No wonder Wilson and Bowers stated that the Aurora effects were much better and more variegated in colour this southern side of Mount Erebus.  The awful splendour of this majestic vision gave us all a most eerie feeling, and we forgot our fatigue and the cold whilst we watched.

The Southern Lights continued for some hours, only vanishing with the faint appearance of dawn.  With daylight the well-known hills which surrounded our winter quarters thrust themselves into view, and gladdened by this sight we redoubled our efforts.

At 5 a.m. we had alight breakfast of tea and biscuits.  We were off again before six, and we continued marching until we came to the edge of the Great Ice Barrier shortly before 1 p.m.  We did not stop for lunch, but marched straight to Hut Point, arriving at three o’clock at the Hut.

We cooked ourselves a tremendous meal, which we ate steadily from 4 to 5.30, and then we discussed marching on to our winter quarters at Cape Evans, fifteen miles farther.

Had we started we might have got in by 3 a.m., but not before.  We had marched all through one night, and besides digging out Corner Camp, we had covered nearly thirty-five miles, which on top of a day’s work we considered good enough.  We therefore prepared the hut for the night; two of us turned in about seven and soon fell asleep.  Gran remained sitting at the stove, as his bag was in such a shockingly iced-up condition that he could not yet get into it.  He awoke us about 10 p.m. with more food, cocoa and porridge, both of which were excellent.  I full well remember that he put about four ounces of butter into each bowl of porridge, which we mightily enjoyed.  We then slept again till morning—­a long, warm, dreamless sleep.

We had an easy march back to Cape Evans on the sea ice, and arrived in the evening at the Main Hut, which appeared to us like a palace after our cold spring journey.

CHAPTER XI

PREPARATIONS AND PLANS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

Whilst the spring depot-laying party was absent, Scott, on September 15, took a small sledge party counting Bowers, Seaman Evans, and Simpson away westward.  They covered over 150 geographical miles, and commenced by taking over to Butter Point a quantity of stores for Griffith Taylor’s forthcoming western summer journey.

The provisions deposited, Scott marched up the Ferrar Glacier to Cathedral Rocks and did some scientific work and surveying.  He found that the Ferrar Glacier moved 32 feet in seven months.  He then came back down the Glacier and continued his march on sea ice, following the coast into the five mile deep bay known as New Harbour, thence outward and North Eastward to Cape Bernacchi and on past Marble Point, where the broken-off portion of Glacier Tongue was found aground as stated already.

After an examination of this ice mass the party pressed on past Spike Point to Dunlop Island, sledging coastwise parallel to the Piedmont Glacier, named by Griffith Taylor after Dr. Wilson.  A thorough examination was made of Dunlop Island, revealing many facts of extraordinary scientific interest.