i 9 iil A BLIZZARD ON THE SEA ICE 225 
the sledges up the 6 ft. wall pretty easily. Stiff incline, 
but easy pulling on hard surface — the light was failing 
and the surface criss-crossed with innumerable cracks ; 
several of us fell in these with risk of strain, but the north 
side was well snow-covered and easy, with a good valley 
leading to a low ice cliff — here a broken piece afforded 
easy descent. I decided to push on for Cape Evans, so 
camped for tea at 6. At 6.30 found darkness suddenly 
arrived ; it was very difficult to sec anything — we got 
down on the sea ice, very heavy pulling, but plodded on 
for some hours ; at 10 arrived close under little Razor 
Back Island, and not being able to sec anything ahead, 
decided to camp and got to sleep at 11.30 in no very 
comfortable circumstances. 
The wind commenced to rise during night. We found 
a roaring blizzard in the morning. We had many alarms 
for the safety of the ice on which the camp was pitched. 
Bowers and Taylor climbed the island ; reported wind 
terrific on the summit — sweeping on cither side but com- 
paratively calm immediately to windward and to leeward. 
Waited all day in hopes of a lull ; at 3 I went round the 
island myself with Bowers, and found a little ice platform 
close under the weather side ; resolved to shift camp 
here. It took two very cold hours, but we gained great 
shelter, the cliffs rising almost sheer from the tents. Only 
now and again a whirling wind current eddied down on 
the tents, which were well secured, but the noise of the 
wind sweeping over the rocky ridge above our heads was 
deafening ; we could scarcely hear ourselves speak. 
Settled down for our second night with little comfort, 
VOL. I. Q 
