i9o2] FAILURE TO REACH THE RECORD 193 



they knew, and they remembered that the north-eastern side 

 of the mountain was so free from snow that there could be 

 nothing now but bare land between them and it. 



But this bare mountain-side was extensive, and covered so 

 thickly with small volcanic craters that it was difficult to select 

 the best path for their walk to the rookery, or, within limits, to 

 estimate their distance from it. There was risk also, in a 

 country where one landmark was so much like another, that 

 on their return they might have great difficulty in finding 

 their camp ; and if the wind should rise during their absence 

 this risk would be greatly increased, so that they ran the chance 

 of being landed in a very sorry plight. In fact, at their first 

 attempt on March 13, they had barely gone half a mile from 

 the camp when a thick blizzard came on, and they only regained 

 their tent by luckily falling across their ski, which had been 

 planted at some distance from the camp as a possible guide. 



On the following day, however, they again sallied out and 

 succeeded in getting some miles towards their goal, if not 

 actually above it, before the wind came on and, blotting out all 

 features of the landscape with snowdrift, obliged them to turn 

 back and seek shelter with all possible speed. 



It was now evident that the Record post could be reached, 

 but a fine day was essential, and here, as elsewhere, small 

 matters of detail connected with the special circumstances 

 must be attended to. One could not conveniently climb over 

 sharp, jagged rocks in the foot-gear which was worn with 

 comfort on the snow plains, as the bruised, sore feet of the 

 party witnessed ; another time it would be necessary to come 

 properly prepared with some arrangement for protecting the 

 sole of the foot. 



The attempt to reach the Record was finally abandoned on 

 the 15th; but not until it was evident that a better-equipped 

 party with more favourable weather would have no difficulty in 

 getting to it. It will be understood that it presented itself to 

 me as a most important matter that this record should be 

 reached, as here lay the only chance of communicating our 

 position to any who should follow in our footsteps, but it was 

 vol. 1. o 



