1902] EXPERIENCES OF WESTERN PARTY 397 



Looking up the valley, they were faced by a high single- 

 peaked mountain, and the glacier appeared to turn to the 

 right as it reached its foot. As far as the upper parts of the 

 glacier were concerned, there appeared to be good travelling, 

 but from the foot of the descent, for some seven miles 

 outwards, they looked down upon a confusion of ice which 

 they had never seen equalled. Armitage describes huge 

 masses broken and fissured and standing nearly fifty feet 

 above the general level. Interspersed with the ice are vast 

 heaps of morainic material, and the whole forms a chaotic 

 obstruction across which he thinks it is impossible that 

 sledges can be taken. 



• Skirting along this rough disturbance they advanced up the 

 valley, but it was now getting towards midnight and some of 

 the party were beginning to tire from the long exposure. Mr. 

 Ferrar and Heald had been sent back some hours before, and 

 now the remaining two turned also. Armitage says that on 

 his return he came across the tracks of two people, which he 

 followed, expecting them to lead to the camp, but later dis- 

 covering that they certainly did not he became very alarmed, 

 thinking that Ferrar and Heald had missed their way. Still 

 following these tracks, he now and again came across a mark 

 in the snow as though one of the two had been obliged to 

 take frequent rests. At last, to his relief, the tracks suddenly 

 turned about and now led directly towards the camp, which he 

 eventually reached at 5 a.m., after an absence of twenty hours. 



' He found that Ferrar and Heald had made the tracks he 

 had seen, and that by losing their way they had been three 

 hours late in arriving back ; furthermore, that on the way 

 Ferrar had collapsed several times and on each occasion had 

 been overcome by an irresistible desire to sleep. He was only 

 kept awake by the persistence of his companion, Heald, who, 

 although almost worn out himself, realised the danger they 

 were running and showed the greatest determination in pushing 

 on. As the temperature at the time was — 45 , there seems 

 litttle doubt that Ferrar practically owes his life to his com- 

 panion's exertions. 



