At 11 P.M. the acetylene lights are put out, and those who wish to remain up or to read in bed must depend on candle-light.  The majority of candles are extinguished by midnight, and the night watchman alone remains awake to keep his vigil by the light of an oil lamp.

Day after day passes in this fashion.  It is not a very active life perhaps, but certainly not an idle one.  Few of us sleep more than eight hours out of the twenty-four.

On Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning some extra bathing takes place; chins are shaven, and perhaps clean garments donned.  Such signs, with the regular Service on Sunday, mark the passage of the weeks.

To-night Day has given us a lecture on his motor sledge.  He seems very hopeful of success, but I fear is rather more sanguine in temperament than his sledge is reliable in action.  I wish I could have more confidence in his preparations, as he is certainly a delightful companion.

Tuesday, June 20.—­Last night the temperature fell to -36 deg., the lowest we have had this year.  On the Ramp the minimum was -31 deg., not the first indication of a reversed temperature gradient.  We have had a calm day, as is usual with a low thermometer.

It was very beautiful out of doors this morning; as the crescent moon was sinking in the west, Erebus showed a heavy vapour cloud, showing that the quantity is affected by temperature rather than pressure.

I’m glad to have had a good run on ski.

The Cape Crozier party are preparing for departure, and heads have been put together to provide as much comfort as the strenuous circumstances will permit.  I came across a hint as to the value of a double tent in Sverdrup’s book, ‘New Land,’ and (P.O.) Evans has made a lining for one of the tents; it is secured on the inner side of the poles and provides an air space inside the tent.  I think it is going to be a great success, and that it will go far to obviate the necessity of considering the question of snow huts—­though we shall continue our efforts in this direction also.

Another new departure is the decision to carry eiderdown sleeping-bags inside the reindeer ones.

With such an arrangement the early part of the journey is bound to be comfortable, but when the bags get iced difficulties are pretty certain to arise.

Day has been devoting his energies to the creation of a blubber stove, much assisted of course by the experience gained at Hut Point.

The blubber is placed in an annular vessel, A. The oil from it passes through a pipe, B, and spreads out on the surface of a plate, C, with a containing flange; d d are raised points which serve as heat conductors; e e is a tin chimney for flame with air holes at its base.

To start the stove the plate C must be warmed with spirit lamp or primus, but when the blubber oil is well alight its heat is quite sufficient to melt the blubber in And keep up the oil supply—­the heat gradually rises until the oil issues from B in a vaporised condition, when, of course, the heat given off by the stove is intense.