Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/262

and sick. Levick gave me some medicine that put new life into me. We have had a wearisome day of relaying, with frequent upsets, and have been cutting a path through high and heavy pressure ice, half hidden under a soft snow into which we fell and floundered about.

At 5.30 the light was so bad that I camped. Distance perhaps 3 miles, but it is impossible to gauge accurately with this sort of travelling.

October 17.—Turned out at 5.15 to find snow falling, and by the time we had finished breakfast a southerly gale was blowing, with heavy drift, and it was impossible to march, so we turned in and spent the day in our bags.

October 18.—The wind dropped in the night and the sky cleared about 6, leaving a fine day. We have had another heavy day's work relaying over bad pressure, but yesterday's rest has done us all a lot of good and we went at it quite fresh. We saw the Nordenskiöld ice tongue ahead miraged up and looking quite close. About 5 p.m. we came to the end of this infernal pressure, and saw smooth surface between us and the tongue end, and by 6.30 camped on the smooth ice. I had noticed a seal up about a mile west of us as we were relaying over the last of the pressure, so after we had camped I went away on ski to look for him.

After going about 2 miles I struck his tracks and followed them till they disappeared down a hole. Through the seal hole I tried to feel the lower edge of the ice but was unable to do so. I take it therefore that the ice must be at least 3 feet thick. This smooth surface we are on must be due, I think, to the current coming up under the