 15. 1. 1. Dyna'r Llybrywwch Rheiddiw. Mae Llybrywwch Rheiddiw yn y ddweud yn y ddweud. Felly, mae'r ddweud yn ddweud, dyna'r Llybrywwch Rheiddiw. Rheiddiw'r Llybrywwch Rheiddiw. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. llawer o ffwyl o'r llwyffa yn ymddiant. Rydyn ni'n cael ei wneud yn bach y boats, ac mae arall gynnwys arwain yn bach o'r llwyffa. Rwy'n ei ddweud o'r bwbl yn gweithio'n ganddoch. Felly y blizzodd yn oeddo i'r plans, ac mae'r perffunio ar y stafell, y teimlo, a'r argynwys ymddir ychydig. Rydyn ni'n cerdd o'r gweithio'r adfaith roeddol mor cyfnod, ac yn cael ei gweithio, mae'n gweithio'r gweithio. Mae'r gweithio yn ymweld yn fawr o blaen ac blaenau. Mae gweithio'r cystafl, ond rydyn ni'n meddwl bod yn ysgrifetio bod yn ysgrifetio'n gweithio ar y cyfnod yn cael ei gweithio'n cyfnod. Yn ysgrifetio, 15 mlynedd, yn ysgrifetio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio'n gweithio, lle o'r Ffondae, Mfondae a'r Tysedau. I never remember such a persistent southerly wind. Both Monday and Tuesday I went up Crater Hill. I feared that our flow at Pram Point would go, but yesterday it still remained, though the cracks are getting more open. We should be in a hole if it went. Footnote. Because the seals would cease to come up. End the footnote. As I came down the hill yesterday, I saw a strange figure advancing and found it belonged to Griffith Taylor. He and his party had returned safely. They were very full of their adventures. The main part of their work seems to be rediscovery of many facts which were noted but perhaps passed over too lightly in the discovery. But it is certain that the lessons taught by the physiographical and ice features will now be thoroughly explained. A very interesting fact lies in the continuous bright sunshiney weather which the party enjoyed during the first four weeks of their work. They seem to have avoided all our stormy winds and blizzards. But I must leave Griffith Taylor to tell his own story which will certainly be a lengthy one. The party gives Evans, petty officer, a very high character. Today we have a large seal killing party. I hope to get in a good fortnight's allowance of blubber as well as meat and pray that our flow will remain. Friday, March 17, am. We killed 11 seals at Pram Point on Wednesday, had lunch on the point and carried some half ton of the blubber and meat back to camp. It was a stiff pull-up the hill. Yesterday the last corner party started. Evans, Wright, Creen and Ford in one team. Bowers, Oats, Cherry Garad and Atkinson in the other. It was very sporting of Wright to join in after only a day's rest. He is evidently a splendid puller. Debenham has become principal cook and evidently enjoys the task. Taylor is full of good spirits and anecdote, an addition to the party. Yesterday, after a beautifully fine morning, we got a strong northerly wind which blew till the middle of the night, crowding the young ice up the strait. Then the wind suddenly shifted to the south and I thought we were in for a blizzard. But this morning the wind has gone to the south east. The stratus cloud formed by the north wind is dissipating and the damp snow deposited in the night is drifting. It looks like a fine evening. Steadily, we are increasing the comforts of the hut. The stove has been improved out of all recognition. With extra stove pipes, we get no backdrafts, no smoke inside, whilst the economy of fuel is much increased. Insulation inside and out is the subject we are now attacking. The young ice is going to and fro, but the sea refuses to freeze over so far, except in the region of Pram Point, where a bay has remained for some four days, holding some pieces of barrier in its grip. These pieces have come from the edge of the barrier, and some are crumbling already, showing a deep and rapid surface deposit of snow, and therefore the probability that they are drifted sea-eyes not more than a year or two old, the depth of the drift being due to proximity to an old barrier edge. I have just taken to pajama trousers and shelled on an extra shirt. I have been astonished at the warmth which I have felt throughout in light clothing. So far I have had nothing more than a singlet in Jersey under pajama jacket and a single pair of drawers under wind trousers. A hole in the drawers of ancient date means that one place has had no covering but the wind trousers, yet I have never felt cold about the body. In spite of all little activities I am impatient of our weight here, but I shall be impatient also in the main hut. It is ill to sit still and contemplate the ruin which has assailed our transport. The scheme of advance must be very different from that which I first contemplated. The pole is a very long way off alas. Bit by bit I am losing all faith in the dogs. I am afraid they will never go the pace we look for. Saturday March 18 am. Still blowing and drifting. It seems as though there can be no peace at this spot till the sea is properly frozen over. It blew very hard from the southeast yesterday. I could scarcely walk against the wind. In the night it fell calm. The moon shone brightly at midnight. Then the sky became overcast and the temperature rose to plus 11 degrees. Now the wind is coming in spurts from the south. All indications of a blizzard. With the north wind of Friday the ice must have pressed up on hot point. A considerable flow of pressed up young ice is grounded under the point, and this morning we found a seal on this. Just as the party started out to kill it, it slid off into the water. It had evidently finished its sleep, but it is encouraging to have had a chance to capture a seal so close to the hut. Monday March 20. On Saturday night it blew hard from the south, thick overhead, low stratus and drift. The sea spray again came over the ice foot and flung up almost to the dogs. By Sunday morning the wind had feared to the southeast and all yesterday it blew with great violence and temperature down to minus 11 degrees and minus 12 degrees. We were confined to the hut and its immediate environs. Last night the wind dropped and for a few hours this morning we had light airs only, the temperature rising to minus two degrees. The continuous bad weather is very serious for the dogs. We have strained every nerve to get them comfortable, but the changes of wind made it impossible to afford shelter in all directions. Some five or six dogs are running loose but we dare not allow the stronger animals such liberty. They suffer much from the cold, but they don't get worse. The small white dog which fell into the crevasse on our home journey died yesterday. Under the best circumstances I doubt if it could have lived as there had evidently been internal injury and an external sore had grown gangrenous. Three other animals are in a poor way but may pull through with luck. We had a stroke of luck today. The young ice pressed up off hut point has remained fast, a small convenient platform jutting out from the point. We found two seals on it today and killed them, thus getting a good supply of meat for the dogs and some more blubber for our fire. Other seals came up as the first two were being skinned so that one may now hope to keep up all future supplies on this side of the ridge. As I write the wind is blowing up again and looks like returning to the south. The only comfort is that these strong cold winds with no sun must go far to cool the waters of the sound. The continuous bad weather is trying to the spirits but we are fairly comfortable in the hut and only suffer from lack of exercise to work off the heavy meals our appetite's demand. Tuesday March 21 the wind returned to the south at eight last night. It's gradually increased in force until 2am when it was blowing from the south south west, force nine to ten. The sea was breaking constantly and heavily on the ice foot. The spray carried right over the point covering all things and raining on the roof of the hut. Poor Vince's cross, some 30 feet above the water, was enveloped in it. Of course the dogs had a very poor time and we went and released two or three getting covered in spray during the operation. Our wind clothes very wet. This is the third gail from the south since our arrival here. Any one of these would have rendered the bay impossible for a ship and therefore it is extraordinary that we should have entirely escaped such a blow when the discovery was in it in 1902. The effects of this gail are evident and show that it is a most unusual occurrence. The ripple snow surface of the ice foot is furrowed in all directions and covered with briny deposit, a condition we have never seen before. The ice foot at the south west corner of the bay is broken down, bare rock appearing for the first time. The sledges, magnetic huts and in fact every exposed object on the point are thickly covered with brine. Our seal flow has gone so it is goodbye to seals on this side for some time. The dogs are the main sufferers by this continuance of phenomenally terrible weather. At least four are in a bad state, some six or seven others are by no means fit and well, but oddly enough some 10 or a dozen animals are as fit as they can be. Whether constitutionally harder or whether better fitted by nature or chance to protect themselves, it is impossible to say. Osman, Chigain, Chris Ravitzer, Ho-Holl and some others are in first rate condition whilst Lapper is better than he has ever been before. It is so impossible to keep the dogs comfortable in the traces and so laborious to be continually attempting it that we have decided to let the majority run loose. It will be wonderful if we can avoid one or two murders, but on the other hand probably more would die if we kept them in leash. We shall try and keep the quarrelsome dogs chained up. The main trouble that seems to come on the poor riches is the icing up of their hind quarters. Once the ice gets thoroughly into the coat, the hind legs get half paralysed with cold. The hope is that the animals will free themselves of this by running about. Well, well, fortune is not being very kind to us. This month we'll have sad memories. Still, I suppose things might be worse. The ponies are well housed and are doing exceedingly well, though we have slightly increased their food allowance. Yesterday afternoon we climbed Observation Hill to see some examples of spheroidal weathering. Wilson knew of them and guided. The geologists state that they indicate a columnar structure, the tops of the columns being weathered out. The specimens we saw were very perfect, had some interesting instruction in geology in the evening. I should not regret a stay here with our two geologists if only the weather would allow us to get about. This morning the wind moderated and went to the southeast. The sea naturally fell quickly. The temperature this morning was plus 17 degrees, minimum plus 11 degrees, but now the wind is increasing from the southeast and it is momentarily getting colder. Thursday March 23 am, no signs of depot party which tonight will have been a week absent. On Tuesday afternoon we went up to the big boulder above ski slope. The geologists were interested and we others learned something of olivine's greening crystal form or oxidised to bright red granite or granulite or quartzites, horn blend and feld spars, ferrous and ferric oxides of lava acid, basic, plutonic, igneous, eruptive skists, basalt etc. All such things I must get clearer in my mind. Footnote, as a step towards getting these things clearer in his mind, two spare pages of the diary are filled with neat tables showing the main classes into which rocks are divided and their natural subdivisions, the sedimentary according to mode of deposition, chemical, organic or aqueous, the metamorphic according to the kind of rock altered by heat, the igneous according to their chemical composition. End of footnote. Tuesday afternoon a cold south-easterly wind commenced and blue all night. Yesterday morning it was calm and I went up Crater Hill. The sea of stratus cloud hung curtain-like over the strait, blue sky east and south of it and the western mountains bathed in sunshine, sharp clear distinct, a glorious glimpse of grandeur on which the curtain gradually descended. In the morning it looked as though great pieces of barrier were drifting out. From the hill one found these to be but small fragments which the late gail had dislodged, leaving in places a blue wall very easily distinguished from the general white of the older fractures. The old flow and a good extent of new ice had remained fast in Pram Point Bay. Great numbers of seals up as usual. The temperature was up to plus 20 degrees at noon. In the afternoon a very chill wind from the east, temperature rapidly dropping till zero in the evening. The strait obstinately refuses to freeze. We are scoring another success in the manufacturer of blubber lamps, which relieves anxiety as to lighting as the hours of darkness increase. The young ice in Pram Point Bay is already being pressed up. Friday, March 24, a.m. Skua still about. A few very shy, very dark in colour after molting. Went along arrival heights yesterday with very keen over ridge wind. It was difficult to get shelter. In the evening it fell calm and has remained all night with temperature up to plus 18 degrees. This morning it is snowing with fairly large flakes. Yesterday for the first time saw the ice foot on the south side of the bay. A wall some five or six feet above water and 12 or 14 feet below. The sea bottom quite clear with the white wall resting on it. This must be typical of the ice foot all along the coast and the wasting of caves at sea level alone gives the idea of an overhanging mass. Very curious and interesting erosion of surface of the ice foot by waves during recent gale. The depot party returned yesterday morning. They had thick weather on the outward march and missed the track finally doing 30 miles between safety camp and corner camp. They had a hard blow up to force eight on the night of our gale. Started northwesterly and strongest south south easterly. The sea wants to freeze. A thin coating of ice formed directly the wind dropped but the high temperature does not tend to thicken it rapidly and the tide makes many an open lead. We have been counting our resources and arranging for another 20 days stay. Saturday march 25 a.m. We have had two days of surprisingly warm weather. The sky overcast, snow falling, wind only in light airs. Last night the sky was clearing with a southerly wind and this morning the sea was open all about us. It is disappointing to find the ice so reluctant to hold. At the same time one supposes that the cooling of the water is proceeding and therefore that each day makes it easier for the ice to form. The sun seems to have lost all power but I imagine its rays still tend to warm the surface water about the noon hours. It is only a week now to the date which I thought would see us all at Cape Evans. The warmth of the air has produced a comparatively uncomfortable state of affairs in the hut. The ice on the inner roof is melting fast dripping on the floor and streaming down the sides. The increasing cold is checking the evil even as I write. Comfort could only be ensured in the hut either by making a clean sweep of all the sealing ice or by keeping the interior at a critical temperature little above freezing point. Sunday March 26 p.m. Yesterday morning went along arrival heights in very cold wind afternoon to east side observation hill. As afternoon advanced wind fell glorious evening absolutely calm smoke ascending straight. Sea frozen over looked very much like final freezing but in night wind came from southeast producing open water all along shore. Wind continued this morning with drift slackened in afternoon walked over gap and back by crater heights to arrival heights. Sea east of Cape Armitage pretty well covered with ice some open pools sea offshore west of the Cape frozen in pools open lanes close to shore as far as castle rock bays either side of glacier tongue look fairly well frozen hut still dropping water badly held service in hut this morning red litany one score seen today Monday March 27 p.m strong easterly wind on ridge today rushing down over slopes on western side ice holding south from about hook point but cleared half to three quarters of a mile from shore to northward cleared impact is also I am told on both sides of glacier tongue which is annoying a regular local wind the barrier edge can be seen clearly all along showing there is little or no drift have been out over the gap for walk glad to say majority of people seem anxious to get exercise but one or two like the fire better the dogs are getting fit at each day and all safe one or two have excellent coats I was very pleased to find one or two of the animals voluntarily accompanying us on our walk it is good to see them trotting against a strong drift Tuesday March 28 slowly but surely the sea is freezing over the ice holds and thickens south of hook point in spite of strong easterly wind and in spite of isolated waterholes which obstinately remain open it is difficult to account for these one wonders if the air currents shoot downward on such places but even so it is strange that they do not gradually diminish in extent a great deal of ice seems to have remained in and about the northern eyelets but it is too far to be sure that there is a continuous sheet we are building stabling to accompany four more ponies under the eastern veranda when this is complete we shall be able to shelter seven animals and this should be enough for winter and spring operations Thursday March 30 the ice holds south of hook point though not thickening rapidly yesterday was calm and the same ice conditions seemed to obtain on both sides of the glacier tongue it looks as though the last part of the road to become safe will be the stretch from hook point to Turtleback Island here the sea seems disinclined to freeze even in calm weather today there is more strong wind from the east white horse all along under the ridge the period of our stay here seems to promise to lengthen it is trying trying but we can live which is something I should not be greatly surprised if we had to wait till May several scuers were about the camp yesterday I have seen none today two raw calls were rising close to hook point this morning although the ice is nowhere thick it was strange to see them making for the open leaves and thin places to blow end of first part of chapter seven section 16 of scott's last expedition volume one this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by Hollis Hanover scott's last expedition volume one the journals of Robert Falcon scott arranged by Leonard Huxley second part of chapter seven at discovery hut Friday March 31st I studied the wind blowing along the ridge yesterday and came to the conclusion that a comparatively thin shaft of air was moving along the ridge from arabus on either side of the ridge it seemed to pour down from the ridge itself there was practically no wind on the sea ice off pram point and to the westward of hut point the frost smoke was drifting to the northwest note from the glossary frost smoke a mist of water vapor above the open leaves condensed by the severe cold end of note the temperature range is about zero it seems to be almost certain that the perpetual wind is due to the open winter meanwhile the sea refuses to freeze over right pointed out the very critical point which zero temperature represents in the freezing of salt water being the freezing temperature of concentrated brine a very few degrees above or below zero would make all the difference to the rate of increase of the ice thickness yesterday the ice was eight inches in places east of cape armadage and six inches in our bay it was said to be fast to the south of the glacier tongue well beyond turtleback island and to the north out of the islands except for a strip of water immediately north of the tongue we are good for another week in pretty well every commodity and shall then have to reduce luxuries but we have plenty of seal meat blubber and biscuit and can therefore remain for a much longer period if needs be meanwhile the days are growing shorter and the weather colder saturday april 1st the wind yesterday was blowing across the ridge from the top down on the sea to the west very little wind on the eastern slopes and practically none at pram point a seal came up in our bay and was killed taylor found a number of fish frozen into the sea ice he says there are several in a small area the pressure ridges in pram point bay are estimated by right to have set up about three feet this ice has been in about 10 days it is now safe to work pretty well anywhere south of hut point went to third crater next castle rock yesterday the ice seems to be holding in the near bay from a point near holton rocks to glacier also in the hole of the north bay except for a tongue of open water immediately north of the glacier the wind is the same today as yesterday and the open water apparently not reduced by a square yard i'm feeling impatient sunday april 2am went round cape armatage to pram point on sea ice for first time yesterday afternoon ice solid everywhere except off the cape where there are numerous open pools can only imagine layers of comparatively warm water brought to the surface by shallows the ice between the pools is fairly shallow one emperor killed off the cape several schools seen three seals up in our bay several off pram point in the shelter of horseshoe bay a great many fish on sea ice mostly small but a second species five or six inches long imagine they are chased by seals and caught in brashy ice where they are unable to escape came back over hill glorious sunset brilliant crimson clouds in west return to find wind dropping the first time in three days it turned to north in the evening splendid aurora in the night a bright band of light from south southwest to east northeast passing within 10 degrees of the zenith with two waving spirals at the summit this morning see to north covered with ice minimum temperature for night minus five degrees but i think most of the ice was brought in by the wind things look more hopeful ice now continuous to cape evans but very thin as far as glacier tum three or four days of calm or light winds should make everything firm wednesday april five am the east wind has continued with a short break on sunday for five days increasing in violence and gradually becoming colder and more charged with snow until yesterday when we had a thick overcast day with falling and driving snow and temperature down to minus 11 degrees went beyond castle rock on sunday and monday mornings with griffith taylor think the wind fairly local and that the straight has frozen over to the north as streams of drift snow and ice crystals off the cliffs were building up on the ice sheet toward the wind monday we could see the approaching white sheet yesterday it was visibly closer to land though the wind had not decreased walking was little pleasure on either day yesterday climbed about hills to see all possible no one else left the hut in the evening the wind fell and freezing continued during the night minimum minus 17 degrees this morning there is ice everywhere i cannot help thinking it has come to stay in in arrival bay it is six to seven inches thick but the new pools beyond to have only one inch of the regular elastic sludgy new ice the sky cleared last night and this morning we have sunshine for the first time for many days if this weather holds for a day we shall be all right we are getting towards the end of our luxuries so that it is quite time we made a move we are very near the end of the sugar the scuas seemed to have gone the last was seen on sunday these birds were very shy toward the end of their stay also very dark in plumage they did not seem hungry and yet it must have been difficult for them to get food the seals are coming up in our bay five last night luckily the dogs have not yet discovered them or the fact that the sea ice will bear them had an interesting talk with taylor on a glomerate and basaltic dykes of castle rock the perfection of the small cone craters below castle rock seemed to support the theory we have come to that there have been volcanic disturbances since the recession of the greater ice sheet it is a great thing having right to fog out the ice problems and he has had a good opportunity of observing many interesting things here he's keeping notes of ice changes and a keen eye on ice phenomena we have many discussions yesterday wilson prepared a fry of seal meat with penguin blubber it had a flavor like cod liver oil and was not much appreciated some ate their share and i think all would have done so if we had had sledging appetites shades of discovery days footnote from dr wilson's journal april four fun over a fry i made in my new penguin lard it was quite a success and tasted like very bad sardine oil end of footnote this emperor weighed anything from 88 to 96 pounds and therefore approximated to or exceeded the record the dogs are doing pretty well with one or two exceptions deak is the worst but i began to think all will pull through thursday april 6 am the weather continued fine and clear yesterday one of the very few fine days we have had since our arrival at the hut the sun shone continuously from early morning till it's set behind the northern hills about 5 p.m the sea froze completely but with only a thin sheet to the north a fairly strong northerly wind sprang up causing this thin ice to override and to leave several open leads near the land in the forenoon i went to the edge of the new ice with right it looked at the limit of safety and we did not venture far the overriding is interesting the edge of one sheet splits as it rises and slides over the other sheet in long tongues which creep onward impressively whilst motion last there is continuous music a meddli of high pitched but tuneful notes one might imagine small birds chirping in a wood the ice sings we say p.m in the afternoon went nearly two miles to the north over the young ice founded about three and one half inches thick at supper arranged program for shift to cape evans meant to go on saturday dog sunday ponies monday all subject to maintenance of good weather of course friday april seven went north over ice with atkinson bowers taylor cherry gerard found the thickness nearly five inches everywhere except in open water leads which remain open in many places as we got away from the land we got on an interesting service of small pancakes much capped and pressed up a sort of mosaic this is the ice which was built up from lee side of the strait spreading across to windward against the strong winds of monday and tuesday another point of interest was the manner in which the overriding ice sheets had scraped the underflows taylor fell in when rather foolishly trying to cross a thinly covered lead he had a very scared face for a moment or two whilst we hurried to the rescue but hauled himself out with his ice axe without our help and walked back with cherry the remainder of us went on till a breast of the sulfur cones under castle rock when we made for the shore and with a little mutual help climb the cliff and return by land as far as one can see all should be well for our return tomorrow but the sky is clouding tonight and a change of weather seems imminent three successive fine days seem near the limit in this region we have picked up quite a number of fish frozen in the ice the larger ones about the size of a herring and the smaller of a minnow we imagine both had been driven into the slushy ice by seals but today grand found a large fish frozen in the act of swallowing a small one it looks as though both small and large are caught when one is chasing the other we have achieved such great comfort here that one is half sorry to leave it is a fine healthy existence with many hours spent in the open and generally some interesting object for our walks abroad the hill climbing gives excellent exercise we shall miss much of it at Cape Evans but I am anxious to get back and see that all is well at the latter as for a long time I've been wondering how our beach has withstood the shocks of northerly winds the thought that the hut may have been damaged by the sea in one of the heavy storms will not be banished a sketch of the life at hut point we gather around the fire seated on packing cases to receive them with a hunk of butter and a steaming panic and of tea life is well worth living after lunch we are out and about again there is little to tempt along stay indoors and exercise keeps us all the fitter the falling light and approach of supper drives us home again with good appetites about five or six o'clock and then the cooks rival one another in preparing succulent dishes of fried seal liver a single dish may not seem to offer much opportunity of variation but a lot can be done with a little flour a handful of raisins a spoonful of curry powder or the addition of a little boiled pee meal be this as it may we never tire of our dish and exclamations of satisfaction can be heard every night or nearly every night for two nights ago april four wilson who has proved a genius in the invention of plats almost ruined his reputation he proposed to fry the seal liver in penguin blubber suggesting that the latter could be freed from all rankness the blubber was obtained and rendered down with great care the result appeared as delightfully pure fat free from smell but appearances were deceptive the fry proved redolent of penguin a concentrated essence of that peculiar flavor which faintly lingers in the meat and should not be emphasized three heroes got through their panicans but the rest of us decided to be contented with cocoa and biscuit after tasting the first mouthful after supper we have an hour or so of smoking and conversation a cheering pleasant hour in which reminiscences are exchanged by a company which has very literally had worldwide experience there is scarce a country under the sun which one or another of us has not traveled in so diverse are our origins and occupations an hour or so after supper we tail off one by one spread out our sleeping bags take off our shoes and creep into comfort for our reindeer bags are really warm and comfortable now that they have had a chance of drying and the hut retains some of the heat generated in it thanks to the success of the blubber lamps and to a fair supply of candles we can muster ample light to read for another hour or two and so tucked up in our ffers we study the social and political questions of the past decade we muster no less than 16 seven of us pretty well covers the floor of one wing of the L shaped enclosure four sleep in the other wing which also holds the store whilst the remaining five occupy the annex and affect to find the colder temperature more salubrious everyone can manage eight or nine hours sleep without a break and not a few would have little difficulty in sleeping the clock round which goes to show that our extremely simple life is an exceedingly healthy one though with faces and hands blackened with smoke appearances might not lead an outsider to suppose it Sunday April 9 am on Friday night it grew overcast and the wind went to the south during the whole of yesterday and last night it blew a moderate blizzard the temperature at highest plus five degrees a relatively small amount of drift on Friday night the ice in the straight went out from a line meeting the shore three four smile north of hut point a crack off hut point and curving to northwest open to about 15 or 20 feet the opening continuing on the north side of the point it is strange that the ice thus opened and should have remained ice cleared out to the north directly when commenced it didn't wait a single instant showing that our journey over it earlier in the day was a very risky proceeding the uncertainty of these conditions is beyond words but there shall be no more of this foolish venturing on young ice the decision seems to put off the return of the ponies to a comparatively late date yesterday went to the second crater arrival heights hoping to see the condition of the northern bays but could see little or nothing going to drift a white line dimly seen on the horizon seemed to indicate that the ice drifted out and has not gone far some scuas were seen yesterday a very late date the seals disinclined to come on the ice one can be seen at Cape Armitage this morning but it is two or three days since there was one up in our bay it will certainly be some time before the ponies can be got back monday april 10 p.m. intended to make for Cape Evans this morning called hands early but when we were ready for departure after breakfast the sky became more overcast and snow began to fall it continued off and on all day only clearing as the sun set it would have been the worst condition possible for our attempt as we could not have been more than 100 yards conditions look very unfavorable for the continued freezing of the straight thursday april 13 started from hut point nine a.m. tuesday party consisted of self bowers p.o. evans taylor 110 evans gran cream debonham and right second tent left wilson in charge at hut point with mirrors ford keohane oats atkinson and cherry garad all gave us a pull up the ski slope it had become a point of honor to take this slope without a breather i find such an effort trying in the early morning but had to go through with it weather fine we marched past castle rock east of it the snow was soft on the slopes showing the shelter afforded continued to traverse the ridge for the first time found quite good surface much windswept past both cones on the ridge on the west side caught a glimpse of fast ice in the bay's either side of glacier as expected but in the near bay its extent was very small evidently we should have to go well along the ridge before descending and then the problem would be how to get down over the cliffs on to howton rocks seven and one half miles from the start here it was very icy and windswept inhospitable the wind got up and light became bad just at the critical moment so we camped and had some tea at two p.m. a clearance half an hour later allowed us to see a possible descent to the ice cliffs but between holton rocks and arabus all the slope was much cracked and crevasse we chose a clear track to the edge of the cliffs but could find no low place in these the lowest part being 24 feet sheer drop arriving here the wind increased the snow drifting off the ridge we had to decide quickly I got myself to the edge and made standing places to work the rope dug away at the cornice well situated for such work in harness got three people lowered by the alpine rope evans bowers and taylor then sent down the sledges which went down in fine style fully packed then the remainder of the party for the last three drove a stake hard down in the snow and used the rope round it the men being lowered by people below came down last myself quite a neat and speedy bit of work and all done in 20 minutes without serious frost bite quite pleased with the result we found pulling to glacier tongue very heavy over the surface of ice covered with salt crystals and reached glacier tongue about 530 found a low place and got the sledges up the six foot wall pretty easily stiff incline but easy pulling on hard surface the light was failing and the surface crisscrossed with innumerable cracks several of us fell in these with risk of strain but the north side was well snow covered and easy with a good valley leading to a low ice cliff here a broken piece afforded easy descent I decided to push on for cape evans so camped for tea at six at 630 found darkness suddenly arrived it was very difficult to see anything we got down on the sea ice very heavy pulling but plotted on for some hours at 10 arrived close under little razorback island and not being able to see anything ahead decided to camp and got to sleep at 1130 in no very comfortable circumstances the wind commence to rise during the night we found a roaring blizzard in the morning we had many alarms for the safety of the ice on which the camp was pitched Bowers and Taylor climbed the island reported wind terrific on the summit sweeping on either side but comparatively calm immediately to windward and to leeward waited all day in hopes of a lull at three I went round the island myself with Bowers and found a little ice platform close under the weather side resolved to shift camp here it took two very cold hours but we gained a great shelter the cliffs rising almost sheer from the tents only now and again a whirling wind current eddied down on the tents which were well secured but the noise of the wind sweeping over the rocky ridge above our heads was deafening we could scarcely hear ourselves speak settle down for our second night with little comfort and slept better knowing we could not be swept out to see but provisions were left only for one more meal during the night the wind moderated and we could just see the outline of land I roused the party at 7am and we were soon underway with a desperately cold and stiff breeze and frozen clothes it was very heavy pulling but the distance only two miles arrived off the point about 10 and found sea eyes continued around it it was a very great relief to see the hut on rounding it and to hear that all was well another pony hackensmith and one dog reported dead but this certainly is not worse than expected all the other animals are in good form delighted with everything I see in the hut simpson has done wonders but indeed so has everyone else and I must leave description to a future occasion friday april 14 good friday peaceful day wind continuing 20 to 30 miles per hour had divine service saturday april 15 weather continuing thoroughly bad wind blowing from 30 to 40 miles an hour all day drift bad and tonight snow falling I'm waiting to get back to hut point with relief stores tonight sent up signal light to inform them there of our safe arrival and answering flare was shown sunday april 16 same wind as yesterday up to six o'clock when it fell calm with gusts from the north have exercised the ponies today and got my first good look at them I scarcely like to express the mix feelings with which I am able to regard this remnant freezing of bays cape evans march 15 general young eyes formed march 19 bay cleared except strip inside inaccessible and razorback islands to corner turks head march 20 everything cleared march 25 sea froze over inside islands for good march 28 sea frozen as far as seen march 30 remaining only inside islands april 1 limit cape to island april 6 present limit freezing in straight and in north bay april 9 straight cleared except former limit and some ice in north bay likely to remain end of chapter 7 recording by hollis hanover section 17 of scott's last expedition volume 1 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org scott's last expedition volume 1 the journals of robert falcon scott arranged by lenard huxley chapter 8 home impressions and an excursion impressions on returning to the hut april 13 1911 in choosing the side of the hut on our home beach i had thought of the possibility of northerly winds bringing a swell but it argued firstly that no heavy northerly swell had ever been recorded in the sound secondly that a strong northerly wind was bound to bring pack which would damp the swell thirdly that the locality was excellently protected by the barn glacier and finally that the beach itself showed no signs of having been swept by the sea the rock fragments composing it being completely angular when the hut was erected and i found that its foundation was only 11 feet above the level of the sea ice i had a slight misgiving but reassured myself again by reconsidering the circumstances that afforded shelter to the beach the fact that such question had been considered makes it easier to understand the attitude of mind that readmitted doubt in the face of phenomenal conditions the event has justified my original arguments but i must confess a sense of having assumed security without sufficient proof in a case where an error of judgment might have had dire consequences it was not until i found all safe at the home station that i realized how anxious i'd been concerning it in a normal season no thought of its having been in danger would have occurred to me but since the loss of the ponies and the breaking of the glacier tongue i could not rid myself of the fear that misfortune was in the air and that some abnormal swell had swept the beach gloomy thoughts of the havoc that might have been wrought by such an event would arise in spite of the sound reasons which had originally led me to choose the side of the hut as a safe one the late freezing of the sea the terrible continuance of wind and the abnormalities to which i have referred had gradually strengthened the profound distrust with which i had been forced to regard our mysterious Antarctic climate until my imagination conjured up many forms of disaster as possibly falling on those from whom i had parted for so long we marched towards cape evans under the usually miserable conditions which attend the breaking of camp in a cold wind after a heavy blizzard the outlook was dreary in the gray light of early morning our clothes were frozen stiff in our fingers wet and cold in the tent had been frost bitten in packing the sludges a few comforting signs of life appeared as we approached the cape some old footprints in the snow a long silk thread from the meteorologist balloon but we saw nothing more as we neared the rocks of the promontory and the many grounded birds which were scattered off it to my surprise the fast ice extended past the cape and we were able to round it into the north bay here we saw the weather screen on wind vane hill and a moment later turned a small headland and brought the hut in full view it was intact stables outhouses and all evidently the sea had left it undisturbed i breathed a huge sigh of relief we watched two figures at work near the stables and wondered when they would see us in a moment or two they did so and fled inside the hut to carry the news of our arrival three minutes later all nine occupants simpson nelson day pawnting lashley clyssled hooper anton and dimitri were streaming over the flow towards us with shouts of welcome there were eager inquiries as to mutual welfare and it took but a minute to learn the most important events of the quiet station life which had been led since our departure those under the circumstances might well be considered the deaths of one pony and one dog the pony was that which had been nicknamed hackensmith from his vicious habit of using both fore and hind legs and attacking those who came near him he had been obviously of different breed from the other ponies being of lighter and handsomer shape suggestive of a strain of air of blood from no cause which could be discovered either by the symptoms of his illness or the postmortem held by nelson could a reason be found for his death in spite of the best feeding in every care he had gradually sickened until he was too weak to stand and in this condition there had been no option but to put him out of misery anton considers the death of hackensmith to have been an act of cussedness the result of a determination to do no work for the expedition although the loss is serious i remember doubts which i had as to whether this animal could be anything but a source of trouble to us he had been the most difficult to handle all through showing a vicious intractable temper i had foreseen great difficulties with him especially during the early part of any journey on which he was taken and this consideration softened the news of his death the dog had been left behind in a very sick condition and this loss was not a great surprise these items were the worst of the small budget of news that awaited me for the rest the hud arrangements had worked out in the most satisfactory manner possible and the scientific routine of observations was in full swing after our primitive life at Cape Armitage it was wonderful to enter the precincts of our warm dry Cape Evans home the interior space seemed palatial the light resplendent and the comfort luxurious it was very good to eat in civilized fashion to enjoy the first bath for three months and have contact with clean dry clothing such fleeting hours of comfort for customs soon banished their delight are the treasured remembrance of every polar traveller they throw into sharpest contrast the hardships of the past and the comforts of the present and for the time he revels in the unaccustomed physical contentment that results it was not many hours or even minutes in the hut before i was hailed round to observe in detail the transformation which had taken place during my absence and in which a very proper pride was taken by those who had wrought it simpson's corner was the first visited here the eye travelled over numerous shelves laden with a profusion of self recording instruments electric batteries and switchboards whilst the ear caught the ticking of many clocks the gentle were of a motor and occasionally the trembling note of an electric bell but such sights and sounds conveyed only an impression of the delicate methodological means by which the daily and hourly variations of our weather conditions were being recorded a mere glimpse of the intricate arrangements of a first class meteorological station the one and only station of that order which has been established in polar regions it took me days and even months to realise fully the aims of our meteorologist and the scientific accuracy with which he was achieving them when i did so to an adequate extent i wrote some description of his work which will be found in the following pages of this volume the first impression which i am here describing was more confused i appreciated only that by going to simpson's corner one could ascertain at a glance how hard the wind was blowing and had been blowing how the barometer was varying to what degree of cold the thermometer had descended if one were still more inquisitive he could further inform himself as to the electrical tension of the atmosphere and other matters of like import that such knowledge could be gleaned without a visit to the open air was an obvious advantage to those who were clothing themselves to face it whilst the ability to study the variation of a storm without exposure savoured of no light victory of mind over matter the dark room stands next to the parasitologist side of the bench which flanks sunny jim's corner and involved sentence to be more exact the physicist adjust their instruments and write up books at a bench which projects at right angles to the end wall of the hut the opposite side of this bench is allotted to atkinson who is to write with his back to the dark room atkinson being still absent his corner was unfurnished and my attention was next claimed by the occupant of the dark room beyond atkinson's limit the art of photography has never been so well housed within the polar regions and rarely without them such a palatial chamber for the development of negatives and prints can only be justified by the quality of the work produced in it and is only justified in our case by the possession of such an artist as haunting he was eager to show me the results of his summer work and meanwhile my eye took in the neat shelves with their array of cameras et cetera the porcel and sink and automatic water tap the two acetylene gas burners with their shading screens and the general obviousness of all conveniences of the photographic art here indeed was encouragement for the best results and to the photographer be all praise for it is mainly his hand which has executed the designs which his brain conceived in this may be clearly seen the advantage of a traveller's experience haunting has had to fend for himself under primitive conditions in a new land the result is a handyman with every form of tool and in any circumstances thus when building operations were to the fore and mechanical labour scarce haunting returned to the shell of his apartment with only the raw material for completing it in the shortest possible space of time shelves and tanks were erected doors hung and windows framed and all in a workman like manner commanding the admiration of all the holders it was well that speed could be commanded for such work since the fleeting hours of the summer season had been altogether too few to be spared from the immediate surface of photography hauntings nervous temperament allowed no waste of time for him fine weather meant no sleep he decided that lost opportunities should be as rare as circumstances would permit this attitude was now manifested in the many yards of cinema to graphic film remaining on hand and yet greater number recorded as having been sent back in the ship in the boxes of negatives lying on the shelves and in a well-filled album of prints of the many admirable points in this work perhaps the most notable are hauntings eye for a picture and the mastery he has acquired of ice subjects the composition of most of his pictures is extraordinarily good he seems to know by instinct the exact value of foreground and middle distance and of the introduction of life whilst more technical skill in the manipulation of screens and exposures he emphasizes the subtle shadows of the snow and reproduces its wondrously transparent texture he is an artist in love with his work and it was good to hear his enthusiasm for results of the past and plans for the future long before i could gaze my fill at the contents of the dark room i was led to the biologist cubicle nelson and day had from the first decided to camp together each having a habit of methodical neatness both were greatly relieved when the arrangement was approved and they were freed from the chance of an untidy companion no attempt had been made to furnish this cubicle before our departure on the autumn journey but now on my return i found it an example of the best utilization of space the prevailing note was neatness the biologists microscope stood on a neat bench surrounded by enamel dishes vessels and books neatly arranged behind him when seated rose two neat bunks with neat closely curtain drawers for clothing and neat reflecting sconces for candles overhead was a neat arrangement for drying socks with several nets neatly bestowed the carpentering to produce this effect had been of quite a high order and was in very marked contrast with that exhibited for the hasty erections and other cubicles the pillars and boarding of the many bunks had carefully finished edges and were stained to mahogany brown nelson's bench is situated very conveniently under the largest of the hut windows and had also an acetylene lamp so that both in summer and winter he has all conveniences for his indoor work day appeared to have been unceasingly busy during my absence everyone paid tribute to his mechanical skill and expressed gratitude for the help he had given in adjusting instruments and generally helping forward the scientific work he was entirely responsible for the heating lighting and ventilating arrangements and as all these appear satisfactory he deserved much praise particulars concerning these arrangements I shall give later as a first impression it is sufficient to note that the warmth and lighting of the hut seemed as good as could be desired whilst for our comfort the air seemed fresh and pure day had also to report some progress with the motor sledges but this matter also I leave for future consideration my attention was very naturally turned from the heating arrangements to the cooking stove and its custodian clyssled I had already heard much of the surpassingly satisfactory meals which his art had produced and had indeed already a first experience of them now I was introduced to the cooks corner with its range and ovens its pots and pans its side tables and well covered shelves much was to be gathered there from although a good meal by no means depends only on kitchen conveniences it was gratifying to learn that the stove had proved itself economical and the patent fuel blocks the most convenient and efficient substitute for coal save for the thickness of the furnace cheeks and the size of the oven clyssled declared himself wholly satisfied he feared that the oven would prove too small to keep up a constant supply of bread for all hands nevertheless he introduced me to this oven with an air of pride which I soon found to be fully justified for connected there with there was a contrivance for which he was entirely responsible and which in its ingenuity rivaled any of which the hut could boast the interior of the oven was so arranged that the rising of the bread completed an electric circuit thereby ringing a bell and switching on a red lamp clyssled had realised that the continuous ringing of the bell would not be soothing to the nerves of our party nor the continuous burning of the lamp calculated to prolong its life and he had therefore added the clockwork mechanism which automatically broke the circuit after a short interval of time further this clockwork mechanism could be made to control the immersions of the same warning signals at intervals of time varied according to the desire of the operator thus because when in bed he would desire a signal at short periods but if absent from the hut he would wish to know at a glance what had happened when he returned judged by any standard it was a remarkably pretty little device but when I learnt that it had been made from odds and ends such as a cogwheel or spring here and a cell or magnet there begged from other departments I began to realise that we had a very exceptional cook later when I found that clyssled was called into consult on the ailments of Simpson's motor and that he was capable of constructing a dog sledge out of packing cases I was less surprised because I knew by this time that he had had considerable training in mechanical work before he turned his attention to pots and pans my first impressions include matters to which I was naturally eager to give an early half hour namely the housing of our animals I found herein that praise was as justly due to our Russian boys as to my fellow Englishmen Anton with Lashley's help had completed the furnishing of the stables neat stalls occupied the whole length of the lean to the side so boarded that sprawling legs could not be entangled beneath the front well covered with tin sheet to defend the cribbers I could but sigh again to think of the stalls that must now remain empty whilst appreciating that there was ample room for the safe harboring of the ten beasts that remain be the winter never so cold or the winds so wild later we have been able to give double space to all but two or three of our animals in which they can lie down if they are so inclined the ponies look fairly fit considering the low diet on which they've been kept their coats were surprisingly long and woolly in contrast with those of the animals I had left at Hut Point at this time they were being exercised by Lashley Anton Dimitri Hooper and Clisseld and as a rule were ridden the sea having only recently frozen the exercise ground had lain on the boulder strewn sand of the home beach and extending towards the school lake and across these stretches I soon saw barebacked figures dashing at speed and not a few amusing incidents in which horse and rider parted with abrupt lack of ceremony I didn't think this quite the most desirable form of exercise for the beast but decided to leave matters as they were till our pony manager returned Dimitri had only five or six dogs left in charge but these looked fairly fit all things considered and it was evident the boy was bent on taking every care of them for he had not only provided shelters but had built a small lean to which would serve as a hospital for any animal whose stomach or coat needed nursing such were the broad outlines of the impressions I received on my first return to our home station they were almost wholly pleasant and as I have shown in happy contrast with the fears that had assailed me on the homeward route as the days went by I was able to fill in the detail in equally pleasant fashion to watch the development of fresh arrangements and the improvement of old ones finally in this way I was brought to realize what an extensive intricate but eminently satisfactory organization I had made myself responsible for notes on flyleaf a fresh manuscript book jenis homo species sapiens flotsam william barrett's house in novaya zemla built 1596 found by captain carlson 1871 275 years later intact everything inside is left what of this hut the ocean gert continent might have seemed almost heroic if any higher end than excessive love of gain and traffic had animated the design milton he is not worthy to live at all who for fear and danger of death shunith his country service or his own honor since death is inevitable and the fame of virtue immortal sir Humphrey Gilbert there is no part of the world that cannot be reached by man when the can be is turned to has been the geographical society will have altered its status at the whoring loom of time an awd I weave the living garment of god gartha by all means think yourself big but don't think everyone else small the man who knows everyone's job isn't much good at his own when you are attacked unjustly avoid the appearance of evil but also avoid the appearance of being too good a man can't be too good but he can appear too good Monday April 17th started from sea evans with two 10-foot sledges party one self lashley day dimitri party two bowers nelson crene hooper we left at 8am taking our personal equipment a week's provision of sledging food and butter oatmeal flour lard chocolate et cetera for the hut two of the ponies hauled the sledges to within a mile of the glacier tongue the wind which had been north here suddenly shifted to southeast very biting the wind remained north at sea evans during the afternoon the ponies walked back into it sky overcast very bad light found the place to get on the glacier but then lost the track crossed more or less direct getting amongst many cracks came down in bay near the open water stumbled over the edge to an easy drift more than once on these trips I as leader have suddenly disappeared from the side of the others affording some consternation till they got close enough to see what has happened the pull over sea ice was very heavy and in face of strong wind and drift every member of the party was frostbitten about the face several with very cold feet pushed on after repairs found drift streaming off the ice cliff a new cornice formed in our rope buried at both ends the party getting cold I decided to camp have tea and shift foot gear whilst tea was preparing bowers and I went south then north along the cliffs to find a place to ascend nearly everywhere a scent seemed impossible in the vicinity of hulton rocks or north but eventually we found an overhanging cornice close to our rope after lunch we unloaded a sledge which held high on end by four men just reached the edge of the cornice clamoring up over backs and up sledge I used an ice axe to cut steps over the cornice and thus managed to get on top then cut steps and surmounted the edge of the cornice helped bowers up with the rope others followed then the gear was hauled up piecemeal for creen the last man up we lowered the sledge over the cornice and used a bow line on the other end of the rope on top of it he came up grinning with delight and we all thought the ascent rather a cunning piece of work it was fearfully cold work but everyone working with rare intelligence we eventually got everything up and repacked the sledge glad to get in harness again then a heavy pull up a steep slope in wretched light making detour to left to avoid crevices we reached the top and plotted on past the craters as nearly as possible as on the outward route the party was pretty exhausted and very wet with perspiration approaching castle rock the weather and light improved camped on barrier slope north of castle rock about 9 p.m. night cold but calm negative 38 degrees during the night slept pretty well tuesday april 18th hut point good moonlight at 7 am had breakfast broke camp very quickly lashley splendid at camp work as of old very heavy pull up to castle rock sweated much this sweating and cold temperature is a serious drawback reached hut point 1 p.m. found all well in excellent spirits didn't seem to want as much party reported very bad weather since we left cold blizzard then continuous southwest wind with negative 20 and below the open water was right up to hut point wind absolutely preventing all freezing along shore wilson reported school ago seen monday found party much shorter of blover than i had expected they were only just keeping themselves supplied with a seal killed two days before and one as we arrived actually less fast ice and when we left wednesday april 19th hut point calm during the night sea froze over at noon four and a half inches thick off hut point showing how easily the sea will freeze when the chance is given three seals reported on the ice all hands out after breakfast in the liver and blubber of all three seals were brought in this relieves one of a little anxiety leaving a 12 days stock in which time other seals ought to be coming up i am making arrangements to start back tomorrow but at present it is overcast and when coming up from the south this afternoon all ice frozen last night went out quietly the sea tried to freeze behind it but the wind fresh and soon the ponies were exercised yesterday and today they look pretty fit but their coats are not so good as those in winter quarters they want fatty foods and preparing to start tomorrow satisfied that the discovery hut is very comfortable and life very livable in it the dogs are much the same all looking pretty fit except viata and rabcik neither of which seem to get good coats i am greatly struck with the advantages of experience in crene and lashley for all work about camps thursday april 20th hut point everything ready for starting this morning but of course it blizzed weather impossible much wind and drift from the south wind turned to southeast in the afternoon temperatures low went for walk to cape armatage but it is really very unpleasant the wind blowing around the cape is absolutely blighting for seven and temperature below negative 30 degrees see a black cauldron covered with dark frost smoke no ice can form in such weather friday april 21st started homework at 10 30 left meager is in charge of station with dimitri to help with dogs lashley and cohane to look out for ponies nelson and day and ford to get some idea of the life and experience homework party therefore self bowers wilson oats atkinson cherry jarard crene and hooper as usual all hands pulled up ski slope which we took without a halt lashley and dimitri came nearly to castle rock very cold side wind and some frostbite we reached the last downward slope about 230 at the cliff edge found the cornice gone heavy wind and drift worse than before if anything we bustled things and after tantalising delays with the rope got bowers and some others on the flow then lowered the sledges packed three men including crene and myself slid down last on the alpine rope doubled and taken round an ash stave so that we were able to unreave the end and recover the rope we recovered also most of the old alpine rope all except a piece buried in snow on the sea ice and dragged down under the slush just like the discovery boats i could not have supposed this could happen in so short a time footnote voyage of the discovery chapter nine the question of the moment is what has become of our boats early in the winter they were hoisted out to give more room for the awning and were placed in a line about 100 yards from the ice foot on the sea ice the earliest gale drifted them up nearly gunwell high and thus for two months they remained in sight whilst we congratulated ourselves on their security the last gale brought more snow and piling it in drifts at various places in the bay chose to be especially generous with it in the neighborhood of our boats so that afterwards they were found to be buried three or four feet beneath the new surface although we had noted with interest the manner in which the extra weight of snow in other places was pressing down the surface of the original ice and were even taking measurements of the effect thus produced we remained fatuously blind to the risks our boats ran under such conditions it was from no feeling of anxiety but rather to provide occupation that i directed that the snow on top of them should be removed and it was not until we had dug down to the first boat that the true state of affairs dawned on us she was found lying in a mass of slushy ice with which also she was nearly filled for the moment we had a wild hope that she could be pulled up but by the time we could rig shears the air temperature had converted the slush into hardened ice and she was found to be stuck fast at present there is no hope of recovering any of the boats as fast as one could dig out the sodden ice more seawater would flow in and freeze the danger is that fresh gales bring more snow will sink them so far beneath the surface that we shall be unable to recover them at all stuck solid in the flow they must go down with it and every effort must be devoted to preventing the flow from sinking as regards the rope it is a familiar experience that dark objects which absorb heat will melt their way through the snow or ice on which they lie and a footnote by the time all stores were on the flow with swirling drift about us everyone was really badly cold one of those moments for quick action we harnessed and dashed for the shelter of the cliffs up tents and hot tea as quick as possible after this and some shift of foot gear all were much better heavy plot over the sea ice starting at 430 very bad light on the glacier and we lost our way as usual stumbling into many crevices but finally descending in the old place by this time sweating much crene reported our sledge pulling much more heavily than the other one marched on to little razorback island without halt our own sledge dragging fearfully crene said there was great difference in the sledges though loads were equal bower's politely assented when i voiced this sentiment but i'm sure he and his party thought it was the plea of tired men however there was nothing like proof and he readily assented to change sledges the difference was really extraordinary we felt the new sledge of feather weight compared with the old and set up a pace for the home quarters regardless of how much we perspired we arrived at the hut two miles away 10 minutes ahead of the others who by this time were quite convinced as to the difference in the sledges the difference was only marked when pulling over the salt covered sea ice on snow the sledges seemed pretty much the same it is due to the grain of the wood in the runners and is worth looking into we all arrived bathed in sweat our garments were soaked through and as we took off our wind clothes showers of ice fell on the floor the accumulation was almost incredible and shows the whole trouble of sledging in cold weather it would have been very uncomfortable to have camped in the open under such conditions and assuredly a winter and spring party cannot afford to get so hot if they wish to retain any semblance of comfort our excellent cook had just the right meal prepared for us an enormous dish of rice and figs and cocoa in a bucket the hut party were all very delighted to see us and the fittings and comforts of the hut are amazing to the newcomers saturday april 22 camp evans winter quarters the sledging season is at an end it's good to be back in spite of all the losses we have sustained today we enjoy a very exceptional calm the sea is freezing over of course but unfortunatley our view from observatory hill is very limited oats and the rest are exercising the ponies i have been sorting my papers and getting ready for the winter work end of chapter eight section 18 of scott's last expedition volume one this is a library box recording all library box recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librarybox.org scott's last expedition volume one the journals of robert falcum scott arranged by leonard huxley chapter nine the work and the workers sunday april 23 winter quarters the last day of the sun and a very glorious view of its golden light over the barn glacier we could not see the sun itself on account of the glacier the fine ice cliffs of which were in deep shadow under the rosy rays impression the long mild twilight which clack is over class unites today with yesterday when morning and evening sit together hand in hand beneath the starless sky of midnight it blew hard last night and most of the young ice is gone as expected patches seem to be remaining south of the glacier tongue and the island and off our own bay and this very queer season it appears as though the final freezing is to be reached by gradual increments through the firmly established ice had divine service have only seven hymn books those brought on shore for our first service being very stupidly taken back to the ship i begin to think that we are too comfortable in the hot and hope it will not make a slack but it is good to see everyone in such excellent spirits so far not a rift in the social arrangements monday april 24 a night watchman has been instituted mainly for the purpose of observing the aurora of which the displays have been feeble so far the observer is to look around every hour or oftener if there is ought to be seen he is allowed cocoa and sourdines with bread and butter the cocoa can be made over in the settling bunsen burner part of simpson's outfit i took the first turn last night the remainder of the after guard follow in rotation the long night hours give time to finish up a number of small tasks the hut remains quite warm though the fires are out simpson has been practicing with balloons during our absence this morning he set one up for trial the balloon is of silk and has a capacity of one cubic meter it is filled with hydrogen gas which is made in the special generator the generation is a simple process a vessel filled with water has an inverted vessel within it a pipe has led to the balloon from the ladder and the tube of india rubber is attached which contains calcium hydrate by tipping the tube the amount of calcium hydrate required can be forward into the generator as the gas is made it passes into the balloon or is collected in the inner vessel which acts as a bell jar if the stopcock to the balloon is closed the arrangements for utilizing the balloons are very pretty an instrument weighing only two and one quarter ounces and recording the temperature and pressure is attached beneath a small flag and hung 10 to 15 feet below the balloon with balloon silk thread the silk thread is of such fine quality that five miles of it weighs only four ounces while its breaking strain is one and one quarter pounds the lower part of the instrument is again attached to the silk thread which is commonly wound on cone bobbins from which the balloon unwinds it without hitch or friction as it ascends in order to spare the silk any jerk as the balloon is released two pieces of string united with a slow match carry the strain between the instrument and the balloon until the slow match is consumed the balloon takes about a quarter of an hour to inflate the slow match is then let in the balloon release with a weight of eight ounces and the lifting power of two and one half pounds that rises rapidly after it is lost to ordinary vision it can be followed with glasses as mile after mile of thread runs out theoretically if strain is put on the silk thread it should break between the instrument and the balloon leaving the former free to drop while the thread can be followed up and the instrument with its record recovered today this was tried with a dummy instrument but the thread broke close to the bobbins in the afternoon a double thread was tried in this acted successfully today i allotted the ponies for exercise bowers cherry garard hooper chrysled pio evans and creon take animals besides anton and oats i have had to warn people the table not necessarily lead the ponies which they now tend wilson is very busy making sketches tuesday april 28 it was comparatively calm all day yesterday and last night and there have been light airs only from the south today the temperature had first comparatively high at minus five degrees has gradually fallen to minus 13 as a result the straight has frozen over at last and it looks as though the hut point party should be with us before very long if the blizzards hold out for another three days the crossing should be perfectly safe but i don't expect mirrors to hurry although we had very good sunset effects at hut point haunting and others were much disappointed with the absence of such effects at cape evans this was probably due to the continual interference of frost smoke since i return here and especially yesterday and today the sky and sea have been glorious in the afternoon haunting has taken some colored pictures but the result is not very satisfactory and the plates are much spotted wilson is very busy with pencil and brush atkinson is unpacking and setting up his sterilizers and incubators right is wrestling with the electrical instruments evans is busy surveying the cape and its vicinity oats is reorganizing the stable making bigger stalls etc cherry garard is building the stone house for taxidermy and with a view to getting hints for making the shelter at cape crosier during the winter debon ham and taylor are taking advantage of the last to the light to examine the topography at the peninsula in fact everybody is extraordinarily busy i came back with the impression that we should not find our winter walk so interesting as though at hut point but i'm rapidly altering my opinion we may miss the hill climbing here but in every direction there is abundance of interest today i walked round the shores of the north bay examining the kennight cliffs and great masses of morani material of the barn glacier then on under the huge blue ice cliffs of the glacier itself with the sunset lights deep shadows the black islands and whitebergs it was all very beautiful simpson and bowers sent up a balloon today with a double thread and instrument attached the line was checked at about three miles and soon after the instrument was seen to disengage the balloon at first went north with a light southerly breeze till it reached 300 or 400 feet then it turned to the south but did not travel rapidly when two miles if thread had gone it seemed to be going north again or rising straight upward and the afternoon simpson and bowers went to recover their treasure but somewhere south of inaccessible island they found the thread broken and the light was not good enough to continue the search the sides of the golly fire have caved in there should have been cheeks to prevent this we got some fire clay cement today and plastered up the sides i hope this will get over the difficulty but have some doubts Wednesday April 26 calm went round Cape Evans remarkable effects of icicles on the ice foot formed by spray of southern gales Thursday April 27 the fourth day in succession without wind but overcast white snow is falling during the day tonight the wind comes from the north we should have our party back soon the temperature remains about minus five degrees and the ice should be getting thicker with rapidity went around the birds off Cape Evans they are very beautiful especially one which is pierced to form a huge arch it will be interesting to climb around these monsters as the winter proceeds today i have organized a series of lectures for the winter the people seem keen and it ought to be exceedingly interesting to discuss so many diverse subjects with experts we have an extraordinary diversity of talent and training in our people it would be difficult to imagine a company composed of experiences which differed so completely we find one hut contains an experience of every country in every climb put in assemblage of motley knowledge Friday April 28 another comparatively calm day temperature minus 12 degrees clear sky went to ice caves on glacier south of Cape these are really very wonderful Pawnton took some photographs with long exposure and right got some very fine ice crystals the glacier tongue comes close around the high bluff headland of kenaite it is much cracked and curiously composed with the broad wedge of white neva over blue ice the faults in the dust strata and these surfaces are very mysterious and should be instructive in the explanation of certain ice problems it looks as though the sea has frozen over for good if no further blizzard clears the straight it can be said for this season that the bays froze over on March 25 the straight froze over on April 22 the straight dissipated on April 29 the straight froze over on April 30 later the hut point record of freezing is night 24th 25th ice forming midday 25th opened with leaves 26th ice all out sound apparently open 27th straight apparently freezing early 28th ice over whole straight 29th all ice gone 30th freezing over May 4th broad lead opened along land to castle rock 300 to 400 yards wide party intended to start on 11th if weather fine very fine display of aurora tonight one of the brightest I have ever seen over arabus it is conceded that a red tinge is seen after the movement of light Saturday April 29 went to inaccessible island with wilson the aglomerates kenites and lavas are much the same as those at cape ovens the island is 540 feet high and it is a steep climb to reach the summit over very loose sand and boulders from the summit one has an excellent view of our surroundings and the ice in the straight which seemed to extend far beyond cape rides but had some ominous cracks beyond the island we climbed around the ice foot after descending the hill and found it much broken up on the south side the sea spray had washed far up on it it is curious to find that all the heavy seas come from the south and that it is from this direction that protection is most needed there is some curious weathering on the ice blocks on the north side also the snow drifts show interesting dirt bands the island had a good sprinkling of snow which will all be gone I expect tonight whereas we watched the summit we saw a storm approaching from the south it had blotted out the bluff and we watched it covering black island then had pointed castle rock by the time we started homeward it was upon us making a harsh chatter as it struck the high rocks and sweeping along the drift on the flow the blow seems to have passed over tonight and the sky is clear again but I much fear the ice has gone out in the straight there is an ominous black look to the westward sunday april 30 as I feared last night the morning light revealed the havoc made in the ice by yesterday's gale from wind vane hill 66 feet it appeared that the straight had not opened up beyond the island but after church I went up the ramp with wilson and steadily climbed over the glacier ice to a height of about 650 feet note from the glossary ramp a great embankment of moranic material with ice beneath once part of the glacier on the lowest slopes of arabus at the landward end of cape evans end of note from this elevation one could see that a broad belt of sea ice had been pushed bodily to seaward and it was evident that last night the whole stretch of water from hut point to turtle island must have been opened so that our poor people at hut point are just where they were the only comfort is that the straight is already frozen again but what is to happen if every blow clears the sea like this had an interesting walk one can go at least a mile up the glacier slope before coming to crevasses and it does not appear that these would be serious for a good way farther the view is magnificent and on a clear day like this one still enjoys some hours of daylight or rather twilight when it is possible to see everything clearly have had talks of the curious cones which are such a feature of the ramp they are certainly partly produced by the ice and partly by weathering the ponds and various forms of ice grains interest us tonight have been naming all the small land features of our vicinity tuesday may two it was calm yesterday a balloon was sent up in the morning but only reached a mile in heights before the instrument was detached by slow match and the afternoon went out with bowers and his pony to pick up instrument which was close to the shore in the south bay went on past inaccessible island the ice outside the birds has grown very thick 14 inches or more but there were freshly frozen pools beyond the island in the evening wilson opened the lecture series with the paper on and arctic flying birds considering the limits of the subject the discussion was interesting the most attractive point raised was that of pigmentation does the absence of pigment suggest absence of reserve energy does it increase the insulating properties of the hair or feathers or does the animal clothed and white radiate less of his internal heat the most interesting example of polar coloring is the increased proportion of albinos amongst the giant petrels found in high latitudes today have had our first game of football a harassing southerly wind sprang up which helped my own side to the extent of three goals the same wind came with a clear sky and jumped up and down and forced throughout the afternoon but has died away tonight and the afternoon i saw an ominous weed outside the island which appeared to extend a long way south i'm much afraid it may go across our pony track from hut point i am getting anxious to have the hut party back and begin to wonder if the ice to the south will ever hold in permanently now that the glacier tongue is gone Wednesday May 3 another calm day very beautiful and clear wilson and bowers took our few dogs for a run in a sledge walked out myself over ice in north bay there are many good cracks and pressures with varying thickness of ice showing how tide and wind shift the thin sheets the newest weeds held young ice of four inches the temperature remains high the lowest yesterday minus 14 degrees it should be much lower with such calm weather and clear skies a strange fact is now very commonly noticed and calm weather there is usually a difference of four degrees or five degrees between the temperature at the hut and that on wind vane hill 64 feet the latter being the higher this shows an inverted temperature as i returned from my walk the southern sky seemed to grow darker and later stratus cloud was undoubtedly spreading up from that direction this at about 5 p.m. about seven a moderate north wind sprang up this seemed to indicate a southerly blow and at about nine the wind shifted to that quarter and blew gustally 25 to 35 miles per hour one cannot see the result on the straight but i fear it means that the ice has gone out again in places the wind dropped as suddenly as it had risen soon after midnight and the evening simpson gave us his first meteorological lecture the subject coronas halos rainbows and rrs he has a remarkable power of exposition and taught me more of these phenomena in the hour than i had learned by all previous interested inquiries concerning them i note one or two points concerning each phenomenon corona white brown inside ring called areola outside are sometimes seen two or three rings of prismatic light in addition caused by diffraction of light round drops of water or ice crystals the diameter of the rings inversely proportional to the size of drops or crystals mixed sizes of dedo causes areola without rings halos caused by refraction and reflection through and from ice crystals and this connection the hexagonal tetrahedral type of crystallization is the first to be noted then the infinite number of forms in which this can be modified together with the result of fractures two forms predominate the plate and the needle these forms falling through air assume definite position the plate falls horizontally swaying to and fro the needle turns rapidly about its longer axis which remains horizontal simpson showed excellent experiments to illustrate consideration of these facts and refraction of light striking crystals clearly leads to explanation of various complicated halo phenomena such as recorded and such as seen by us on the great barrier and draws attention to the critical refraction angles of 32 degrees and 46 degrees the radius of inner and outer rings the position of mock suns contra suns zin the circles et cetera further measurements are needed for instance the streamers from mock suns and examination of ice crystals record of ice crystals seen on barrier surface rainbows caused by reflection and refraction from and through drops of water colors vary with size of drops the smaller the drop the lighter the colors and nearer to the violet end of the spectrum hence white rainbows as seen on the barrier very small drops double bows diameters must be 84 degrees and 100 degrees again from the laws of refraction colors inner red outside outer red inside that is reds come together wanted to see more rainbows on barrier and this connection a good rainbow was seen to northwest in february from winter quarters reports should note colors and relative wets of bands of color iridescent clouds not yet understood observations required especially angular distance from the sun auroras clearly the most frequent and intense in years of maximum sunspots this argues connection with the sun points noted requiring confirmation arch center of arch in magnetic meridian shaft take direction of dipping needle bands and curtains with convolutions not understood corona shafts meeting to form notes required on movement and direction of movement colors seen supposedly red and possibly green rays proceeding or accompanying movements auroras are sometimes accompanied by magnetic storms but not always and vice versa in general significant signs of some connection possible common dependence on a third factor the phenomenon further connects itself in form with lines of magnetic force about the earth curious apparent connection between spectrum of aura and that of a heavy gas argon may be coincidence two theories enunciated arenas bombardments of minute charged particles from the sun gathered into the magnetic field of the earth berkeland bombardment of free negative electrons gathered into the magnetic field of the earth it is experimentally shown that minute drops of water are deflected by light it is experimentally shown that ions are given off by dried calcium which the sun contains professor stromer has collected much material showing connection of the phenomena with the lines of magnetic force thursday may four from the small height of wind vane hill 64 feet it was impossible to say if the ice in the street had been out after yesterday's wind the sea was frozen but after 12 hours calm it would be in any case the dark appearance of the ice is noticeable but this has been the case of late since the light is poor little snow has fallen or drifted and the ice flowers are very sparse and scattered we had an excellent game of football again today the exercise is delightful and we get very warm atkinson is by far the best player but hooper p o evans and cream are also quite good it has been calm all day again went over the sea ice beyond the arch where the ice half a mile beyond is only four inches i think this must have been formed since the blow of yesterday that is in 16 hours or less such rapid freezing is a hopeful sign but the problem dissipation of the flow under a southern way wind is distinctively the reverse i am anxious to get our people back from hunt point mainly on account of the two ponies with so much calm weather there should have been no difficulty for the party in keeping up its supply of blubber an absence of which is the only circumstance likely to discomfort it the new ice over which i walked is extraordinarily slippery and free from efflorescence i think this must be a further sign of rapid formation then the first part of chapter nine