Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/526

The peak proved more interesting geologically than was expected, and we took back a good crop of specimens and photographs.

From here our route to the old crater itself proved steady, steep (for sledges), and uninteresting, and we camped on the gravel of a small nunatak on the lower side of the crater glacier at 5 p.m. on the 8th (8000 feet).

From this point Debenham was able to initiate the survey of the crater, and the next day all six of us carried one tent and equipment for three men a mile or two up the side of the glacier and established a camp in a gully nearly 9000 feet above sea level. After making this camp I took a rope party of four across and collected from the lower fang of the crater, while Debenham took Abbott and continued his plane table survey. What I saw from the crater side of the glacier decided me to make the final climb from a point about half a mile beyond the Gully Camp, and so I sent Gran with two of the men back for a supply of food from a depôt we had laid three or four miles back and almost on the Professor's route.

After lunch I returned with the other two, and we struck the single tent at our lower crater camp, collected all spare gear and depôted it and the extra food, and on the return of the other three we pulled the sledge with its skeleton equipment as far as the Gully Camp, where we spent the night.

On the morning of the 10th we again pulled out, and by 11.30 a.m. we were camped in the position from which I had decided to make the final ascent. After discussion with Debenham, I selected Gran, Abbott, and Hooper to