ESCAPE FROM THE ICE 
the proper thing is to keep these articles thawed by placing 
them inside one's shirt during the night. 
The southerly gale, bringing with it much snow^ was so 
severe that as I went along the beach to kill a seal I was blown 
down by a gust. The cooking-pots from No. 2 tent took a 
flying run into the sea at the same moment. A case of provi- 
sions which had been placed on them to keep them safe had 
been capsized by a squall. These pots, fortunately, were not 
essential, since nearly all our cooking was done over the blubber- 
stove. The galley was set up by the rocks close to my tent, 
in a hole we had dug through the debris of the penguin rookery. 
Cases of stores gave some shelter from the wind and a spread 
sail kept some of the snow off the cook when he was at work. 
He had not much idle time. The amount of seal and sea- 
elephant steak and blubber consumed by our hungry party 
was almost incredible. He did not lack assistance — the neigh- 
bourhood of the blubber-stove had attractions for every member 
of the party ; but he earned everybody's gratitude by his 
unflagging energy in preparing meals that to us at least were 
savoury and satisfying. Frankly, we needed all the comfort 
that the hot food could give us. The icy fingers of the gale 
searched every cranny of our beach and pushed relentlessly 
through our worn garments and tattered tents. The snow, 
drifting from the glacier and falling from the skies, swathed 
us and our gear and set traps for our stumbling feet. The 
rising sea beat against the rocks and shingle and tossed fragments 
of floe-ice within a few feet of our boats. Once during the 
morning the sun shone through the racing clouds and we had 
a glimpse of blue sky ; but the promise of fair weather was not 
redeemed. The consoling feature of the situation was that our 
camp was safe. We could enduxe the discomforts, and I felt 
that all hands would be benefited by the opportunity for rest 
and recuperation. 
155 
