THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



square in shape. Every two hundred yards we had 

 to drag our sledge to the edge of a floe, jump over a 

 lane of water, and then with a big effort pull the sledge 

 after us. After an hour of this kind of work our hands 

 were cut and bleeding, and our clothes, which, of course, 

 froze as stiff as boards, had been wet through to the 

 waist, for we had frequently slipped and fallen when 

 crossing from floe to floe. At 2.30 p.m. we were near 

 to the land, and came to a piece of glacier ice that formed 

 a bridge. The floe that we were on was moving rapidly, 

 so we had to make a great efl'ort and drag our sledge 

 over a six-foot breach. Our luck was in, and we pulled 

 our sledge a little way up the face of the fast ice, and 

 unpacked it. We were in a safe position again, and none 

 too soon, for fifteen minutes later there was open water 

 where we had gained the land." 



Mackintosh decided to go into camp near the spot 

 where they had landed, as a journey across the rocks and 

 the glaciers of the coast was not a thing to be undertaken 

 lightly, and would probably be impossible unless the mail- 

 bag was left behind. McGillan, moreover, had developed 

 snow-blindness, and both men were very tired. I will 

 quote from Mackintosh's report on the subsequent ex- 

 perience of this little party. 



" Early the next morning I found McGillan in great 

 pain," wrote Mackintosh. " His eyes were closed up 

 completely, and his face was terribly swollen. The 

 only remedy I could apply was to bathe them, and this 

 seemed to give him some relief. From an elevated 

 position I had a good look round for the ship, and 

 could not see a trace of her. As the day wore on my own 

 eyes became painful. I fervently hoped I was not going 

 to be as bad as my companion, for we would then be 

 in a very difficult position. The morning of January 6 

 found us both blind. McGillan's face was frightfully 



44 



