ITALIAN EXPEDITION (1900) 267 



or almost exactly 3 tons. Twelve sledges were used, so 

 that the average weight for each was 5 cwt. The dogs 

 numbered 103. 



On the second departure the expedition was able to 

 travel out of the bay without having first to drag the 

 sledges overland. On the first day the temperature was 

 27" 4° F. below zero. An auxiliary detachment accompanied 

 the party two days. 



At first, Captain Cagni set out towards the west, so as 

 to get away from land, but on the second day he tended 

 a little east of north, so as to allow for the probable drift 

 towards the west. During the night of the 13th March 

 the temperature fell to 45*4° F. below zero. On the 

 12th an advance of 7 miles was made; on the 13th, about 

 10 miles ; but on the 14th the ice-axes had frequently 

 to be used to make a road, and only 3| miles were 

 covered. 



For some days the temperature kept remarkably low. 

 On the morning of the 16th it reached 58° F. below zero. 

 On the 19th it rose to 16-6° F. below zero, but on the 21st 

 it again fell to 36*4° F. below zero. 



On the 21st March, Cagni decided to take three men 

 with him in the third or advance detachment. He found 

 it necessary to send two men forward to prepare the way 

 for the sledges. With three men in the detachment, 

 only one would be left to look after the most of the 

 dogs and sledges. He therefore decided to send back 

 three men in the first detachment, instead of four. To 

 meet the extra rations required for the additional man, he 

 intended to send back the first detachment two days, and 

 the second detachment four days earlier than originally 

 intended. 



The first detachment, composed of Lieutenant Querini, 

 the guide Oilier, and the engineer Stokken, was sent back 

 on the 23rd March. At this time the expedition was 



