SOUTH 
to God we may soon be clear of this prison and in a position to 
help them. We can live now for sunlight and activity. 
"July l.-The 1st of July! Thank God. The days pass 
quickly. Through all my waking hours one long thought of 
the people at Cape Evans, but one must appear to be happy 
and take interest in the small happenings of shipboard. 
''July 3. — Eather hazy with very little hght. Moderate 
west-north-west to south-west winds until noon, when wind 
veered to south and freshened. No apparent change in ship's 
position ; the berg is on the same bearing (1 point on the port 
quarter) and apparently the same distance off. Mount Mel- 
bourne was hidden behind a bank of clouds. This is our only 
landmark now, as Franldin Island is towered in perpetual gloom. 
Although we have had the berg in sight duriiig all the time of 
our drift from the entrance to McMurdo Sound, we have not 
yet seen it in a favourable hght, and, were it not for its move- 
ment, we might mistake it for a tabular island. It will be 
interesting to view our companion in the returning light — unless 
we are too close to it ! 
''July 5.— Dull grey day (during twilight) with light, variable, 
westerly breezes. All around hangs a heavy curtain of haze, 
and, although very hght snow is faUing, overhead is black and 
clear with stars shining. As soon as the faint noon liglit fades 
away the heavy low haze intensifies the darkness and makes 
one thanldul that one has a good firm ' berth ' in the ice. I 
don't care to contemplate the scene if the ice should break up 
at the present time. 
''July 6.— Last night I thought I saw open water in the 
shape of a long black lane to the southward of the ship and 
extending in an easterly and westerly direction, but owing to 
the haze and light snow I could not be sure ; this morning the 
lane was distinctly visible and appeared to be two or three 
hundred yards Avide and two miles long. ... At 6 p.m. loud 
pressui'e-noises would be heard from the direction of the open 
lane and continued throughout the night. Shortly after 8 
o'clock the grinding and hissing spread to our starboard bow 
(west-south-west), and the vibration caused by the pressure 
could be felt intermittently on board the ship. . . . The inces- 
316 
