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The Voyages of Captain Scott

Chapter IV. The Polar Winter

The cold ice slept below,
Above the cold sky shone,
    And all around
    With a chilling sound
From caves of ice and fields of snow
The breath of night like death did flow
     Beneath the sinking moon. -- SHELLEY.

     The sun was due to depart before the end of April, and so no time could be wasted if the outside work, which had been delayed by the tardy formation of the ice-sheet, was to be completed before the daylight vanished.

     One of the most urgent operations was to get up the meteorological screen, which had been made under the superintendence of Royds. The whole of this rather elaborate erection was, placed about 100 yards astern of the ship, and consequently in a direction which, with the prevalent south-easterly winds, would be to windward of her. To obtain a complete record of meteorological observations was one of the most important scientific objects of the expedition, and it was decided that the instruments should be read and recorded every two hours. Consequently in calm or storm


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