-man
sleeping-bag ready to take to the road at a moment's notice.

The next morning, at a distance of eighteen miles southeast of the
Hut, there was nothing for it but to make for Aladdin's Cave, which was
safely reached by a forced march of twelve and three-quarter miles, with
a furious wind partly abeam. On the way the sledge was blown sideways
on to the lids of many wide crevasses, which, fortunately for the party,
were strong at that season of the year.

From the realistic reports of the two parties which had returned it was
evident that Madigan and his companions, Close and Whetter who had set
out on the 12th to the west were having a bad time. But it was not till
the 23rd, after a week of clear skies, low temperatures and unceasing
drift-free wind that we began to feel apprehensive about them.

September 24 and 25 were punctuated by several intervals of calm during
which it was judged the party would have been able to travel.

On the morning of September 26 Ninnis and Mertz, with a team of dogs,
set off up the hill to Aladdin's Cave to deposit some provisions and to
scan the horizon for any sign of the sledgers. On the way they fell in
with them descending the slopes, very worn and frost-bitten.

They had a thrilling story to tell, and, when it was known that the
party had reached fifty miles to the west, everybody crowded round to
listen.

The wind average at the Hut during their fortnight of absence was
fifty-eight miles per hour, implying worse conditions on the plateau.
Madigan gave the facts:

"After leaving Aladdin's Cave on the 12th we continued due south,
lunching at 2 P.M. on the site of Webb's first camp. Our troubles had
already begun; the wind averaging sixty miles an hour all day with a
temperature at noon of -14 degrees F.

"As a few tears appeared in the tent during the night, we saw that it
would not be advisable to put it up next day for lunch, so we had a
cold meal, crouched in the lee of the sledge. This custom was found
to economize time, as we became so cold eating our fare of biscuit,
chocolate and butter that we got moving again as soon as possible.
The great disadvantage was that there was nothing to drink between the
morning and evening meals.

"We sewed up the rents in the tent during the halt, having to use bare
fingers in the open. About four stitches at a time were as much as one
man could manage, and then the other two took their turns.

"The next day was the only comparat