A DISCOVERY DEp6t 



a cross bearing secured by getting the centre peak of 

 White Island in Hne with a peak of Mount Erebus. 



The party started north again on the morning of 

 the 27th, and after they had travelled a short distance 

 Day sighted a pole projecting from the snow, some 

 distance to the west of their course. Joyce was able 

 to identify this as the depot laid out for the Discovery's 

 Southern Party in the spring of 1902. There was a 

 bamboo pole about eight feet high projecting from the 

 snow, with a tattered flag attached to it, and a food 

 tin on top. The guys to which the pole was attached 

 were completely buried under the snow. The men 

 dug down for about five feet with the idea of ascertain- 

 ing how deeply the depot had been covered by snow, 

 but as the bottom had not been reached and time was 

 Hmited, they put fresh flags on the pole and proceeded 

 on their way, intending to visit the depot on the second 

 journey. A fresh southerly wind was blowing, and 

 rapid progress was made to the north towards Cape 

 Crozier. A sail was hoisted on the sledge, and this 

 assisted the dogs so much that three men were able 

 to sit on the sledge, while a pace of about four miles 

 an hour was maintained. Soon the area of crevasses, 

 caused by the impinging of the Barrier ice on the land 

 to the west, was reached again, and for thirty-seven 

 miles the party twisted and turned in making a course 

 past the obstacles; Joyce counted the crevasses that 

 were passed, and he reported that he had seen one 

 hundred and twenty-seven, ranging from two feet to 

 thirty feet in width. The larger ones were open, and 

 therefore easily detected, but the smaller ones had the 

 usual snow-lids. On the 30th the men were held up 

 by another blizzard, which completely buried the dogs 

 and sledge, but they reached Hut Point at 11 p.m. on 

 January 31. 



66 



