AT THE FOOT OF A GLACIER.

The party was conveyed to the Antarctic in Norwegian whalers, and it was intended to effect a landing at Hope Bay, on the western edge of the Weddell Sea. But pack ice made it too dangerous for the Norwegian whalers to approach in December, 1920, and finally the four men were landed off the coast of Graham Land, at Andvord Bay. There, at the foot of a huge glacier, a base was established and efforts made to cross the ice mountains which barred the way to the Weddell Sea. But the mountains proved impassable to so small a party, who were unable to carry with them sufficient food to enable them to put their plans into execution. Efforts were then made to find a crossing at another spot, and these efforts necessitated voyages in a lifeboat, given to the explorers by the Norwegians. Still success was denied them, and it became apparent that without a suitable vessel in which to reach Hope Bay the work of the expedition could not be accomplished. During February 1921, the leader of the expedition decided to go to Monte Video to obtain a small vessel in which to reach Cape Hope during the following season, while Mr G. H. Wilkins, M.C., who was the second in command of the little party, and now one of the man sailing in the Quest, announced his intention of leaving the expedition.

Messrs Bagshawe and Lester, anxious that the work should be accomplished, volunteered to remain at Andvord Bay until the leader of the expedition returned in the following November, their duties being to carry but scientific work and attend to the dogs. But the difficulty was to reach the nearest whaling base in time to get a passage in one of the ships then about to leave Monte Video. The whalers’ base was many miles distant, and to reach this a voyage in the lifeboat was necessary, while one of the party would be compelled to remain behind and attend to the dogs’ feeding and continue the meteorological observations. This duty was undertaken by Mr Bagshawe, and on Feb. 26, 1921, the leader of the expedition, with Mr Wilkins and Mr Lester, set sail in the open boat, after bidding Mr Bagshawe adieu.