AT CAIRN POINT. 299 



I have started an alcohol lamp ; the door is closed 

 tightly ; the party are all drawn under the sleeping- 

 furs ; the plucky ones smoke their pipes, and the bal- 

 ance of them shiver as if they would grow warm with 

 the exercise. The chattering of teeth is not pleasant 

 music. 



April 5 th. 

 Under the snow again near Cape Hatherton. Our 

 halt at the last camp was continued for eighteen 

 hours, until the men had got fairly thawed out, and 

 the wind had entirely subsided. The short march 

 hence was made slowly and steadily, as I do not wish 

 at first to urge upon the men too much work, nor to 

 keep them long exposed to the cold. There are no 

 frost-bites of consequence resulting from the exposure 

 of yesterday. The spirits of the party have some- 

 what revived. The temperature has risen, and the 

 hut is warmer than that of last night, — that is, my 

 thermometer, hanging from the runner of the sledge 

 over my head shows 10° above zero. 



April 6th. 



We have reached Cairn Point, and are comfortably 

 housed. The men have come up to the work reason- 

 ably well. The depression of spirits which followed 

 the blast of cold wind that overtook us above Sunrise 

 Point has passed away, and all hands are gay and 

 lively. I had no need to urge or instruct or use the 

 snow-shovel myself at this camp. The weak in spirit 

 have profited by their lessons, and have learned that 

 in providing for one's comfort and safety on the ice- 

 fields the shovel materially assists appeals to Heaven, 

 — a very wholesome change, and, as a result of it, in- 

 stead of being upward of two hours in constructing 

 our hut, as on the first night, we have this time ac- 



