Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/533

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1912]
THE ACTIVE CRATER SHOWS OFF
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troubled with shortness of breath and fatigue, and were obliged to rest every hundred yards or so; but we reached the summit of the active cone within two or three hours of leaving the camp, and while Gran made a cairn for the record I had prepared, I endeavoured with the help of Abbott and Hooper to light the hypsometer; but the breeze was too stiff and enfiladed the crater rim so that no adequate shelter could be obtained, and after wasting half a box of matches and getting several frostbitten fingers we were obliged to desist. Gran and I then took a series of photographs on the rim of the crater, but we were unable to see more than a few feet down because of the steam and sulphur vapour, which caused us considerable inconvenience even during the short time we spent on the rim, for every slight variation of direction of the wind resulted in our complete envelopment by the vapour, which was not too good to breathe in.

After a short while on top Hooper reported that his feet were frostbitten, and I at once ordered him back to camp, telling off Abbott to accompany him and to collect a rucksack full of pumice on his way down.

Gran and I continued slowly down the cone, collecting felspars as we went, and I had descended about 500 feet when I discovered to my annoyance that instead of the record we had left a tin of exposed films at the summit. Gran immediately volunteered to fetch this and place the real record, and as I wished to collect thoroughly I continued slowly on my way down. I had reached the second group of fumaroles and was beginning to photograph them by the time he should have reached the top, when there was