The acetylene-gas lighting plant installed in the hut by Captain Scott had been rigged, and one day it developed a leak.

A member of the party searched for the leak with a lighted candle, and the explosion that resulted fired some woodwork.
Fortunately the outbreak was extinguished quickly.

The loss of the hut at this stage would have been a tragic incident.
Mackintosh and Stevens paid a visit to Cape Royds on August 13.

They had decided to attempt the journey over the Barne Glacier, and after crossing a crevassed area they got to the slopes of Cape Barne and thence down to the sea-ice.

They found this ice to be newly formed, but sufficiently strong for their purpose, and soon reached the Cape Royds hut.
"The outer door of the hut we found to be off," wrote Mackintosh.