NEW ICE FORMATION 



scending towards them, the surface of the ice was formed 

 of a series of large thin anastomosing curved plates of 

 ice. These were pieced together in such a way as to 

 form a pattern on a large scale resembling the cups of 

 some of the recent compound corals, or the ancient 

 extinct form known to geologists as Alveolites^ These 

 curved ice plates or tiles sloped at an angle of about 

 45°, and formed, of course, an immense obstruction to 

 sledging, as their sharp edges caught and held our 

 sledge runners. We found, too, that it was very dis- 

 tressing travelling over this extraordinary surface, 

 which, from a scenic point of view, was exquisitely 

 beautiful. As we stepped forwards, out feet usually 

 crashed through the ice tiles, and our legs were im- 

 bedded in the formation up to our knees. Frequently, 

 under these circumstances, we would stumble forwards, 

 and had some difficulty in dragging our legs out. It 

 was like sledging over a wilderness of glass cucumber- 

 frames set up at an angle of 45°. Another moment one 

 would find the tiles thick enough and strong enough to 

 support one, but their surfaces being at an angle of 

 45° to the horizontal, our feet would slip down them 

 sideways and we ran an imminent risk of spraining our 

 ankles. At every step we took we did not know until 

 after the event which of the above two experiences 

 would follow. 



After sledging for a short distance over surfaces of 

 this kind, sloping somewhat steeply to the small lakes, 

 we decided to camp on the pale green ice of one of 

 these lakes. Mawson tested this ice and found that 

 it was strong enough to hold, though evidently of no 

 great thickness. We sledged along this lake for a 

 few hundred yards to its north-east end. There was 

 a little snow here which would do for loading the skirt 

 of our tent. By this time the sky was thicldy over- 



195 



