Tuesday April 14th.

David, Dan and I went in the afternoon for a walk in the pressure ice to the north, Dan with a shot gun and we two with rifles. At last the weather has changed for the better and the wind was gentle, dying away to a calm in the afternoon while the sun shone through thin clouds illuminating the top of the Base mountain with a shaft of light, while the rest was in shadow. The bay ice was good for walking; we reached the pressure ice without seeing any sign of life. It was my first sight of masses of ice packed up by pressure, usually in cuboid blocks - sometimes in fantastic shapes but always clean cut with straight edges. The blue colouring was most beautiful and the further you look into a hollow between two lumps, the more intense the blue, and underneath hung many icicles.

Then we came across the track of a big bear, then another with a small track beside. Dan hadn't actually seen a bear yet, and though he said he would only come as far as the pressure we walked along it towards Cape Hansteen in the hope of seeing one; but in vain, and he turned back. David and I went north again towards a second line of pressure and soon David saw a seal lying out. We stalked it as far as a line of hummocks beyond which it was almost open, and then debated whether to try a long shot or to stalk nearer. We decided to try to get a bit nearer, but when we had started moving it suddenly woke up, became suspicious and dropped into its hole. There was some blood by the hole and we surmised that she had recently given birth. We went ahead a bit, and then suddenly I saw a different coloured piece of ice and David verified that it was a bear. This at last was what we wanted.

We advanced a few yards to take up good positions at the edge of the pack; he was evidently curious and came towards us slowly but went so much to the right that he got behind a big piece of ice. We decided to retire over 30 yds of smooth ice so as to have a clear shot, and were already confident of getting him. We got down there and waited while he came on, but suddenly he changed his mind and turned round. We were mad. We rushed up to our old positions to shoot as it is no good chasing him. David had earlier on fallen through some newly formed ice up to his knees and wetted his rifle and now his safety catch and trigger were frozen. He soon got them all right though, we fired five shots between us but they were wild shots and he was 200 yds away and looked small from behind and he ran threading his way through the pack, he often disappeared behind lumps, and before long we lost sight of him. We were fools not to have lain still in the middle of the flat patch all the time and then he would probably have stalked us, taking us for seals. We followed him up a bit, and found slight blood marks in his right fore footmark, but I think he probably cut his foot on a piece of ice. We saw him again soon, well ahead; it was no use following him and we bore left to cut him off in case he turned south but he didn't, and we soon gave him up and went to investigate a huge pile of pressure about 25 ft high composed of huge rectangular and cubical masses of ice piled in a haphazard manner. Then we struck shorewards and towards the Base until we came across more tracks, and after that we were continually coming on more; this was a real bear thoroughfare. We were surprised to find a number of them had fallen into the ice which gave us satisfaction as we, who have less experience in ice, did so too; we were overjoyed to find that we had at least forced our bear in his hurry to fall through some newly formed ice. No more signs of life, and as the sun got lower walking in the uneven shadowless surface became quite difficult; the surface was seldom good walking and we were pleasantly tired when we got back to the Base.

Sandy got up today so is getting on a bit. It now seems possible that he won't be able to go on Northern journey. Andrew is anxious to go and Dan volunteered to accompany him. Perhaps he wants to, but he is obviously unfit and Andrew doesn't seem to want anybody unfit with him. He asked me to come this evening, but whether it is possible or desirable I don't know.

Wednesday April 15th.

Esther's birthday and the birthday of our midnight sun. From today the sun will not set until we are on the way home. I took Karl over to his Cape Hansteen hut, so that if he had got a bear with his automatic shot I could bring it home. We got off with only a few of his things on the rigid with bent runners and broken handlebars, about 10.15, with Abuliak, Pamiok, Kayunguak, Kungasenak, Upik and Angutinguak. Near the Base I had difficulty in getting them to go in the right direction, but after that they were fine and went finely by word of command. There was little cloud and snowgoggles had to be worn. I couldn't find the lane through the pack and for the last half of the way over ( about 7 miles) was through awkwand pack, and we soon got so hot that we had to stop and I discarded two sweaters. It had been calm, but almost at once after restarting the wind got up with drift, so that we had to put on clothes again. Old Karl got a bit lost at the end and guided me to a rock instead of his hut. Here he told me to stop, however, while he went to look at the automatic shot. The wind was whirling and eddying round Cape Hansteen, and the drift blew in your face whatever direction you faced. Karl returned despondently: the automatic shot had been blown over and drifted up and a bear had stolen the blubber without the gun's going off.

We went down to his hut then; it is a small wooden one with stones outside. He was really most hospitable and soon had a fire crackling and put coffee on while he chopped up more wood. He also tried to press me to a reindeer stew, but it was only bones so we didn't after all. After just managing the coffee and taking a photo of the hut with Karl in front, he took Upik inside - he is to keep her a bit as the Northern journey find her too small in the pack and she is due to pup in a few weeks - I started off home.

This was great fun: our outgoing tracks were now drifted over, and not knowing the best way I just went straight and sat on the sledge and held on as the dogs rushed it over the pack - it was most exhilerating, and the dogs were wonderful to steer. We only stopped twice when I took photos. When we got through the pack on to some hard wind-swept snow the dogs just rushed to the Base - faster than I have ever been on a sledge before. The wind and drift were getting worse when we got back at 3.30pm. Dan and David had been out plane-tabling and returned soon afterwards after a cold day.

Sandy got up this morning and has been up all day; they intend to start North again tomorrow morning if possible.

A blow at night. Tromsö no longer want any met. reports: I suppose they are getting fed up with bad communication and not getting the reports in time for their weather forecasts.

Thursday April 16th.

It was fine with good visibility this morning, and the Northern journey decided to leave about 11am. During the morning, however, a fog settled down, and they had to postpone their departure. In the afternoon it was still like that, and Sandy and Brownie went out hunting, and in the meantime it cleared and Andrew was anxious to start off. Then the hunters returned, having shot a small seal, and there was argument as to whether it was worth postponing the departure till after the dogs had had a good feed; in the end it was decided that they should go at midnight and have some sleep first while Dan and I went out for the seal.

Dan insisted on having the full team, and they were most unruly. Angugssuak, Palase and Angutinguak seemed frightened of the Blacks and pulled hard to the left, and Dan couldn't get the dogs to go right to pick up the tracks. However we found them at last and followed them up. We went round the pack as far as possible and found an easy way through. After a bit we found the seal - with no sign of bear tracks round it. We cut it up and went home. Euphemia and K2 had come with us all the way - Euphemia had already been out with the hunters - and not only kept up with the dogs all the time but ran round them in circles. They are wonderful little beasts - they've never had a good feed in their lives, but they've always got their tails high in the air.

When through the pack Dan decided to loose Ayo to lead the way home, but as I was clearing the traces with gloves slippery with blubber, half the dogs rushed when Dan moved away from in front of them, and the traces just slipped through my hands. We were left with four dogs only; we called the others and they stopped, but only the affectionate Palase was fool enough to come back, and he was put on the sledge. However the five dogs got us home quite easily, but when we got to the ice wall the dogs were determined not to climb it but to go through an arch; we jumped off just in time and the sledge stuck. Dan drove them back and we were in in a minute. One good thing was clear, however - the dogs are no longer interested in Merratark.

Supper was spent in composing a telegram to Mussolini, and at last in good weather, the Northern party got off after midnight.

Saturday April 18th.

Bird shooting has begun properly today. Brownie brought home six fulmars this evening and he and Dan went out after supper - I clambered up the scree after them - and got another five. We keep the breasts for ourselves and feed the rest to the puppies.

The other event of the day has been Dan and Davvid's carpentering effort in window making - in the end they produced a magnificent one painted red outside and white inside for the Murchison Bay hotel.

Getting up even more phenomenal than ever. Even Brownie is cracking up and doesn't get up till 10 o'clock. Still it doesn't matter a bit what time we get up now: with so little sleep I find I don't get at all sleepy, and am usually awake long before the alarm goes off, which is most pleasant.

Sunday April 19th,

Complications w.r.t. the puppies; we had always taken it for granted that K2 was a dog and Etheldreda a bitch as the former is so big, but now I find it vice-versa. K2 may keep her name, but the other dog has had to be named Number Eight or Swithun. They are beginning to fight among themselves quite a lot; it looks as if Pat will be King, and Pinkiak is the biggest just now.

Fulmar shooting continued and two guillemots were included in today's bag; we had their breasts fried tonight, and they were really good if a bit tough. The puppies wrestled with the rest.

While Dan and Brownie were shooting in the morning, David and I went for a walk out to where the seal had been killed the other day - we had left half the skin - to see if we could see a bear. The arms situation here is very bad, and we only had a revolver to defend ourselves. David brought his camera in the hopes of a photo. However we saw 'not a track,' but it was a most pleasant walk in a gentle wind and strong sunshine. When we got back David thought he heard a snow bunting, but we couldn't see it, but when Dan reported at lunch his having seen one, we went out again afterwards along the coast to the S.E. looking and listening, but no sign. We decided to go on to the Hansigne glacier to do some glaciological work for Sandy , but just before we got there I remembered we had had lunch two hours late and it was really 5pm. when I thought it was about 3pm. So we had to turn back so that I could communicate with Robert. After supper Brownie started for a long night walk and I accompanied him for a bit, seeing the midnight sun for the first time this year.

The living-room is getting like an office at times now. Brownie and David are both typing out their diaries, and I am doing the Polaris results, so at times three typewriters are going together.

Monday April 20th.

Brownie enjoyed his walk and was back quite early, and stayed up till after breakfast. It was a really glorious morning - if all Monday mornings were like this, chart-changing would be a real pleasure; today was the first time for a long time when I have dealt with them in the open. In the afternoon David and I walked out to the blue iceberg, where he took some photos, and then down towards the Brodsoppen glacier(?). There was quite a wind in Zeipel Bay with drift, and the contrast between walking into the wind and into the sun was amazing. The sun is really strong now and snow is thawing all round the stones, though the temp. has been about -5℉. Everywhere old tracks visible - a criminal in the Arctic would have more difficulty in escaping, for if his tracks are covered with the first snowfall or drift, they will appear later as tracks raised above the surface. Quite a photographic day - David has been trying out the expedition camera and Andrew's, and he developed the results, and Brownie did a film too.

Communicated with Robert at 12.15 today instead of 5.40pm. - it's more convenient for us as it now gives us the afternoon freer.

Karl returned, and Dan has gone over to Cape Hansteen for a round of angles.

Tuesday April 21st.

The wind round to the S.E. with drift, but temperature positive at last, and it rose steadily during the day to +11℉ in the evening. It was an indoors day, however. Was up alone at breakfast once again. After so much company in the last few months I feel quite lonely eating by myself, but the gramophone is a great comfort. In the afternoon David, Brownie and I built the seven-foot Nansen sledge for the man-hauling journey to Murchison Bay. We had to fit the runners on to a part cut out of an old 14 ft. Nansen. The runners are lashed on with hide, and after that there were various lashings of broken bits and fitting on handlebars, and I learnt a lot. It took quite a long time but we did all but the back tray by soon after supper.

Wednesday April 22nd.

Warmer at last - the max. was 27℉ but it dropped a lot in the evening. A few little things for Murchison Bay party. My most alarming experience up to now up here - Brownie has been doing some glissading down a steep snow slope 200ft. high and suggested my doing it. When I got to the top it was distinctly alarming looking down, but I didn't like to funk it. I started off all right then the ice-axe began to get behind me and I lost control; like a fool I tried to stop myself by reversing the ice-axe and digging it into the snow, but of course I was going too fast and the handle just slipped through my hands; a rapid acceleration and a terrifying spectacle of the rocks rushing upwards: sometimes head first, sometimes legs first: got one bang on my seat on a rock, then I was blinded by a cloud of snow and saw nothing more till I came to rest again in a bed of deep snow. A bit dazed, but none the worse (and a lot wiser) for the experience, except that I feel like the traditional schoolboy, and prefer to stand rather than sit.

Dan came back in the evening. International day started 4pm.

Thursday 23 April

David pernoctated with me again: he really seems to enjoy it, and I certainly do as a rule, but not this time. In an existence like this it was inevitable that sometimes somebody gets annoyed by another, and today it was one of the least likely pairs! It was a question of the arrangements for the journey to Murchison Bay - the party was to consist of David, Dan and Brownie. Dan has been very unfit ever since the Wahlenberg Bay journey, and was hoping to do the manhauling in easy stages. David, however, likes doing things quickly and wanted to get up the house as quickly as possible and to do the journey in less than 4 days if possible; he didn't realise how unfit Dan feels. What really caused the trouble was that when Dan was out of the room he overheard David say to Brownie "If Dan is so unfit why did he offer to go on the Northern journey?" This made Dan livid, for though he knew how unfit he was, he felt that if Sandy couldn't go north again it was up to somebody to go with Andrew, and offered accordingly. He asked me to go to Murchison Bay to build the hut and said he would learn to work the receiver of the ionosphere- developing it etc. He said he now felt that David didn't really want him down at Murchison Bay - (quite untrue, for just the other day David said to me that he thought he was going to be the most fortunate member of the expedition as regards his companion during the summer) - and that in any case he didn't think he would be fit enough to start the survey there for a month. I tried to point out that it was entirely a misunderstanding on both sides, discouraged his plans, and renewed my offer of manhauling with them for nearly two days.

Then there was another complication, for owing mostly to cold and bad weather Dan hasn't been able to survey the Brandy Bay district; Brownie gave us to understand that he would like to do it, but when Dan started explaining the cairns etc. and giving instructions the other day Brownie was merely uninterested and rude. Dan came to me afterwards in quite a state, so I offered to do it if he showed me how, though it will be most awkward for me living with Brownie. So we came to no conclusions, for as Dan and I were walking back discussing these things we ran into David.

Dan spent the rest of the evening trying to make his arch-enemy Karl drunk, saying that between them they must finish a new whisky bottle. Dan never believes a word of Karl's stories and tried to catch him out; he nearly foxed him when Karl told some story about the Straits of Magellan, but Karl got out of it. While these two were talking and arguing away, David and I were making hauling harnesses and a few other things. Karl retired to bed at last at 2am. perfectly sober - Dan stayed up till 4am., evidently recovered himself, and talking away on the best of terms to David. When he went to bed I explained the position to David, who was most upset and of course saw that they should go slowly, and we turned over several plans of how we could help him most. So morning came quickly and David went to bed when Brownie got up. All this flap came to absolutely nothing; nothing more was ever said about the journey, everybody assuming that the original plan held.

All were up for lunch, but Kark complained of pains due to having taken whisky after rum! He went back to bed at once, but got up later to cook fulmars in a novel and extremely oily way.