Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/68

another, and all led to further impasses until the daylight was two-thirds gone, and we found ourselves faced in a large snow hollow by a chaotic pile of ice blocks and snowdrifts standing almost vertically in our path and all round us, to a height of some sixty feet, and completely stopping all chance of progress forward [a great cul-de-sac which probably formed the end of the two ridges, where they butted on to the sea ice]. Here we had the mortification of hearing the cries of Emperor penguins echoed to us by the rock cliffs on our left. We were still, however, out of sight of the rookery and we had still a quarter of a mile of chaotic pressure to cross [to be caught in the night there was a horrible idea], so we reluctantly gave up the attempt for the day and with great caution and much difficulty owing to the failing light retraced the steps it had taken us about three hours to make. We had been roped together the whole time and had used the sledge continually over soft and rotten-looking snow bridges. It was dark by the time we reached safe ground after clambering about five hours to no purpose. [Birdie was very good at picking the tracks up again. At last we lost them altogether and settled we must go ahead. As a matter of fact we picked them up again, and by then were out of the worst; but we were glad to see the tent again.]

During the day a light southerly breeze had been blowing with a clear sky. The temp. had varied from −30° with south-westerly wind of force 2 at 4 p.m. to −37°, which had been the minimum in the early morning between 3 a.m. and 9.30 a.m.