Page:Du Faur - The Conquest of Mount Cook.djvu/315

Rh fact that we could not let either our friends at the Hermitage or Alex Graham on the West Coast know that we were safe. From the Hermitage they must have seen that we were caught in the storm near the summit, and if we did not return up to time, half the country would be out looking for us, and the pessimists who had all along prophesied disaster to such a rash undertaking would think that their worst fears were justified. However, there was no help for it, we were very sorry to cause any needless anxiety, but till the storm abated it was impossible to cross the pass or send word to the Franz Josef Hotel. In the afternoon it cleared up for a little and the sun came out fitfully, but by evening it was raining once more. Next morning was as wet as ever, but about 1 p.m. it showed some signs of clearing. We therefore decided to try for the pass and turn back if it proved impassable. We made it in four hours, fighting our way over with some difficulty against a bitter wind and falling snow. Once we reached the rock ridge on the Hooker side the weather abated, and we soon clambered down to the hut. After a pause there for a meal, we walked on to the Hermitage about 8 p.m. I collided with the professor near the smoking-room, and he did a war dance at the sight of me safe and sound and the news of our success. We were just in the nick of time to countermand various telegrams as to our probable fate.

The news of the loss of Captain Scott had just reached the Hermitage, and we were all overwhelmed by the terrible disaster, so much so that we had no heart to celebrate our own good fortune, so spent the evening talking quietly and gleaning all the news of the ill-fated expedition that the papers could give us.