Only those who were compelled left the shelter of their tent.

Deep drifts formed everywhere, burying sledges and provisions to a depth of two feet, and the snow piling up round the tents threatened to burst the thin fabric.
The fine drift found its way in through the ventilator of the tent, which was accordingly plugged up with a spare sock.
This lasted for two days, when one man wrote: "The blizzard continued through the morning, but cleared towards noon, and it was a beautiful evening; but we would far rather have the screeching blizzard with its searching drift and cold damp wind, for we drifted about eleven miles to the north during the night." For four days the fine weather continued, with gloriously warm, bright sun, but cold when standing still or in the shade.

The temperature usually dropped below zero, but every opportunity was taken during these fine, sunny days to partially dry our sleeping-bags and other gear, which had become sodden through our body-heat having thawed the snow which had drifted in on to them during the blizzard.

The bright sun seemed to put new heart into all.
The next day brought a north-easterly wind with the very high temperature of 27ｰ Fahr .-- only 5ｰ below freezing.

"These high temperatures do not always represent the warmth which might be assumed from the thermometrical readings.