THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



and at 3 p.m. we reached Hut Point, tethered the ponies, 

 and had tea. There was a slight north wind. At 

 5 p.m. the supporting party came up. We have decided 

 to sleep in the hut, but the supporting party are sleeping 

 in the tent at the very spot where the Discovery wintered 

 six years ago. To-morrow I am going back to the 

 Tongue for the rest of the fodder. The supporting 

 party elected to sleep out because it is warmer, but we 

 of the Southern Party will not have a solid roof over 

 our heads for some months to come, so will make the 

 most of it. We swept the debris out. Wild killed 

 a seal for fresh meat and washed the liver at the seal 

 hole, so to-morrow we will have a good feed. Half a 

 tin of jam is a small thing for one man to eat when he 

 has a sledging appetite, and we are doing our share, 

 as when we start there will be no more of these luxuries. 

 Adams' leg is better, but stiff. Our march was nine and 

 a half miles to-day. It is now 10 p.m. 



October 31. — This day started with a dull snowy 

 appearance, which soon developed into a snowstorm, but 

 a mild one with little drift. I wanted to cross to Glacier 

 Tongue with Quan, Grisi and Chinaman. 



During the morning we readjusted our provision 

 weights and unpacked the bags. In the afternoon it 

 cleared, and at 3.30 p.m. we got under way, Quan 

 pulling our sleeping equipment. We covered the eight 

 miles and a half to Glacier Tongue in three hours, and 

 as I found no message from the hut, nor the gear I had 

 asked to be sent down, I concluded it was blowing 

 there also, and so decided to walk on after dinner. I 

 covered the twelve miles in three hours, arriving at 

 Cape Royds at 11.30, and had covered the twenty-three 

 miles between Hut Point and Cape Royds in six hours, 

 marching time. They were surprised to see me, and 

 were glad to hear that Adams and Socks were better. 



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