Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/193

After 6 p.m. the surface got so bad, owing to undercut sastrugi, that we had to relay half our load at a time, and even then had frequent upsets. We camped at 9.30 p.m. about 1 mile E. of a cape we named Cape 'Sastrugi.'

January 24.—A fine morning, but no sign of Levick's party, so after getting a true bearing and round of angles, I joined Priestley and Dickason collecting, on Cape Sastrugi. I made some sketches. This piedmont we are on extends west to the Mt. Nansen Range, and seems quite flat, except where glaciers run in, where there are undulations and crevasses.

January 25.—Overcast. Levick has not turned up yet, which is very annoying. It is useless going to look for him, as the undulations at the mouth of the Melbourne Glacier would completely hide a party, unless both happened on the same route. Collecting to-day on some moraines south of us, Priestley fell through a snow bridge of a crevasse up to his arms. He was not roped at the time, so it was lucky he did not go through altogether.

January 26.—A clear morning, but blowing hard, with drift. Climbed the hills to the N.W., taking the theodolite and sketch-book, and got a true bearing and good round of angles.

I also made out the truant party calmly camped on the east side of the Melbourne Glacier. So returning to camp we packed food for eighteen days, and depôted the remainder, together with the specimens, and a note to Levick telling him my proposed plans, which were to try the two glaciers which came in at the N.W. corner of the piedmont, for a route into Wood Bay, and directing