"THE HIGHWAY TO THE SOUTH"
On December 1 we reached latitude 83° 16′ south and could see land
stretching away to the east with a long white line in front of it that
looked like a giant barrier. It seemed as though there was going to
be a change in some gigantic way in keeping with the vastness of our
surroundings.
At one moment our thoughts were on the grandeur of the scene, the next
on what we would have to eat if we were let loose in a good restaurant.
For we were very hungry in these days, and lived mainly on pony-meat,
while on the march, to cool our throats as we pulled in the hot sun, we
chewed frozen meat.
The four of us had, now that Quan was gone, to haul one sledge while
Socks followed behind with the other, and he soon got into our pace and
did splendid work. Although we were working only in shirts and pyjamas,
the sun beat down on our heads and we perspired freely, whilst our feet
were cold in the snow.
It was heavy work for us as the surface was as bad as it could be, but
soon after midday we got close enough to see that ahead of us were
enormous pressure ridges, heavily crevassed and running a long way
east, with not the smallest chance of our being able to get southing
that way any longer on the Barrier. So we had to strike due south in
toward the land, and in the evening were close to the ridges off the
coast.
There was a red hill about 3000 ft. near to us which we decided to
go up on the following day, so that we could gain a view of the
surrounding country. How anxious a time this was for us I need hardly
mention, for time was precious and food more so, and unless we could
find a good route through the mountains our way to the Pole was
well-nigh blocked.
Accordingly after breakfast we started off, leaving all camp gear
standing and a good feed by Socks to last him for the day. Our
allowance for lunch was four biscuits, four lumps of sugar, and two
ounces of chocolate each, and we hoped to get water at the first of the
rocks when we landed.
Hardly had we gone one hundred yards when we came to a crevasse, and,
finding it difficult to see clearly with my goggles, I took them off,
and in consequence was afterwards attacked by snow-blindness.
Several crevasses were successfully crossed, and then we were brought
up standing by an enormous chasm of about 80 ft. wide and 300 ft. deep
which lay across our route. By going round to the right we found that
this chasm gradually became filled with snow, and so we were able to
cross and resume our line to the land, which deceptively appeared quite
close but was really miles away.
Crossing several more crevasses, we reached about midday an area of
smooth blue ice where we obtained a drink of delicious water, and after
travelling for half a mile we got to the base of the mountain which
we hoped to climb so that we might view the country. At 1 P.M. we had
a couple of biscuits, and then started to make our way up the steep
rock-face.
This was the most difficult part of the whole climb, for the granite
was weathered and split in every direction, but at last we clambered
up this face, and finally gained the top of a ridge from which an open
road to the south burst upon our view. For running almost north and
south between two huge mountain ranges a great glacier stretched before
us.
Eagerly we clambered on to the top of the mountain, and from the summit
we could see the glacier stretching away south inland until at last it
seemed to disappear in high inland ice. This was what we had seen ahead
of us and speculated about so freely.
There was no longer any question as to the way which we should go, for
though on the glacier we might meet crevasses and difficulties not to
be met with on the Barrier, yet on the latter we could get no farther
than 86° south, and then would have to turn in towards the land and get
over the mountains before we could reach the Pole.
Our main difficulty on the glacier route would be, we thought, with
Socks, for as yet we could not hope to drag the full load ourselves
without relay work. All the afternoon of December 4 we toiled at the
sledge while Socks pulled his load with ease, and eventually we reached
the head of the pass, 2000 ft. above sea-level.
[Illustration: New Land. The Party ascended Mount Hope and sighted the
Great Glacier, up which they marched through the Gap. The main body of
the Glacier joins the Barrier further to the left. (_See page 130_)]
From that point there was a gentle descent towards the glacier, and
we camped for the night close to some blue ice with granite boulders
embedded in it, round which, were pools of water. This last fact may
seem unimportant, but it was really of consequence to us as this water
saved our oil, for we had not to melt snow or ice.
The pass through which we had come was flanked by great granite pillars
at least 2000 ft. in height, and which made a magnificent entrance to
the "Highway to the South."