1902] SLOW PROGRESS 35 



well over the ankles at each step. After going a little over a 

 mile things got so bad that we dropped one sledge and pushed 

 on to bring some leading marks in line. Then Shackleton 

 and I brought up the second half- load with the dogs some- 

 how ; after which, leaving the dogs, we all three started back 

 for the sledge that had been dropped. Its weight was only 

 250 lbs., yet such was the state of the surface that we could 

 not drag it at the rate of a mile an hour. 



'The air temperature has gone up to + 27 , and it feels hot 

 and stuffy; the snow surface is +22 . It would be difficult 

 to convey an idea of what marching is like under present con- 

 ditions. The heel of the advanced foot is never planted 

 beyond the toe of the other, and of this small gain with each 

 pace, two or three inches are lost by back-slipping as the 

 weight is brought forward. When we come to any particularly 

 soft patch we do little more than mark time. 



1 The bearings of our present position are good but distant. 

 To the west we have a conspicuous rocky patch in line with 

 one of three distant peaks, and to the north another small patch 

 in line with a curious scar on the northern range. The back 

 marks in each case are perhaps twenty or thirty miles from us, 

 and, though they will be easy enough to see in clear weather, 

 one cannot hope to recognise them when it is misty. It is for 

 this reason that I propose to-morrow to take our own food, on 

 which our safety depends, closer in to the land, so that there 

 may be no chance of our missing it.' 



'■December 15 (3.15 a.m.). — As soon as we had lightened 

 our load last night we started steering straight for the rocky 

 patch to the westward. The sky was overcast and the light 

 bad, and after proceeding about a quarter of a mile we found 

 that we were crossing well-marked undulations. Still pushing 

 on, we topped a steep ridge to be fronted by an enormous 

 chasm filled with a chaotic confusion of ice-blocks. It was 

 obvious that we could go no further with the sledges, so we 

 halted and pitched camp, and after eating our meagre lunch 

 set forth to explore. The light was very bad, but we roped 

 ourselves together, and, taking our only ice-axe and the meat- 



