1876 DOG-SLEDGING. 249 



sailors, three men walked beyond the prescribed dis- 

 tance, and caused a temporary anxiety by not return- 

 ing for several hours after the main party. 



' GrifFarci and Egerton, with Simmons, had a long- 

 and cold journey to-day with the dogs. They reached 

 Cape Union, and ascertained that the despatches 

 which Eawson left there last October have not been 

 disturbed by any party travelling north from the 

 " Discovery." This proves that they, like us, were 

 unable to journey along the shores of Eobeson Channel. 



'Experience teaches us in these regions never to 

 run with a dog-sledge during severe weather, for 

 although the weather may be perfectly calm, the fast 

 journeying through the air at a temperature below 

 minus 50° has naturally the same effect as if a light 

 breeze were blowing. To-day Simmons became greatly 

 heated while running behind the sledge to guide it ; 

 afterwards when sitting down to take his turn to 

 drive his right arm became uncovered and exposed to 

 the cold, and before being aware of it he was severely 

 frost-bitten, so much so that he is now under Doctor 

 Colan's care. 



' 29th. — Eawson and Egerton having taken the 

 dogs to the hill-top, from thence saw the upper limb 

 of the sun returning to awake nature from its long 

 repose. 



' At the ship we experienced a light breeze from 

 the north-west, but on the hills the wind was from the 

 south-west sufficiently strong at times to create a light 

 snow-drift. The temperature, curiously enough, was 

 only minus 51°, whereas that in the neighbourhood of 

 the ship was minus 60°.' 



