

386 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 



after noon, which puts us up to time. We took our pro- 

 vision for a week. We have got to reach Mt. Darwin 

 Depot, a distance of 120 miles, with 7 days' provisions. 

 We picked up our ski and camped for the night. We have 

 been wondering if the others have got the same wind as us. 

 If so it is right in their face, whereas it is at our back, a treat 

 to what it is facing it. Crean's eyes are pretty bad to-night. 

 Snow-blindness is an awful complaint, and no one- 1 can 

 assure you looks forward with pleasure when it begins to 

 attack. 



yth January 19 12. 



We have had a very good day as far as travelling goes, 

 the wind has been behind us and is a great help to us. We 

 have been on ski all day for the first time. It seems a good 

 change to footing it, the one thing day after day gets on 

 one's nerves. Crean's eyes are a bit better to-day, but far 

 from being well. The temperature is pretty low, which 

 dont improve the surface for hauling, but we seem to be 

 getting along pretty well. We have no sledge meter so we 

 have to go by guess. Mr. Evans says we done 17^ miles, 

 but I say 1 6 J. I am not going to over-estimate our day's 

 run, as I am taking charge of the biscuits so that we dont 

 over-step the mark. This we have all agreed to so that we 

 should exactly know how we stand, from day to day. I am 

 still leading, not very nice as the light is bad. We caught a 

 glimpse of the land to the east of us, but could only have 

 been a mirage. 



%th "January 1912. 



On turning out this morning we found it was blowing 

 a bliz. so it was almost a case of having to remain in camp, 

 but on second thoughts we thought it best to kick off as 

 we cant afford to lay up on account of food, so thought it 

 best to push on. I wonder if the Pole Party have experienced 

 this. If so they could not travel as it would be in their face, 

 where we have got it at our back. We have lost the outward 

 bound track, so have decided to make a straight line to Mt. 

 Darwin, which will be on Shackleton's course according to 

 his and Wild's Diary. 



