364 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. Aran, 



There appears to be a magnificent level floe ahead, 

 and we predict good travelling for the morrow. 



1 Some of the greatest enemies that we have to 

 contend with in crossing the large floes are the numerous 

 cracks and fissures that radiate in all directions and are 

 concealed from view by a treacherous covering of snow. 

 Into these we frequently fall, sinking up to our waists. 

 Distance marched nine and-a-half miles ; made good 

 two miles. 



' 22nd. — Invalids slightly improving. Porter still 

 has to be carried on a sledge, but Shirley, with the 

 assistance of a staff, is able to walk a little. Wind blew 

 in heavy squalls last night, and is blowing fresh from the 

 north-west this morning. Temperature minus 17°. The 

 men are an uncanny lot to look at — very dirty, faces and 

 especially noses scarified and disfigured, lips sore and 

 tips of the fingers senseless from frost-bite — yet they are 

 all cheerful and happy enough. A dull, cloudy day ; a 

 thick mist hanging over the land, entirely obscuring it 

 from view. The floes travelled over to-day are more 

 level than any we have hitherto crossed, and infinitely 

 larger, one being quite one mile and three-quarters in 

 length in a north and south direction and about eight 

 miles in circumference. This, however, is only a rough 

 estimate, as it is difficult to judge. The snow is very 

 deep. These floes appear to have come into contact 

 with each other in a more amicable manner than those 

 we have already passed, few or no hummocks lying 

 between them. At 9 p.m., the weather coming on 

 very thick, accompanied by driving snow, we crossed 

 some hummocks, and camped on a level floe. The 

 wind has been bitterly cold all day, touching up our 



