with frostbites,
otherwise we are all well, but thinning, and in spite of our good
rations getting hungrier daily.

"I sometimes spend much thought on the march with plans for making a
pig of myself on the first opportunity. As this will be after a
farther walk of 700 miles they will be a bit premature. It was blowing
a gale when we started, and it increased in force. Finally, with the
sail half down, one man detached tracking ahead, and Titus and I
breaking back, we could not always keep the sledge from over-running.
The blizzard got worse and worse, till having done only 7 miles we had
to camp soon after 12 o'clock. We had a most difficult job camping,
and it has been blowing like blazes all the afternoon. I think it is
moderating now--9 p.m.

"We are only 7 miles from our depot and the delay is exasperating.

"_January_ 25.--It was no use turning out at our usual time (5.45
a.m.) as the blizzard was as furious as ever.

"We therefore decided on a late breakfast and no lunch unless able to
march. We have only three days' food with us and shall be in Queer
Street if we miss the depot.

"Our bags are getting steadily wetter, so are our clothes.

"It shows a tendency to clear off now (breakfast time), so, D.V., we
may march after all. I am in tribulation as regards meals now, as we
have run out of salt, one of my favourite commodities. It was owing to
Atkinson's party taking back an extra tin by mistake from the Upper
Glacier Depot.

"Fortunately we have some depoted there, so I will only have to endure
another two weeks without it.

"10 p.m.--We have got in a march after all, thank the Lord.

"Assisted by the wind we made an excellent run down to our 1 1/2
Depot, where the big red flag was blowing out of driving drift. Here
we picked up 14 cans of oil, and one week's food for five men,
together with some personal gear depoted.

"We left the bamboo and the flag on the cairn. I was much relieved to
pick up this depot; now we have only one other source of anxiety in
the endless snow summit, viz., the third depot in Latitude 86 degrees
56 minutes S. In the afternoon we did 5.2 miles. It was a miserable
march, blizzard all the time and our sledge either sticking on
sastrugi or overrunning the traces. We had to lower the sail half
down, and Titus and I hung on to her--it was most strenuous work as