THE ROSS SEA PARTY 
they turned towards Castle Rock and proceeded across the 
disturbed area where the Barrier impinges upon the land. 
Joyce put his foot through the snow-covering of a fairly large 
crevasse, and the course had to be changed to avoid this danger. 
The march for the day was only 2 miles 900 yds. Mackintosh 
felt that the pace was too slow, but was unable to quicken it 
owing to the bad surfaces. The food had been cut down to 
close upon half-rations, and at this reduced rate the supply 
still in hand would be finished in two days. The party covered 
7 miles 570 yds. on the 21st, and the hoosh that night was 
no thicker than tea." " The first thought this morning was 
that we must do a good march," wrote Mackintosh on March 22. 
Once we can get to Safety Camp (at the junction of the 
Barrier with the sea-ice) we are right. Of course we can as a 
last resort abandon the sledge and take a run into Hut Point, 
about twenty-two miles away. . . . We have managed quite 
a respectable forenoon march. The surface was hard, so we 
took full advantage of it. With our low food the cold is pene- 
trating. We had lunch at 1 p.m., and then had left over one 
meal at full rations and a small quantity of biscuits. The 
temperature at lunch-time was — 6° Fahr. Erebus is emitting 
large volumes of smoke, travelling in a south-easterly direction, 
and a red glare is also discernible. After lunch we again 
accomplished a good march, the wind favouring us for tw^o 
hoiurs. We are anxiously looking out for Safety Camp." The 
distance for the day was 8 miles 1525 yds. 
" March 23, 1915. — No sooner had we camped last night 
than a blizzard with drift came on and has continued ever 
since. This morning finds us prisoners. The drift is lashing 
into the sides of the tent and everything outside is obscured. 
This weather is rather alarming, for if it continues we are in a 
bad wa5^ We have just made a meal of cocoa mixed with 
biscuit-crumbs. This has warmed us up a little, but on empty 
stomachs the cold is penetrating." 
The weather cleared in the afternoon, but too late for the men 
to move that day. They made a start at 7 a.m. on the 24th 
after a meal of cocoa and biscuit-crumbs. " We have some 
biscuit-crumbs in the bag and that is all. Our start was made 
259 
