And now as to the future. What I expect will happen is this. We sail from here about December 2%
That will give a chance for the to be breaking up in the south, and we ought, with luck, to get a landing about the end of the month.
Tf the ice had been up north we would have landed about the begin ning of December. We shall at one" investigate the road to the south, and if Filehener's—landing-place proves to be any sort of harbour suitable for the ship, I shall' put down both anchors and wait for her to freeze in.
Then I shall know that the ship will be handy to take off the -emainder of the shore party about February 1, 1916. I am not going to risk them later, The ship will go north, then to South Georgia.
As we ate not too well off for coals, during the winter the hands will be employed in skinning seals and taking the blubber, which will be put in empty boxes, and this will be used to stoke the boilers on the way up.
The cross-country party will have their depots laid out and be ready to start about November 1 next, and we ought to cross in four months and be met on the other side in February.
So far for my hopes. What God may arrange no one can say. Things have not worked well so far, as the ice conditions are so bad, but that is a matter which it is impossible to foretell from year to year.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.