I9IIJ 



AN ICE CAVE 79 



Campbell and his sledging party arrived at the Camp at 

 8.0 A.M. bringing a small load: there seemed little object, but I 

 suppose they like the experience of a march in the blizzard. 

 They started to go back, but the ship being blotted out, turned 

 and gave us their company at breakfast. The day was altogether 

 too bad for outside work, so we turned our attention to the hut 

 interior, with the result that to-night all the matchboarding is 

 completed. The floor linoleum is the only thing that remains to 

 be put down; outside, the roof and ends have to be finished. 

 Then there are several days of odd jobs for the carpenter, and 

 all will be finished. It is a first-rate building in an extraordi- 

 narily sheltered spot; whilst the wind was raging at the ship 

 this morning we enjoyed comparative peace. Campbell says 

 there was an extraordinary change as he approached the 

 beach. 



I sent two or three people to dig into the hard snow drift 

 behind the camp; they got into solid ice immediately, became 

 interested in the job, and have begun the making of a cave 

 which is to be our larder. Already they have tunnelled 6 or 8 

 feet in and have begun side channels. In a few days they 

 will have made quite a spacious apartment — an ideal place to 

 keep our meat store. We had been speculating as to the origin 

 of this solid drift and attached great antiquity to it, but the 

 diggers came to a patch of earth with skua feathers, which 

 rather knocks our theories on the head. 



The wind began to drop at midday, and after lunch I went 

 to the ship. I was very glad to learn that she can hold steam 

 at two hours' notice on an expenditure of 13 cwt. The ice 

 anchors had held well during the blow. 



As far as I can see the open water extends to an east and 

 west line which is a little short of the glacier tongue. 



To-night the wind has dropped altogether and we return to 

 the glorious conditions of a vv^eek ago. I trust they may last 

 for a few days at least. 



Thursday, January 12. — Bright sun again all day, but in the 

 afternoon a chill wind from the S.S.W. Again we are reminded 

 of the shelter afforded by our position; to-night the anemometers 

 on Observatory Hill show a 20-mile wind^ — down in our valley 

 we only have mild puffs. 



Sledging began as usual this morning; seven ponies and the 



