over the underlying crags.

Ninnis had a touch of snow-blindness which rapidly improved under
treatment. The stock cure for this very irritating and painful affection
is to place first of all tiny "tabloids" of zinc sulphate and cocaine
hydrochloride under the eyelids where they quickly dissolve in the
tears, alleviating the smarting, "gritty" sensation which is usually
described by the sufferer. He then bandages the eyes and escapes, if he
is lucky, into the darkness of his sleeping-bag.

In certain lights one is sure to be attacked more or less severely, and
coloured glasses should be worn continually. Unfortunately, goggles
are sometimes impracticable on account of the moisture from the breath
covering the glasses with an icy film or driving snow clogging them
and obscuring the view. For such contingencies narrow slots of various
shapes are cut in plates or discs of wood or bone in the Esquimaux
fashion. The amount of light reaching the eye can thus be reduced to the
limit of moderately clear vision.

The morning of the 20th broke with wind and drift which persisted until
after noon. Already everything had been packed up, but, as there was a
steep fall in front and crevasses were not far distant, we decided not
to start until the air was clear of snow.

When at last a move was possible, it became evident that the dogs could
not be trusted to pull the sledges down to the edge of the glacier. So
they were tethered to ice-axes while we lowered the sledges one by
one, all three checking their speed, assisted by rope brakes round the
runners. Finally, the impatient dogs were brought down and harnessed in
their accustomed places.

Rapid travelling now commenced over a perfectly smooth surface, sloping
gently to the bed of the glacier. Mertz shot ahead on skis, and our
column of dogs and sledges followed quickly in his trail.

From this day forward our "order of procession" was as follows:--Behind
the forerunner came a team of dogs dragging two sledges joined together
by a short length of alpine rope. Bringing up the rear were the rest of
the dogs dragging the third sledge. Each team pulled approximately equal
weights; the front load being divided between two sledges. Except when
taking my turn ahead, I looked after the leading team, Ninnis or Mertz,
as the case might be, driving the one behind.

We skirted Aurora Peak on its south-eastern side. The mountain rose to
a height of about seventeen hundred feet on our le