It needs practise to hit the end of a drill squarely, and Charnock, who swung the big hammer, had missed.

The worst was that the bruise would not heal while the temperature kept low.

They were sinking a hole through frozen gravel that was worse to cut than rock, because the drill jambed in the crevices and would not turn.

But for the frost, they need not have used the tool; a hole for the post they meant to put in could have been made with a shovel, without using expensive powder.
When he thought they had gone deep enough Festing got up and looked about.

White peaks glittered against a vivid blue sky.