ng in view the fact
that each was to weigh not more than eighty pounds, so as to ensure
convenient handling.

After a silence of about four months, we again heard Adelie Land on
February 3, but the same old trouble existed, that is, they could not
hear us. Sawyer called them again and again, getting no reply, but we
reckoned that conditions would improve in a few weeks, as the hours of
darkness increased.

Hamilton and I made a trip to the hill-tops on the 4th for the purpose
of taking a series of plant and earth temperatures which were of
interest biologically, and while there I took the opportunity of
obtaining temperatures in all the lakes we saw. Hamilton also took some
panoramic photographs from the various eminences and all of them turned
out well.

During the evening Adelie Land sent out a message saying that Dr. Mawson
had not yet returned to the Base from his sledging trip and Sawyer
received it without difficulty, but though he "pounded away" in return
for a considerable time, he was not heard, as no reply or acknowledgment
was made.

The 'Rachel Cohen' remained till the 5th, when a northerly gale arose
and drove her away. As she had a good cargo of oil on board no one
expected her to return. We had sent our mail on board several days
previously as experience had shown us that the sailing date of ships
visiting the island was very uncertain.

Sandell met with a slight though painful accident on the 7th. He was
starting the engine, when it "backfired" and the handle flying off with
great force struck him on the face, inflicting a couple of nasty cuts,
loosening several teeth, and lacerating the inside of his cheek. A black
eye appeared in a day or two and his face swelled considerably, but
nothing serious supervened. In a few days the swelling had subsided and
any anxiety we felt was at an end.

We now had only two sheep left, and on the 8th Blake and I went to kill
one. Mac accompanied us. Seeing the sheep running away, she immediately
set off after them, notwithstanding our threats, yells and curses. They
disappeared over a spur, but shortly afterwards Mac returned, and, being
severely thrashed, immediately left for home. We looked for the sheep
during the rest of the day but could find no trace of them, and though
we searched for many days it was not till five weeks had elapsed that we
discovered them on a small "landing" about half-way down the face of the
cliff. They had apparently rushed over the