but the "confirmation" that resulted checked any repetition of such
conduct for a long while. The day's march was soon completed in this
way, and we camped early.

On the following day we were already in sight of the large
pressure-ridges on the east, which we had seen for the first time
on the second depot journey between 81deg. and 82deg. S., and this showed
that the atmosphere must be very clear. We could not see any greater
number than the first time, however. From our experience of beacons
built of snow, we could see that if we built such beacons now, on
our way south, they would be splendid marks for our return journey;
we therefore decided to adopt this system of landmarks to the greatest
possible extent. We built in all 150 beacons, 6 feet high, and used in
their construction 9,000 blocks, cut out of the snow with specially
large snow-knives. In each of them was deposited a paper, giving the
number and position of the beacon, and indicating the distance and
the direction to be taken to reach the next beacon to the north. It
may appear that my prudence was exaggerated, but it always seemed
to me that one could not be too careful on this endless, uniform
surface. If we lost our way here, it would be difficult enough to
reach home. Besides which, the building of these beacons had other
advantages, which we could all see and appreciate. Every time we
stopped to build one, the dogs had a rest, and they wanted this,
if they were to keep up the pace.

We erected the first beacon in 80deg. 23' S. To begin with, we contented
ourselves with putting them up at every thirteenth or fifteenth
kilometre. On the 29th we shot the first dog, Hanssen's Bone. He was
too old to keep up, and was only a hindrance. He was placed in depot
under a beacon, and was a great joy to us -- or rather to the dogs --