On the return journey we had numerous halts while the pioneer party of four were busy breaking down pressure- ridges and filling in open cracks with ice-blocks, as the leads were opening up.

The sun had softened the surface a good deal, and in places it was terribly hard pulling.

Every one was a bit exhausted by the time we got back, as we are not now in good training and are on short rations.

Every now and then the heavy sledge broke through the ice altogether and was practically afloat.

We had an awful job to extricate it, exhausted as we were.