256 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Feb. 



Nova" with her greater power can remain perhaps a week 

 longer. I don't think I ever had a more depressing evening's 

 work.' 



^February ii. — Awoke this morning to find a light 

 southerly wind and the air filled with snow. We could see 

 nothing but the dismal grey wall all around us, and, as may 

 be imagined, the general gloom was not much lightened by 

 the view of things without ; and yet, as always seems to 

 happen to us, when things look blackest the sun breaks 

 through. This morning I sent the dog team over with the 

 laboured instructions which I wrote last night. A few hours 

 later it returned with a note to say the ice was breaking up 

 fast. A good deal had gone out in the night and more in the 

 morning. At eight o'clock Doorly, of the " Morning," arrived 

 with a second letter to say that the afternoon had proved 

 equally propitious, and to ask that more men might be sent to 

 dig holes for the explosives. Half an hour later Royds was 

 away with a party of ten men, and since that I have been able 

 to do nothing but record these pleasant facts. I can't think 

 that much excitement of this sort would be good for us.' 



^February 12. — The weather was clearer this morning, but 

 the sky still overcast. We were out at Hut Point early, and 

 the difference in distance of the ships was obvious at a glance, 

 so from there we dashed up Arrival Heights. From our 

 observation station we could now see everything. The 

 " Terra Nova " was just picking up our large tent, which was a 

 little over four miles from Hut Point, but the " Morning " was 

 to the westward and quite half a mile nearer, and it was here 

 that the explosive work was being pushed vigorously forward ; 

 one could see the tiny groups of figures digging away at the 

 holes. This afternoon I went down to the "Morning," and 

 arrived after a walk of three-quarters of an hour. I learnt that 

 there had been a considerable swell, but that it was now 

 decreasing rapidly and things were growing quieter again ; the 

 explosions to-day had not done much, and the broken ice was 

 again hanging about the edge instead of drifting to the north. 

 To-night matters are not quite so pleasing again; I don't 



