IN WINTER QUARTERS WITH CAPTAIN SCOTT 297 



slip down the Ramp and save cartage. The upper face was a 

 friable dry gravel. We heaved out two huge blocks the size 

 of a man's body and found them fitting into other blocks of 

 the same rock. We cleared away the top portion of one half, 

 and then came to a huge block evidently extending to the foot 

 of the cone and right through it. All this was frozen stiff 

 into the kenyte soil of the Ramp, and it was beyond our 

 powers to shift it. However, we had definitely proved that 

 this symmetrical cone was solid, and was piled around a core 

 of kenyte blocks. 



" I met the ' Owner ' after lunch and introduced him to the 

 ' dissected cone.' He seemed to think it a strong argument 





The Dissected Debris-Cone, 28-a-n 



in favour of our long-held theory. Wilson basely hit back at 

 me for upsetting his argument with a caricature in the South 

 Polar Times, which is here reproduced. 



" The difficulty in disposing of all the instruments needed 

 by a geological surveyor is also hinted at in the gear encrusting 

 the queer object on the debris cone." 



"August 30. — A cold day, — 33 with wind. Natheless, 

 Deb and I went out about noon plane-tabling. I had finished 

 my stations and carted the table about, filling in details. But 

 it was mostly a l cabman's war dance,' jumping and flapping 

 one's arms to keep warm. I found that a great deal of the ice 

 sheet to the north was only six inches thick over gravel, the 

 latter appearing in the eddy gutters to the south of every big 

 boulder. 



" It got too cold to work, but I swore I would stay out as 

 long as Debenham. Finally, at 1.15, 1 could stand it no 

 longer, and made a beeline for the Hut, finding he had 

 returned a minute or two earlier ! " 



The next few days were similarly occupied. I made a 

 pantograph (to reduce or enlarge drawings), and so obtained a 



