ment of a relief
expedition at Winter Quarters and appointed Bage, Bickerton, Hodgeman,
Jeffryes and McLean as members, under the command of Madigan; to remain
in Antarctica for another year if necessary.

On the same evening I went ashore to inspect the wireless mast, which
was practically complete. The work had been done thoroughly and,
provided the mast itself did not buckle, the stays were likely to
hold. Hannam, Bickerton and Jeffryes were busy placing the engine and
instruments in position.

I then went up the slope for about a mile. The Winter Quarters looked
like a heap of stones; boundless ice rose up to the southern skyline;
the dark water to the north was broken by an occasional berg or
the ice-covered islands. This wonderful region of ice and sea looks
beautiful on a fine day. But what a terrible, vast solitude, constantly
swept by icy winds and drift, stretches away to the south! A party will
go out to-morrow to visit the depot at the top of the slope. This is the
seventh day we have been waiting and hoping to welcome the absentees!

On the 23rd the breeze was very strong in the forenoon, but the wind
moderated about 4 P.M., when the launch was able to leave for the shore.
We could see a search party (Hodgeman, Stillwell, and Correll) marching
against a strong south-east wind on their way to examine the depot at
Aladdin's Cave and its vicinity.

Though there was a moderate south-easter blowing, communication with the
land went on during the day. I went ashore early, but the search party
did not return until noon. They had remained at Aladdin's Cave overnight
and marched farther south next morning, approaching a line of dense
drift, without seeing anything.

It was arranged that another party of three men should start next
morning (January 25) and, going in a southeasterly direction, make a
search for five days, laying a depot at their farthest point. Hodgeman,
Hurley and McLean made preparations to set out. I left instructions that
a flag should be flown on the wireless mast if Dr. Mawson returned.

I now went through the supplies of provisions and coal which were to
be landed for the use of the Relief Party. I intended to try and
have everything on shore by January 29, taking advantage of any short
interval of fair weather to send a boatload to the landing-place.

On the 25th there was a hard south-east gale blowing until the
afternoon, when it moderated sufficiently to send off the launch with
thi