Chapter C^frteen 



RESULTS OF THE EREBUS JOURNEY 



|N closing the report the Professor and Adams men- 

 * tion the impression made upon them by the scenes 

 that unfolded themselves during the journey. " The 

 glorious sunsets, the magic of the sunrise seen from our 

 camp above the clouds when the great shadow of Erebus 

 swept across McMurdo Sound, and touched the far-off 

 Western Mountains, the weird shapes of the green and 

 white ice mounds built around the fumaroles of the old 

 crater, with its pavement of sparkling crystals interspersed 

 with snow and pumice; the hissing and booming caul- 

 dron of the modern crater with its long line of steam 

 jets and its snow-white pillow of steam, are all memories 

 that will never fade from our minds." 



It must be said that, considering the time of year, 

 the party were extremely fortunate in the weather 

 encountered on their journey. In the first place the 

 route followed proved satisfactory, for while it gave a 

 good snow surface for the sledge it kept the party 

 entirely free from any dangerously crevassed ice. Next, 

 the blizzard, though very trying while it lasted on 

 account of its violence and low temperature, commenc- 

 ing at 30° below zero Fahr., really proved a blessing in 

 disguise, for it lasted just long enough to raise the 

 temperature considerably, as well as to check the high- 

 level south-westerly wind, and so produce a calm. 

 Naturally I was much pleased to have all our party 

 back after so fine a piece of work and without any 

 serious accident, though, indeed, Brocklehurst's foot 



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