Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/202

Priestley found an extraordinary quantity of lichens on the island.

February 6.—Fine morning, but a strange southwesterly wind.

Getting under way after breakfast, we reached the main depôt about 3 o'clock, and found to our surprise Debenham's party had never landed, our letters to him being still in the 'post box' we had fixed up.

February 7.—The wind, which had fallen yesterday evening, freshened up between 1 and 2 a.m., and, when we turned out, was blowing a whole gale, but with a clear sky. An ex-meridian altitude gave the latitude of this place 74° 55′ S. In the afternoon Levick, Priestley, Dickason, and I climbed to the top of what we afterwards called Inexpressible Island to see if we could make out the Nansen Moraine, which Priestley wanted to visit. I told him to take Abbott and Dickason to-morrow, while I carry the theodolite up here and get a round of angles.

February 8.—Both parties started directly after breakfast; Priestley, taking Abbott and Dickason and a week's provisions, went round west of the island, keeping on the piedmont ice, and I climbed the island with the theodolite, taking Levick and Browning with me.

It was a clear day but blowing a regular gale from the west, the wind from the plateau feeling very cold—an unpleasant day for theodolite work. By aneroid I made the height of the island 1320 feet. We returned to camp about 7 p.m.

February 9.—It came on to blow very hard in the morning, and we had to secure the tents with big stones