1876 MARKHAM'S RETURN JOURNEY. 389 



bring up the other two sledges, single banked, four 

 dragging each. 



' The weather has at last proved triumphant, and 

 has robbed us of our road. The track was lost, 

 despite our utmost efforts to adhere to it, shortly before 

 lunch, and we have now to renew the arduous task of 

 road-making. Unless the weather clears sufficiently to 

 enable us again to pick up our track, our intention is 

 to make straight for the land in the direction of^the 

 Snow Valley. . Camped on a small floe completely 

 surrounded by hummocks, through which we had to 

 cut our way. Distance made good one mile and three- 

 quarters. 



' 3rd. — Parr and myself started at 7 '45 p.m. to 

 select a route, leaving a party of three road-makers to 

 follow and cut a road in our footsteps, the remaining 

 three to strike the tents and pack the sledges. Our 

 way lay entirely through hummocks with no appear- 

 ance of a floe of any dimensions. The road being 

 completed, the sledges were advanced until more 

 hummocks were encountered, when the same system 

 was adopted. It was very hard work. At 5 a.m. we 

 succeeded in reaching a magnificent floe, on which we 

 camped. Distance made good one mile and a-half. 



' 4th. — Shortly after starting we were again 

 enveloped in a dense fog, through which the sun 

 made ineffectual efforts to penetrate. Arriving at the 

 edge of the large floe, we had to cut through a long 

 fringe of hummocks ; then winding about amongst 

 snow-drifts and young ice, through deep sludge, 

 emerging on a small floe, on which we halted for 

 lunch. A skua flying lazily about, apparently steering 



