THE AURORA'S DRIFT 
through blinding drift and over big heaps of snow), no one was 
about when the mast carried away. 
''September 8. — This is dull, miserable weather. ,Blow, 
snow, and calm for an hour or two. Sometimes it blows in this 
neighbourhood without snow and sometimes with — this seems 
to be the only difference. I have two patients now, Larkman 
and Mugridge. Larkman was frost-bitten on the great and 
second toes of the left foot some time ago, and has so far taken 
little notice of them. Now they are causing him some alarm 
as gangrene has set in. Mugridge is suffering from an inter- 
mittent rash, with red, inflamed skin and large, short-lived 
blisters. I don't know what the deuce it is, but the nearest 
description to it in a 'Materia Medica/ etc., is pemphigus, so 
pemphigus it is, and he has been ' tonic-ed ' and massaged. 
September 9. — -This is the first day for a long time that we 
have registered a minimum temperature above zero for the 
twenty-four hours. It is pleasant to think that from noon to 
noon throughout the night the temperature never fell below 
-f 4^ (28° frost), and with the increase of dayhght it makes 
one feel that simimer really is approaching. 
'' September 13. — All around the northern horizon there is 
the appearance of an open water-sky, but around the ship the 
prospect is dreary. The sun rose at 6.20 a.m. and set at 5.25 
p.m. Ship's time — eleven hours five minutes of sunlight and 
seventeen hours light. Three hours twilight morning and even- 
ing. The carpenter is dismantling the taffrail (to facilitate the 
landing and, if necessary, the boarding of the jury-rudder) and 
will construct a temporary, removable rail. 
'' Septemher 16. — There has been much mirage all around 
the horizon, and to the eastward through south to south-west 
heavy frost-smoke has been rising. Over the northern horizon 
a low bank of white fog hangs as though over the sea. I do 
not hke these continued low temperatures. I am beginning 
to have doubts as to our release until the sun starts to rot the 
ice. 
September 17. — This is the anniversary of our departure 
from London. There are only four of the original eleven on 
board — Larkman, Ninnis, Mauger, and L Much has happened 
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