GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF TEMPERATURE— SEA-LEVEL. 



29 



during a few disturbed periods. As February advanced the Barrier cooled very rapidly and 

 by February 8 the Barrier was l.'3°F. colder than Cape Evans. On February 18 the 

 Polar Party reached the Barrier on their return from the Pole, they found lower temperature 

 than they had expected but after two days on the Barrier the temperatures rose to a mean 

 daily temperature of — iO°F. This recovery was, however, very short-lived and from 

 J'ebruary 22 the temperature fell at an amazing rate from — 4'.'3°F. on February 22 to 

 — 43°F. on March 9. As everyone knows this low temperature, so entirely unexpected, 

 was one of the chief causes of the great tragedy. After March 9 regular temperature 

 observations ceased,, but from a few entries in Captain Scott's diary it appears that the tem- 

 perature remained in the neighbourhood of -40° until March 20. During these last few 

 days the difference between the Cape Evans and the Barrier temperatures was over 40° 

 and exceeded the largest difference found by the Cape Crozier Party by more than 10 

 degrees. 



During the latter part of this period a second series of temperature observations was 

 made on the Barrier. Cherry-Garrard had left Hut Point on February 26 to meet the 

 returning party with the dogs. He reached One Ton Camp on March 3 and remained 

 there until the 10th. The following table gives the temperatures during these days :— 



T.^BLE 8. 



These low temperatures on the Barrier so early in the year were entirely unexpected 

 and have no parallel in either north or south polar regions. It is therefore of importance 

 that we should know whether they are the normal conditions in that region. 



Some light is thrown on the question by a short journey made by Atkinson between 

 27th and 31st March, 1912. when he made an unsucce.ssful attempt to reach the Polar Party 

 whose non-appearance had given grave cause for anxiety. Atkinson was only able to go 

 from Hut Point to Corner Camp, but this was the same tract which Cherry-Garrard had 

 crossed in his return from One Ton Camp a few day.s previously. The teinp(U.atuios arc shown 

 in figure 6 and the following table gives the data: — 



