io SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION UULT 



enough, and have no difficulty in rolling them up and unrolling 

 them at night. [Bill having cold bad nights feels it a bit I 

 think I have been half falling asleep at halts, Birdie ditto sur- 

 face a little better foreshortening the mountains. Clothes for 

 day have been so stiff we have to stop in position we just stand 

 in when we get out of tent.] 



Tuesday, July 4, 1911. The min. temp, for the night was 

 65-4, but on turning out at 7.20 A.M. we found the sky com- 

 pletely overcast and snow falling, with occasional gusts from 

 E.N.E. to S. and S.S.E. At 9.30 A.M. the temp, had risen to 

 - 27-5, with a wind force of 4 from the N.E. 



Nothing was visible anywhere by which to make a course, 

 so we had breakfast and turned in again. We were warm and 

 comfortable all day, but though there were signs of clearing by 

 night time we had to do without a march. 



The min. temp, for the day was -44-5, and during the fol- 

 lowing night 54-6. 



Everything was obscured round Erebus and Terror by clouds, 

 though later it became possible to see Terror Point, and we knew 

 that we were still out of the direct path of the southerly blizzards 

 which sweep round Cape Crozier. 



This lie-in has saturated our clothing through, and our bur- 

 berries stiffen outside the tent so much that it becomes almost 

 difficult to get in again through the door. Our feet so far have 

 been almost constantly warm, except on the march when plodding 

 slowly on soft snow. We had then to keep a watchful eye on 

 them to avoid getting frostbitten toes or heels. I regretted hav- 

 ing left my puttees behind, as the additional wrapping round the 

 ankles would have been a great protection to the feet. 



We are using oil in the double tent now, after cooking is done, 

 to dry and thaw out socks and fmnesko before putting them on 

 in the morning. It has seemed to us an almost necessary precau- 

 tion at these temperatures unless one is prepared to take the damp 

 socks into the sleeping-bag every night, and this with so many 

 weeks ahead of us we are loath to do, as we are trying our best 

 to keep the bags dry in many ways for instance, we kept our 

 pyjama trousers and pyjama jackets only for night wear to begin 

 with, until they became so wet and stiff that in order to wear 

 them at all they had to be kept on permanently. From the day of 

 the blizzard incident at Cape Crozier back to Cape Evans, 



