236 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [May 



minutes in the open is sufficient to powder one from head to 

 foot, and though the temperature is comparatively high, the 

 snow crystals lash so sharply in one's face that it is necessary 

 to protect it with a mit, and even thus there is imminent 

 danger of frost-bites. The awning is swaying about in the 

 most alarming manner — it seems a great question if it will last 

 the night ; the drift is almost as thick beneath it as outside. 

 The tops of the chimney-funnels have come off and gone 

 heaven knows where ; the result is a down-draught in the 

 chimneys which at first filled the living-spaces with choking 

 smoke until the fires were put out and skylights and doors 

 opened. The latter have now been closed again, and as we 

 sit in rather chilly comfort below we can hear the wind howl- 

 ing through the rigging and the awning flapping noisily in its 

 wild efforts to escape. 



' Notwithstanding her icy surroundings one can actually 

 feel the ship give to the more furious squalls, and the tide- 

 gauge is moving up and down as much as five or six inches at 

 irregular intervals ; it looks as though the ice-crust of the strait 

 is depressed as the heavier gusts sweep over it. In spite of 

 the din without, the fireless condition within, and some anxiety 

 as to what we shall find missing after the gale, we have had 

 quite an interesting debate in the wardroom on " Women's 

 Rights " ; each man was allowed a period of twelve minutes 

 in which to set forth his views, and managed to cram into it 

 as much nonsense as he could think of in that space of time ; 

 even the married men felt that it was an occasion on which 

 they could speak with the utmost freedom.' 



The gale continued throughout the whole of the 3rd. In 

 the short lulls we could see that the snow was drifting high 

 about the ship ; all our instruments had long been choked up ; 

 the temperature in the fireless living-spaces fell to 35°, outside 

 the thermometer stood at - 5°, but we had some comfort on 

 seeing the gradual accumulation of snow weigh down the 

 awning into a more secure position. 



^ May 4. — The wind has gone to the S.E., and though 

 there is still some drift, we have been able to get out and 



