n places. There is no daylight, and air can come only
through the small fore hatch; the artificial lamplight has given much
trouble. The men have been wetted to the skin repeatedly on deck,
and have no chance of drying their clothing. All things considered,
their cheerful fortitude is little short of wonderful.

_First Ice_.--There was a report of ice at dinner to-night. Evans
corroborated Cheetham's statement that there was a berg far away to
the west, showing now and again as the sun burst through the clouds.

_Thursday, December_ 8.--63 deg. 20'. 177 deg. 22'. S. 31 E. 138'; to
Circle 191'. The wind increased in the first watch last night to
a moderate gale. The ship close hauled held within two points of
her course. Topgallant sails and mainsail were furled, and later in
the night the wind gradually crept ahead. At 6 A.M. we were obliged
to furl everything, and throughout the day we have been plunging
against a stiff breeze and moderate sea. This afternoon by keeping a
little to eastward of the course, we have managed to get fore and aft
sail filled. The barometer has continued its steady upward path for
twenty-four hours; it shows signs of turning, having reached within
1/10th of 30 inches. It was light throughout last night (always a
cheerful condition), but this head wind is trying to the patience,
more especially as our coal expenditure is more than I estimated. We
manage 62 or 63 revolutions on about 9 tons, but have to distil every
three days at expense of half a ton, and then there is a weekly half
ton for the cook. It is certainly a case of fighting one's way South.

I was much disturbed last night by the motion; the ship was pitching
and twisting with short sharp movements on a confused sea, and with
every plunge my thoughts flew to our poor ponies. This afternoon
they are fairly well, but one knows that they must be getting weaker
as time goes on, and one longs to give them a good sound rest with
the ship on an even keel. Poor patient beasts! One wonders how far
the memory of such fearful discomfort will remain with them--animals
so often remember places and conditions where they have encountered
difficulties or hurt. Do they only recollect circumstances which are
deeply impressed by some shock of fear or sudden pain, and does the
remembrance of prolonged strain pass away? Who can tell? But it would
seem strangely merciful if nature should blot out these weeks of slow
but inevitable torture.

The dogs