382 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



from horizon to about 20" of altitude. About 3.30 observed 

 black specks far over the snow to the right front ; proved to 

 be Royds' party ; soon came up with them. Heard they had 

 had a very rough time, low temperatures with much wind. 

 They had found road to the S.W. quite impossible, strewn 

 with enormous boulders and all sorts of ice obstructions ; fail- 

 ing to pass to the north of Black Island, they had tried to the 

 south, but without much result. It was far too cold to stop 

 and discuss details. One gathers that there is no hope of 

 making a long journey in this direction, which is a nuisance ; 

 the rest must remain till we get back. After about twenty 

 minutes we parted, Royds steering for ship, mist still obscuring 

 land; head wind sprang up, very biting (temperature —45°), 

 frost-bites coming rather fast, dogs wearying. About 5.30 

 decided to camp, none too soon ; excellent supper ; have 

 turned my finneskoes inside out for sleeping in, to make trial of 

 this plan. Struggled into sleeping-bags about 7.30, where now 

 writing. Have travelled 12^ geographical miles (14J statute) ; 

 last temperature reading —48°, keen wind from S.E.' 



From the above extract it will be seen that the sledging 

 diary gives a very laconic record of the day's events. It is 

 drafted somewhat after the fashion of a telegram, where each 

 word has to be considered — and, indeed, on such occasions, 

 if one does not pay in cash, one pays in kind for superfluous 

 verbiage. It is therefore from such a daily record as this that 

 the sledge-traveller is able to reconstruct the history of his 

 wanderings in very severe weather, though of course when the 

 temperatures rise and his hand is no longer paralysed with the 

 cold, he is inclined to amplify his sentences and enlarge on his 

 ideas. 



But on this occasion with the above entry my sledge diaiy 

 comes to an abrupt conclusion, as, contrary to expectation, the 

 next time I took up my pen to write I was once more comfort- 

 ably seated in my cabin on board the ship. 



' September 19. — ... I suppose it was our want of condi- 

 tion that made us all so very exhausted on Wednesday night 

 (17th), and that it was in consequence of this that we did not 



