S.W. gale with snow. Unable to move. No game. One spoonful of glycerine and hot water for food. No wood in our vicinity.
October 12th, Wednesday—122nd day.
Breakfast; last spoonful of glycerine and hot water. For dinner, we tried a couple of handfuls of Arctic willow in a pot of water and drank the infusion. Everybody getting weaker and weaker. Hardly strength to get firewood. S.W. gale with snow.
October 13th, Thursday—123rd day.
Willow tea. Strong S.W. wind. No news from Nindemann. We are in the hands of God, and unless He intervenes, we are lost. We cannot move against the wind, and staying here means starvation. Afternoon went ahead for a mile, crossing either another river or a bend in the big one. After crossing missed Lee. Went down in a hole in the bank and camped. Sent back for Lee. He had turned back, lain down, and was waiting to die. All united in saying Lord’s Prayer and Creed after supper. Living gale of wind. Horrible night.
October 14th, Friday—124th day.
Breakfast, willow tea. Dinner, one half teaspoonful sweet oil and willow tea. Alexey shot one ptarmigan; had soup. S.W. wind moderating.