Wednesday, February 14.—­Lunch Temp. 0 deg.; Supper Temp. -1 deg..  A fine day with wind on and off down the glacier, and we have done a fairly good march.  We started a little late and pulled on down the moraine.  At first I thought of going right, but soon, luckily, changed my mind and decided to follow the curving lines of the moraines.  This course has brought us well out on the glacier.  Started on crampons; one hour after, hoisted sail; the combined efforts produced only slow speed, partly due to the sandy snowdrifts similar to those on summit, partly to our torn sledge runners.  At lunch these were scraped and sand-papered.  After lunch we got on snow, with ice only occasionally showing through.  A poor start, but the gradient and wind improving, we did 6 1/2 miles before night camp.

There is no getting away from the fact that we are not going strong.  Probably none of us:  Wilson’s leg still troubles him and he doesn’t like to trust himself on ski; but the worst case is Evans, who is giving us serious anxiety.  This morning he suddenly disclosed a huge blister on his foot.  It delayed us on the march, when he had to have his crampon readjusted.  Sometimes I fear he is going from bad to worse, but I trust he will pick up again when we come to steady work on ski like this afternoon.  He is hungry and so is Wilson.  We can’t risk opening out our food again, and as cook at present I am serving something under full allowance.  We are inclined to get slack and slow with our camping arrangements, and small delays increase.  I have talked of the matter to-night and hope for improvement.  We cannot do distance without the ponies.  The next depot [43] some 30 miles away and nearly 3 days’ food in hand.

Thursday, February 15.—­R. 29.  Lunch Temp. -10 deg.; Supper Temp. -4 deg.. 13.5 miles.  Again we are running short of provision.  We don’t know our distance from the depot, but imagine about 20 miles.  Heavy march—­did 13 3/4 (geo.).  We are pulling for food and not very strong evidently.  In the afternoon it was overcast; land blotted out for a considerable interval.  We have reduced food, also sleep; feeling rather done.  Trust 1 1/2 days or 2 at most will see us at depot.

Friday, February 16.—­12.5 m.  Lunch Temp.-6.1 deg.; Supper Temp. -7 deg..  A rather trying position.  Evans has nearly broken down in brain, we think.  He is absolutely changed from his normal self-reliant self.  This morning and this afternoon he stopped the march on some trivial excuse.  We are on short rations with not very short food; spin out till to-morrow night.  We cannot be more than 10 or 12 miles from the depot, but the weather is all against us.  After lunch we were enveloped in a snow sheet, land just looming.  Memory should hold the events of a very troublesome march with more troubles ahead.  Perhaps all will be well if we can get to our depot to-morrow fairly early, but it is anxious work with the sick man.  But it’s no use meeting troubles half way, and our sleep is all too short to write more.