10 November 1912

Temperature at midnight: –12°

After numerous attempts to push forward the sledging section of the expedition, we have at last been able to make a start. The continuous blizzard conditions have every evidence of breaking up or at least abating. … Our party left the hut at 12.30 p.m. Robert Bage in command, Eric N. Webb, magnetician, and myself, general handyman and photographic. It is our intention to steer magnetic south, reaching a point, as near as possible, to the south magnetic pole. … Our supporting party … are to proceed inland 100 miles, if possible. .… The provisions of our supports and our own are ample for nine weeks sledging, enabling us to return to the hut about the 15th January. Arriving at the Five Mile Depot … we met Dr Mawson, Mertz and Ninnis with the dogs. I took some cinefilm of the party, also a few snaps and after a hearty handshake and good wishes on both sides we bid farewell. … After ‘The Five Mile’, our way lay up a steep slope. Going was very hard, and … we fell through many crevasses to our waists, but without any serious mishap. …

11 November 1912

… We slept poorly owing to the novelty of our surroundings and also the excitement in pushing out into new fields. The wind was freshening and shortly after starting, snow began to fall.