t walk. I am taking all the rest I
can."

"_March 20._ Last night a very strong blizzard blew, wind force 9 and big
snowfall and drift. This morning the doors and windows are all drifted
up, and we could hardly get out: a lot of snow had got inside the hut
also: I was feeling rotten, and thought that to go out and clear the
window and door would do me good. This I did, but came back in a big
squall, passing Atkinson as I came in. Then I felt myself going faint,
and remember pushing the door to get in if possible. I knew no more until
I came to on the floor just inside the door, having broken some tendons
in my right hand in falling."[268]

Two days afterwards the dogs sang at breakfast-time: they often did this
when a party was approaching, even when it was still far away, and they
had done so when Crean came in on his walk from Corner Camp. We were
cheered by the noise. But no party arrived, and the singing of the dogs
was explained later by some seal appearing on the new ice in Arrival Bay.
Atkinson decided to go out on to the Barrier man-hauling with Keohane on
the 26th. It was obvious that I could not go with them: he told me
afterwards that when I came in with the dog-teams he was sure I could not
go out again.

"_March 25._ The wind came away yesterday evening, first S.W. and then
S.E. but not bad, though very thick. It was a surprise to find we could
see the Western Mountains this morning, and I believe it has been a good
day on the Barrier, though it is still blowing with low drift this
evening. We are now on the days when I expect the Polar Party in: pray
God I may be right. Atkinson and I look at one another, and he looks, and
I feel, quite haggard with anxiety. He says he does not think they have
scurvy. We both, I think, feel quite comfortable, in comparison, about
Campbell: he only wants to exercise care, and his great care was almost a
byword on the ship. They are fresh and they have plenty of seal.[269] He
discussed with Pennell both the possibility of shipwreck and that of the
ship being unable to get to him, and for this reason landed an extra
month's rations as a depot; also he contemplated the idea of living on
seal. He knows of the Butter Point Depot, and knows that a party has been
sledging in that neighbourhood: though he does not know of the depots
they left at Cape Roberts and Cape Bernacchi, they are right out on the
Points and Taylor says he could not miss them on his way down the
coast."[27