September 4th

Thursday. Today the wind has changed and comes from the north. The appearance is for good weather. We decided to make an excursion of several days to the neighborhood of Granite Canon. We started at 1:35 carrying our blankets and provisions, but taking no tent. By the time we were opposite the White Glacier, about 3:30, clouds are beginning to gather, and the advisability of going further became questionable, so we decided to camp by the side of White Glacier and tomorrow morning go further or return according to the weather. We did had supper on the moraine, and by seven o'clock the weather was so threatening that we decided to push for home. We reached camp at nine twenty, after a fatiguing and somewhat dangerous walk. The last hour and a half was in almost perfect darkness. Fortunately, this part of the glacier is not at all crevassed, but it is full of holes from a few inches to several feet deep. I put my foot into several of them and had so[me] rather uncomfortable falls. When crossing the moraine we had to feel almost every step before trusting to it. The boys did admirably. On reaching camp, we made a big fire, had a light supper and went to bed.

Our fires have been most cheerful; we dress by them in the morning, and sit by them in the evening; we also have them during the day when we remain in camp.