Throughout the month the diaries record alternately "a wet day,
overcast and mild," and "bright and cold with light southerly winds."
The wind was now the vital factor with us and the one topic of any real
interest.
The beginning of March brought cold, damp, calm weather, with much wet
snow and overcast skies. The effect of the weather on our mental state
was very marked. All hands felt much more cheerful on a bright sunny
day, and looked forward with much more hope to the future, than when it
was dull and overcast. This had a much greater effect than an increase
in rations.
A south-easterly gale on the 13th lasting for five days sent us twenty
miles north, and from now our good fortune, as far as the wind was
concerned, never left us for any length of time. On the 20th we
experienced the worst blizzard we had had up to that time, though worse
were to come after landing on Elephant Island. Thick snow fell, making
it impossible to see the camp from thirty yards off. To go outside for
a moment entailed getting covered all over with fine powdery snow,
which required a great deal of brushing off before one could enter
again.
As the blizzard eased up, the temperature dropped and it became
bitterly cold. In our weak condition, with torn, greasy clothes, we
felt these sudden variations in temperature much more than we otherwise
would have done.
Pages:
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205