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[[underlined]] Saturday, January 2, 1982 [[/underlined]]

We awake to silence. No wind at all. Actually I awoke numerous times in the night. Couldn't relax on my back, as I usually do, because my head hurt and in most positions my elbow hurt. Also my left pelvic bone. I considered using a heat pad on that but couldn't tear one open (once I was deep in my sleeping bag) and didn't want to hunt down my scissors.

At ~ 7:40 John said, "Knock-knock". We will be off to the western ice patches today. He did not mean the [[underlined]] real [[/underlined]] Western ice patches where we would need to shift our camp, but the intermediate Western ice patches where we flagged some meteorites last Sunday. 

It is a long trek out there -- 1 1/2 hours over the Sastrugi. But before we started we learned by radio that Bill Cassidy is in McMurdo. He was at a meeting in the Chalet and would talk with us after 8:30. We hastily reviewed our list of things we want him to bring to us ... beginning w. my tote bag.

Bill came on strong sounding very natural. He plans to come up here on Monday - the 4th -- four days earlier than we expected him. We thought he might do some recon. flights for next year before coming to us. 

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John told him we need salt -- which sounded incomprehensible, until John insisted -- "as in salt & pepper. He also asked for my tote bag. Ursula's tote bag came back or personal tote bag; John said it belongs to Ursula Marvin -- Bill said "is that the same item -- Roger. Let's see if I get it. Bill asked what mileage we are getting on skidoos -- if they are running properly. What mileage when they tow [[Nausen?]] sledges. "We have not been towing [[Nausen?]] sledges," said John. There were other arrangements about fuel etc. Then Bob got on and [[underlined]] 3 times [[/underlined]] told Bill to look for our case of Skotch in the cages or damn well get more Scotch if he wants anything to drink in the next 3 weeks. Gh had asked for Brandy, but Bob came out of the tent saying he only asked for the Scotch, or any alcohol would do. Gh was very mad about that.

As the radio conversation went on a South Polar Skua visited camp! Brown with white bands in its wings and a golden mantle it looked very rugged and healthy. So far from life and food supplies! It circled & examined us and I thought of some left over bits of gristly steak I  put in the garbage bag last night. I pulled them out & interested it immediately. I tossed them near the tent & the skua circled 3 times & then landed & took one. I took pictures of it in the air & on the ground. It is an event to see any kind of wild life in the Allan Hills. John saw one last year in the Reckling moraine but it refused all proffered food.