Meanwhile we have been thinking of a way to get at the suction of the pump:  a hole is being made in the engine-room bulkhead, the coal between this and the pump shaft will be removed, and a hole made in the shaft.  With so much water coming on board, it is impossible to open the hatch over the shaft.  We are not out of the wood, but hope dawns, as indeed it should for me, when I find myself so wonderfully served.  Officers and men are singing chanties over their arduous work.  Williams is working in sweltering heat behind the boiler to get the door made in the bulkhead.  Not a single one has lost his good spirits.  A dog was drowned last night, one pony is dead and two others in a bad condition—­probably they too will go.  ’Occasionally a heavy sea would bear one of them away, and he was only saved by his chain.  Meares with some helpers had constantly to be rescuing these wretched creatures from hanging, and trying to find them better shelter, an almost hopeless task.  One poor beast was found hanging when dead; one was washed away with such force that his chain broke and he disappeared overboard; the next wave miraculously washed him on board again and he is now fit and well.’  The gale has exacted heavy toll, but I feel all will be well if we can only cope with the water.  Another dog has just been washed overboard—­alas!  Thank God, the gale is abating.  The sea is still mountainously high, but the ship is not labouring so heavily as she was.  I pray we may be under sail again before morning.

Saturday, December 3.—­Yesterday the wind slowly fell towards evening; less water was taken on board, therefore less found its way below, and it soon became evident that our baling was gaining on the engine-room.  The work was steadily kept going in two-hour shifts.  By 10 P.M. the hole in the engine-room bulkhead was completed, and (Lieut.) Evans, wriggling over the coal, found his way to the pump shaft and down it.  He soon cleared the suction ’of the coal balls (a mixture of coal and oil) which choked it,’ and to the joy of all a good stream of water came from the pump for the first time.  From this moment it was evident we should get over the difficulty, and though the pump choked again on several occasions the water in the engine-room steadily decreased.  It was good to visit that spot this morning and to find that the water no longer swished from side to side.  In the forenoon fires were laid and lighted—­the hand pump was got into complete order and sucked the bilges almost dry, so that great quantities of coal and ashes could be taken out.

Now all is well again, and we are steaming and sailing steadily south within two points of our course.  Campbell and Bowers have been busy relisting everything on the upper deck.  This afternoon we got out the two dead ponies through the forecastle skylight.  It was a curious proceeding, as the space looked quite inadequate for their passage.  We looked into the ice-house and found it in the best order.