1903] RUNNING BEFORE A STORM 69 



and I occupy the somewhat unenviable position of allowing 

 someone else to do my share of the dirty work.' 



^January 9. —Late last night I was awakened by a flapping 

 of wings, and found a solitary skua gull hovering round the 

 camp. One cannot guess how the creature can have spotted 

 us, especially as we had a northerly wind yesterday ; but what- 

 ever has brought him, it is cheering to see a sign of life once 

 more, as it is more than a month since we saw the last. It was 

 anxious work trying the surface this morning, and we hurried 

 over the breakfast to get into harness. We found the pulling 

 hard work, but very much better than yesterday, and in the 

 afternoon we were able to set our sail again. We have made a 

 fairly good march, but now, unfortunately, cannot tell the exact 

 distance covered, as this morning we found that the sledge- 

 meter had refused duty. An examination showed that one of 

 the cog-wheels had dropped off, so we detached the counter 

 mechanism and abandoned the rest j it has done us good 

 service, and we shall miss its exact record of our work. 



' Our four remaining dogs roam around the sledges all day, 

 sometimes lying down for a spell, but never dropping far be- 

 hind. ' Nigger ' and ' Jim ' are moderately well, but ' Birdie ' 

 and 'Lewis' are very weak and emaciated. Poor 'Nigger' 

 seems rather lost out of harness ; he will sometimes get close 

 to our traces and march along as though he was still doing his 

 share of the pulling.' 



^January 10. — We started this morning at 8.25, with a 

 moderately bright outlook and the land clear ; the surface was 

 a trifle better than yesterday, but with no helping wind we 

 found it heavy enough until at eleven o'clock a high stratus 

 cloud drifted up from the south and plunged us into gloom. 

 With this the temperature rose and the surface improved as if 

 by magic, and for the last hour before lunch we were able to 

 step out briskly. Soon after this the wind came, and as we 

 started our afternoon march it became evident that a blizzard 

 was beginning. It is the first time we have marched in a 

 blizzard, and though it has been very trying work, it has given 

 us several extra miles. 



