Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/173

indeed, but it moderated towards the morning. The new ice had not gone out, but a large sheet of open water was visible to the north, while along the northern horizon an open water sky was visible. A decided swell along the beach makes me certain open water is not far distant.

September 7.—September came in with blizzards which prevented our getting away as early as we wished. Yesterday and to-day, however, we have been getting sledges and outfit over the bad pressure ice which lies to the southward of the beach.

We are taking a 12-ft. and a 10-ft. sledge, the latter being on iron runners, as no wooden runners would stand the sharp edges of the pressure ice for long. We also find the iron runners, in spite of the 40 lbs. extra weight, run much better over the salt-flecked ice. Once over the pressure we packed the 12-ft. sledge and secured it on the 10-ft.

Our total weight including sledges amounts to 1163 lbs.

The sledging ration we are taking is based on Shackleton's ration adapted for coast sledging.

We are convoying Levick and Browning as far as Warning Glacier, where the former is going to take photographs.

September 22.—On this journey the surfaces were so bad that we only managed to reach Cape Barrow, the western limit of Robertson Bay.

After our return we experienced a spell of bad weather until the 22nd, when it cleared, so Levick started off again for Warning Glacier to get the photographs he had been unable to take before.