our fire. Other seals came up as the first two were being skinned,
so that one may now hope to keep up all future supplies on this side
of the ridge.

As I write the wind is blowing up again and looks like returning to
the south. The only comfort is that these strong cold winds with no
sun must go far to cool the waters of the Sound.

The continuous bad weather is trying to the spirits, but we are fairly
comfortable in the hut and only suffer from lack of exercise to work
off the heavy meals our appetites demand.

_Tuesday, March_ 21.--The wind returned to the south at 8 last
night. It gradually increased in force until 2 A.M., when it
was blowing from the S.S.W., force 9 to 10. The sea was breaking
constantly and heavily on the ice foot. The spray carried right over
the Point--covering all things and raining on the roof of the hut. Poor
Vince's cross, some 30 feet above the water, was enveloped in it.

Of course the dogs had a very poor time, and we went and released
two or three, getting covered in spray during the operation--our wind
clothes very wet.

This is the third gale from the south since our arrival here. Any
one of these would have rendered the Bay impossible for a ship, and
therefore it is extraordinary that we should have entirely escaped
such a blow when the _Discovery_ was in it in 1902.

The effects of this gale are evident and show that it is a most unusual
occurrence. The rippled snow surface of the ice foot is furrowed in