1 84 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [JANUARY 



A little searching showed us a possible track. Debenham and 

 I tied together and crossed first and then the others, and then 

 we judged the sledge might do it. I expect it would have sunk 

 like a stone if the ice had given way, but we had to get over here 

 or nowhere. 



The snow came down thickly now and we plugged ahead, 

 steering by compass for the small piedmont tongue where we had 

 been held up two days on our arrival. Suddenly we seemed to 

 run into a snow slope and by a mighty expenditure of energy 

 we got the sledge up on to the tongue and were safely on fixed ice 

 for the time. 



We soon got the tent pitched, for there was not much wind, 

 and had some tea. I will quote my diary. 



' We were all in a cold sweat for the work is very hard, 

 and yet you don't keep warm. However we got into our bags 

 and were soon warm, if damp. This blizzard was but tempo- 

 rary, and about 4 P.M. it blew over to the west. I crossed the 

 tongue to see the descent on the other side. It was about five feet 

 down a steep snow slope. Beyond was a narrow shear crack 

 with two seals, but the big crack at the end of the tongue went 

 farther east. We pulled over the glacier and down the slope past 

 the seals without difficulty. Then on a little farther and saw a 

 crack to our right. It seemed only about a foot wide, and I was 

 testing this weak spot with the ski-3tick, when the soft snow on 

 which I was standing collapsed and I went into the water. Luck- 

 ily I grabbed Deb's hand, and Forde and Gran got my harness. 

 I saw jerked out like a cork from a bottle and was never so near 

 flying! None saw the others pull, and they all thought I felt 

 very light! We plugged on to the east and came to the main 

 wavy crack an ugly blighter 30 feet across of mushy water. 

 Luckily this also narrowed at the bend, and after some searching 

 we pulled over him also. 



' I was getting j.olly tired here. However, we could see our 

 destination at last and so pushed on. A keen wind came up from 

 the south-west and swept over the loo-foot glacier wall to the 

 south, driving snow across our course. We crossed a little crack 

 which Debenham thought was new since the snowfall ! To our 

 left were many birds about a mile away and black patches of 

 ominous appearance were showing. Debenham climbed on the 

 sledge and was sure it was open water, and I agreed, but we 



