19"] EFFECTS OF LACK OF LIGHT 245 



before his trouble. A good big ventilator has been fitted in the 

 stable. It is not easy to get over the alarm of Thursday night 

 the situation is altogether too critical. 



Sunday, July 16. Another slight alarm this morning. The 

 pony ' China ' went off his feed at breakfast time and lay down 

 twice. He was up and well again in half an hour; but what on 

 earth is it that is disturbing these poor beasts? 



Usual Sunday routine. Quiet day except for a good deal of 

 wind off and on. The Crozier Party must be having a wretched 

 time. 



Monday, July 17. The weather still very unsettled the 

 wind comes up with a rush to fade in an hour or two. Clouds 

 chase over the sky in similar fashion: the moon has dipped 

 during daylight hours, and so one way and another there is 

 little to attract one out of doors. 



Yet we are only nine days off the ' light value ' of the day 

 when we left off football I hope we shall be able to recom- 

 mence the game in that time. 



I am glad that the light is coming for more than one reason. 

 The gale and consequent inaction not only affected the ponies, 

 Ponting is not very fit as a consequence his nervous tempera- 

 ment is of the quality to take this wintering experience badly 

 Atkinson has some difficulty in persuading him to take exercise 

 he managed only by dragging him out to his own work, digging 

 holes in the ice. Taylor is another backslider in the exercise line 

 and is not looking well. If we can get these people to run about 

 at football all will be well. Anyway the return of the light 

 should cure all ailments physical and mental. 



Tuesday, July 18. A very brilliant red sky at noon to-day 

 and enough light to see one's way about. 



This fleeting hour of light is very pleasant, but of course 

 dependent on a clear sky, very rare. Went round the outer berg 

 in the afternoon; it was all I could do to keep up with ' Snatcher ' 

 on the homeward round speaking well for his walking powers. 



Wednesday, July 19. Again calm and pleasant. The tem- 

 perature is gradually falling down to -35 . Went out to the 

 old working crack * north of Inaccessible Island Nelson and 

 Evans had had great difficulty in rescuing their sounding sledge, 



* I.e. a crack which leaves the ice free to move with the movements of the sea 

 beneath. 



