I903] RETURN OF THE SUN 145 



clouds to the north lately — little patches of yellowish-white 

 close to the horizon, edged with pale green passing to red 

 and yellow, this bordering extending all around. The pris- 

 matic colouring we have hitherto seen in the light high cirrus 

 has been horizontal only. The Danish Lapland Expedition 

 noted prismatic clouds as having a height of thirty miles ; ours 

 are certainly nothing like so high.' 



^ August 21. — The rim of the refracted sun could just be 

 seen above the northern horizon at 12.30 to-day. I climbed 

 Arrival Heights and got a view of the golden half-disc. It was 

 a glorious day ; everything was inspiriting. For the first time 

 for many a month the sun's direct rays were gilding our sur- 

 rounding hills ; little warm, pink clouds floated about, growing 

 heavier towards the south, where the deepening shadow was 

 overspread with a rich flush ; the smoke of Erebus rose straight 

 in a spreading golden column. It was indeed a goodly scene ! 

 One feels that the return of day is beyond all power of descrip- 

 tion — that splendid view from the hills leaves one with a sense 

 of grandeur and solemnity which no words can paint. 



' And now our second long polar night has come to an end. 

 I do not think there is a soul on board the " Discovery " who 

 would say that it has been a hardship. All disappointment at 

 our enforced detention has passed away, and has been replaced 

 by a steady feeling of hopefulness. There is not one of us 

 who does not believe that we shall be released eventually, 

 however difficult he might find it to give his reasons. All 

 thoughts are turned towards the work that lies before us, and 

 it would be difficult to be blind to the possible extent of its 

 usefulness. Each day has brought it more home to us how little 

 we know and how much there is to be learned, and we reahse 

 fully that this second year's work may more than double the 

 value of our observations. Life in these regions has lost any 

 terror it ever possessed for us, for we know that, come what 

 may, we can live, and live well, for any reasonable number of 

 years to come.' 



^August 25. — The earth shadows on the southern sky 

 thrown by the sun as it skims along the northern horizon have 



VOL. II. L 



