ast upon the waters ever
reached the civilized world.

Whatever has been said relative to the wind-pressure exerted on
inanimate objects, the same applied, with even more point, to our
persons; so that progression in a hurricane became a fine art. The first
difficulty to be encountered was a smooth, slippery surface offering no
grip for the feet. Stepping out of the shelter of the Hut, one was apt
to be immediately hurled at full length down wind. No amount of exertion
was of any avail unless a firm foothold had been secured. The strongest
man, stepping on to ice or hard snow in plain leather or fur boots,
would start sliding away with gradually increasing velocity; in the
space of a few seconds, or earlier, exchanging the vertical for the
horizontal position. He would then either stop suddenly against a
jutting point of ice, or glide along for twenty or thirty yards till he
reached a patch of rocks or some rough sastrugi.

Of course we soon learned never to go about without crampons on the
feet. Many experiments in the manufacture of crampons were tried
with the limited materials at our disposal. Those designed for normal
Antarctic conditions had been found unserviceable. A few detachable
pairs made of wrought iron with spikes about one and a half inches in
length, purchased in Switzerland, gave a secure foothold. Some of the
men covered the soles of their boots with long, bristling spikes and
these served their purpose well. Ice-nails, screwed into the soles
without being riveted on plates, were liable to tear out when put to
a severe test, besides being too short. Spikes of less than an inch in
length were inadequate in hurricanes. Nothing devised by us gave the
grip of the Swiss crampons, but, to affix them, one had to wear leather
boots, which, though padded to increase their warmth, had to be tightly
bound by lashings compressing the feet and increasing the liability to
frost-bite.

Shod with good spikes, in a steady wind, one had only to push hard to
keep a sure footing. It would not be true to say "to keep erect," for
equilibrium was maintained by leaning against the wind. In course
of time, those whose duties habitually took them out of doors became
thorough masters of the art of walking in hurricanes--an accomplishment
comparable to skating or skiing. Ensconced in the lee of a substantial
break-wind, one could leisurely observe the unnatural appearance of
others walking about, apparently in imminent peril o