354 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION Pecember 
active crater and no photographs were possible. The only 
effect the height had on us as yet was to cause sleepless- 
ness and a slight shortness of breath, but we were already 
beginning to experience some discomfort from the low 
temperatures, and the whole time we remained at or above 
this elevation the mercury remained obstinately below 
-lo'^ F., and at one time registered -30° F. 
The iith saw us still shrouded in cloud and, except 
for a short walk in the immediate neighbourhood of the 
camp, we got nothing done ; but Gran woke me at i o'clock 
in the morning of the 12th, to find the weather so magnifi- 
cent that I roused all hands at once and we got breakfast, 
deciding to take time by the forelock and not risk a change 
of weather. 
The only drawback to the morning was a low 
temperature, - 15'^ F. to - 18° F., and a cold southerly wind 
which gave us a good deal of trouble, as the high altitude 
very much decreased our chances of resisting frostbite. 
From the scenic point of view the volcano could not have 
been better, for it was very active, and the steam cloud was 
being carried steadily northward by the breeze. As we 
approached the active crater we secured photograph after 
photograph, and I also took several looking back at our 
camp and the old crater in the background, and at Mount 
Terror and Mount Bird. A good description of these two 
upper craters has already been given by Professor David, 
and repetition would be unnecessary and useless. The 
principal impression they have left on our minds is that of 
absolute bareness and desolation. 
As our altitude increased we were more and more 
