SAD NEWS 121 



edge, here about 4 feet high, with snow drifts leading on to it. A 

 large number of seals and Emperor penguins were on the old 

 ice. Here we lunched. The Barrier edge runs out in a tongue, 

 and we had struck it on the north-west corner. We were thus 

 able to steer direct for Hut Point over the tongue. At 5 P.M. 

 we came up to the pinnacled ice lying on the east side of the 

 tongue. 



This pinnacled ice is very rough and gritty and is evidently 

 the remains of an old moraine of the Koettlitz Glacier. By skirt- 

 ing to the north of this we found a lane of old sea ice on which 

 we could travel until we had passed it. Enormous crowds of 

 Emperors were here. In one bunch I estimated there were about 

 300. After travelling about 6 miles on this old ice the pinnacled 

 ice gave out and we were able to head for Hut Point again over 

 the Barrier. I had hoped to get into Hut Point the same night, 

 so camped for hoosh at 6.30. Resuming our march we went 

 on till i A.M., when I found we were still 7 miles off. I therefore 

 camped, had some cocoa, and turned in. We had done a good 

 march, twenty-one hours since we turned out, and had we been 

 able to hold a straight course we should have easily got in. 



November 6. Another fine morning. We marched till I 

 P.M., when our sledge broke down, the whole runner coming off. 

 As we were only i mile from Hut Point, I camped. Priestley, 

 Dickason, and I walked in to look for news and get another 

 sledge, as I was sure some would be there. 



As we neared the Point we noticed fresh tracks of mule and 

 dogs. 



I pointed them out to Priestley, and said, ' I hope there is 

 nothing wrong with the Pole party, as I do not like the look of 

 these.' He said, ' No more do I.' We ran up to the hut and 

 found a letter from Atkinson to the ' Commanding- Officer, Terra 

 Nova' I opened this and learnt the sad news of the loss of the 

 Polar Party. The names of the party were not given, and find- 

 ing Atkinson in charge of the search party which had started, I 

 was afraid two units, or eight men, were lost. Finding a sledge 

 only slightly damaged I took that back to the camp, getting back 

 there about 5 P.M. 



We were all rather tired, so instead of starting straight on 

 to Cape Evans, we had supper and went to sleep:* Before turn- 

 ing in we made a depot of the broken sledge, all rock specimens, 



