Christopher was started to-day by a ruse.  He was harnessed behind his wall and was in the sledge before he realised.  Then he tried to bolt, but Titus hung on.

Saturday, November 11.—­Camp 8.  It cleared somewhat just before the start of our march, but the snow which had fallen in the day remained soft and flocculent on the surface.  Added to this we entered on an area of soft crust between a few scattered hard sastrugi.  In pits between these in places the snow lay in sandy heaps.  A worse set of conditions for the ponies could scarcely be imagined.  Nevertheless they came through pretty well, the strong ones excellently, but the crocks had had enough at 9 1/2 miles.  Such a surface makes one anxious in spite of the rapidity with which changes take place.  I expected these marches to be a little difficult, but not near so bad as to-day.  It is snowing again as we camp, with a slight north-easterly breeze.  It is difficult to make out what is happening to the weather—­it is all part of the general warming up, but I wish the sky would clear.  In spite of the surface, the dogs ran up from the camp before last, over 20 miles, in the night.  They are working splendidly so far.

Sunday, November 12.—­Camp 9.  Our marches are uniformly horrid just at present.  The surface remains wretched, not quite so heavy as yesterday, perhaps, but very near it at times.  Five miles out the advance party came straight and true on our last year’s Bluff depot marked with a flagstaff.  Here following I found a note from Evans, cheerful in tone, dated 7 A.M. 7th inst.  He is, therefore, the best part of five days ahead of us, which is good.  Atkinson camped a mile beyond this cairn and had a very gloomy account of Chinaman.  Said he couldn’t last more than a mile or two.  The weather was horrid, overcast, gloomy, snowy.  One’s spirits became very low.  However, the crocks set off again, the rearguard came up, passed us in camp, and then on the march about 3 miles on, so that they camped about the same time.  The Soldier thinks Chinaman will last for a good many days yet, an extraordinary confession of hope for him.  The rest of the animals are as well as can be expected—­Jehu rather better.  These weather appearances change every minute.  When we camped there was a chill northerly breeze, a black sky, and light falling snow.  Now the sky is clearing and the sun shining an hour later.  The temperature remains about -10 deg. in the daytime.

Monday, November 13.—­Camp 10.  Another horrid march in a terrible light, surface very bad.  Ponies came through all well, but they are being tried hard by the surface conditions.  We followed tracks most of the way, neither party seeing the other except towards camping time.  The crocks did well, all repeatedly.  Either the whole sky has been clear, or the overhanging cloud has lifted from time to time to show the lower rocks.  Had we been dependent on land marks we should have fared ill.  Evidently a good system of cairns is the best possible travelling arrangement on this great snow plain.  Meares and Demetri up with the dogs as usual very soon after we camped.