In another minute or so we were safely across with our sledge, and thankful to have surmounted the last obstacle between us and our depot.
CHAPTER XLIII
SAFE ABOARD
As we were all thoroughly exhausted and had reached a spot from which we could get a good view of the ocean beyond Drygalski Barrier, we camped at 10.30 P.M. on that evening (February 3) a little over a mile away from our depot.
During that day we had two of the most satisfying meals we had eaten for a very long time; a soupy mincemeat of penguin for lunch, and plenty of seal for dinner.
And after the second meal Mawson and I turned into the sleeping-bag, leaving Mackay to take the first of our four-hour watches on the look-out for the Nimrod. During his watch he walked up to the depot and dug out our biscuit tin, which had served us as a blubber lamp and cooker, together with the cut-down paraffin tin which we had used as a frying-pan, and carried them to the tent.
Then he cooked some penguin meat and regaled himself with dainty morsels from the savoury dish, and when he called me at 4 A.M. I found that he had thoughtfully put into the frying-pan about two pounds of penguin's breast for me to toy with during my watch.
During the afternoon of the 4th we discussed our future plans, and decided that we had better at once move the tent up to our old depot, where it would be a conspicuous object from the sea, and where, too, we could command a more extensive view of the ocean.
A view of the Hut in the Summer. Meteorological Station can be seen on the extreme right. (See page 60)
We also talked about what it would be best to do if the Nimrod did not appear, and determined that we ought to tackle the journey to Hut Point, keeping ourselves alive on the way, as best we might, with seal-meat.