Tuesday 7 November [Actually November 06]

At the first cairn after 82° we had to shoot ‘Lussi’. She had just begun to come on heat and caused such disorder in the team that I decided that despatching was the only way to deal with it. She was deposited on the top of the cairn.

In the depot at 82° we now have some chocolate, six tins of biscuits, 13 kg dried milk, some pieces of seal steak, 20 l of paraffin, 10 kg of human pemmican, 2 dogs, 1 sledge and some equipment.

Now the journey has begun in earnest. At 2 p.m. we passed Discovery exp. s’most lat. 82°17' and have stopped now at 82°22'. The Barrier generally gives the impression of being completely flat. Nonetheless there are a few small wave-like formations.

The skiing has been brilliant. Partly rock hard, partly just a little soft, but always good snow. No sastrugi. We have taken ¼ hour per nautical mile today. The dogs are now properly trained and in fine condition.