We had difficulties and anxieties of our own, but as we passed that graveyard of the sea we thought of the many tragedies written in the wave-worn fragments of lost vessels.

We did not pause, and soon we were ascending a snow-slope heading due east on the last lap of our long trail.
The snow-surface was disappointing.

Two days before we had been able to move rapidly on hard, packed snow; now we sank over our ankles at each step and progress was slow.

After two hours' steady climbing we were 2500 ft.

above sea-level.