Blizzard'.

Speaking of temperature in general, it was found that the
mean-temperature for the first year was just above zero; a very low
temperature for a station situated near the Circle. The continual flow
of cold air from the elevated interior of the continent accounts for
this. If Adelie Land were a region of calms or of northerly winds, the
average temperature would be very much higher. On the other hand, the
temperature at sea-level was never depressed below-28 degrees F., though
with a high wind we found that uncomfortable enough, even in burberrys.
During the spring sledging in 1912 the lowest temperature recorded was
-35 degrees F. and it was hard to keep warm in sleeping-bags. The wind
made all the difference to one's resistance.

There was an unusually heavy snowfall during 1913. When the air was
heavily charged with moisture, as in midsummer, the falls would consist
of small (sago) or larger (tapioca) rounded pellets. Occasionally
one would see beautiful complicated patterns in the form of hexagonal
flakes. When low temperatures were the rule, small, plain, hexagonal
stars or spicules fell. Often throughout a single snowfall many types
would be precipitated. Thus, in September, in one instance, the fall
commenced with fluffy balls and then passed to tapioca snow, sago snow,
six-rayed stars and spicules.

Wireless communication was still maintained, though September was
found to be such a "disturbed" month--possibly owing to the brilliant
aurorae--that not a great many messages were exchanged. Jeffryes was not
in the best of health, so that Bickerton took over the operating
work. Though at first signals could only be received slowly, Bickerton
gradually improved with practice and was able to "keep up his end" until
November 20, when daylight became continuous. One great advantage, which
by itself justified the existence of the wireless plant, was the fact
that time-signals were successfully received from Melbourne Observatory
by way of Macquarie Island, and Bage was thus able to improve on his
earlier determinations and to establish a fundamental longitude.

During this same happy month of September, whose first day marked the
event of "One hundred days to the coming of the Ship" there was a great
revival in biological work. Hodgeman made several varieties of bag-traps
which were lowered over the edge of the harbour-ice, and many large
"worms" and crustaceans were caught and preserved.

On September 14