Another pony, Hackenschmidt, and one dog reported dead, but this certainly is not worse than expected. All the other animals are in good form.
Delighted with everything I see in the hut. Simpson has done wonders, but indeed so has everyone else, and I must leave description to a future occasion.
_Friday, April_ 14.--Good Friday. Peaceful day. Wind continuing 20 to 30 miles per hour.
_Saturday, April_ 15.--Weather continuing thoroughly bad. Wind blowing from 30 to 40 miles an hour all day; drift bad, and to-night snow falling. I am waiting to get back to Hut Point with relief stores. To-night sent up signal light to inform them there of our safe arrival--an answering flare was shown.
_Sunday, April_ 16.--Same wind as yesterday up to 6 o'clock, when it fell calm with gusts from the north.
Have exercised the ponies to-day and got my first good look at them. I scarcely like to express the mixed feelings with which I am able to regard this remnant.
_March_ 19.--Bay cleared except strip inside Inaccessible and Razor Back Islands to Corner Turk's Head.
_March_ 25.--Sea froze over inside Islands for good.
_March_ 30.--Remaining only inside Islands.
_April_ 6.--Present limit freezing in Strait and in North Bay.
_April_ 9.--Strait cleared except former limit and _some_ ice in North Bay likely to remain.
_Impressions on returning to the Hut, April_ 13, 1911
In choosing the site of the hut on our Home Beach I had thought of the possibility of northerly winds bringing a swell, but had argued, firstly, that no heavy northerly swell had ever been recorded in the Sound; secondly, that a strong northerly wind was bound to bring pack which would damp the swell; thirdly, that the locality was excellently protected by the Barne Glacier, and finally, that the beach itself showed no signs of having been swept by the sea, the rock fragments composing it being completely angular.
When the hut was erected and I found that its foundation was only 11 feet above the level of the sea ice, I had a slight misgiving, but reassured myself again by reconsidering the circumstances that afforded shelter to the beach.
The fact that such question had been considered makes it easier to understand the attitude of mind that readmitted doubt in the face of phenomenal conditions.