They first steered straight up a snow slope, and about a mile out and 400 feet above sea-level a glacial moraine barred their path, and they had to portage the sledge over it by slipping ice-axes under the load between the runners and bearers of the sledge (total weight of sledge and load was 560 lb.), and lifting it over the obstruction. On the further side of the moraine was a sloping surface of ice and névé, on which the sledge capsized for the first time. Light snow was falling and there was a slight wind. More difficulties were quickly encountered, and no sooner had the party managed, by struggling upon their hands and knees, to drag the sledge up the steep slope of a small glacier, than their progress was impeded by sastrugi. "Sastrugi" means wind furrow, and is the name given to those annoying obstacles to sledging, due to the action of the wind on the snow. These sastrugi vary in depth from two or three inches to three or four feet, according to the position of any rock masses near them and to the force of the wind forming them. Though they have many disadvantages, they are occasionally very welcome; for sometimes it is impossible to see the way to steer unless one takes the line of sastrugi and notes the angle it makes with the compass course, the compass for the moment being placed on the snow to obtain the direction. The sledgers, at this particular juncture, had much trouble in keeping their feet; and their remarks upon the subject of sastrugi were distinctly audible and uncomplimentary. On the first evening the party camped at 6 P.M., about 2750 ft. above sea-level and a distance of seven miles from winter quarters; and on the following morning they found that the temperature was 10° below zero Fahr. The gradient was becoming much steeper, being 1 in 5, and sastrugi, running obliquely to their course, caused the sledge frequently to capsize. The heavy work, however, resulted in keeping the travellers warm; and on the night of March 6 they had reached an altitude of 5630 ft., and a temperature of 28° below zero. On the following morning Adams decided that the supporting-party should attempt to reach the summit, though they were handicapped by having a three-man sleeping-bag--which article of bulk one man had to carry--and in various other ways. The party made a depot of the sledge and of some of the provisions and cooking utensils at the second camp, and then, starting with tent-poles among their equipment, they resumed their climb. Soon, however, they realised the impossibility of climbing the mountain with these articles, which had to be taken back to the depot. Each man carried a weight of 40 lb., and on the third evening the party camped about 8750 ft. above sea-level. Between 9 and 10 P.M. of the 7th a strong wind sprang up, and when the men woke the following morning a fierce blizzard was blowing from the south-east.