IN WINTER QUARTERS WITH CAPTAIN SCOTT 311 



to the east of this was another block shaped like the power- 

 shears used in machine shops for cutting iron plate. In the 

 same region were great blocks several feet across split clean in 

 half by the action of the frost. 



Small lakes, debris cones in all stages, solifluction furrows, 

 ice dams, kenyte columns, wind-ridges, etc., etc., there was 

 no end to the intesting photos one could obtain now the sun 

 was with us again. Still it took a long time for him to 

 illuminate the southern cliffs of the Cape, for he would dip 

 behind the mountains to the west for several weeks to come, 

 quite early in the afternoon. 



On the 29th of September I tramped across to Tent 

 Island, which lay four miles south of Cape Evans. The 

 island was approximately square and about 800 yards along 

 each side. The west side was fairly steep and the island 

 sloped gradually thence to the east. At the south was a well- 

 marked ice-foot, just like the one on which we camped in the 

 blizzard on Little Razorback. It is probably due to spray 

 and snow blown on to the windward face by the southern 

 blizzards. 



There were a number of small water-cut gullies furrowing 

 the slopes. The surface was quite peculiar. The kenyte 

 gravel was so small and uniform that it looked like a well- 

 raked garden, and was like velvet to walk on ! I found a 

 few small granite erratics, just as Oates had prophesied. The 

 latter had visited the isle a few days earlier, and was delighted 

 to hear that Debenham had missed the granite boulders which 

 Titus had seen ! The geologist had been handicapped by 

 a bad light and some snowfall ; but it may readily be imagined 

 how little that affected the cavalryman's pride in his dis- 

 covery ! 



The evidence of water erosion in the Antarctic was im- 

 portant. One gully was quite 25 feet deep with a steep 

 grade and was about 30 yards wide. It ended in a fan 

 which spread out over the ice-foot. I could not climb down 

 the latter, and so reached the sea-ice where I had climbed up, 

 further to the north. 



I had a long talk with the Owner about my plans for the 

 forthcoming summer. He was much averse to our trying to re- 

 turn by the Piedmont Glacier, probably because of the greatly 

 increased risk of falling into crevasses if your path lies along 



