Cope, Hayward, and Gaze arrived back from Cape Evans on November 1, Stevens having stayed at the base.

A blizzard delayed the start southward, and the party did not get away until November 5.

The men pulled in harness with the four dogs, and, as the surface was soft and the loads on the two sledges were heavy, the advance was slow.

The party covered 5 miles 700 yards on the 6th, 4 miles 300 yards on the 7th, and 8 miles 1800 yards on the 9th, with the aid of a light northerly wind.

They passed on the 9th a huge bergstrom, with a drop of about 70 feet from the flat surface of the Barrier.