Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/270

We saw rock outcropping from the piedmont at various places, and no doubt these exposures will be points or islands at some near period in the future. Priestley collected specimens everywhere he could. We saw an enormous quantity of seals and young up, so this is evidently a great breeding-place.

October 28.—A fine morning; we made fair progress over a snow surface. We had to make a détour into the bay to avoid pressure. A cold wind sprang up in the afternoon, and my nose, which had got very sunburnt all the morning, promptly froze, and when thawed out was very painful. We camped about 6 p.m. two miles north of Cape Roberts. No seals were up on the south side of the bay. Distance 10 miles. No sign of the ship or of Debenham's party.

October 29.—Turned out at 4.30 a.m. A fine day, but a bank of cloud to the south and a cold westerly wind. A two hours' march brought us to Cape Roberts, where I saw through my glasses a bamboo stuck on the top of the cape. Leaving the sledges, Priestley and I climbed the cape, when we found a record left by the Western Party last year before they were picked up, and giving their movements, while near by was a depôt of provisions they had left behind. We gave such a yell the others ran up the slope at once. It seemed almost too good to be true.

We found two tins of biscuits, one slightly broached, and a small bag each of raisins, tea, cocoa, butter, and lard. There were also clothes, diaries, and specimens from Granite Harbour. I decided to camp here and have a