208 



WITH SCOTT: THE SILVER LINING 



the Tongue. It was good fun crossing the Tongue, for there 

 were numerous crevasses to jump, none of which was 

 particularly risky, though Evans fell into one. We camped 

 on the north side about 6.45. It was pretty dark, but after 

 some tea Scott decided to push on for the remaining five 

 miles. 



" We had to steer across the bay ice by observing a star, 

 for it began to grow thick near the surface. I tested the ice 

 with my axe fairly frequently. We pulled all we knew, for 

 occasionally our only beacon (the star) was almost obscured. 

 About 10 p.m. a black patch showed up, which we guessed 

 must be Little Razorback Island. Here Scott decided to 



open wifei" 



The two tents on the ice-shelf at Little Razorback Isle, April 12, 191 1 



(looking south). 



camp. We had a difficult job gathering mushy-ice to weigh 

 the tent-flaps, but all turned in on the wet ice before 

 midnight." 



I don't think many of us enjoyed the situation. We were 

 camped on new ice and had not the faintest idea how far off 

 the open water lay, and we had practically no food with us. 

 Next morning, before it was properly light, a blizzard came 

 up to add to our discomfort. We could not see Cape Evans 

 or tell whether there was ice or sea in the intervening two 

 miles. 



I climbed up the Razorback, cutting steps up the soft ashy 

 rock with my bowie knife. Bowers and I explored an ice- 

 ledge on the south side of this little islet. On reporting to 



