FIRST WESTERN EXPEDITION 183 



" Drift packed hard round the tent, and had to dig out it 

 and sledges. 



" Made an early start at 9.45 a.m. Saw mists rising appa- 

 rently all way from Hut Point to White Island. One column 

 of dark cloud very persistent, the rest varied with wind some- 

 what. So we made for east centre of White Island over poor 

 surface owing to fairly soft snow. 



" Finnesko nice and warm, felt as if one's feet bare after 

 boots. We did six miles and camped where we seemed to see 

 the crack petering out. Then two miles in the hour to (3.45) 

 where we deviated from White Island. Here Castle Rock 

 was occulted by Observation Hill. 1 thought end of water 

 would be only three-quarters of an hour away ! We saw a 

 black dot and cairn of snow and decided it was the Barrier 

 depot. 



" We had crossed one crack, probably an old one. The 

 depot turned out to be a fawn-chested seal, active and bold, 

 which moved off rapidly (4.30). (The open water was here 

 only half a mile away.) The cairn was pressure ice, probably 

 old line of permanent ice. About a mile further came on 

 sledge tracks of depot party.* Don't see their dep6t anywhere. 

 Not possible it has gone out, as undoubtedly some of Barrier 

 has. At 5.30, after doing about four and a half miles, we 

 reached southern end of broad bay of water. 



" C. S. W. took photo here, but so cold that spring shutter 

 didn't work, I fear. Then on for two miles further to our 

 Barrier camp. 



"Sunday, March 12. — Rotten night; slept about four 

 half-hours and shivered, sore ear, cold knees and back, every- 

 thing wet (on outside). Helmet a mass of ice, and so wrapped 

 my head in wind-proof pants. Others better. Dreamt six 

 individual dreams, including our relief by a rival party of 

 kids ! I got up to read aneroid and so acquired merit ! 



" Primus a great bother in the morning. 



" Quite foggy and snowing considerably. Not safe to say 

 where we'll be to-night ! 



" We left about 10. Foggy everywhere and drift blow- 

 ing, but could see sun. Went (S. 40 W. magnetic) for two 

 miles or so, then steered by sun. We saw a black object on 



* These tracks were made by the Rescue party, in their attempts to save 

 the ponies, ten days earlier." 



