84 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [FEBRUARY 



had landed, as we knew we should have no time to get far 

 enough up the Boomerang to survey any new ground. During 

 the day I found one large piece of sandstone with the impression 

 of part of a fossil tree. 



February 2. We spent the forenoon breaking up a big 

 boulder, a longer job than we expected, as the lower half was 

 embedded in the frozen soil. After digging it out and rolling it 

 over, Priestley split it open. Inside we found a beautiful speci- 

 men of wood. Levick photographed it before we proceeded to 

 break it up, as we knew we could never get it out whole. 



February 3. The weather, which had been perfect up till 

 now, changed, and we woke to find it overcast, with a cold N.W. 

 wind blowing. 



We started away after breakfast and made good way, pass- 

 ing Cape Sastrugi before we camped. 



February 4. Fine day. We crossed the Campbell Glacier. 

 The surface was very good for .pulling on ski, but too soft 

 without. 



We camped to-night about 6 miles off the main depot. My 

 eyes rather bad. 



February 5. Priestley and Dickason went over to collect 

 on Lichen Island, while Levick and Abbott did the slopes north 

 of us. 



Priestley found an extraordinary quantity of lichens on the 

 island. 



February 6. Fine morning, but a strange southwesterly 

 wind. 



Getting under way after breakfast, we reached the main 

 depot about 3 o'clock, and found to our surprise Debenham's 

 party had never landed, our letters to him being still in the 

 * post box ' we had fixed up. 



February 7. The wind, which had fallen yesterday evening, 

 freshened up between i and 2 A.M., and, when we turned out, 

 was blowing a whole gale, but with a clear sky. An ex-meridian 

 altitude gave the latitude of this place 74 55' S. In the after- 

 noon Levick, Priestley, Dickason, and I climbed to the top of 

 what we afterwards called Inexpressible Island to see if we 

 could make out the Nansen Moraine, which Priestley wanted to 

 visit. I told him to take Abbott and Dickason to-morrow, while 

 I carry the theodolite up here and get a round of angles. 



