e: "We are camped in a very disturbed region, but the wind has
fallen very light here, and our camp is comfortable for the first time
for many weeks."[329]]

"_February 6._ 15 miles. We again had a forenoon of trying to cut
corners. Got in amongst great chasms running E. and W. and had to come
out again. We then again kept west and downhill over tremendous sastrugi,
with a slight breeze, very cold. In afternoon continued bearing more and
more towards Mount Darwin: we got round one of the main lines of ice-fall
and looked back up to it.... Very cold march: many crevasses: I walking
by the sledge on foot found a good many: the others all on ski."

"_February 7._ 15.5 miles. Clear day again and we made a tedious march in
the forenoon along a flat or two, and down a long slope: and then in the
afternoon we had a very fresh breeze, and very fast run down long slopes
covered with big sastrugi. It was a strenuous job steering and checking
behind by the sledge. We reached the Upper Glacier Depot by 7.30 P.M. and
found everything right."[330]

This was the end of the plateau: the beginning of the glacier. Their hard
time should be over so far as the weather was concerned. Wilson notes how
fine the land looked as they approached it: "The colour of the Dominion
Range rock is in the main all brown madder or dark reddish chocolate, but
there are numerous bands of yellow rock scattered amongst it. I think it
is composed of dolerite and sandstone as on the W. side."[331]

The condition of the party was of course giving anxiety: how much it is
impossible to say. A good deal was to be hoped from the warm weather
ahead. Scott and Bowers were probably the fittest men. Scott's shoulder
soon mended and "Bowers is splendid, full of energy and bustle all the
time."[332] Wilson was feeling the cold more than either of them now. His
leg was not yet well enough to wear ski. Oates had suffered from a cold
foot for some time. Evans, however, was the only man whom Scott seems to
have been worried about. "His cuts and wounds suppurate, his nose looks
very bad, and altogether he shows considerable signs of being played
out." ... "Well, we have come through our seven weeks' ice-cap journey
and most of us are fit, but I think another week might have had a very
bad effect on P.O. Evans, who is going steadily downhill."[333] They had
all been having extra food which had helped them much, though they
complained of hunger and want of sleep. Directly they