206 



WITH SCOTT: THE SILVER LINING 



armpits and was dripping, but only my toes were cold. Scott 

 said he was just going to tell me not to try there ; and I told 

 him the practical experience should balance the foolishness ! " 

 Cherry returned with me to the Hut about two miles south. 

 Luckily there was no wind, or twenty-four degrees of frost 

 would have been serious. My note-book was well inside my 

 wind clothes, and the chronometer was not hurt at all. 



That evening there was a strong blizzard, and every 

 vestige of ice blew out to the Ross Sea. It was lucky that 

 the wind did not spring up six hours later, for Scott had 

 decided to start off this very morning for Cape Evans via 

 the sea ice. As a result he determined to try a land route 

 along the promontory to Hutton Cliffs, and so reach sea-ice 



Tienf i». 



TOrWs 



Huf-fbn Cliff 



where it was more land-locked and protected by Glacier 

 Tongue. 



Gran and I went off to Castle Rock to see what the ice 

 looked like in the bays to the north. We arrived at the base 

 of this 200-feet crag about i p.m., and decided to climb it. 

 Gran was wearing boots and so could get a grip, but I had 

 on fur finnesko and found it a tough job. In fact, Gran had 

 to spread-eagle himself on the face of the cliff, and I got up 

 by climbing up him, like a human ladder. 



This old landmark is 1340 feet high, and is built up of 

 volcanic agglomerate. There is an almost sheer drop of 

 1200 feet on the west ; but the top is nearly flat and offers 

 a fine view. I could see a little patch of sea-ice in the bay 



