486 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
On the return to Cape Evans an attempt was made 
to carry out a suggestion made by Mr. E. T. Browne. 
The sea was not yet frozen over, and the idea was to 
drop a tow-net from a kite flown out over the sea and 
then pull the net in to shore. A kite was made and the 
net dropped about 250 yards out, but unfortunately 
small floating ice crystals choked the net and completely 
spoilt the catches. 
After the sea had frozen over the general winter work 
was commenced. A hole was cut through the ice and 
a wall of ice blocks built round to afford some shelter 
from the wind. This hole had to be cut every day, 
freezing during the night to as much as two feet 
thick. 
In the spring of 191 1 (September) the sea ice at this 
point was 8 feet 3 inches thick. 
The labour entailed in keeping the holes open was con- 
siderable, and the time taken in this work very appreciably 
curtailed the time available for making collections. 
The position chosen was about three-quarters of a 
mile distant from the hut in the strait between Cape 
Evans and Inaccessible Island, the depth at this point 
being 100 fathoms. 
Tow-nets of various sized mesh were set at varying 
depths, the current under the ice being sufficiently strong 
to allow them to fish satisfactorily as a stationary net. 
Very good catches were obtained, which were brought 
back to the hut in Thermos flasks. These flasks proved 
quite invaluable, since catches could be kept in perfect 
condition in the lowest temperatures which otherwise 
