i9] REMARKABLE AURORA 9 



Monday, July 3, 1911. The min. temp, for the night was 

 -65. The weather was calm to begin with and clear, but be- 

 came gradually overcast all round, starting with a few curve- 

 backed storm clouds over Terror. After lunch however the sky 

 cleared again completely, and we were able to relay by moon- 

 light in the afternoon. We had made only i l /2 miles by daylight 

 in the forenoon march, and in the whole day only 2^/2 miles. 



The temp, ranged from 52 to 58-2. 



We had a magnificent display of auroral curtains between 

 7.30 P.M. and 8 P.M., during which four-fifths of the eastern half 

 of the sky was covered by waving curtains right up to the zenith, 

 where they were all swinging round from left to right in fore- 

 shortened, swaying curtains forming a rapidly moving whirl, 

 constantly altering its formation. Some of the lower curtains 

 were very brilliant and showed bands of orange and green and 

 again orange fading into lemon yellow upwards. Bowers noted 

 it as follows : ' Remarkable brilliant aurora working from the 

 N.E. to the zenith and spreading over two-thirds of the sky. 

 Curtain form in interwoven arcs, curtains being propelled along 

 as if by wind; the whole finally forming a vast mushroom over- 

 head and moving towards the S.E. Colours, lemon yellow, green 

 and orange.' 



It was such a striking display that we all three halted and lay 

 on our backs for a long time watching its evolutions. 



Our sleeping-bags are beginning to show the effect of these 

 low temperatures notwithstanding every care to keep them and 

 our clothing dry. We left Cape Evans with three reindeer-skin 

 bags for use to begin with, and a down bag each as a reserve 

 lining. Cherry's fur bag was a very large one, much too large 

 for warmth at these temperatures. My own was a good fit for 

 warmth, but became so small when wet and frozen up that it 

 broke in every direction. Bowers' bag was the right size for 

 him, but also broke in more than one place later on when wet 

 and frozen. All were as good as could be wished as regards 

 the skins. Cherry has been so cold in his large bag with the hair 

 inside that to-day he has turned it to hair outside, and bent his 

 down bag as a lining to decrease the space. 



Bowers' bag, begun with hair outside, is still so in use. My 

 own, begun with hair inside, is still so in use. All are already 

 rather wet and stiff when frozen, but we sleep in them well 



