i 9 o2] NEW MOUNTAINS 55 



it is the nearest approach to illness we have had, and one can 

 only hope that it is not going to remain serious. 



' Shackleton did butcher to-night, and " Brownie " was 

 victim. Poor little dog ! his life has been very careworn of 

 late, and it is probably a happy release.' 



''December 27. — Late last night Wilson got some sleep, and 

 this morning he was better ; all day he has been pulling along- 

 side the sledges with his eyes completely covered. It is 

 tiresome enough to see our snowy world through the slit of 

 a goggle, but to march blindfolded with an empty stomach for 

 long hours touches a pitch of monotony which I shall be glad 

 to avoid. We covered a good ten miles to-day by sledge- 

 meter, though I think that instrument is clogging and showing 

 short measure. The dogs have done little, but they have all 

 walked, except "Stripes," who broke down and had to be 

 carried on the sledge ; he was quite limp when I picked him 

 up, and his thick coat poorly hides the fact that he is nothing 

 but skin and bone. Yesterday I noticed that we were ap- 

 proaching what appeared to be a deeper bay than usual, and 

 this afternoon this opening developed in the most interesting 

 manner. 



' On the near side is a bold, rocky, snow-covered cape, and 

 all day we have been drawing abreast of this ; as we rapidly 

 altered its bearing this afternoon it seemed to roll back like 

 some vast sliding gate, and gradually there stood revealed one 

 of the most glorious mountain scenes we have yet witnessed. 

 Walking opposite to Wilson I was trying to keep him posted 

 with regard to the changes, and I think my reports of this part 

 must have sounded curious. It was with some excitement 

 I noticed that new mountain ridges were appearing as high as 

 anything we had seen to the north, but, to my surprise, as we 

 advanced the ridges grew still higher, as no doubt did my 

 tones. Then, instead of a downward turn in the distant out- 

 line came a steep upward line ; Pelion was heaped on Ossa, 

 and it can be imagined that we pressed the pace to see what 

 would happen next, till the end came in a gloriously sharp 

 double peak crowned with a few flecks of cirrus cloud. 



