i 9 n] TELEPHONES AT WORK 249 



of violet light. Simpson predicts a blizzard within twenty-four 

 hours we are interested to watch results. 



Tuesday, August 1. The month has opened with a very 

 beautiful day. This morning I took a circuitous walk over our 

 land ' estate,' winding to and fro in gulleys filled with smooth ice 

 patches or loose sandy soil, with a twofold object. I thought I 

 might find the remains of poor Julick in this I was unsuccessful; 

 but I wished further to test our new crampons, and with these I 

 am immensely pleased they possess every virtue in a footwear 

 designed for marching over smooth ice lightness, warmth, com- 

 fort, and ease in the putting on and off. 



The light was especially good to-day; the sun was directly 

 reflected by a single twisted iridescent cloud in the north, a bril- 

 liant and most beautiful object. The air was still, and it was 

 very pleasant to hear the crisp sounds of our workers abroad. 

 The tones of voices, the swish of ski or the chipping of an ice 

 pick carry two or three miles on such days more than once 

 to-day we could hear the notes of some blithe singer happily 

 signalling the coming of the spring and the sun. 



This afternoon as I sit in the hut I find it worthy of record 

 that two telephones are in use : the one keeping time for Wright 

 who works at the transit instrument, and the other bringing 

 messages from Nelson at his ice hole three-quarters of a mile 

 away. This last connection is made with a bare aluminium wire 

 and earth return, and shows that we should have little difficulty 

 in completing our circuit to Hut Point as is contemplated. 



Account of the Winter Journey 



Wednesday, August 2. The Crozier Party returned last 

 night after enduring for five weeks the hardest conditions on 

 record. They looked more weather-worn than anyone I have 

 yet seen. Their faces were scarred and wrinkled, their eyes dull, 

 their hands whitened and creased with the constant exposure to 

 damp and cold, yet the scars of frostbite were very few and 

 this evil had never seriously assailed them. The main part of 

 their afflictions arose, and very obviously arose, from sheer lack 

 of sleep, and to-day after a night's rest our travellers are very 

 different in appearance and mental capacity. 



The story of a very wonderful performance must be told 



