Transcript of (Andrew) Keith Jack’s Diary
Friday 19 Nov 1915
p.44
5.45pm - Swing +5.5; snow in sun +5.0 Cloud Str1; Wind 0; Erebus current 0 Sastrugi S.
Another good days march of 17 miles. Are camped off N end of White Is & have
about 8 miles or so to go to reach our Petrol Depot. This morning we investigated
the large pressure ridge noted on P.39. Feel more convinced than ever that it was
formed as there described. Another point noticed & probably due to the shift in barrier
mentioned above is that the fracture ran at an /\ & not along the line of pressure. Both
Irvine and self took photos of this great ridge which had a sheer drop on the S side of
about 50-70 ft. deep. At the bottom was blue glare ice in great slabs also buckled up, &
reminding one strongly of the pressure ice along tide crack of sea ice. We tested the ice
however & found it fresh, not formed from sea ice as it certainly looked like when
viewed from above. Another interesting fact was the colour of the sky when viewed from
the bottom of the precipice. In contrast to the intense white of the cliff face upon which
an intense sun was shining the sky assumed an deep indigo blue – the deepest I have
ever observed.
Saturday Nov 20th 1915
6am
Swing + 10.0; Max 10.5; Min -10
Snow in sun + 3.5
Wind 10SSW. Cloud Ni or Str 10 dull & overcast
Thick - looking to south
12.15pm Very dull & overcast, blizzard appearance generally
8pm - Blizzarding from SE. Wind changed from E to SE gradually. Snow falling
> part of afternoon. Cloud Ni 10 & very dark & heavy.
Swing + 13.5 Snow in shade + 11.0
Have made today absolutely our record march covering 22 geographical miles. Left last
nights camp off N end of White Is at 8.30 am but instead of continuing direct on our
course to Petrol Depot, we cut across the corner, steering for
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Observation Hill and cutting close in to end of White Is. For the morning the surface was
pretty good & also for a short time after lunch but after this we met the most trying and
difficult surface I have experienced. For the greater part of the time we were breaking
through a most difficult pie crust surface & sinking practically up to the knees. All day the
weather had been most threatening & this was the reason we determined to make Hut
Pt. today if possible. Shortly after lunch the snow began to fall & continued up to the time
when we landed at Hut Pt. The wind which had been blowing from the E at about 12-15
veered round to the SE about 7pm & a real blizzard set in. Just after leaving our lunch
camp we encountered what to my mind was the worst crevasse we have met. We were
just off end of snow slope to N end of White Is. & near to pressure ridge fringing shore.
Had passed many small cracks during morning but some proved dangerous, though
could distinctly see their origins at pressure ridge on our left. Nevertheless just after
getting under way & moving about 10 yards, I burst through snow cap of this very bad
crevasse, going down up to my waist. Joyce, Cope & Gaze had all got safely over
somehow or other & as I shouted so they halted having observed the further edge of the
crevasse just ahead of them. I hauled myself up & inspected chasm from a prostrate
position. It was about 3 yards wide & the walls went sheer down without snow ledge of
any kind & I could see nothing but darkness below. Man & dog falling down this
crevasse would have been absolutely lost. There was only one thing to be done and this
was to reach the sledge across which we fortunately did without further mishap. The
width of the crack over all from edge to edge was about 5 yards. After this ---- we
pushed on through a very bad surface & at last reached Barrier edge at 6.30pm, & finally
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gained Hut Pt. at 7.30 – pretty tired & foot sore. Noticeable feature of today’s trip was
great resemblance in weather to that of our last day’s trek on last trip. Each day at time
of starting was dull & ---- on each the wind was at first E swinging later to SE. Snow fell
on each occasion & ultimately a blizzard developed at night though today we had not the
slicing N wind with heavy drift which gave us much trouble last time. All afternoon we
were practically steering by peep of feeble sun which appeared now & again for all land
was obscured. Travelling time was 9 ½ hours today & distance 22 M. Have come back
from Bluff in 4 travelling days which must be nearly a record. Our real time was 6 days
but 2 full days we were held up by blizzard. For our traveling days we have averaged
over 17 M per day.
Sunday 21st Nov 1915 Slept in till anout 10.30 AM after our long day yesterday. Nasty stiff breeze from SE.
Slight ground drift. Did little but rest today. Weather very threatening. Joyce & Hayward
troubled with snow blindness.
8pm Swing + 12.5, Max +18, Min +7.5
Monday 22nd Nov 1915
Again slept pretty late. Richards, Gaze, & self killed seal & hauled carcass & hung up in
hut to act as food after sledging. In afternoon Richards & self went to try our luck
catching skua-gulls for meat. Tried sticks stones & then adopted fishing tactics which we
tried when our party reached Hut Pt. after sledging last year. Made hook of safety-pin,
but discarded this in turn for a running knot with which we caught the bird by the legs …