WINTERING IN McMURDO SOUND 
of blizzards. The ice does not always go out before the wind 
has passed its maximum. It depends on the state of tides 
and currents ; for the sea-ice has been seen more than once to 
go out bodily when a bUzzard had almost completely calmed 
down. 
On the 6th May the ice was in and people passed freely 
between the shore and the ship. At 11 p.m. the wind was south, 
backing to south-east, and blew at forty miles per hour. The 
ship was still in her place. At 3 a.m. on the 7th the wind had 
not increased to any extent, but ice and ship had gone. As 
she was not seen to go we are unable to say whether the vessel 
was damaged. The shore end of the cable was bent twice 
sharply, and the wires were loose. On the afternoon of the 
7th the weather cleared somewhat, but nothing was seen of 
the ship. The bUzzard only lasted some twelve hours. Next 
day the wind became northerly, but on the 10th there was 
blowing the fiercest blizzard we have so far experienced from 
the south-east. Nothing has since been seen or heard of the 
ship, though a look-out was kept. 
Immediately the ship went as accurate an inventory as 
possible of all stores ashore was made, and the rate of consump- 
tion of food-stufis so regulated that they would last ten men for 
not less than one hundred weeks. Coal had already been used 
with the utmost economy. Little could be done to cut down 
the consumption, but the transference to the neighbourhood 
of the hut of such of the coal landed previously by the ship 
as was not lost was pushed on. Meat also was found to be 
very short ; it was obvious that neither it nor coal could be 
made to last two years, but an evidently necessary step in the 
ensuing summer would be the ensuring of an adequate supply 
of meat and blubber, for obtaining which the winter presented 
little opportunity. Meat and coal were, therefore, used with 
this consideration in mind, as required but as carefully as 
possible. 
"A. Stevens." 
The men ashore did not at once abandon hope of the ship 
returning before the Sound froze firmly. New ice formed on 
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