destruction had formed quantities of coarse sand.  We chose a spot for the hut on a beach facing N.W. and well protected by numerous small hills behind.  This spot seems to have all the local advantages (which I must detail later) for a winter station, and we realised that at length our luck had turned.  The most favourable circumstance of all is the stronge chance of communication with Cape Armitage being established at an early date.

It was in connection with this fact that I had had such a strong desire to go to Mount Terror, and such misgivings if we had been forced to go to Cape Royds.  It is quite evident that the ice south of Cape Royds does not become secure till late in the season, probably in May.  Before that, all evidence seems to show that the part between Cape Royds and Cape Barne is continually going out.  How, I ask myself, was our depot party to get back to home quarters?  I feel confident we can get to the new spot we have chosen at a comparatively early date; it will probably only be necessary to cross the sea ice in the deep bays north and south of the Glacier Tongue, and the ice rarely goes out of there after it has first formed.  Even if it should, both stages can be seen before the party ventures upon them.

After many frowns fortune has treated us to the kindest smile—­for twenty-four hours we have had a calm with brilliant sunshine.  Such weather in such a place comes nearer to satisfying my ideal of perfection than any condition that I have ever experienced.  The warm glow of the sun with the keen invigorating cold of the air forms a combination which is inexpressibly health-giving and satisfying to me, whilst the golden light on this wonderful scene of mountain and ice satisfies every claim of scenic magnificence.  No words of mine can convey the impressiveness of the wonderful panorama displayed to our eyes.  Ponting is enraptured and uses expressions which in anyone else and alluding to any other subject might be deemed extravagant.

The Landing:  A Week’s Work

Whilst we were on shore Campbell was taking the first steps towards landing our stores.  Two of the motor sledges were soon hoisted out, and Day with others was quickly unpacking them.  Our luck stood again.  In spite of all the bad weather and the tons of sea water which had washed over them the sledges and all the accessories appeared as fresh and clean as if they had been packed on the previous day—­much credit is due to the officers who protected them with tarpaulins and lashings.  After the sledges came the turn of the ponies—­there was a good deal of difficulty in getting some of them into the horse box, but Oates rose to the occasion and got most in by persuasion, whilst others were simply lifted in by the sailors.  Though all are thin and some few looked pulled down I was agreeably surprised at the evident vitality which they still possessed—­some were even skittish.  I cannot express the relief