Conditions look very unfavourable for the continued freezing of the Strait.

Thursday, April 13.—­Started from Hut Point 9 A.M.  Tuesday.  Party consisted of self, Bowers, P.O.  Evans, Taylor, one tent; Evans, Gran, Crean, Debenham, and Wright, second tent.  Left Wilson in charge at Hut Point with Meares, Forde, Keohane, Oates, Atkinson, and Cherry-Garrard.  All gave us a pull up the ski slope; it had become a point of honour to take this slope without a ‘breather.’  I find such an effort trying in the early morning, but had to go through with it.

Weather fine; we marched past Castle Rock, east of it; the snow was soft on the slopes, showing the shelter afforded—­continued to traverse the ridge for the first time—­found quite good surface much wind swept—­passed both cones on the ridge on the west side.  Caught a glimpse of fast ice in the Bays either side of Glacier as expected, but in the near Bay its extent was very small.  Evidently we should have to go well along the ridge before descending, and then the problem would be how to get down over the cliffs.  On to Hulton Rocks 7 1/2 miles from the start—­here it was very icy and wind swept, inhospitable—­the wind got up and light became bad just at the critical moment, so we camped and had some tea at 2 P.M.  A clearance half an hour later allowed us to see a possible descent to the ice cliffs, but between Hulton Rocks and Erebus all the slope was much cracked and crevassed.  We chose a clear track to the edge of the cliffs, but could find no low place in these, the lowest part being 24 feet sheer drop.  Arriving here the wind increased, the snow drifting off the ridge—­we had to decide quickly; I got myself to the edge and made standing places to work the rope; dug away at the cornice, well situated for such work in harness.  Got three people lowered by the Alpine rope—­Evans, Bowers, and Taylor—­then sent down the sledges, which went down in fine style, fully packed—­then the remainder of the party.  For the last three, drove a stake hard down in the snow and used the rope round it, the men being lowered by people below—­came down last myself.  Quite a neat and speedy bit of work and all done in 20 minutes without serious frostbite—­quite pleased with the result.

We found pulling to Glacier Tongue very heavy over the surface of ice covered with salt crystals, and reached Glacier Tongue about 5.30; found a low place and got the sledges up the 6 ft. wall pretty easily.  Stiff incline, but easy pulling on hard surface—­the light was failing and the surface criss-crossed with innumerable cracks; several of us fell in these with risk of strain, but the north side was well snow-covered and easy, with a good valley leading to a low ice cliff—­here a broken piece afforded easy descent.  I decided to push on for Cape Evans, so camped for tea at 6.  At 6.30 found darkness suddenly arrived; it was very difficult to see anything—­we got down on the sea ice, very heavy pulling, but plodded on for some hours; at 10 arrived close under little Razor Back Island, and not being able to see anything ahead, decided to camp and got to sleep at 11.30 in no very comfortable circumstances.