I904J ANXIOUS DAYS 255 



^February 9. — On board the "Discovery." Our hopes, 

 which were high on the 7th, have fallen again to a low ebb. 

 Last night a few of the broken floes cleared away, but the 

 swell did not return. Explosions were continued, but with 

 little result. However, I felt that we could do no more than 

 work on systematically, and as that has now been arranged 

 I saw no object in my staying on board the "Morning," 

 whereupon, asking Colbeck to superintend operations, I jour- 

 neyed homeward again. 



'At this date two years ago the ice had broken back to 

 Hut Point, and now it is fast for six miles beyond ; one never 

 appreciates what a distance six miles is till one comes to walk 

 over it, and as I plodded homeward for two hours to-day I am 

 bound to confess my heart gradually sank into my boots. 

 There would be nothing to worry about if we only had time 

 on our side, but each day now the sun is sinking lower and 

 the air getting colder. It is only a matter of days now before 

 the season closes.' 



''February 10. — To-day I have done very little but walk 

 restlessly about. Twice I have been up to the observation 

 station on Arrival Heights. On this vantage point some 500 

 feet up we have a large telescope with which we can see pretty 

 clearly what is happening at the ice-edge, and sad to relate it 

 is very little. 



'The ice about Hut Point is now so thin as to be dan- 

 gerous for a long way out. Crean fell in yesterday, and had 

 a very narrow shave, as he could not attempt to swim amongst 

 the sodden brash-ice. Luckily he kept his head, and remained 

 still until the others were able to run for a rope and haul him 

 out. To avoid this in future we have constructed a roadway 

 over the land so that sledges can be hauled up the steep snow- 

 slope from Arrival Bay. Everyone now is making an effort to 

 be cheerful, but it is an obvious effort. 



' I have made every arrangement for abandoning the ship. 

 I have allotted the officers and men to the relief ships and 

 drawn up instructions for the latter. The " Morning," I think, 

 ought to be outside the strait by the 25th, but the "Terra 



