i 9 02] SUBSIDENCE OF THE OUTBREAK 401 



they camped under the glacier tongue, weathered a blizzard on 

 the following day, and started their operations on Saturday. 

 After a long and hard day's work, they started homewards, 

 and arrived here on Sunday morning with over a thousand 

 pounds of meat, and having left a large quantity ready to be 

 brought in. 



' They report that the seals are plentiful near the glacier, 

 and that there is also a colony below Castle Rock, not more 

 than three miles from the ship ; we ought to have little trouble, 

 therefore, in keeping up our supply in future. 



' On Monday I was able to give the satisfactory order that 

 no tinned meat of any description should be issued, and one 

 may reasonably hope that this order can be observed through- 

 out the remainder of our stay in these regions. 



1 Regular outdoor exercise is the only other circumstance 

 that can affect our physical well-being, and with regard to that 

 I am glad to say there has been no need to issue an order 

 There is a great deal of outdoor work, and every evening after 

 tea the men either go for long ski runs or walks, or play foot- 

 ball. As for the spirits of our party, they have never been 

 cast down for a single minute ; with the daylight and the in- 

 creased activity there has been more chaff and laughter than 

 ever, and certainly no one who walked into the living-quarters 

 at night would guess that we were in the act of dispelling a 

 very dreaded disease. To whichever or to what combination 

 of the steps we have taken this is due, it is impossible to say, 

 but the fact remains that within a fortnight of the outbreak 

 there is scarcely a sign of it remaining, and certainly all cause 

 for anxiety has vanished. Heald's is the only case that hung 

 at all, and since fomentations have been applied to his legs he 

 also has made rapid strides towards recovery, and is now 

 able to get about once more. Cross's recovery was so rapid 

 that he was able to join the seal-killing party last week. 



1 Koettlitz has taken advantage of the returning daylight to 



grow a crop of mustard and cress. He has raised some on 



flannel, and with chemicals, but the best result has been 



obtained from our own Antarctic soil, which is evidently most 



vol. 1. D D 



