Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

On 1 August the temperature was -14°C, the wind still strong, but we had an
almost completely clear sky by 1 o’clock. We decided to make our way northwards
and to try to get as far as Gibbon Bay. But it was 1.30 pm before we were able to
leave, because Charlie spent much time looking for socks, duffels etc. We made good
time across the sea ice to the rock exposure that forms the south arm of Spence
Harbour. It was conglomerate. On the rocks there were abundant signs of recent
penguin habitation, probably a rookery in summer. A snow petrel flew over.
I set up the plane table and got a resection - then drew in the rays to a number of
points. We had lunch and then roped-up and moved towards the col leading to
Gibbon Bay. The going was good, mostly windslab surface and only one crevasse to
negotiate, which was adequately bridged. Clouds, which had been gathering, now
began to pour over the col we were making for and we decided to go westwards to
visit some rock nunataks, instead of continuing northwards. We visited one small
rock outcrop and then cut up to the two conspicuous nunataks beyond the Divide
Range. Time was passing and we didn't reach the foot of the rocks until 6.15 pm, so
that it was not possible to ascend to the summit in the daylight left. Derek collected
some rock, which was in transition from schist to conglomerate.
There was a large snowfield in this area - rather like the southern glacier on
Signy Island, with gently undulating slopes that flowed down to the coast to the
north, where the mountains rose above the snowfield. Thick mist and snowstorms
closed in as we started down. Derek wished to collect some rock at a small nunatak
on the way down and then we hurried on as it was getting dark. I had decided to
head diagonally across the ice sheet in a South-southeasterly direction, so as to get
into Petter Bay where there were some rock outcrops between two bays lined with
ice cliffs. A half moon was shining by now and the clouds parted occasionally, but it
was difficult to find the way. I put my foot into a small crevasse and thereafter we
roped and moved singly - much slower but safer. In this way I probed my way
through a maze of crevasses, heading I thought for the rock outcrop. It was rather
murky, which made for difficulty. I came as I thought, to a particularly wide crevasse
and then the moon shone through a rift in the cloud and I saw that I was right on the
edge of a 100 ft ice cliff, dropping to the sea ice. Our exit from the glacier was about
300 yards further south. We retraced our steps until out of the badly crevassed area
and then cut diagonally down again in the darkness. The snow was balling on the
soles of my boots and I noticed a strange white aureole around each boot as I put it
down, and decided that it was moonlight reflecting from the snow on the sole of my
boot. We struck the right direction this time, climbed down a rather steep snow-slope
and were on the level sea ice by 9.30 pm. A brisk walk brought us to the tent by 10.15
pm to find all well and the temperature at -13°C.
The wind was strong during the night, continuing next morning, but we slept
well. Our thermometer was lost, evidently blown away, but it seemed a bit warmer.
The wind was blowing and there was a lot of drift snow, so we sat tight. I spent the
morning sewing a new fastening onto one of my sealskins, as the old one was lost.
The rest of the day I read the ‘Beagle’ Diary" until it was dark. The wind was blowing
constantly and a heavy snowfall encroaching upon the tent. A cold front came
through about 11 o’clock and everything froze up.
3 August was a warm, slightly windy morning. It was moderately clear to the
East but a heavy fog bank moved South. It seemed probable that the weather would
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