1902] RAPID RETURN 393 



pointing to a small sharp crater on the end of the Bluff, proposed 

 that we should bring it in line with the sharp cone of Mount 

 Discovery. This was done, and to-night we are encamped on 

 the line and about five or six miles from the land. One has 

 but to walk a hundred yards either way to throw the alignment 

 off, so that there should be little difficulty in finding any stores 

 we may leave here provided the weather is clear. We have 

 just been gazing with curious eyes on the road to the south. 

 We have passed out of the region of high snow-furrows, and it 

 seems probable that even those which we have would be lost 

 as one advances to the south. One conceives a plain with the 

 surface growing smoother and possibly softer ; but what will it 

 be like to tramp on, day after day and week after week, over 

 such a plain ? ' 



• October 1. — . . . We made our depot this morning, leaving 

 six weeks' provisions for our men and 150 lbs. of dog-food; 

 the whole was marked with a large black flag, and I took careful 

 angles with a prismatic compass to all the points I could see, 

 after which we packed up our traps and faced homewards. 

 The dogs knew at once what was meant, and there is no longer 

 any need to drive them. The weather has been overcast, with 

 a heavy deposition of snow-crystals ; but we have already 

 covered several miles on the homeward track, steering to pass 

 outside the White Island to see how the route promises in that 

 direction.' 



On our homeward march we went for all we were wort^i ; 

 the weather was persistently overcast, but this kept the 

 temperature above — 30 though it brought a continuous fall 

 of very light powdery snow to add to the friction of the runners. 

 Underneath this powdery snow the surface was in good condi- 

 tion, having been swept very hard with the wind, but the loose 

 crystals seemed to cling badly to the metal runners. 



' October 3. — Got away at seven again ; mist as thick as a 

 hedge, so steered in towards the island ; stumbled on rocks at 

 about ten and gained some idea of position Evidently passing 

 over a slope succeeded by some ridges, a few crevasses, and 

 spme c)ear blue ice. Guessed by this we must have passed 



