78 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [JANUARY 



sledges up a cul-de-sac. This evening so much snow fell that 

 we had to remain in camp, being unable to see ten yards. Snow- 

 ing all night. 



January n. Still snowing as hard as ever at 5.30 A.M., 

 but by 7.30 the clouds began to break, and by 9 we were on 

 the march. Snow very soft and deep, making pulling very 

 heavy, so that we had to relay. All six of us had difficulty in 

 getting one sledge along. We then all put on ski, and were able 

 to get along better as we broke a regular trail along which the 

 sledge ran. 



The snow and mist cleared away about 10 A.M., giving us 

 a magnificent view up a large glacier, the main body of which 

 seemed to flow past the west slope of Mt. Melbourne. A few 

 miles south of Mt. Melbourne and on the west side of the main 

 glacier, a tributary glacier, which we named from its shape the 

 Boomerang, flows in. In the afternoon a S.W. wind improved 

 the surface and each team was able to manage its own sledge. 

 A lovely night, but all hands very tired. 



January 12. Woke at 3 A.M. to find strong wind, with drift. 

 The snow ceased a little while we had breakfast, only to come 

 down harder than ever afterwards, and as Dickason and I were 

 suffering from snow blindness we did not march till 3, when the 

 wind eased. Camped at the entrance of the Boomerang Glacier, 

 which I think may be a possible way through to Wood Bay. 



January 13. Turned out at 6. A lovely morning, so leav- 

 ing camp standing we went a little way up the Boomerang Glacier 

 to see if it would be possible to get the sledges up. The route 

 looked feasible but probably difficult for sledges, so I decided 

 to try the main glacier first. Returning to camp about I o'clock 

 we pulled north, camping for the night north of the Boomerang 

 and under some steep ice slopes. 



January 14. Another fine day. Dickason and I were snow- 

 blind, so the others climbed the ice slope to see if they could 

 find a way for the sledge. They returned to camp about 3.30, 

 and said that after climbing several ice undulations, more or less 

 crevassed, they came to a steep ice slope leading to a rocky 

 ridge. 



Owing to the nails having come out of Browning's boots he 

 kept losing his balance and nearly dragging the party down with 

 him, and as there were several large crevasses at the bottom of 



