182 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 
bridge was firm and I got hold of both dogs, which were 
hauled up in turn to the surface. Then I heard dim 
shouts and howls above. Some of the rescued animals 
had wandered to the second sledge, and a big fight was 
in progress. All my rope-tenders had to leave to separate 
the combatants ; but they soon returned, and with some 
effort I was hauled to the surface. 
All is well that ends well, and certainly this was a most 
surprisingly happy ending to a very serious episode. 
We felt we must have refreshment, so camped and had 
a meal, congratulating ourselves on a 
really miraculous escape. If the sledge 
had gone down Mearcs and I must have 
been badly injured, if not killed outright. 
The dogs are wonderful, but have had a 
terrible shaking — three of them arc pass- 
ing blood and have more or less serious 
internal injuries. Many were held up by a thin thong 
round the stomach, writhing madly to get free. One 
dog better placed in its harness stretched its legs full before 
and behind and just managed to claw cither side of the 
gap — it had continued attempts to climb throughout, 
giving vent to terrified howls. Two of the animals hanging 
together had been fighting at intervals when they swung 
into any position which allowed them to bite one another. 
The crevasse for the time being was an inferno, and the 
time must have been all too terribly long for the wretched 
creatures. It was twenty minutes past three when we 
had completed the rescue work, and the accident must 
have happened before one-thirty. Some of the animals 
