[Illustration:  CAPE EVANS FROM ARRIVAL HEIGHTS]

[Illustration:  CAPE ROYDS FROM CAPE BARNE]

“There I called together all the members and explained the situation, telling them what had been done, and what I then proposed to do; also asking them for their advice in this trying time.  The opinion was almost unanimous that all that was possible had been already done.  Owing to the lateness of the year, and the likelihood of our being unable to make our way up the coast to Campbell, one or two members suggested that another journey might be made to Corner Camp.  Knowing the conditions which had lately prevailed on the Barrier, I took it upon myself to decide the uselessness of this."[276]

All was well at Cape Evans.  Winds and temperatures had both been high, the latter being in marked contrast to the low temperatures we had experienced at Hut Point, which averaged as much as 15 deg. lower than those that were recorded in the previous year.  The seven mules were well, but three of the new dogs had died:  we were always being troubled by that mysterious disease.

Before she left for New Zealand the following members of our company joined the ship:  Simpson, who had to return to his work in India; Griffith Taylor, who had been lent to us by the Australian Government for only one year; Ponting, whose photographic work was done; Day, whose work with the motors was done; Meares, who was recalled by family affairs; Forde, whose hand had never recovered the effects of frost-bite during the spring; Clissold, who fell off a berg and concussed himself; and Anton, whose work with the ponies was done.  Lieutenant Evans was invalided home.

Archer had been landed to take Clissold’s place as cook; another seaman, Williamson, was landed to take Forde’s place, and of our sledging companions he was the only fresh man.  Wright was probably the most fit after him, and otherwise we had no one who, under ordinary circumstances, would have been considered fit to go out sledging again this season, especially at a time when the sun was just leaving us for the winter.  We were sledged out.

The next few days were occupied in making preparations for a further sledge journey, and on April 13 a party started to return to Hut Point by the Hutton Cliffs.  Atkinson, Wright, Keohane and Williamson were to try and sledge up the western coast to help Campbell:  Gran and Dimitri were to stay with me at Hut Point.  The surface of the sea-ice was now extremely slushy and bad for pulling; the ice had begun to extrude its salt.  A blizzard started in their faces, and they ran for shelter to the lee of Little Razorback Island.  The weather clearing they pushed on to the Glacier Tongue, and camped there for the night somewhat frost-bitten.  Some difficulty was experienced the next morning in climbing the ice-cliff on to the Peninsula, but Atkinson, using his knife as a purchase, and the sledge held at arm’s-length by four men as a ladder, succeeded eventually in getting a foothold.