SUMMER AT THE \YINTER QUARTERS 



\?[7T;1 were distant about thirty- two miles from Hut 

 ^ ^ Point when I decided to send the supporting-party 

 back. The men watched us move off across the white 

 plain until we became mere dots on the wide expanse, 

 and then loaded up their gear and started north. 

 Joyce was left in charge of the party, and he decided to 

 make one forced march to Hut Point. They had to cross 

 a good deal of crevassed ice, but a special effort would 

 enable them to make their next camp under shelter. 

 They got under way at 7 a.m. and marched till noon, 

 making good progress in spite of the surface. In the 

 afternoon they marched from two till five o'clock, and 

 then a final march, from 7 p.m. till 1.30 a.m., took them 

 to the old Discovery hut. The only incident of the day 

 had been the succumbing of Brocklehurst's feet to 

 another attack of frost-bite, he having worn ski-boots 

 when the other men had put on finnesko. The damage 

 was not serious, although the sufferer himself had trouble 

 with his feet for some time after. The party had 

 covered tliirty-two miles in fourteen hours and a half, 

 very good marching in view of the soft and broken 

 character of the surface. 



The party left Hut Point on the morning of 

 November 12, and had a hard pull to Glacier Tongue. 

 They at first thought of camping on the southern side of 

 the Tongue, but, fortunately, kept on, for on the other 

 side they met Day, Murray and Roberts, who had brought 

 out stores with the motor-car. I had left orders that 



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