“There were also clothes, diaries, and specimens from Granite Harbour. 
   I decided to camp here and have a day off.

“Dividing the provisions between the two tents, we soon had hoosh going and such a feed of biscuit, butter; and lard as we had not had for nine months, and we followed this up with sweet, thick cocoa.  After this we killed and cut up a seal, as we are getting short of meat and there is every prospect of a blizzard coming on.

   “Levick and Abbott saw a desperate fight between two bull seals
   to-day.  They gashed each other right through skin and blubber till
   they were bleeding badly.

“We had another hoosh and more biscuit and lard in the evening; then we turned into our bags and, quite torpid with food, discussed our plans on arriving at Cape Evans.  We had quite decided we should find no one there, for we believed the whole party had been blown north in the ship while trying to reach us.  Still discussing plans we fell asleep.

“What with news from the main party and food (although both were a year old), it was the happiest day since we last saw the ship.  I awoke in the night, finished my share of the butter and most of my lard, then dozed off again.”

“November 6.—­Another fine day.  We marched till 1 p.m., when our sledge broke down, the whole runner coming off.  As we were only one mile from Hut Point I camped.  Priestley, Dickason, and I walked in to look for news and get another sledge, as I was sure some would be there.

“As we neared the Point we noticed fresh tracks of mule and dogs.  I pointed them out to Priestley, and said, ’I hope there is nothing wrong with the Pole Party, as I do not like the look of these.’  He said, ‘No more do I’ We ran up to the hut and found a letter from Atkinson to the ‘Commanding Officer, Terra Nova.’  I opened this and learnt the sad news of the loss of the Polar Party.  The names of the party were not given, and finding Atkinson in charge of the search party which had started, I was afraid 2 units, or 8 men, were lost.  Finding a sledge only slightly damaged, I took that back to the camp, getting back there about 5 p.m.

“We were all rather tired, so instead of starting straight on to Cape Evans, we had supper and went to sleep.  Before turning in we made a depot of the broken sledge, all rock specimens, clothes and food, so as to travel light to Cape Evans.  I was very anxious to get there as soon as possible, as I thought there was a chance that there might be one or two mules or enough dogs to enable me to follow the search party.  It had been a great disappointment for us to have missed them by a week, as we were all anxious to join in the search.”

“November 7.—­4 a.m.  A lovely morning.  After a hasty breakfast we were off, arriving at Cape Evans at 5 p.m.  We found no one at home, but a letter on the door of the