We found that our loose dogs had been attacking a seal, and then came across a dead seal which had evidently been worried to death some time ago.  It appears Demetri saw more seal further to the north, and this afternoon Meares has killed a large one as well as the one which was worried this morning.

It is good to find the seals so close, but very annoying to find that the dogs have discovered their resting-place.

The long spell of fine weather is very satisfactory.

Saturday, July 1, 1911.—­We have designed new ski boots and I think they are going to be a success.  My object is to stick to the Huitfeldt binding for sledging if possible.  One must wear finnesko on the Barrier, and with finnesko alone a loose binding is necessary.  For this we brought ‘Finon’ bindings, consisting of leather toe straps and thong heel binding.  With this arrangement one does not have good control of his ski and stands the chance of a chafe on the ’tendon Achillis.’  Owing to the last consideration many had decided to go with toe strap alone as we did in the Discovery.  This brought into my mind the possibility of using the iron cross bar and snap heel strap of the Huitfeldt on a suitable overshoe.

Evans, P.O., has arisen well to the occasion as a boot maker, and has just completed a pair of shoes which are very nearly what we require.

The soles have two thicknesses of seal skin cured with alum, stiffened at the foot with a layer of venesta board, and raised at the heel on a block of wood.  The upper part is large enough to contain a finnesko and is secured by a simple strap.  A shoe weighs 13 oz. against 2 lbs. for a single ski boot—­so that shoe and finnesko together are less weight than a boot.

If we can perfect this arrangement it should be of the greatest use to us.

Wright has been swinging the pendulum in his cavern.  Prodigious trouble has been taken to keep the time, and this object has been immensely helped by the telephone communication between the cavern, the transit instrument, and the interior of the hut.  The timekeeper is perfectly placed.  Wright tells me that his ice platform proves to be five times as solid as the fixed piece of masonry used at Potsdam.  The only difficulty is the low temperature, which freezes his breath on the glass window of the protecting dome.  I feel sure these gravity results are going to be very good.

The temperature has been hanging in the minus thirties all day with calm and clear sky, but this evening a wind has sprung up without rise of temperature.  It is now -32 deg., with a wind of 25 m.p.h.—­a pretty stiff condition to face outside!

Sunday, July 2.—­There was wind last night, but this morning found a settled calm again, with temperature as usual about -35 deg..  The moon is rising again; it came over the shoulder of Erebus about 5 P.M., in second quarter.  It will cross the meridian at night, worse luck, but such days as this will be pleasant even with a low moon; one is very glad to think the Crozier Party are having such a peaceful time.