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Then began the most spectacular flight I've ever had. We flew to ManHaul Bay. Down over the fossil localities we visited Christmas Eve & on deep into the mountain section. There, on bedrock, was a camp with not two but five people. The helo put down and, after some discussion, they put in a tent & 2 men. Instead of strapping the tent to the landing gear they put it in the cabin w one end between pilot & copilot. Then boxes went in beside & in front of us. I was moved to the middle seat.
 
During the stop I pulled my film supply out of my tote & then used it to put my left foot on. I thought I had taken my final picture and wanted a try at the scenery even from the middle seat. Unfortunately, the film kept turning well past #36. I hope that doesn't mean what I'm afraid it may.
 
After loading 2 men in - one sitting nearly under the tent -- we started for Mt. Bastion in the Taylor Quadrangle were they intended

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to camp for four days. We passed ridges made entirely of thin columnar basalts [[image: drawing, squiggly lines above and below horizontal line]], slopes & valleys entirely of polygonal sails -- stratified cliffs with & w. out snow, magnificent glaciers, U-valleys. At Mt. Bastion one man said to the other "I think there's too damn much snow there." He agreed. He could not work, but would simply sit in the snow for 4 days. We were, therefore, off to McMurdo. That was great news because the plan had been to drop them, then drop me at Marble Pt. & let a second helo pick me up. On the way to McM we flow over the Taylor dry valley w 4 spectacular glaciers torquing down the brown smooth slope. Thrilling scenes. And I all the time thinking: "This does it. I'm seeing the best of Antarctica and this is the end of my great adventure. I am content."

Finally I spotted Erebus, the sea ice, Obs. Hill. McM.

They were waiting for me with an ambulance. A young man & a young woman, Navy persons, met me & I hopped between them the few yards