i9] THE GEOLOGICAL PARTY ARRIVES 141 



as sweeps and our various garments are covered with oily soot. 

 We look a fearful gang of ruffians. The blizzard has delayed 

 our plans and everyone's attention is bent on the stove, the 

 cooking, and the various internal arrangements. Nothing is 

 done without a great amount of advice received from all quar- 

 ters, and consequently things are pretty well done. The hut has 

 a pungent odour of blubber and blubber smoke. We have grown 

 accustomed to it, but imagine that ourselves and our clothes 

 will be given a wide berth when we return to Cape Evans. 



Wednesday, March 15, A.M. It was blowing continuously 

 from the south throughout Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I 

 never remember such a persistent southerly wind. 



Both Monday and Tuesday I went up Crater Hill. I feared 

 that our floe at Pram Point would go, but yesterday it still 

 remained, though the cracks are getting more open. We should 

 be in a hole if it went.* 



As I came down the hill yesterday I saw a strange figure 

 advancing and found it belonged to Griffith Taylor. He and his 

 party had returned safely. They were very full of their ad- 

 ventures. The main part of their work seems to be rediscovery 

 of many facts which were noted but perhaps passed over too 

 lightly in the Discovery but it is certain that the lessons taught 

 by the physiographical and ice features will now be thoroughly 

 explained. A very interesting fact lies in the continuous bright 

 sunshiny weather which the party enjoyed during the first four 

 weeks of their work. They seem to have avoided all our stormy 

 winds and blizzards. 



But I must leave Griffith Taylor to tell his own story, which 

 will certainly be a lengthy one. The party gives Evans [P.O.] 

 a very high character. 



To-day we have a large seal-killing party. I hope to get in 

 a good fortnight's allowance of blubber as well as meat, and 

 pray that our floe will remain. 



Friday, March 17, A.M. We killed eleven seals at Pram 

 Point on Wednesday, had lunch on the Point, and carried some 

 half ton of the blubber and meat back to camp it was a stiff 

 pull up the hill. 



Yesterday the last Corner Party started: Evans, Wright, 

 Crean, and Forde in one team; Bowers, Oates, Cherry-Garrard, 



* Because the seals would cease to come up. 



