CHAPTER IV 



IN August, with the gradual return of light, we were able to get 

 about more and consequently took more exercise. A small ski 

 slope was made running down from the rear of the Hut and also 

 a small jump was fixed by Gran. On fine days there was a con- 

 tinual stream of men labouring slowly up the slope and making 

 their way down again with varying success. The sea ice condi- 

 tions still continued bad and there was some doubt now as to 

 whether we should be able to make our way over the sea ice to 

 Hut Point. 



On August 12 for the first time we saw the sun's rays on the 

 summit of Erebus and the smoke rising from the crater was 

 painted a beautiful pink. One of the difficulties that we had to 

 encounter for the next sledging season was the lack of sledge- 

 meters. We had only one left, but Lashly, our handy man, was 

 trying his hand at the manufacture of another under the direction 

 of Nelson. By means of a bicycle wheel and the front fork of 

 a bicycle we got our lead and wheel, while the register was made 

 from the meter attached to the dynamo. This looked exceed- 

 ingly promising, and after it had been used over short distances 

 gave very good results eventually. On the Barrier it proved of 

 assistance up to One Ton Depot and then had to be abandoned. 



The new sledges, called Finnesskis, were the cause of much 

 discussion. Six had been ordered from Hagen of Christiania, 

 and these arrived with tapered runners, the breadth of the runner 

 in front being 4 inches, diminishing to 1^/2 on the after part of 

 the sledge. We tried these sledges with the old 1 2-foot, man- 

 hauling over various surfaces and with equal loads. In every 

 case the new sledges ran more easily, but it was impossible to 

 judge if there was sufficient bearing surface for them with heavy 

 loads on the soft Barrier surface. They eventually proved to be 

 of the greatest service, and animals or men could move loads 

 on these sledges which it was impossible for them to move with 

 the ordinary 1 2-foot and broad runner. The idea of the sledge 



