We are all acting like seasoned sledge travellers now, such is the force of example.  Our tent is up and cooker going in the shortest time after halt, and we are able to break camp in exceptionally good time.  Cherry-Garrard is cook.  He is excellent, and is quickly learning all the tips for looking after himself and his gear.

What a difference such care makes is apparent now, but was more so when he joined the tent with all his footgear iced up, whilst Wilson and I nearly always have dry socks and finnesko to put on.  This is only a point amongst many in which experience gives comfort.  Every minute spent in keeping one’s gear dry and free of snow is very well repaid.

Monday, February 20.—­29 miles.  Lunch.  Excellent run on hard wind-swept surface—­covered nearly seventeen miles.  Very cold at starting and during march.  Suddenly wind changed and temperature rose so that at the moment of stopping for final halt it appeared quite warm, almost sultry.  On stopping found we had covered 29 miles, some 35 statute miles.  The dogs are weary but by no means played out—­during the last part of the journey they trotted steadily with a wonderfully tireless rhythm.  I have been off the sledge a good deal and trotting for a good many miles, so should sleep well.  E. Evans has left a bale of forage at Camp 8 and has not taken on the one which he might have taken from the depot—­facts which show that his ponies must have been going strong.  I hope to find them safe and sound the day after to-morrow.

We had the most wonderfully beautiful sky effects on the march with the sun circling low on the southern horizon.  Bright pink clouds hovered overhead on a deep grey-blue background.  Gleams of bright sunlit mountains appeared through the stratus.

Here it is most difficult to predict what is going to happen.  Sometimes the southern sky looks dark and ominous, but within half an hour all has changed—­the land comes and goes as the veil of stratus lifts and falls.  It seems as though weather is made here rather than dependent on conditions elsewhere.  It is all very interesting.

Tuesday, February 21.—­New Camp about 12 miles from Safety Camp. 15 1/2 miles.  We made a start as usual about 10 P.M.  The light was good at first, but rapidly grew worse till we could see little of the surface.  The dogs showed signs of wearying.  About an hour and a half after starting we came on mistily outlined pressure ridges.  We were running by the sledges.  Suddenly Wilson shouted ’Hold on to the sledge,’ and I saw him slip a leg into a crevasse.  I jumped to the sledge, but saw nothing.  Five minutes after, as the teams were trotting side by side, the middle dogs of our team disappeared.  In a moment the whole team were sinking—­two by two we lost sight of them, each pair struggling for foothold.  Osman the leader exerted all his great strength and kept a foothold—­it was wonderful to see him.  The sledge stopped and we leapt aside.  The situation