ON TO THE BARRIER 



journey, for if the ice broke out in the Sound unexpect- 

 edly early, it would be difficult to convey provisions 

 from Cape Royds to the Barrier, and, moreover, Hut 

 Point was twenty miles futher south than our winter 

 quarters. We spent that night on the floor of the hut, 

 and slept fairly comfortably, though not as well as on 

 the previous night in the tent, because we were not so 

 close to one another. 



On the morning of the following day (August 15) we 

 started away about 9 a.m., crossed the smooth ice to 

 Winter Harbour, and passed close round Cape Armitage. 

 We there found cracks and pressed-up ice, showing that 

 there had been Barrier movement, and about three miles 

 further on we crossed the spot at which the sea ice joins 

 the Barrier, ascending a slope about eight feet high. 

 Directly we got on to the Barrier ice we noticed undula- 

 tions on the surface. We pushed along and got to a 

 distance of about twelve miles from Hut Point in eight 

 hours. The surface generally was hard, but there were 

 very marked sastrugi, and at times patches of soft 

 snow. The conditions did not seem favourable for the 

 use of the motor-car because we had already found 

 that the machine could not go through soft snow for 

 more than a few yards, and I foresaw that if we brought 

 it out on to the Barrier it would not be able to do much 

 in the soft surface that would have to be traversed. The 

 condition of the surface varied from mile to mile, and 

 it would be impracticable to keep changing the wheels 

 of the car in order to meet the requirements of each new 

 surface. 



The temperature was very low, although the weather 

 was fine. At 6 p.m. the thermometer showed fifty-six 

 degrees below zero, and the petroleum used for the lamp 

 had become milky in colour and of a creamy consistency. 

 That night the temperature fell lower still, and the 



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