i 9 o2] CAMPING IN A BLIZZARD 363 



mit and places it over the offending feature. Also Jim knows 

 that there will be a blister there to-morrow. 



Once more we resume the march, and for long it is only 

 interrupted by the occasional search for frost-bites. To the 

 south the outlook appears still more gloomy, and presently 

 some adjacent hill-spur disappears as though it had fallen 

 through the earth, completely blotted out by a sheet of deep 

 grey which is rushing towards us. This is the threatened 

 storm, and the sooner we are in camp the better. We cast 

 round for a camping ground and rush for the likeliest spot ; we 

 halt and dash for the sledges ; we think of nothing but getting 

 the tents up in time. But alas ! we have marched just five 

 minutes too long, and we have scarcely placed the tent-poles 

 before the storm is upon us. 



The air is thick with driving snow-crystals ; they lash at our 

 face like a sand blast. It is impossible to face them directly, 

 and we rush to and fro with averted head. So thick is the air 

 that we can scarcely see the sledges from the tent position, 

 though only six or seven yards lie between. It is each 

 party for itself now with a vengeance. One of our three hangs 

 on like grim death to the tent-poles, whilst the others bear the 

 fluttering, straining canvas to windward and strive to envelop 

 him. Once or twice they fail, but at last the tent is over, and 

 whilst to windward it is stretched taut on the bending 

 bamboos, to leeward it is flapping madly in the rising gale. 

 One of us sits on the weather skirt, and the other flies for the 

 shovel and returns to dig with wild haste. It is a long and 

 difficult job this, to set up a tent in a heavy wind whilst the 

 snow curls and bites into our face and creeps into our mits 

 and into every hole and crevice it can find in our garments. 

 That wildly flapping skirting is only conquered inch by inch by 

 the united efforts of the whole party. But it is bound to be 

 done, and the sooner the better, so we work with all the 

 strength that remains to us. 



We must have everything handy now, so when the tent is 

 secured we fly for sleeping-bag, cooker, and anything else we 

 may need, and bundle them all indiscriminately into the 



