dead snow petrel--a young one--showing that the birds must breed in the
vicinity.

To the south, the glacier shelf appeared to be very little broken,
but to the north it was terribly torn and twisted. At each end of the
nunatak there was a very fine bergschrund.** Twenty miles to the east
there appeared to be an uncovered rocky islet; the mainland turning
to the southward twelve miles away. During the night the minimum
thermometer registered -47 degrees F.

** The term not used in the usual sense. Referring to a wide,
imposing crevasse caused by the division of the ice as it presses past
the nunatak.--ED.

An attempt to get away next morning was frustrated by a strong gale. We
were two hundred yards from the shelter of the Hippo and were forced to
turn back, since it was difficult to keep one's feet, while the sledges
were blown sideways over the neve surface.

I resolved to leave the depot in this place and return to the Base,
for our sleeping-bags were getting very wet and none of the party were
having sufficient sleep. We were eighty-four miles from the hut; I had
hoped to do one hundred miles, but we could make up for that by starting
the summer journey a few days earlier. One sledge was left here as well
as six weeks' allowance of food for three men, except tea, of which
there was sufficient for fifty days, seventy days oil and seventy-eight
days' biscuit. The sledge was placed on end in a hole three feet deep
and a mound built up around it, six feet high; a bamboo and flag being
lashed to the top.

On September 4 we were homeward bound, heading first to the mainland
leaving Delay Point on our left, to examine some of the outcrops of
rock. Reaching the coast about 3 P.M., camp was shortly afterwards
pitched in a most beautiful spot. A wall of solid rock rose sheer for
over four hundred feet and was crowned by an ice-cap half the thickness.
Grand ice-falls surged down on either side.

The tents were erected in what appeared to be a sheltered hollow, a
quarter of a mile from Avalanche Rocks. One tent was up and we were
setting the other in position when the wind suddenly veered right round
to the east and flattened out both tents. It was almost as humorous as
annoying. They were soon raised up once more, facing the other way.

While preparing for bed, a tremendous avalanche came down. The noise
was awful and seemed so close that we all turned to the door and started
out. The fastening of the entranc