The day was observed as a holiday, necessary work only being undertaken, and, after the best dinner the cook could provide, all hands gathered in the Ritz, where speeches, songs, and toasts occupied the evening.

After supper at midnight we sang "God Save the King" and wished each other all success in the days of sunshine and effort that lay ahead.

At this time the 'Endurance' was making an unusually rapid drift to the north under the influence of a fresh southerly to south-westerly breeze.

We travelled 39 miles to the north in five days before a breeze that only once attained the force of a gale and then for no more than an hour.
The absence of strong winds, in comparison with the almost unceasing winter blizzards of the Ross Sea, was a feature of the Weddell Sea that impressed itself upon me during the winter months.
Another race took place a few days after the "Derby." The two crack teams, driven by Hurley and Wild, met in a race from Khyber Pass.
Wild's team, pulling 910 lbs., or 130 lbs.

per dog, covered the 700 yds.