sharpness of an after-blizzard atmosphere, and the temperature seemed to
fall even lower than at midnight. Our fingers seemed to be cut with the
frost burn, and frost bites played all round our faces, making us wince
with pain.

We were marching, as, it were, under the shadow of Erebus, the great
Antarctic volcano, and on this never-to-be-forgotten night the Southern
Lights played for hours. If for nothing else, it was worth making such a
sledge journey to witness the display. First, vertical shafts ascended in
a fan of electric flame, and then the shafts all merged into a filmy,
pale chrome sheet. This faded and intensified alternately, and then in an
instant disappeared, but more flaming lights burst into view in other
parts of the heavens, and a phantom curtain of glittering electric violet
trembled between the lights and the stars.

No wonder Wilson and Bowers stated that the Aurora effects were much
better and more variegated in colour this southern side of Mount Erebus.
The awful splendour of this majestic vision gave us all a most eerie
feeling, and we forgot our fatigue and the cold whilst we watched.

The Southern Lights continued for some hours, only vanishing with the
faint appearance of dawn. With daylight the well-known hills which
surrounded our winter quarters thrust themselves into view, and gladdened
by this sight we redoubled our efforts.

At 5 a.m. we had alight breakfast of tea and biscuits. We were off again
before six, and we continued marching until we came to the edge of the
Great Ice Barrier shortly before 1 p.m. We did not stop for lunch, but
marched straight to Hut Point, arriving at three o'clock at the Hut.