204 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [April 



We possessed one recording anemometer of the ' Dyne ' 

 type. The instrument itself had to be placed in shelter, and 

 we allotted one of our small deck-houses to it. The funnel 

 vane was secured in the mizen cross-trees, some forty or fifty 

 feet above the deck, and two small lead pipes connected it to 

 the recording instrument. Finally, the barometer was placed 

 in the magnetic deck-house and the barographs in suitable 

 positions close by. 



To obtain a complete record of meteorological observations 

 was one of the most important scientific objects of the expe- 

 dition, and it had been decided that the instruments should be 

 read and recorded every two hours. And so in calm or storm, 

 night and day, some member of our community had to be on 

 the alert and every other hour to make the rounds of the 

 various instruments. First the barometer would be visited, its 

 reading and that of the attached thermometer registered; then 

 at the screen the readings of the wet and dry bulb thermo- 

 meters and of the minimum thermometer would be noted ; 

 then the anemometers and the wind direction had to be 

 observed ; then an estimate made of the force of the wind 

 and notes added concerning the nature, amount, and direction 

 of movement of the clouds ; and, finally, the various recording 

 instruments must be visited to see that they continued in good 

 order. On a fine night this was no great hardship, but in 

 stormy weather the task was not coveted by anyone. On such 

 occasions it was necessary before going out to prepare oneself 

 carefully to resist the wind and snowdrift, and the round itself 

 was often attended with exasperating annoyances. During the 

 winter it was always necessary to carry a lantern, but it is not 

 easy to construct a lantern which will remain alight in all con- 

 ditions of weather. At first we tried a small electric glow- 

 lamp, but batteries and leads so easily got out of order that 

 this was abandoned. Finally a candle lantern was evolved 

 which was fairly satisfactory, but in the meanwhile many a 

 time was the hapless observer forced to desist in the middle of 

 his work to return and obtain a fresh light. The necessity of 

 writing up the record sheet in the open was also trying in 



