Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/594

lead had to be crossed en route, and Gran's men negotiated this by converting their sledge into a 'kayak,' using a canvas cover which made quite a good boat out of the sledge. On their way home to the ship they had the fortune to get on to a loose ice floe with their two sledges. Ferrying in this fashion much time was saved, and the party returned hungry and tired but successful at 3 a.m. on January 23.

During the absence of this party some surveying work was accomplished, and the astronomical observations taken by the navigating officers in conjunction linked on the work of Griffith Taylor and Debenham to the main survey. Off shore soundings were obtained by Rennick with a view to throwing light on the neighbouring glacier movements. Pennell carried out magnetic observations, Lillie trawled with the Agassiz and obtained a fine haul, which included enormous sponges. In short, the usual beehive industry in the scientific work was maintained.

At 3.30 a.m. the sledge gear was brought on board by Gran's party; they had secured all Taylor's and Debenham's beautiful geological collections, consisting largely of fossils and coral. These specimens had been left here a whole year ago.

This accomplished, we hauled in our ice anchors and proceeded under steam as requisite for working through the pack which barred our way to the Drygalski Barrier.

At 11.30 a.m. the ice became so heavy that we were forced to turn round and return towards Granite Harbour.

All day we worked to clear out of the pack and made only fair progress, the floes being so big that our weight