THE GRANITE HARBOUR EXPEDITION 



393 



and rhyolites were mostly in situ, while erratics of basalt and 

 sandstone were common. 



The rough shaking to which our gear was subjected re- 

 sulted in our losing the top of the theodolite tripod, the 

 pump-knob on the Primus, and the sight-ruler ! Debenham 

 found the latter, but we had to use makeshifts for the other 

 lost articles. 



At 7 p.m. we were back at Cape Geology. Each time 

 we returned we found the pressure ridges and tide crack off 

 the cape had altered in shape and made our approach more 

 difficult. The skua gulls had found our blubber store and 

 were gobbling it up as rapidly as they were able. Our hut 

 floor was inches thick in ice, but we gave up trying to make 

 the hut comfortable, and the cook shivered out there at the 

 stove, and then brought the food down to the tent, where we 

 ate it in comfort. 



At this time we were devoutedly hoping for wind, so that 

 some of the sea-ice should blow away and permit the ship to 

 reach us. Captain Pennell was 

 due any day now, but the bay-ice 

 looked as solid as when we had 

 entered in November. 



We inspected the "vege- 

 table garden " and found that 

 twelve dicotyledons had sprouted ! 

 I imagine these are the first 

 grown in the open air within the 

 Antarctic circle ! They seemed thirsty, so I gave them some 

 water. But, alas ! the weather rapidly grew colder. Every 

 day a few were blighted, and, finally, I carefully gathered the 

 remnants and placed them in my pocket-book as a record 

 of Gran's well-meant experiment. 



I was much disappointed with the moss. It lay in peaty 

 clods between the boulders, usually in lumps about the size 

 of a large bath bun, and had formed a considerable amount of 

 humus. But it remained almost black and dead all this 

 summer. Usually January 15th is the warmest day, but this 

 season December was much warmer than January, and I think 

 the backward condition of the moss showed that it was an 

 exceptionally severe summer. 



I was now cook again, and will copy some of my cooking 



Sea.-ka.le at 77 5 



8-112 '' 



