CHAPTER III 



ON May 3rd to the 5th we had an exceptionally strong blizzard 

 wind. In the evening the gusts recorded by the anemometer 

 were between 70 and 88 miles an hour, a strength consider- 

 ably over that of any previous observation. The ice was again 

 blown from the North Bay. During the whole of the night 

 the force of the gale increased, and toward morning it began 

 to take off. When Gran checked the instrument at 8.30 A.M. 

 it registered for 3 minutes the rate of 104 miles an hour, and 

 by this time its force had abated considerably. It was exceed- 

 ingly difficult at this time of the year to obtain any seals owing 

 to the lack of ice in the South and North Bays. 



Simpson had some hyacinth bulbs sent down to him, and 

 under Hooper's care these, embedded in a basin full of white 

 sawdust, burst into bloom and lasted for some considerable time. 



It was strange at this time of the year to see the open water 

 right up to the hut. The sky effects were beautiful towards the 

 north at mid-day, and on a calm day their reflection from the 

 open water was splendid. 



Demetri and Keohane busied themselves in building a dog 

 hospital. This was essential, as several of the dogs had not as 

 yet recovered from their trip to the Barrier in March. It was 

 large and comparatively warm and much appreciated by the 

 invalids. 



The exceptional weather with repeated blizzards of great 

 force during the whole of May kept both man and beast very 

 much confined to the hut. This one felt more than the previous 

 year, as besides being confined to the hut, when it was possible 

 to get exercise we could only do so for a short distance on the 

 Cape, whereas in the previous year the sea ice had extended 

 for some 30 miles to the north of us. There was now open 

 water to the south. 



Crean and Keohane had already started mending most of 



