I9 o 3 ] IMPROVING PROSPECTS 83 



its mouth, one can imagine that to travel up it would not be 

 an easy task. Through the gap of the strait we get a distant 

 view of more mountains — in fact, at any place on this coastline 

 one is struck with the vast numbers of peaks that are within 

 sight at the same moment. There are far more than one could 

 hope to fix on such a journey as ours : to plot the coastal 

 ranges alone would be a big task, but wherever we get a view 

 behind them it is to see a confusion of more distant hills. 



'Northward of the strait we again see the high flanking 

 range end on ; northward of this, again, are three distinct 

 coastal ranges. The farthest may possibly be the Royal Society 

 range, though of this we cannot be sure at present ; but 

 perhaps the most pleasing sight to-night is the glimpse we get 

 of Mount Discovery; its conical peak rises just above our 

 horizon, and the sight of that well-known landmark has seemed 

 to bring us miles nearer to home and safety.' 



l Ja?iuary 21. — The clouds have drawn down on us again, 

 shutting out the land, but we have had a brisk southerly breeze, 

 and, setting our sail, got along at a fine rate. For a time 

 Shackleton was carried on the sledges, but for most of the 

 march he walked along independently, taking things as easily 

 as possible. Our sail did most of the pulling. I, hitched to 

 the bow of the front sledge, kept it straight, and helped it over 

 the rough places ; Wilson hitched to the back of the rear sledge, 

 and by hauling sideways acted as a sort of rudder. We got on 

 fast, but it was by no means easy work, being so extraordinarily 

 jerky and irregular. Shackleton is improving, but takes his 

 breakdown much to heart.' 



'January 22. — The southerly wind continued to-day; it is 

 a godsend, and is taking us to the north faster than we ever 

 hoped for. The masses of low heavy cumulus and stratus cloud 

 and the higher cirro-cumulus, all hurrying to the north, have 

 given us the most beautiful cloud effects. The sun has 

 peeped forth occasionally, but the land is still heavily overcast. 

 We are beginning to hope that we shall soon be able slightly 

 to increase our food allowance.' 



1 January 23. — I think the fates have decided in our favour. 



