.1912] COUNCIL AT CAPE EVANS 213 



clambered over the Tongue, and our luck and the breeze still 

 holding, we reached Cape Evans, completing the last seven miles 

 all sitting on the sledge in an hour. There I called together all 

 the members and explained the situation, telling them what had 

 been done and what I then proposed to do, also asking them 

 for their advice in this trying time. The opinion was almost 

 unanimous that all that was possible had been already done. 

 Owing to the lateness of the year and the likelihood of our being 

 unable to make our way up the coast to Campbell one or two 

 members suggested that another journey might be made to Cor- 

 ner Camp. Knowing the conditions which had lately prevailed 

 on the Barrier, I took it upon myself to decide the uselessness of 

 this. 



April ii and 12 were spent in preparing gear and securing 

 provisions. 



On April 13, about 10.30 in the morning, with Wright, Gran, 

 Keohane, Williamson, and Demetri I started back to Hut 

 Point. The surface of the sea ice had then completely changed 

 and was covered with slush and ice-flowers; a trying blizzard 

 started, and after a very hard pull we had to run for shelter to 

 the little Razorback Island. We camped there and had tea. 

 Soon after, the blizzard abated somewhat and we got under way. 

 We made very slow progress, and after a very hard day's pull 

 could only reach the Glacier Tongue, seven miles from home. 

 The next morning we awoke, made our way over the Tongue, 

 and reaching the cliffs had some difficulty in getting up. The 

 sledge was held at arm's length by four men while one clambered 

 up and by the help of his knife eventually gained a sure footing 

 and was able to help the others. Except for the steepness of the 

 climb, the remainder of the journey to Hut Point was easy. 

 There we found Cherry-Garrard greatly relieved at our return, 

 as the ice had been blowing out of the Sound, but had luckily 

 remained in in the two bays. We reached Hut Point on the 

 1 4th. 



The 1 5th and i6th were occupied in drying gear and making 

 up provisions for four weeks. I decided to take C. S. Wright, 

 who was a skilled navigator, Petty Officer Williamson, and 

 Keohane. The season was well advanced and a great part of 

 the travelling and camping had to be done in the dusk. 



On April 17 we started across the sea ice, and after 5 miles 



