SPRING 3 1 5 



" ioth November 191 1. 



"Again we started off with plenty of vim, but it was 

 jolly tough work, and it begins to tell on all of us ; the 

 surface to-day is covered with soft crystals which don't 

 improve things. To-night Hooper is pretty well done up, 

 but he have stuck it well and I hope he will, although he 

 could not tackle the food in the best of spirits, we know he 

 wanted it. Mr. Evans, Mr. Day and myself could eat 

 more, as we are just beginning to feel the tightening of the 

 belt. Made good n^ miles and we are now building 

 cairns all the way, one about three miles: then again at 

 lunch and one in the afternoon and one at night. This 

 will keep us employed. 



" nth November 191 1. 



" To-day it has been very heavy work. The surface is 

 very bad and we are pretty well full up, but not with food ; 

 man-hauling is no doubt the hardest work one can do, no 

 wonder the motor sledges could not stand it. I have been 

 thinking of the trials I witnessed of the motor engines in 

 Wolseley's works in Birmingham, they were pretty stiff 

 but nothing compared to the drag of a heavy load on the 

 Barrier surface. 



" 1 zth November 1 9 1 1 . 



"To-day have been similar to the two previous days, 

 but the light have been bad and snow have been falling 

 which do not improve the surface ; we have been doing 10 

 miles a day Geographical and quite enough too as we have 

 all had enough by time it goes Camp. 



" 13M November 191 1. 



" The weather seems to be on the change. Should not 

 be surprised if we don't get a blizzard before long, but of 

 course we don't want that. Hooper seems a bit fagged but 

 he sticks it pretty well. Mr. Day keeps on plodding, his 

 only complaint is should like a little more to eat. 



" 14M November 191 1. 



"When we started this morning Mr. Evans said we 

 had about 15 miles to go to reach the required distance. 



