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our last kill and found the bay ice had broken away to within 3 or 4 feet of the carcases, but none of the meat had gone, for which we were very thankful. In the afternoon it was blowing very hard again, and we all got frostbitten carrying up the meat.

July 31st.—After two days of warm snowy weather with a moderate S.E. breeze the wind has again swung to the west and is blowing a gale. Signs and tracks of seals are numerous and we have seen several swimming near the ice foot. I think our lean days are over.

August 3.—It has been blowing the same hard westerly wind, clear and cold. Browning got his hand badly frostbitten getting sea ice. It 'went' right up to the wrist and he was a long time bringing it round.

I walked over to the piedmont in the afternoon to look for some penguins we had depôted there. The bay ice had held well. On the piedmont it was blowing hard, with drift, but evidently a low level wind, as half-way up the hills at an altitude of about 1000 feet lay a thin stratus cloud, above which there was no drift off the hills. The sky was very fine to the north.

August 7.—To-day and yesterday have been very warm, the weather overcast, with snow and drift, and our door continually drifting up. Abbott and Browning improved the entrance by building a torpedo-boat hatch out of ski sticks and snow blocks. We felt the increased draught for the blubber stove immediately. The heavy snow of the last month has buried our whole hut about 3 ft. deeper and made it much warmer. Our trouble now is the water that drips from the roof whenever we