Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/289

'Your companions will be Messrs. Debenham, Wright, and Petty Officer Evans.

'You will have two sledges with food and equipment for eight weeks.

'The object of your journey will be the geological exploration of the region between the Dry Valley and the Koettlitz Glacier.

'Your movements must depend to some extent on the breaking of the sea ice. Your best and safest plan appears to be to carry all your provision up the Ferrar Glacier to a point in the medial moraine abreast of Descent Pass, and to make a depôt at that point. With a fortnight's food you could then continue the ascent to the junction of the Dry Valley glacier and descend the Valley of that glacier. On returning to your depôt you will be in a position to observe the extent of open water, and you can either descend the glacier and pass to the east around Butter Point, or climb Descent Pass, descending by the Blue Glacier or by one of the more southerly foothill glaciers, and thus continue the examination of the Koettlitz Glacier area.

'On completion of your work you should cross to Hut Point, being careful not to camp too near open water. . . .

With regard to our equipment only one feature deserves comment. We carried an exceptionally large photographic battery, which was necessitated by the character