving 

 any outward sign. We only found out how thin it had become 

 when it gave out on this journey, and hence the troubles which 

 I am about to describe were quite unexpected. 



From start to finish of the Ferrar Glacier there were about 

 ninety miles in which hard ice might be expected, and the 

 problem that soon came before us was how to get our sledges 

 over this without damage. 



On the 17th I scarcely realised myself the full importance 

 of the carpenter's report, but on the i8th matters came to a 

 crisis, as will be seen. 



* October 18. — We got away early this morning, crossed 

 the moraines and continued our ascent over hard, wavy ice. 

 It was quite calm about us, with the temperature at about 

 — 20°, but a short distance ahead we could see the wind 

 sweeping down from a gully on our left, carrying clouds of 

 snowdrift. We did not at all like the look of this wind-swept 

 area, but it had to be crossed, and we plunged into it after 

 adjusting our wind-guards. It took us over an hour to get 

 across, and several of us got badly frost-bitten, as immediately 

 opposite the gully the wind was extraordinarily violent, and it 

 was as much as we could do to hold up against it. Once past 

 the gully, however, it was nearly calm and comparatively warm 

 again ; by lunch-time we had reached a new meandering 

 moraine, almost abreast of the Solitary Rocks, and had 

 achieved a height of over 6,000 feet. 



' I, with my party, was some way ahead when I decided to 

 camp, but the supports soon came up, bringing, alas ! a woeful 

 tale — another sledge had split its runners. 



' After lunch I had all the sledges unpacked and the runners 

 turned up for inspection, with horrid revelations. On two 



