152 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [April 



esting: the edge of one sheet splits as it rises and slides over 

 the other sheet in long tongues which creep onward impressively. 

 Whilst motion lasts there is continuous music, a medley of high 

 pitched but tuneful notes one might imagine small birds chirp- 

 ing in a wood. The ice sings, we say. 



P.M. In the afternoon went nearly two miles to the north 

 over the young ice; found it about 3^ inches thick. At sup- 

 per arranged programme for shift to Cape Evans men to go 

 on Saturday dogs Sunday ponies Monday all subject to 

 maintenance of good weather of course. 



Friday, April 7. Went north over ice with Atkinson, 

 Bowers, Taylor, Cherry-Garrard; found the thickness nearly 

 5 inches everywhere except in open water leads, which remain 

 open in many places. As we got away from the land we got 

 on an interesting surface of small pancakes, much capped and 

 pressed up, a sort of mosaic. This is the ice which was built 

 up from lee side of the Strait, spreading across to windward 

 against the strong winds of Monday and Tuesday. 



Another point of interest was the manner in which the over- 

 riding ice sheets had scraped the under floes. 



Taylor fell in when rather foolishly trying to cross a thinly 

 covered lead he had a very scared face for a moment or two 

 whilst we hurried to the rescue, but hauled himself out with 

 his ice axe without our help and walked back with Cherry. 



The remainder of us went on till abreast of the sulphur 

 cones under Castle Rock, when we made for the shore, and 

 with a little mutual help climbed the cliff and returned by land. 



As far as one can see all should be well for our return to- 

 morrow, but the sky is clouding to-night and a change of weather 

 seems imminent. Three successive fine days seem near the limit 

 in this region. 



We have picked up quite a number of fish frozen in the 

 ice the larger ones about the size of a herring and the smaller 

 of a minnow. We imagined both had been driven into the 

 slushy ice by seals, but ,to-day Gran found a large fish frozen 

 in the act of swallowing a small one. It looks as though both 

 small and large are caught when one is chasing the other. 



We have achieved such great comfort here that one is half 

 sorry to leave it is a fine healthy existence with many hours 

 spent in the open and generally some interesting object for our 



