Hut bringing
all the dogs except Grandmother, who had died of exhaustion. Aladdin's
Cave had been difficult to find in the driving snow, which had thickened
after the first few miles. They actually passed close to it when Mertz,
between the gusts, sighted Castor jumping about, fully alive to the
approaching relief. The other dogs were found curled up in the snow, in
a listless, apathetic state; apparently in the same positions when left
seven days before. They had made no attempt to break into several bags
of provisions lying close at hand, preferring to starve rather than
expose their faces to the pelting drift. All were frozen down except
Basilisk and Castor. Pavlova was in the best condition, possibly because
her last meal had been an extra full one; a reward for remaining with us
when the others had bolted. Grandmother was in the worst condition,
and, despite all efforts at revival, died four hours after. As the poor
brutes were very weak after their long fast and exposure, they were
taken into the Cave and fed on warm hoosh. Everything possible was done
for them, and in return the party passed a very miserable time cramped
in such a small space with six dogs. The accommodation was slightly
increased by enlarging the Cave.

Five days of calm weather! It could scarcely be credited, yet September
came with such a spell. They gave us great opportunities, and, for once,
a vision of what perfect Antarctic days might be. The sea speedily froze
over and extended our territory to the north. Every day we dredged among
the tide-cracks, until Hunter and Laseron had material enough to sort
and bottle for weeks. Seals came up everywhere, and the dogs gorged on
much-needed meat and blubber. Three large Weddells were shot near the
"Eastern Barrier" on September 1, and hauled up an ice-cliff eighty feet
high to the rocks above. Work on the wireless masts went on apace, and
the geologist was abroad with his plane-table every day. Webb and Bage,
after a protracted interval, were able to take star observations for
time, in order to check the chronometers.

Mertz, Ninnis, Whetter and Laseron, with a team of dogs sledged a big
load of food-stuffs to Aladdin's Cave on September 1. At the Cave the
dogs were let loose, but instead of running back to the Hut, lingered
about and finally had to be led down the slope. On being loosed again,
several rushed back to the Cave and were only brought along by force.
That night, Scott and Franklin, t