I9I2] NO HELP FROM WIND 



399 



been a little anxious.* It is an immense relief to have picked 

 up this depot and, for the time, anxieties are thrust aside. There 

 is no doubt we have been rising steadily since leaving the 

 Shambles Camp. The coastal Barrier descends except where 

 glaciers press out. Undulation still but flattening out. Surface 

 soft on top, curiously hard below. Great difference now between 

 night and day temperatures. Quite warm as I write in tent. We 

 are on tracks with half-march cairn ahead; have covered 4V2 

 miles. Poor Wilson has a fearful attack snow-blindness conse- 

 quent on yesterday's efforts. Wish we had more fuel. 



Night camp R. 38. Temp. - 17°. A little despondent again. 

 We had a really terrible surface this afternoon and only covered 

 4 miles. We are on the track just beyond a lunch cairn. It 

 really will be a bad business if we are to have this pulling all 

 through. I don't know what to think, but the rapid closing of 

 the season is ominous. It is great luck having the horsemeat to 

 add to our ration. To-night we have had a real fine ' hoosh.' 

 It Is a race between the season and hard conditions and our fit- 

 ness and good food. 



Saturday, February 25. — Lunch Temp. — 12°. Managed 

 just 6 miles this morning. Started somewhat despondent; not 

 relieved when pulling seemed to show no improvement. Bit by 

 bit surface grew better, less sastrugi, more glide, slight following 

 wind for a time. Then we began to travel a little faster. But 

 the pulling is still very hard; undulations disappearing but in- 

 equalities remain. 



Twenty-six Camp walls about 2 miles ahead, all tracks in 

 sight — Evans' track very conspicuous. This is something in 

 favour, but the pulling is tiring us, though we are getting into 

 better ski drawing again. Bowers hasn't quite the trick and is 

 a little hurt at my criticisms, but I never doubted his heart. Very 

 much easier — write diary at lunch — excellent meal — now one 

 pannikin very strong tea — four biscuits and butter. 



Hope for better things this afternoon, but no improvement 

 apparent. Oh ! for a little wind — E. Evans evidently had 

 plenty. 



R.39. Temp. - 20°. Better march in afternoon. Day 

 yields 11-4 miles — the first double figure of steady dragging for 

 a long time, but it meant and will mean hard work if we can't 

 * It will be remembered that he was already stricken with scurvy. 



