Minute figures moving to and fro about the boats caught our gaze, and then we saw the sheds and factory of Stromness whaling- station.

We paused and shook hands, a form of mutual congratulation that had seemed necessary on four other occasions in the course of the expedition.

The first time was when we landed on Elephant Island, the second when we reached South Georgia, and the third when we reached the ridge and saw the snow-slope stretching below on the first day of the overland journey, then when we saw Husvik rocks.
Cautiously we started down the slope that led to warmth and comfort.
The last lap of the journey proved extraordinarily difficult.

Vainly we searched for a safe, or a reasonably safe, way down the steep ice- clad mountain-side.

The sole possible pathway seemed to be a channel cut by water running from the upland.