The temperature fell to -15 deg. last night, with a clear sky; it rose to 0 deg. directly the sky covered and is now just 16 deg. to 20 deg..  Most of us are using goggles with glass of light green tint.  We find this colour very grateful to the eyes, and as a rule it is possible to see everything through them even more clearly than with naked vision.

The hard sastrugi are now all from the W.S.W. and our cairns are drifted up by winds from that direction; mostly, though, there has evidently been a range of snow-bearing winds round to south.  This observation holds from Corner Camp to this camp, showing that apparently all along the coast the wind comes from the land.  The minimum thermometer left here shows -73 deg., rather less than expected; it has been excellently exposed and evidently not at all drifted up with snow at any time.  I cannot find the oats I scattered here—­rather fear the drift has covered them, but other evidences show that the snow deposit has been very small.

Thursday, November 16.—­Camp 12.  Resting.  A stiff little southerly breeze all day, dropping towards evening.  The temperature -15 deg..  Ponies pretty comfortable in rugs and behind good walls.  We have reorganised the loads, taking on about 580 lbs. with the stronger ponies, 400 odd with the others.

Friday, November 17.—­Camp 13.  Atkinson started about 8.30.  We came on about 11, the whole of the remainder.  The lunch camp was 7 1/2 miles.  Atkinson left as we came in.  He was an hour before us at the final camp, 13 1/4 (geo.) miles.  On the whole, and considering the weights, the ponies did very well, but the surface was comparatively good.  Christopher showed signs of trouble at start, but was coaxed into position for the traces to be hooked.  There was some ice on his runner and he had a very heavy drag, therefore a good deal done on arrival; also his load seems heavier and deader than the others.  It is early days to wonder whether the little beasts will last; one can only hope they will, but the weakness of breeding and age is showing itself already.

The crocks have done wonderfully, so there is really no saying how long or well the fitter animals may go.  We had a horribly cold wind on the march.  Temp. -18 deg., force 3.  The sun was shining but seemed to make little difference.  It is still shining brightly, temp. 11 deg..  Behind the pony walls it is wonderfully warm and the animals look as snug as possible.

Saturday, November 18.—­Camp 14.  The ponies are not pulling well.  The surface is, if anything, a little worse than yesterday, but I should think about the sort of thing we shall have to expect henceforward.  I had a panic that we were carrying too much food and this morning we have discussed the matter and decided we can leave a sack.  We have done the usual 13 miles (geog.) with a few hundred yards to make the 15 statute.  The temperature was -21 deg. when we camped last night, now it is -3 deg..  The crocks are going on, very wonderfully.  Oates gives Chinaman at least three days, and Wright says he may go for a week.  This is slightly inspiriting, but how much better would it have been to have had ten really reliable beasts.  It’s touch and go whether we scrape up to the Glacier; meanwhile we get along somehow.  At any rate the bright sunshine makes everything look more hopeful.