172 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 
“As expected the blizzard overtook us shortly after 
midnight, and the shrieking of the wind among the rocks 
above might have been pretty unpleasant had it not assured 
me that we were still close to the island and not moving 
seaward. Needless to say, I said that I was sure the camp 
was as safe as a church. At daylight Taylor dived out and 
in until the wind from the door blew out the ice valance and 
the next moment the tent closed on us like an umbrella. 
We would never have spread it again had not some of the 
drift settled round us, and so we were able to secure it 
after an hour ortwo. The air was full of thick drift, and to 
work off some of Taylor’s energy I said we might climb 
the island and look for Cape Evans. 
“The islandroseup straight fromthesea at asharpangle 
all round, and we climbed it with difficulty. On the top 
we saw the reason of its name, as it was absolutely so sharp 
right along that you could bestride the top as though sit- 
ting in a saddle. It was too windy sitting up there to be 
pleasant, so we descended, having seen nothing but clouds 
of flying snow, and the peak of Inaccessible Island. At the 
bottom of the weather side we found a small ledge perfectly 
flat and just big enough to take two tents pitched close 
together. At this place the island made a wind buffer 
and it was practically calm though the blizzard yelled all 
round. I urged Captain Scott to camp on this ledge 
and Taylor fizzled for making for Cape Evans, so Scott 
decided to ensure Taylor’s safety, as he put it, and we 
made for the ledge. Once there we had an ideal camp | 
on good hard ground and no wind, and had we had — 
food the blizzard might have lasted a week for aught I 
cared. | 
“‘ We were two nights there and on the morning of the 
13th it took off enough for us to head for home. We saw _ 
Sunny Jim’s [Simpson’s] Observatory on the Hill, but still | 
did not know how the hut had fared till we got round the — 
cape into North Bay. There was the Winter Station all | 
intact, however, and though North Bay had only just 
frozen in, it was strong enough to bear us safely. Some- _ 
} 
body saw us and in another moment the hut poured out — 
