Temperature: -20.
The day opened up fine with a fair breeze; we marched on the depot, picked it up, and lunched an hour later. In the afternoon the surface became fearfully bad, and the wind dropped. Ill luck that this should happen just when we have only four men to pull. Wilson rested his leg as much as possible by walking quietly beside the sledge; the result has been good, and tonight there is much less inflammation. I hope he will be all right again soon, but it is trying to have an injured limb in the party.
This afternoon we picked up Bowers' ski—the last thing we have to find on the summit, thank Heaven! Now we have only to go north and so shall welcome strong winds.
Evans does grimace so.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
30 January, 1912
Temperature -25.
Thank the Lord, another fine march—19 miles. We have passed the last cairn before the depot, the track is clear ahead, the weather fair, the wind helpful, the gradient down—with any luck we should pick up our depot in the middle of the morning march.
This is the bright side; the reverse of the medal is serious. Wilson has strained a tendon in his leg; it has given pain all day and is swollen tonight. Of course, he is full of luck over it, but I don't like the idea of an accident here. To add to the trouble Evans has dislodged two fingernails tonight; his hands are really bad, and to my surprise he shows signs of losing heart over it. He hasn't been cheerful since the accident. We can get along with bad fingers, but it will be a mighty serious thing if Wilson's leg doesn't improve.
Thank the Lord, another fine march—19 miles. We have passed the last cairn before the depot, the track is clear ahead, the weather fair, the wind helpful, the gradient down—with any luck we should pick up our depot in the middle of the morning march.
This is the bright side; the reverse of the medal is serious. Wilson has strained a tendon in his leg; it has given pain all day and is swollen tonight. Of course, he is full of luck over it, but I don't like the idea of an accident here. To add to the trouble Evans has dislodged two fingernails tonight; his hands are really bad, and to my surprise he shows signs of losing heart over it. He hasn't been cheerful since the accident. We can get along with bad fingers, but it will be a mighty serious thing if Wilson's leg doesn't improve.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
29 January, 1912
Temperature: - 25. Height: 10,000 feet.
Excellent march of 19 1/2 miles. Wild helped greatly, considerable drift, tracks for the most part, very plain. Some time before lunch we picked up the return track of the returning party, so that there are now three distinct sledge impressions. We are only 24 miles from our depot—an easy day and a half. Given a fine day tomorrow we ought to get it without difficulty. If the weather holds we ought to do the rest of the inland ice journey in little over a week.
The surface very much altered since we passed out. The loose snow has been swept into heaps, hard and wind-tossed. The rest has a glazed appearance, the loose drifting snow no doubt acting on it, polishing it like a sand blast. The sledge with our good wind behind runs splendidly on it; it is all soft and sandy beneath the glaze.
We are certainly getting hungrier every day. The day after tomorrow we should be able to increase allowances. It is monotonous work, but, thank God, the miles are coming fast at last. We ought not to be delayed much now with the down-grade in front of us.
Bowers doesn't seem to be writing in his journal tonight. He usually does like clockwork. I wonder why he has stopped? Evans looks miserable and keeps grimacing.
Excellent march of 19 1/2 miles. Wild helped greatly, considerable drift, tracks for the most part, very plain. Some time before lunch we picked up the return track of the returning party, so that there are now three distinct sledge impressions. We are only 24 miles from our depot—an easy day and a half. Given a fine day tomorrow we ought to get it without difficulty. If the weather holds we ought to do the rest of the inland ice journey in little over a week.
The surface very much altered since we passed out. The loose snow has been swept into heaps, hard and wind-tossed. The rest has a glazed appearance, the loose drifting snow no doubt acting on it, polishing it like a sand blast. The sledge with our good wind behind runs splendidly on it; it is all soft and sandy beneath the glaze.
We are certainly getting hungrier every day. The day after tomorrow we should be able to increase allowances. It is monotonous work, but, thank God, the miles are coming fast at last. We ought not to be delayed much now with the down-grade in front of us.
Bowers doesn't seem to be writing in his journal tonight. He usually does like clockwork. I wonder why he has stopped? Evans looks miserable and keeps grimacing.
Friday, January 28, 2011
28 January, 1912
Little wind and heavy going in forenoon. It is very difficult to day if we are going up hill or down hill. We are 43 miles from the depot, with six day's food in hand. We are camped opposite our lunch cairn of the 4th, only half a day's march from the point at which the last supporting party left us.
I wonder how they are getting on.
Three articles were dropped on our outward march—Oates' pipe, Bowers' fur mitts, and Evans' night boots. We picked up the boots and mitts on the track, and tonight found the pipe lying placidly in sight on the snow. The sledge tracks were very easy to follow today; they are becoming more and more raised, giving a good line shadow often visible half a mile ahead. If this goes on and the weather holds we shall get our depot without trouble. I shall indeed be glad to get it on the sledge. We are getting more hungry, there is no doubt. The lunch meal is beginning to seem inadequate. We are pretty thin, especially Evans, but none of us are feeling worked out. I doubt if we could drag heavy loads, but we can keep going well with our light one.
We talk of food a good deal more, and shall be glad to open out on it.
I wonder how they are getting on.
Three articles were dropped on our outward march—Oates' pipe, Bowers' fur mitts, and Evans' night boots. We picked up the boots and mitts on the track, and tonight found the pipe lying placidly in sight on the snow. The sledge tracks were very easy to follow today; they are becoming more and more raised, giving a good line shadow often visible half a mile ahead. If this goes on and the weather holds we shall get our depot without trouble. I shall indeed be glad to get it on the sledge. We are getting more hungry, there is no doubt. The lunch meal is beginning to seem inadequate. We are pretty thin, especially Evans, but none of us are feeling worked out. I doubt if we could drag heavy loads, but we can keep going well with our light one.
We talk of food a good deal more, and shall be glad to open out on it.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
27 January, 1912
Called the hands half an hour late, but we got away in good time. The forenoon march was over the belt of storm-tossed sastrugi; it looked like a rough sea. Wilson and I pulled in front of ski, the remainder on foot. It was very tricky work following the track, which pretty constantly disappeared, and in fact only showed itself by faint signs anywhere -- a foot or two of raised sledge track, a dozen yards of the trail of the sledgemeter wheel, or a spatter of hard snow-flicks where feet had trodden.Sometimes none of these were distinct, but one got an impression of lines which guided. The trouble was that on the outward track one had to shape course constantly to avoid the heaviest mounds, and consequently there were many zig-zags. We lost a good deal over a mile by these halts, in which we unharnessed and went on the search for signs. However, by hook or crook, we managed to stick on the old track.
Came on the cairn quite suddenly, marched past it, and camped for lunch at 7 miles. In the afternoon the sastrugi diminished in size and now we are on fairly level ground to day, the obstruction practically at an end, and, to our joy, the tracks showing up much plainer again.
For the last two hours we had no difficulty at all in following them. There has been a nice helpful southerly breeze all day, a clear sky and comparatively warm temperature. The air is dry again, sop that tents and equipment are gradually losing their icy condition imposed by the blizzard conditions of last week.
Our sleeping bags are slowly but surely getting wetter and I'm afraid it will take a lot of this weather to put them right. However, we all sleep well enough in them, the hours allowed being now on the short side.
We are slowly getting more hungry, and it would be an advantage to have a little more food, especially for lunch. If we get to the next depot in a few marches (it is now less than 60 miles and we have a full week's food) we ought to be able to open out a little, but we can't look for a real feed till we get to the pony food depot.
A long way to go, and, by Jove, this is tremendous labor.
Came on the cairn quite suddenly, marched past it, and camped for lunch at 7 miles. In the afternoon the sastrugi diminished in size and now we are on fairly level ground to day, the obstruction practically at an end, and, to our joy, the tracks showing up much plainer again.
For the last two hours we had no difficulty at all in following them. There has been a nice helpful southerly breeze all day, a clear sky and comparatively warm temperature. The air is dry again, sop that tents and equipment are gradually losing their icy condition imposed by the blizzard conditions of last week.
Our sleeping bags are slowly but surely getting wetter and I'm afraid it will take a lot of this weather to put them right. However, we all sleep well enough in them, the hours allowed being now on the short side.
We are slowly getting more hungry, and it would be an advantage to have a little more food, especially for lunch. If we get to the next depot in a few marches (it is now less than 60 miles and we have a full week's food) we ought to be able to open out a little, but we can't look for a real feed till we get to the pony food depot.
A long way to go, and, by Jove, this is tremendous labor.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
26 January, 1912
Started late, for no reason, as I called the hands rather early. We must have fewer delays. There was a good stiff breeze and plenty of drift, but the tracks held. To our old Blizzard Camp of the 7th we got on well, 7 miles. But beyond the camp we found the tracks completely wiped out. We searched for some time, then marched on a short way and lunched, the weather gradually clearing though the wind holding. Knowing there were two cairns at 4 miles intervals, we had little anxiety till we picked up the first far on our right, then steering right by a stroke of fortune. and Bowers' sharp eyes caught a glimpse of the second on the far left.
I hope to goodness we can follow tracks tomorrow.
Am dreaming of steak and kidney pie and a whiskey.
I hope to goodness we can follow tracks tomorrow.
Am dreaming of steak and kidney pie and a whiskey.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
25 January, 1912
Thank God we found our Half Degree Depot.
After lying in our bags yesterday afternoon and all night, we debated breakfast; decided to have it later and go without lunch. At the time the gale seemed as bad as ever, but during breakfast the sun showed and there was light enough to see the old track. It was a long and terribly cold job digging out our sledge and breaking camp, but we got through and on the march without sail, all pulling. This was about 11, and at about 2:30, to our joy, we saw the red depot flag. We had lunch and left with 9 1/2 days' provisions, still following the track—marched till 8 and covered 5 miles, over 12 in the day.
Only 89 miles to the next depot, but it's time we cleared off this plateau.
We are not without ailments: Oates suffers from a very cold foot; Evans' fingers and nose are in a bad state, and tonight Wilson is suffering tortures from his eyes. Bowers and I are the only members of the party without troubles just at present.
The weather still looks unsettled, and I fear a succession of blizzards at this time of year; the wind is strong from the south, and this afternoon has been very helpful with the full sail. Needless to say I shall sleep much better with our provision bag full again. The only real anxiety now is finding the Three Degree Depot. The tracks seem as good as ever so far; they reappear quite clearly raised above the surface. If the light is good there is not the least difficulty in following. Blizzards are our bugbear, not only stopping our marches, but the cold damp air takes it out of us.
Bowers has been on ski today whilst Wilson walked by the sledge or pulled ahead of it.
After lying in our bags yesterday afternoon and all night, we debated breakfast; decided to have it later and go without lunch. At the time the gale seemed as bad as ever, but during breakfast the sun showed and there was light enough to see the old track. It was a long and terribly cold job digging out our sledge and breaking camp, but we got through and on the march without sail, all pulling. This was about 11, and at about 2:30, to our joy, we saw the red depot flag. We had lunch and left with 9 1/2 days' provisions, still following the track—marched till 8 and covered 5 miles, over 12 in the day.
Only 89 miles to the next depot, but it's time we cleared off this plateau.
We are not without ailments: Oates suffers from a very cold foot; Evans' fingers and nose are in a bad state, and tonight Wilson is suffering tortures from his eyes. Bowers and I are the only members of the party without troubles just at present.
The weather still looks unsettled, and I fear a succession of blizzards at this time of year; the wind is strong from the south, and this afternoon has been very helpful with the full sail. Needless to say I shall sleep much better with our provision bag full again. The only real anxiety now is finding the Three Degree Depot. The tracks seem as good as ever so far; they reappear quite clearly raised above the surface. If the light is good there is not the least difficulty in following. Blizzards are our bugbear, not only stopping our marches, but the cold damp air takes it out of us.
Bowers has been on ski today whilst Wilson walked by the sledge or pulled ahead of it.
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