34° 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [July 
Tuesday, July 4. — A day of blizzard and adventure. 
The wind arose last night, and although the temperature 
advanced a few degrees it remained at a very low point 
considering the strength of the wind. 
This forenoon it was blowing 40 to 45 m.p.h. with a 
temperature - 25 0 to - 28 0 . No weather to be in the open. 
In the afternoon the wind modified slightly. Taylor 
and Atkinson went up to the Ramp thermometer screen. 
After this, entirely without my knowledge, two adven- 
turous spirits, Atkinson and Gran, decided to start off 
over the floe, making respectively for the north and south 
Bay thermometers, ' Archibald ' and * Clarence. 5 This 
was at 5.30; Gran was back by dinner at 6.45, and it 
was only later that I learned that he had gone no more 
than 200 or 300 yards from the land and that it had 
taken him nearly an hour to get back again. 
Atkinson's continued absence passed unnoticed until 
dinner was nearly over at 7.15, although I had heard that 
the wind had dropped at the beginning of dinner and that 
it remained very thick all round, with light snow falling. 
Although I felt somewhat annoyed, I had no serious 
anxiety at this time, and as several members came out of 
the hut I despatched them short distances to shout and 
show lanterns and arranged to have a paraffin flare lit on 
Wind Vane Hill. 
Evans, P.O., Crean and Keohane, being anxious for a 
walk, were sent to the north with a lantern. Whilst this 
desultory search proceeded the wind sprang up again from 
the south, but with no great force, and meanwhile the sky 
showed signs of clearing and the moon appeared dimly 
