THE GRANITE HARBOUR EXPEDITION 343 



were so arranged that two could be taken out of the leather 

 bucket uniting them at the top. The remaining two pairs 

 were fixed vertically above the front sledge to form a double 

 mast. We lashed them to the stanchions with lamp-wick. The 

 other two bamboos were used as yards for the floor-cloth. 

 This sail was held up by a rope — actually off Forde's sleeping- 

 bag — which passed over the top of the " bucket " on the mast, 

 and the pull of the wind kept it taut. Two " main sheets " 

 helped to secure things, and passed from the yards to the 

 rear of the sledge. Forde was bo'sun, and made a good job 

 of it. Meanwhile, the delay had frozen the sledges to the 

 sea ice, but after " breaking " them out, we managed to start 

 the yacht and its tender, and to our delight we could just 

 move the half ton along ! It was frightfully hard work, 

 especially the start ; but we could do a mile in forty-five 

 minutes, whereas formerly relays and| halts made this a two- 

 hour job. Luckily, Debenham's leg was now much better, 

 and the miles piled up splendidly. We did 6^ geographic 

 miles by 7 p.m., instead of \\ by 9 p.m. as heretofore. 



In gratitude we called this bay the Bay of Sails ; a varia- 

 tion from Shackleton's famous inlet, the Bay of Whales. 

 The coast was fringed by Piedmont Glacier, but a little rock 

 showed at the water's edge. We indulged in extra raisins for 

 lunch, and camped at night near a large cape, which reminded 

 Forde of Spike Island, near Cork. 



The ice was evidently affected by the summer breaks, for 

 we had to cross a crack two feet wide, where the water was 

 surging continuously. A young seal here caused us some 

 amusement, its heart-rending " baa-aas " and strenuous 

 efforts to climb a gigantic ridge eight inches high being very 

 comic. 



" November 1 3, 10.15 p.m. — The sun is shining brightly 

 for the first time to-day. The tent is flapping gaily, partly 

 owing to the two poles being a bit loose, and partly to the 

 keen southerly wind which is driving over the shore glacier. 

 I am as snug as possible in my bag since I sewed the new left- 

 hand flap thereon. I shall patent this ! for a man can lie left 

 or right, fur in or out now. The temperature is + 14 F., 

 and the barometer has risen rapidly to 30.14. This change 

 probably means something unpleasant, but Erebus is very 

 clear and the steam going south ! " 



