looking forward to making good runs down the glacier. We have had some
very heavy dragging lately [up] the sharp rises we found on the outward
journey. After a sharp rise we found a long gradual run down, two and
three miles in length. We noticed this on our outward journey and
remarked on it, but coming back the long uphill drag we found out was
pretty heavy work.

_15th January 1912._

Had a good run to-day but the ice was very rough and very much crevassed,
but with crampons on we made splendid progress. We did not like to stop,
but we thought it would not be advisable to overdo our strength as it is
a long way to go yet.

_16th January 1912._

We made good headway again to-day, but to-night we camped in some very
rough ice and pressure ridges. We are under the impression we are
slightly out of our proper course, but Mr. Evans thinks we cant be very
far out either way, and Crean and I are of the same opinion according to
the marks on the land. Anyhow we hope to get out of it in the morning and
make the Cloudmaker Depot by night. We shall then feel safe, but the
weather dont look over promising again to-night, I am thinking. So far we
have not had to stop for weather. We have wondered if the Pole Party have
been as lucky with the weather as we have. They ought by now to be
homeward bound. We have more chance now of writing as the temperature is
much better down here. To-night we have been discussing how the dogs got
home, and also the progress made by the Doctor's [Atkinson] Party. They
ought to be nearing home. We have thought of the time it will take us to
reach it at the rate we are getting along now.

_17th January 1912._

We have to-day experienced what we none of us ever wants to be our lot
again. I cannot describe the maze we got into and the hairbreadth escapes
we have had to pass through to-day. This day we shall remember all our
lives. The more we tried to get clear the worse the pressure got; at
times it seemed almost impossible for us to get along, and when we had
got over the places it was more than we could face to try and retreat; so
we struggled on for hours to try and free ourselves, but everything
seemed against us. I was leading with a long trace so that I could get
across some of the ridges when we thought it possible to get the sledge
over without being dashed down into the fathomless pits each side of us
which were too numerous to think of. Often and often we saw openings
whe