378 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



that the ice underfoot was of very recent growth ; evidently the 

 sea had been swept clear beyond the snout of the glacier quite 

 lately. What we had seen from the hilltop latterly was no 

 figment of our imagination, for whilst we lay snug and secure 

 in our winter quarters the sea had been open, and probably 

 tempestuous, within seven or eight miles of us. 



On this journey we took our four sledges independently, 

 with four dogs harnessed to each. We found that if the first 

 team got away all right, the others did pretty well at ' follow 

 my leader.' Sometimes there was even some competition for 

 place, and on one occasion two competing teams gradually 

 converged, with the natural result that when they got close 

 enough to see what was happening it occurred to them that 

 much the easiest way to settle the matter would be by a free 

 fight ; the teams therefore turned inwards with one accord and 

 met with a mighty shock. In a moment there was a writhing 

 mass of fur and teeth and an almost inextricable confusion of 

 dog traces. Even in the short interval that elapsed before the 

 drivers were amongst them, beating right and left, it was 

 possible to see that the code was observed ; each dog confined 

 his attentions to the ' enemy,' and did not attempt to attack his 

 comrades. It was rather surprising to find even this amount 

 of honour amongst such unscrupulous creatures. 



On the afternoon of the 5th we turned homewards, and 

 arrived on board just before dusk. Even in this short trip 

 of four days we had gained some experience. There were 

 evidently good reasons for not dividing the dogs into small 

 teams. We had learnt also to distinguish between the strong 

 and the weak, and, what was of more importance, the willing 

 and the lazy ; and we saw that we should require a good deal 

 of alteration in our harness and in some of the fittings of our 

 sledges. 



For the few days which now intervened before my party 

 started for the south, I call on my diary once again : 



' September 5. — Armitage returned to-night with a party of 

 twelve. They have fetched in the depot which we left out last 

 year ; it was no use having provisions out at such a short 



