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The rocky face of the cliff was undercut at this point, and the shingle thrown up by the waves formed a steep slope, which we reduced to about one in six by scraping the stones away from the inside. Later we strewed the rough floor with the dead, nearly dry underleaves of the tussock-grass, so as to form a slightly soft bed for our sleeping-bags.
I returned to camp, and after lunch Meares and I took a sledge and nine dogs over the Cape to the sea ice on the south side and started for Hut Point. We took a little provision and a cooker and our sleeping-bags. Meares had found a way over the Cape which was on snow all the way except about 100 yards.
It was necessary, however, to give men in their condition a "small taste" at first, so O'Riley had to rest content. Meanwhile, the rescue party supped heartily, and after a little more food had been administered to the half-starved men, preparations were made for spending the night. The tent was pitched, and the sleeping-bags spread out on the snow.
Woke the party, and Oates served out the rations all ponies feeding well. All the inconveniences of frozen footwear and damp clothes and sleeping-bags have vanished entirely. A petrol tin is near the camp and a note stating that the motor passed at 9 P.M. 28th, going strong they have 4 to 5 days' lead and should surely keep it. 'Bones has eaten Christopher's goggles.
'Poleon could hear the wretch moisten his dry lips; he could picture both men sitting bolt upright in their sleeping-bags; he could feel the terror that was creeping over them. "Who'd you see?" Frank whispered again. "S-something big! Right there! By God! Something's in here!" Joe's tone was firmer now; nevertheless, fright still held him motionless, paralyzed.
We sat round on our rolled-up fur sleeping-bags, warming our hands over the primus stove, and literally yearning for the moment to arrive when the pemmican would boil and we could absorb the delicious beverage and derive some badly needed warmth therefrom. Following the pemmican and biscuit came a fine brew of cocoa.
"As fuel is so scarce we have had to resort to melting ice for drinking-water in tins against our bodies, and we treat the tins of dog- pemmican for breakfast similarly by keeping them in our sleeping-bags all night. We had some of the dog-meat cooked, and it was not at all bad just like beef, but, of course, very tough."
While we waited, a meal of tea and two small bannocks was served, but as 10 a.m. came and there were no signs of the lead closing we all turned in. It snowed a little during the day and those who were sleeping outside got their sleeping-bags pretty wet. At 9.30 p.m. that night we were off again.
The tent was similar to those which gipsies use not with a central pole, but stretched over half-hoops which were stuck in the ground. It was wide enough for three boys to lie comfortably in their sleeping-bags side by side. Gregory was to sleep in the caravan with the girls; Kink was to go to Woodstock. Meanwhile, with all of them, except Mary and Gregory, who had done well with Mrs.
The arrangement of our camp, the checking of our gear, the killing and skinning of seals and sea-elephants occupied us during the day, and we took to our sleeping-bags early. I and my companions in No. 1 tent were not destined to spend a pleasant night. The heat of our bodies soon melted the snow and refuse beneath us and the floor of the tent became an evil smelling yellow mud.
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