102 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [AUGUST 



trance by building a torpedo boat hatch out of ski sticks. and 

 snow blocks. We felt the increased draught for the blubber 

 stove immediately. The heavy snow of the last month has 

 buried our whole hut about 3 ft. deeper and made it much 

 warmer. Our trouble now is the water that drips from the roof 

 whenever we light the blubber stove. We lost our depot of 

 sledging meat under the new snow, and although we knew its 

 position to within a few yards it took us a week's digging before 

 we found it. 



August 10. To-day we celebrated the return of the sun, 

 but needless to say we did not see him owing to a heavy gale. 

 We made merry to-night over brain and liver hoosh, two biscuits, 

 six lumps of sugar, and a stick of chocolate, finishing up with 

 sweet cocoa. 



We have built up a high chimney, using snow blocks, seal 

 skins, and an old biscuit tin, and we get much less smoke inside 

 now. 



August 13. The wind which had eased in the early morning 

 began to freshen about 10. In spite of the gale, Abbott, Brown- 

 ing, and myself started over to the depot sledge in Arrival Bay. 

 Before we got half-way across the bay the wind and drift came 

 down, shutting out everything; but we kept on and reached the 

 depot, leaving a note in case a relief party came up. Each of us 

 carried back a load of oil, or of mending material for repairing 

 sledging gear. 



On our way back we saw the rays of the sun over the tops of 

 the hills, and this made us feel very cheerful. 



August 14. Blowing hard all night, but eased in the fore- 

 noon. Priestley managed to pick the brain out of one of the 

 frozen seal carcases. I walked up the ridge at the back of the 

 hut and had the first view of the sun. He was shining through 

 a pink haze of drift and looked lovely. We stood blinking at 

 each other for some time and then a frozen nose sent me home. 



August 15. Being a fine morning we decided to bring the 

 iron runner sledge over from Arrival Bay. Of course as soon 

 as we started the wind came down on us again, but the drift was 

 not so thick as before. I foolishly did not put on a helmet, and 

 my cheeks, nose, and chin ' went ' rather badly, taking a long time 

 to come round, though Priestley and Abbott helped to thaw it 

 out for me. This evening our other sledge is completely buried. 



