I903] A WEEK IN CAMP 183 



as hard as the soUd ice itself. Nevertheless, we knew it was 

 this or nothing, and in a minute our tents and shovels were 

 hauled off the sledges, and we were digging for dear life. 



' I seized the shovel myself, for my own tent-party, but 

 found that I could not make the least impression on the hard 

 surface. Luckily, at this moment the boatswain came to my 

 relief, and managing the implement with much greater skill, 

 succeeded in chipping out a few small blocks. Then we tried 

 to get up the tent, but again and again it and the poles were 

 blown flat ; at last the men came to our assistance, and with 

 our united efforts the three tents were eventually erected. 

 All this had taken at least an hour, and when at length we 

 found shelter it was not a moment too soon, for we were 

 thoroughly exhausted, and fingers and feet, as well as faces, 

 were now freezing. As soon as possible we made a brew of 

 tea, which revived us greatly ; afterwards we got our sleeping- 

 bag in, and since that we have been coiled up within it. 



' The temperature to-night is — 24°, and it is blowing 

 nearly a full gale ; it is not too pleasant lying under the shelter 

 of our thin, flapping tent under such conditions, but one 

 cannot help remembering that we have come mighty well out 

 of a very tight place. Nothing but experience saved us from 

 disaster to-day, for I feel pretty confident that we could not 

 have stood another hour in the open.' 



Whilst we congratulated ourselves on the fortunate manner 

 in which, in the nick of time, we had been able to find shelter 

 in this camp, we little thought of the dismal experience that 

 we were to suffer before we left it. It was Wednesday, 

 November 4, when we pitched our tents so hurriedly ; it was 

 Wednesday, November 1 1, before we resumed our march ; 

 and if I were asked to name the most miserable week I have 

 ever spent, I should certainly fix on this one. Throughout 

 this whole time the gale raged unceasingly ; if the wind lulled 

 for a few brief minutes, it was to return with redoubled 

 violence immediately after. Meanwhile not a vision of the 

 outer world came to us ; we were enveloped continuously in 

 a thick fog of driving snow. 



