neighbourhood of
Commonwealth Bay, but the coastline in the vicinity of Winter Quarters,
with the rocks and islets, would not come into view until within two
miles, as above that point the icy slopes filled the foreground up to
the distant berg-studded horizon. Delays in reaching the Hut owing to
the difficult descent might have serious consequences, for provisions
are usually short near the conclusion of a sledging journey.

The necessity of making artificial landmarks was, therefore, most
obvious. Already we had a flagstaff two miles to the south. It was now
my intention to run a line of similar marks backwards to the plateau.

Bage, Madigan and I were to form a reconnoitring party to plant
these flags, and to make a journey of a few days' duration into the
hinterland, to see its possibilities, and with a view to an extended
sledging campaign to commence as soon as possible after our return. It
was decided not to make use of the dogs until later in the year, when
they would be in better form.

The wind continued, accompanied by more or less drift-snow. This
appeared to be the settled state of the weather. We decided to move out
as soon as a moderate phase should occur.

On the afternoon of February 28 the weather cleared up for several
hours, and we decided to leave on the following day. The wind resumed
operations once more, but fell off late on February 29, when we made a
start. We intended to get the packed sledge up the first steep slope,
there to leave it until the morrow. The drift was slight and low,
flowing along like a stream below our knees. Bickerton, Hurley and Mertz
assisted us with the hauling. At a distance of a little more than a
mile, at an elevation of five hundred feet, the sledge was anchored and
we returned to the Hut for the night.

Next morning the weather cleared still more, and we left just before
noon. Three miles out, a mast and flag were erected, when our companions
of the day before, who had again assisted us, turned back. At five and
a half miles the brow of the main rise was reached, and the gradient
became much flatter beyond it. The elevation was found to be one
thousand five hundred feet.

To the south nothing was visible but a great, wan, icy wilderness. To
the north a headland appeared on either hand, each about twenty-five
miles away, and between them lay an expanse of sea dotted with many
bergs. The nearer portions of the coast, together with the Mackellar
Islets, were los