TOWARDS CAPE SOUTH-WEST. 367 



and \ve had great difficulty in camping and getting our tilings 

 in order; then, no sooner were we settled inside the tent with 

 the ' Primus ' burning, than the storm suddenly lulled. I 

 thought we should have it again the next minute, from the 

 opposite quarter ; but no wind came, and it was perfectly still the 

 whole night through. 



As soon as we turned out next morning, I went outside 

 to look round. It was the most beautiful travelling weather 

 one could wish clear and still, and I could not feel a breath 

 of wind. The high headland in the west rose before me, steep 

 and black. Our tent was pitched a little way out on a large 

 bay which cut in between the great headland and the sandbank 

 we had followed the previous day, but which now at last seemed 

 to have come to an end. So now we had only to drive across 

 the bay and we should reach the imposing mountain which for 

 so many days had been the object of our desires, but which had 

 hitherto defied all approach on our side. At the head of the bay 

 the land was extremely low, stretching in great plains towards 

 the north, and, judging from its appearance, it would be strange 

 if it were without vegetation or animal life. 



We got under way with all speed, for there was no knowing how 

 short a time this good weather might last ; and, sure enough, no 

 sooner were we on the move than it suddenly clouded over and 

 became so thick and foggy that we could hardly see the last sledge. 

 The snow, however, was very much better, and about one o'clock 

 we reached the southern point of the foreland we called it 

 ' Cape Sydvest,' or ' Cape South- West ' where the land trended 

 about north-west to north, and had then covered a distance of 

 nearly thirteen miles. 



