AFTER EFFECTS OF THE STORM 343 



it would be impossible to drag sledges on foot and very difficult 

 for dogs. Ski are the thing, and here are my tiresome fellow- 

 countrymen too prejudiced to have prepared themselves for the 

 event. The dogs should get back quite easily; there is food 

 all along the line. The glacier wind sprang up about 7; the 

 morning was very fine and warm. To-night there is some stratus 

 cloud forming a hint no more bad weather in sight. A plenti- 

 ful crop of snow blindness due to incaution the sufferers Evans, 

 Bowers, Keohane, Lashly, Oates in various degrees. 



This forenoon Wilson went over to a boulder poised on 

 the glacier. It proved to be a very coarse granite with large 

 crystals of quartz in it. Evidently the rock of which the pillars 

 of the Gateway and other neighbouring hills are formed. 



Tuesday, December 12. Camp 34. We have had a hard 

 day, and during the forenoon it was my team which made the 

 heaviest weather of the work. We got bogged again and again, 

 and, do what we would, the sledge dragged like lead. The 

 others were working hard but nothing to be compared to us. At 

 2.30 I halted for lunch, pretty well cooked, and there was dis- 

 closed the secret of our trouble in a thin film with some hard 

 knots of ice on the runners. Evans' team had been sent off in 

 advance, and we didn't couldn't! catch them, but they saw 

 us camp and break camp and followed suit. I really dreaded 

 starting after lunch, but after some trouble to break the sledge 

 out, we went ahead without, a hitch, and in a mile or two re- 

 covered our leading place with obvious ability to keep it. At 6 

 I saw the other teams were flagging and so camped at 7, mean- 

 ing to turn out earlier to-morrow and start a better routine. 

 We have done about 8 or perhaps 9 miles (stat.) the sledge- 

 meters are hopeless on such a surface. 



It is evident that what I expected has occurred. The whole 

 of the lower valley is filled with snow from the recent storm, and 

 if we had not had ski we should be hopelessly bogged. On foot 

 one sinks to the knees, and if pulling on a sledge to half-way 

 between knee and thigh. It would, therefore, be absolutely im- 

 possible to advance on foot with our loads. Considering all 

 things, we are getting better on ski. A crust is forming over the 

 soft snow. In a week or so I have little doubt it will be strong 

 enough to support sledges and men. At present it carries neither 

 properly. The sledges get bogged every now and again, sinking 



