11 March, 1911

The sledge party came in this evening. they had very cold temperatures, but enjoyed their pull on ski. Have heard good things about Gran, whom I still think altogether lazy and too sensitive to the cold.

Life in the hut is much improved, but if things go too fast there will be all too little to think about and give occupation in the hut. Thawed out some old magazines and books left here from Discovery days a decade ago. Muchargument is settled with the Times Atlas and Who's Who. Also of use are Contemporary Reviews, the Family Herald, and Girl's Own Paper. I do not know why an all-male expedition had this on them. We have part of a copy of Stanley Weyman's My Lady Rotha, but the end is missing.

The roof, which is packed with blue ice, drips like mad in the evenings when the stove is going. It gets quite muggy in here. Overnight, when the stove is idle, great stalactites form.

I don't know what to make of these cold temperatures out on the Barrier. How will this effect our plans for the Pole? I have decided to ignore them.