98 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [1902- 



had been completed, and it was a formidable party that set 

 out on that day to cross McMurdo Sound and attack the 

 mainland. In Armitage's own party were included Skelton 

 and ten men, whilst the supports consisted of Koettlitz, 

 Ferrar, and Dellbridge, with six men. In all twenty-one 

 souls went forth to try to surmount that grim-looking barrier 

 to the west. I have already pointed out that Armitage's plan, 

 formed on the observations of his reconnaissance journey, was 

 to attempt an ascent of the mountain region in the vicinity of 

 that vast pile of morainic material which had erroneously been 

 termed the ' Eskers.' 



In pursuance of this plan, late on December 2, the party 

 started to ascend the steep snow-slope which, as can be seen 

 on the chart, divides two masses of bare, rocky foothills, and 

 rises to a plateau separating them from the higher mountains 

 beyond. 



As the party ascended the gradient became steeper, and 

 it was soon necessary to divide the loads and make double 

 journeys in the usual tedious manner of relay work. It was 

 not until the 7th that they reached the summit of the slope 

 and found themselves on a plateau with the lofty mountain 

 range in front and the high granite foothills behind. They 

 were now at a height of 5,000 feet. The mer de glace on 

 which they stood seemed to have an outlet far to the south ; 

 there was another over which they had ascended, and yet a 

 third to the north-west, which appeared to them the most 

 hopeful direction in which to find a pass to the west. To the 

 south of this outlet there rose a mass of magnificent rocky 

 cliffs, which Armitage named the Cathedral Rocks, and which 

 he thought he recognised as being the southern boundary of 

 the New Harbour Glacier ; it was this glacier which had 

 appeared to him so unpromising in the lower reaches, and 

 which he now hoped to reach at some higher point. 



Advancing over a wavy, uneven surface of neve, they 

 reached the vicinity of the outlet by the 9th. It was evident 

 that it descended steeply into the New Harbour Glacier, 

 which in future I shall call by its subsequent name, the Ferrar 



