192 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [FEBRUARY 



might be able to raise it if it slipped down a crevasse ; and this 

 was quite a probable event, for in traversing along a piedmont 

 glacier the party moves parallel to the crevasses. One thus 

 reaches them imperceptibly, and the whole party with its outfit 

 may be marching over a crevasse, whereas in crossing them at 

 right angles this is rarely the case. 



We turned our backs finally on Cape Roberts at 1 1 A.M. on 

 February 5. Our flag waved bravely, and below it was the cairn 

 of stones covering the food left there by Scott's orders. If 

 we had to return it would give us a breathing space ; but I never 

 saw the cape again. For many months the flag was left in soli- 

 tude. The screw pack never broke adrift that winter. In the 

 next spring six desperate men sledging southward, to more en- 

 durable though, as they thought, no less solitary quarters, 

 here found the first news of the main party. Our depot possibly 

 saved Petty officer Browning's life. It certainly gave the North- 

 ern Party their first bearable day for many months. Brave old 

 flag it hangs in Tewkesbury in Priestley's home, and there my 

 old Browning was restored to me after many months ! 



So we marched on. We were all stiff and out of training, 

 and the sledge did not pull easily, but we reached the tide crack 

 and crossed it much more readily than I expected. After lunch 

 we pulled up the steep slope of the glacier and to our delight 

 found the surface grow harder almost every hour. But other 

 troubles were upon us. So much so that for three days I felt 

 it doubtful if anyone would ever read my diary! However, on 

 the evening of the 8th I wrote up the 5th (and succeeding days) 

 as follows : 



' Then quite suddenly we came on huge crevasses all round 

 the shop. Some open which I took care not to keep too close 

 to, and others bridged. They seemed too wide to do anything 

 with, but after cautioning the others to tread quietly, I prodded 

 across safely, though the ice axe pushed in all its length easily. 

 Then the others followed and the sledge after. Gran fell in at 

 the near edge and saw the straight wall. Several of these were 

 over 20 feet wide, but we had to chance them, and I tested them 

 all before the sledge started. Then we marched along between 

 two fairly visible ones and luckily they didn't join. The surface 

 got flatter and they died out gradually, so that we made fair 

 progress. We came to another enclosed snow basin, and I felt 



