rottoes" we saw three figures on the floe and guessed that the eastern
party had returned. In a few minutes greetings were heartily exchanged
and they had welcomed us home.

Instructions had been given that the Western Base should be in readiness
to embark on the 'Aurora' not later than January 30, 1913.

When Wild's party had arrived, preparations for departure were
immediately made. Geological and biological collections were packed,
stores were sorted out and cases containing personal gear were sledged
to the edge of the glacier.

Harrisson contrived a winch for sounding and fishing. Fourteen-gauge
copper wire was wound on it and, through a crack in the sea-ice a
quarter of a mile from the glacier, bottom was reached in two hundred
and sixty fathoms. As the water was too deep for dredging, Harrisson
manufactured cage-traps and secured some fish, a squid, and other
specimens.

At this time there was abundant evidence of life. Skua gulls frequently
flew about the hut, as well as Cape pigeons, Antarctic, snow, Wilson,
giant and silver-grey petrels. Out on the sea-ice, there were Adelie and
Emperor penguins; the latter moulting. Hundreds of seals were seen with
glasses on the edge of the floe, ten miles to the north.

On the whole, January was a very fine month. Some of the days seemed
really hot; the shade temperature on one occasion reaching 37 degrees
F., and, in several instances, 33 degrees F. It was quite a common
thing for a man to work outside in loose, light garments; in fact, with
nothing more than a singlet on the upper part of the body.

On January 26, while Kennedy took observations, Wild and the others went
for a walk towards the open water. The surface was very rough and broken
by leads, along which Weddell seals lay in great numbers. Three miles
of ice were found to have drifted out, reducing the northern expanse to
seven miles.

In view of the possibility of the 'Aurora' not relieving them, the party
went through their food-supplies, finding that these were sufficient for
another year, with the exception of meat. With regard to coal, two tons
of briquettes remained, which, augmented by good stock of seal-blubber,
would provide sufficient fuel.

Laying in a store of seals' flesh and blubber now became the principal
work, and every fine day saw a party out with a sledge. Unfortunately,
the nearest crack on the sea-ice was nearly two miles away, so that the
return journey, with a heavily laden sledg