I903] SHORT OF FOOD 71 



the extent that needs a night's rest ; but Shackleton is a good 

 deal worse, I think, and I am not feeling happy about his 

 condition. 



' We could very rarely spare our attention for the dogs to- 

 day. Poor ' Birdie ' gave out early, and was carried on the 

 sledge ; as to-night he could not stand, we have had to give up 

 hope of saving him, and he has breathed his last. * Nigger ' 

 and * Jim ' have kept up well, but * Lewis ' has only done so 

 with great difficulty, and has sometimes dropped a long way 

 behind. 



* We cannot now be far from our depot, but then we do not 

 exactly know where we are ; there is not many days' food left, 

 and if this thick weather continues we shall possibly not be 

 able to find it.' 



'■January 11. — The surface has been truly awful to-day; 

 with the wind swelling our sail and our united efforts we could 

 scarcely budge the sledges. Nothing could be seen ; not a 

 sign of land ; cold snow was driving at our backs, and it was 

 most difficult to steer anything like a straight course. At noon 

 the sun peeped out for a few minutes, and I got an altitude 

 which gives the latitude as 80.44 S. ; to-night, therefore, we 

 cannot be more than ten or twelve miles from the depot. 



' Our loads are ridiculously light, and that we should be 

 making such heavy weather of them is very discouraging. It 

 may be because we are overdone, but I cannot help thinking that 

 the surface is getting consistently worse ; and with no know- 

 ledge of our climate we have certain dismal forebodings that a 

 snowy season has set in, which may be a regular thing at this 

 time of year. With no sight of landmarks and nothing about 

 one but the unchanging grey it is impossible to avoid a sense 

 of being lost ; never before have we entirely lost sight of the 

 land for more than twenty-four consecutive hours, and looking 

 at the diminished food- bag we are obliged to realise that we are 

 running things very close. However, it is no use meeting 

 troubles half-way ; the only thing now is to push on all we 

 can. 



' We are not very comfortable in our camping equipment. 



