MARCH HOMEWARD BEGUN 



aneroids was lost and one of the hypsometer thermo- 

 meters broken. At last the slope flattened out to the 

 gently inclined terrace where the depot lay, and they 

 reached it by walking. Altogether they had dropped 

 down 5000 ft. between three in the afternoon and seven 

 in the evening. 



Adams and Marshall were the first to reach the 

 depot, the rest of the party, with the exception of 

 Brocklehurst, having made a detour to the left in con- 

 sequence of having to pursue some lost luggage in that 

 direction. At the depot they found that the blizzard 

 of the 8th had played havoc with their gear, for the 

 sledge had been overturned and some of the load scat- 

 tered to a distance and covered partly with drift-snow. 

 After dumping their packs, Adams and Marshall went 

 to meet Brocklehurst, for they noticed that a slight 

 blizzard was springing up. Fortunately, the wind 

 soon died down, the weather cleared, and the three 

 were able to regain the camp. Tea was got ready, 

 and the remainder of the party arrived about 10 p.m. 

 They camped that night at the depot and at 3 a.m. 

 next day got up to breakfast. After breakfast a 

 hunt was made for some articles that were still missing, 

 and then the sledge was packed and the march home- 

 wards commenced at 5.30 a.m. They now found that 

 the sastrugi caused by the late blizzard were very 

 troublesome, as the ridges were from four to five feet 

 above the hollows and lay at an oblique angle to the 

 course. Rope brakes were put on the sledge-runners, 

 and two men went in front to pull when necessary, 

 while two steadied the sledge, and two were stationed 

 behind to pull back when required. It was more than 

 trying to carry on at this juncture, for the sledge either 

 refused to move or suddenly it took charge and over- 

 ran those who were dragging it, and capsizes occurred 



187 



