SOUTH 
south-east, carried us north again. High temperatures and 
northerly winds soon succeeded this, so that our average rate 
of northerly drift was about a mile a day in February. Through- 
out the month the diaries record alternately a wet day, over- 
cast and mild,'' and " bright and cold with light southerly 
winds." The wind was now the vital factor with us and the 
one topic of any real interest. 
The beginning of March brought cold, damp, calm weather, 
with much wet snow and overcast skies. The effect of the 
weather on our mental state was very marked. All hands felt 
much more cheerful on a bright sunny day, and looked forward 
with much more hope to the future, than when it was dull and 
overcast. This had a much greater effect than an increase in 
rations. 
A south-easterly gale on the 13th lasting for five days sent 
us twenty miles north, and from now our good fortune, as far as 
the wind was concerned, never left us for any length of time. 
On the 20th we experienced the worst blizzard we had had up to 
that time, though worse were to come after landing on Elephant 
Island. Thick snow fell, making it impossible to see the camp 
from thirty yards ofi. To go outside for a moment entailed 
getting covered all over with fine powdery snow, which required 
a great deal of brushing ofi before one could enter again. 
As the blizzard eased up, the temperature dropped and it 
became bitterly cold. In our weak condition, with torn, 
greasy clothes, we felt these sudden variations in temperature 
much more than we otherwise would have done. A calm, clear, 
magnificently warm day followed, and next day came a strong 
southerly blizzard. Drifts four feet deep covered everything, 
and we had to be contiaually digging up our scanty stock of 
meat to prevent its being lost altogether. We had taken 
advantage of the previous fine day to attempt to thaw out our 
blankets, which were frozen stifi and could be held out like 
pieces of sheet-iron ; but on this day, and for the next two or 
three also, it was impossible to do anything but get right inside 
one's frozen sleeping-bag to try and get warm. Too cold to 
read or sew, we had to keep our hands well inside, and pass the 
time in conversation with each other. 
114 
