SOUTH 
sky-line. The immense ice-slopes shone white as alabaster 
against dark shadows. The sky to the west over the mountains 
was clear, except for low-lying banks at the foot of the slopes 
round about Mount Discovery. To the south hard streaks of 
stratus lay heaped up to 30 degrees above the horizon. . , . 
Then Erebus commenced to emit volumes of smoke, which rose 
hundreds of feet and trailed away izi a north-westerly direction. 
The southern slopes of Erebus were enveloped in a mass of 
cloud." The party from Cape Royds retm-ned that afternoon, 
and there was disappointment at their report that no more 
tobacco had been found. 
The sledging of stores to Hut Point, in preparation for the 
depot-laying journeys on the Barrier, was to begin on Septem- 
ber 1. Mackintosh, before that date, had discussed plans fully 
with the members of his party. He considered that sufficient 
sledging provisions were available at Cape Evans, the supply 
landed from the ship being supplemented by the stores left by 
the Scott Expedition of 1912-13 and the Shackleton Expedition 
of 1907-09. The supply of clothing and tents was more diffi- 
cult. Garments brought from the ship could be supplemented 
by old clothing found at Hut Point and Cape Evans. The 
Burberry wind-proof outer garments were old and in poor 
order for the start of a season's sledging. Old sleeping-bags 
had been cut up to make finneskoe (fur boots) and mend other 
sleeping-bags. Three tents were available, one sound one 
landed from the Aurora, and two old ones left by Captain Scott. 
Mackintosh had enough sledges, but the experience of the first 
journey with the dogs had been unfortunate, and there were 
now only four useful dogs left. They did not make a full team 
and would have to be used merely as an auxiliary to man- 
haulage. 
The scheme adopted by Mackintosh, after discussion with 
the members of his party, was that nine men, divided into three 
parties of three each, should undertake the sledging. One man 
would be left at Cape Evans to continue the meteorological 
observations during the summer. The motor-tractor, which 
had been left at Hut Point, was to be brought to Cape Evans 
and, if possible, put into working order. Mackintosh estimated 
272 
