The ‘Aurora’ could have found safe winter quarters farther up McMurdo Sound, towards Hut Point, but would have run the risk of being frozen in over the following summer, and I had given instructions to Mackintosh before he went south that this danger must be avoided.

“Meanwhile we are making all preparations here for a prolonged stay.  The shortage of clothing is our principal hardship.  The members of the party from Hut Point have the clothes we wore when we left the ship on January 25.  We have been without a wash all that time, and I cannot imagine a dirtier set of people.  We have been attempting to get a wash ever since we came back, but owing to the blow during the last two days no opportunity has offered.  All is working smoothly here, and every one is taking the situation very philosophically.  Stevens is in charge of the scientific staff and is now the senior officer ashore.  Joyce is in charge of the equipment and has undertaken to improvise clothes out of what canvas can be found here.  Wild is working with Joyce.  He is a cheerful, willing soul.  Nothing ever worries or upsets him, and he is ever singing or making some joke or performing some amusing prank.  Richards has taken over the keeping of the meteorological log.  He is a young Australian, a hard, conscientious worker, and I look forward to good results from his endeavours.  Jack, another young Australian, is his assistant.  Hayward is the handy man, being responsible for the supply of blubber.  Gaze, another Australian, is working in conjunction with Hayward.  Spencer-Smith, the padre, is in charge of photography, and, of course, assists in the general routine work.  Cope is the medical officer.

“The routine here is as follows:  Four of us, myself, Stevens, Richards, and Spencer-Smith, have breakfast at 7 a.m.  The others are called at 9 a.m., and their breakfast is served.  Then the table is cleared, the floor is swept, and the ordinary work of the day is commenced.  At 1 p.m. we have what we call ‘a counter lunch,’ that is, cold food and cocoa.  We work from 2 p.m. till 5 p.m.  After 5 p.m. people can do what they like.  Dinner is at 7.  The men play games, read, write up diaries.  We turn in early, since we have to economize fuel and light.  Night-watches are kept by the scientific men, who have the privilege of turning in during the day.  The day after my arrival here I gave an outline of our situation and explained the necessity for economy in the use of fuel, light, and stores, in view of the possibility that we may have to stay here for two years....  We are not going to commence work for the sledging operations until we know more definitely the fate of the ‘Aurora’.  I dare not think any disaster has occurred.”

During the remaining days of June the men washed and mended clothes, killed seals, made minor excursions in the neighbourhood of the hut, and discussed plans for the future.  They had six dogs, two being bitches without experience of sledging.  One of these bitches had given birth to a litter of pups, but she proved a poor mother and the young ones died.  The animals had plenty of seal meat and were tended carefully.