H.—45

6

EXTRACT FROM METEOROLOGICAL LOG, CAPE EVANS, 8th TO 10th MAY, 1916.

MEDICAL REPORT.-—DECEMBER, ; 1916, TO FEBRUARY, 1917The health of the relief party on the whole has been excellent. There were only a few cuts which needed suturing, while there were some minor abrasions and burns which healed successfully, though tardily, in the higher latitudes. There were one or two instances of colds in the higher latitudes. On the return journey the main troubles were from the teeth. The health of the relieved party, considering the trying conditions under which they had lived for the previous two years, was very good. Mr. Stevens was suffering from an axillary abscess, which had been under Dr. Cope's treatment some weeks before the arrival of the " Aurora." It was not long before the abscess subsided. Dr. Cope reported that Mr. Richards was recovering from strain contracted while sledging early in 1916. On examination his heart was normal, and his general condition was very good. The whole of the relieved'party were more or less sunburnt. F. G. MIDDLETON, 7th February, 1917. Surgeon to the s.y. " Aurora." METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. Sir — I beg to submit the following meteorologioal report : — Meteorological readings were taken by the watchkeeper every four hours during the voyage, 20th December, 1916, to 9th February, 1917. Highest thermometer reading, 592 F.—Bth February, 191.7 : lat. 44° 20' S., long. 174° 40' E. Lowest thermometer reading, 122 F.—lsth January, 1917 : McMurdo Sound. Lowest barometer reading, 28'42"—30th January, 1917: lat. 68° 50' S., long. 170° 56' E. Highest barometer reading, 30-.39"—215t December, 1916: lat. 42° 25' S., long. 171° 05' E. The winds encountered throughout the voyage were to a large extent thoste which might be expected in those latitudes —namely, westerly in the Southern Ocean, northerly near Cape Adare, southerly in the Ross Sea. A remarkable frequency of northerly winds was experienced in the Ross Sea, and on each of the four occasions that we traversed it a well-marked area of low pressure was observed between Ross Island and Cape Adare. Morton H. Motes Senior Naval Instructor, R.A.N. The Commanding Officer, " Aurora " Relief Expedition.

ite. Tempera- Wind, turu, i''ahr. (uucor- ,,- , ;. rectcd). | Direction. 1 ™ lt h y ' Cloud, Snow, and Drift. Remarks. Day. Hour. Ith 3 a.m. — 19-7 E. 4 1 Mist along horizon generally. Much as at 7 p.m., but no aurora. Mist generally on horizon. Calm. Cloudless, clear, still. Ice well set. Ni. mainly; few detached Ci.—Str. to north. N.E. and N.W. Rapidly clouding from S.W. ; blizzard approaching. During sledging storms from S.W. quarter also occurred. Sudden rise in wind and temperature about 1 p.m. and fail in hydrograph. Ni. sheet. Blizzard, lee creeping out now about 5 yards off shore. Probably Str. and mist (?) around horizon. Fine ice crystals falling ; wind backing. Ice well off shore and young ice forming inshore. Nature and amount of cloud uncertain, and general mist. ()nly zenith stars visible, and these dimly. Ice in bay gone out, N. Temporature and humidity falling. Ci.—Str. (?) probably. Very dense high frost-smoke on water. Humidity and temperature oscillating. Str. sheot from N.E. to S. extending well up to zenith. Ice along shore S. of Glacier Tongue gone out. Erost-smoke over water still prominont. A Str. except to W. and N.W. Light fall of ice crystals. 7 a.m. 11 a.m. 3 p.m. -19-9 . . 0 -21-0 .. 0 -14'5 S.E. 19 2 0 8 7 p.m. -15-0 S.E. 44 Hi 44 11 p.m. S.E. 5 5 5 3 a.m. -18-1 S.E. 26 26 ; ith 7 a.m. -19-7 S.E. 36 36 ? 11 a.m. -17'8 N.E. 4 4 4 3 p.m. 7 p.m. -16-0 9 -19-0 N.E. 1] 9 11 9 6 Sheet Str. (?) especially to W., S., and E. ErebuB practically obscured; stars clear. Bay freezing over. Cloud as at 7 p.m. Calm. Bew very fine snow crystals on instruments in screen since 7 p.m. Probably misty to W. Eine. Cloudless. Good high plume on Erebus. ('loudless. Eine high plume. Cloudless, fine, bright; stiff wind. Strong mirage on N.W. horizon. Cloudless; misty along W. horizon over sound, otherwise clear. Cloudless, bright, [and [clear. 11 p.m. -19-1 E. 2 2 6 10th .. 3 a.m. 7 a.m. 11 a.m. 3 p.m. llJ-0 '.. 0 -20-4 .. 0 19-1 .. 0 -13-8 S.E. 26 0 0 0 26 0 0 0 6 7 p.m. -.14-1 E. 25 25 0 11 p.m. -16-0 N.W. 5 5 0