I9I2] THE SKUA GULL 363 



about 9600 above Barrier. They camped for lunch at 5>< miles 

 and went on easily, completing 11-3 (geo.) by 7.30. We were 

 delayed again at lunch camp, Evans repairing the tent, and I 

 the cooker. We caught the other party more easily in the after- 

 noon and kept alongside them the last quarter of an hour. It 

 was surprising how easily the sledge pulled; we have scarcely 

 exerted ourselves all day. 



We have been rising again all day, but the slopes are less ac- 

 centuated. I had expected trouble with ski and hard patches, but 

 we found none at all. (T. - 14°.) The temperature is steadily 

 falling, but it seems to fall with the wind. We are very com- 

 fortable in our double tent. Stick of chocolate to celebrate the 

 New Year. The supporting party not in very high spirits, they 

 have not managed matters well for themselves. Prospects seem 

 to get brighter — only 170 miles to go and plenty of food left. 



Tuesday, January 2. — T. — 17°. Camp 55. Height about 

 0980. At lunch my aneroid reading over scale 12,250, shifted 

 nand to read 10,250. Proposed to enter heights in future with 

 correction as calculated at end of book (minus 340 feet). The 

 foot party went off early, before 8, and marched till i. Again 

 from 2.35 to 6.30. We started more than half an hour later 

 on each march and caught the others easy. It's been a plod for 

 the foot people and pretty easy going for us, and we have covered 

 13 miles (geo.). 



T. -11°: Obs. 87° 2o'8"S.; 160° 40' 53'' E.; Var. 180°. 

 The sky is slightly overcast for the first time since we left the 

 glacier; the sun can be seen already through the veil of stratus, 

 and blue sky round the horizon. The sastrugi have all been from 

 the S.E. to-day, and likewise the wind, which has been pretty 

 light. I hope the clouds do not mean wind or bad surface. The 

 latter became poor towards the end of the afternoon. We have 

 not risen much to-day, and the plain seems to be flattening out. 

 Irregularities are best seen by sastrugi. A skua gull visited us 

 on the march this afternoon — it was evidently curious, kept 

 alighting on the snow ahead, and fluttering a few yards as we 

 approached. It seemed to have had little food — an extraordi- 

 nary visitor considering our distance from the sea. 



Wednesday, January 3. — Height: Lunch, 10,110; Night, 

 10,180. Camp 56. T.-i7°. Minimum - 18-5°. Within 150 

 miles of our goal. Last night I decided to reorganise, and this 



