At the most we could only take sextant and theodolite angles for two hours on either side of noon, so Gran and I went without our lunch, taking a few biscuits and some chocolate out with us on our survey days, and as we worked farther and farther from our base we found it necessary to start out in the darkness in order to take full advantage of what light was vouchsafed us. It was good healthy work and we developed glorious appetites, so that our mouths ran with water when perhaps we met a couple of fellows leading the little white ponies on the sea ice for exercise, and they told us what they had had for lunch and what was being kept for us. We found it all most interesting and, although I detested that sunless winter, I loved the changing scenery, which never seemed monotonous when there was any daylight or moonlight. To mark our "stations" we used red and black bunting flags, and they showed up very well. We gave them all sorts of weird names, such as Sardine, Shark, and so forth, and we knew almost to a yard their distances from one another, as also their bearings, which helped us when we were overtaken by bad weather. Eventually it became too dark for any survey work, but there was always plenty to do indoors for the majority of us. Apart from our specialist duties some one was always to be found who could give employment to the willing—there were no idlers or unwilling folk amongst us. Simpson, for example, would employ as many volunteers as he could get to follow the balloons which he frequently sent up to record temperature and pressure. To each of these balloons a fine silk thread was attached, or rather the thread was attached to the little instrument it carried. When any strain was put on the thread it broke the thread connecting the small temperature and pressure instrument to the balloon, the former dropped on to the ice and was recovered by one of the volunteers, who followed the silk thread up until he came to the instrument where it had fallen. One required good eyesight for this work as for everything else down here, and I have never ceased to marvel at the way Cherry-Garrard got about and worked so well when one considers that he was very short-sighted indeed.

Everybody exercised generously, whether by himself on ski, leading a pony, digging ice for the cook or ice to melt for the ponies' drinking water, or even with a whole crowd playing rather dangerous football on the sea ice north of Cape Evans.

When the real winter came I used to walk, after winding the chronometers, until breakfast time to begin with. This gave me half an hour, then again before lunch I would put on ski and go for a run with anybody who had not a pony to exercise. The visibility was frequently limited, particularly on overcast days; one would glide along over the sea ice, which was in places wind-swept and in others covered with snow. Nothing in sight but the gray-white shadow underfoot and the blue-black sky above, a streak or band just a mere smudge of daylight in the north, but this would be sufficient to give one direction to go out on. Then slowly, dim, spectre-like shapes would appear which would gradually sort themselves out into two lots, black and white—these were Titus's ponies—the white shapes, the black were the men leading them. On they came, seemingly at a great pace, and one heard a crunching noise as the hoofs of the ponies trod down the snow crust, but one could not hear the footfalls of the men. One exchanged a "Hallo" with the leading man and passed on until a much bigger white shape loomed up in the obscurity of the noon-twilight, the going underfoot changed and skis fetched up against a great lump of ice which was scarcely discernible in the confusing darkness, and one realised that what little light there was to the northward had been blotted out by one of the big grounded icebergs. Directly one realised which berg it was a new course would be shaped, say to the end of the Barne Glacier; the cliffs of this reached, one proceeded homeward a league to the hut. This could not be missed on the darkest day if the coast-line was followed, and, at last, when stomach cried out like a striking clock, one realised that it was 2 p.m. or so, and a little glow indicated the whereabouts of the hut. Approaching it, one saw the tall chimney silhouetted against the sky, then the black shapes which oddly proclaimed themselves to be motor-sledges, store heaps or fodder dumps, and finally the hut itself. One stumbled over the tide-crack and up on to the much trodden snow which covered the Cape Evans's beach. Six or seven pairs of skis stuck in the snow near the hut door indicated that most people had come in to lunch, so there was need to haste. Off came one's own skis, and with a lusty stab in they went heel downwards into the snow alongside the other ones, so that when a new fall came they would stand up vertically and be easily found again.

The sticks one took into the hut, because even in our well-appointed family there were pirates who borrowed them and forgot to replace them. Entering the hut after kicking much snow from boots one passed first through the acetylene smelling porch—Handy Andy's pride—as we called Day's gas plant, then in to the seamen's quarters, where the smell of cooking delighted and the sight of those great, hefty sailors scoffing the midday meal hustled one still more.

In the officers' half of the hut most people were already busy with their knives and forks, two or three perhaps just sitting down, the night watch-man probably sitting up on the edge of his bunk putting on his slippers, and cheerfully accepting the friendly insults from his pals at table who told him the date and year—down went ski-sticks on the bed, room would be made at the table, and half a dozen dishes pushed your way, and although the mess-traps were enamelled, the food you shuffled down from the tin plate and the cocoa you lapped from the blue and white mug had not its equal at the Carlton, the Ritz, or the Berkeley.

Concerning the night watchman and his duties, although we had so many self-recording instruments, there were certain things which called for attention during the silent hours. Aurora observations had to be made which no instrument would record, movement of clouds had to be noted in the meteorological log, the snow cleared from the anemometer and so forth, then of course rounds had to be made in case of fire, ponies and dogs visited, the galley fire lit or kept going according to requirements, and so on. Night watch-keeping duty was only undertaken by certain members chosen from the afterguard. Scott himself always took a share in this, as he did in everything else that mattered. One came to welcome the night on, for the attendant work was not very strenuous and the eight hours' quietude gave the watchman a chance to write up a neglected diary, to wash clothes, work out observations, and perhaps make contributions to the "South Polar Times" undisturbed by casual well-wishers who were not meant to see the article in question until the day of publication. We were allowed to choose from the stores more or less what we liked for consumption in the stillness of the night watch. I always contributed special China or Ceylon tea for the benefit of the lonely watchman—I had two big canisters of the beverage, a present from one of our New Zealand well-wishers, Mrs. Arthur Rhodes of Christchurch, and these lasted the afterguard watch-keepers through the Expedition. The auroras were a little disappointing this first winter as seen from Cape Evans, they were certainly better seen from the Barrier. We only got golden bands and curtains splaying in the heavens, except for one or two rare occasions when there were distinct green rays low down amongst the shafts of weird light farthest from the zenith.

In view of the possibility of a second winter one kept a few letters going which contained a little narrative of our work to date. We had most imposing note-paper which was used for these occasions: the crest consisted of a penguin standing on the South Pole with the southern hemisphere underfoot, a garter surrounding this little picture inscribed with "British Antarctic Expedition—'Terra Nova' R.Y.S." Alas, some of the letters were never delivered, for death not only laid his hand upon certain members of the Expedition, but also upon some of our older friends, supporters, and subscribers.

One passed out of the hut hourly at least and, on moonlight nights especially, one found something beautiful in the scenery about Cape Evans. At full moon time everything turned silver, from towering Erebus with gleaming sides to the smooth ice slopes of Ross Island in the north-east, while away to the southward the high black Dellbridge Islands thrust up from a sea of flat silver ice. Even the conical hills and the majestic Castle Rock, fifteen miles away, stood out quite clearly on occasions. The weirdest thing of all was to hear the dogs howling in the middle of the night, they made one think of wolves and of Siberia.

All things considered, the winter passed quickly enough: we had three lectures a week, and our professional occupations, our recreations and different interests soon sped away the four months' winter darkness. The lectures embraced the technical and the practical side of the Expedition; thus, besides each of the scientific staff lecturing on his individual subject, Oates gave us two lectures on the care and management of horses; Scott outlined his plans for the great southern journey, giving probable dates and explaining the system of supporting parties which he proposed to employ; Ponting told us about Japan, and illustrated his subject with beautiful slides made from photographs that he himself had taken; Bowers lectured on Burma, until we longed to be there; and Meares gave us a light but intensely interesting lecture on his adventures in the Lolo country, a practically unknown land in Central Asia.

In connection with the work of Simpson at the base station, I must not forget the telephones. Certain telephones and equipment sufficient for our needs were presented to us in 1910 by the staff of the National Telephone Co., and they were very largely used in scientific work at the base station as well as for connecting Cape Evans to Hut Point, fifteen miles away. Simpson made the Cape Evans-Hut Point connection in September, 1911, by laying the bare aluminium wire along the surface of the snow-covered sea ice, and for a long time there was no difficulty in ringing up by means of magnetos. However, when the sun came back and its rays became reasonably powerful, difficulty in ringing and speaking was experienced.

We used the telephones almost daily for taking time, and Simpson used to stand inside the hut at the sidereal clock whilst I took astronomical observations outside in the cold. We also telephoned time to the ice cave in which the pendulums were being swung when determining the force of gravity. Telephones were quite efficient in temperatures of 40 degrees and more below zero.

Midwinter Day arrived on June 22, and here one must pay an affectionate and grateful tribute to Bowers, Wilson, Cherry-Garrard, and Clissold the cook.

To start with, we had to discuss whether we would hold the midwinter festival on the 22nd or 23rd of June, because in reality the sun reached its farthest northern Declination at 2.30 a.m. on the 23rd by the standard time which we were keeping. We decided to hold it on the evening of the 22nd, this being the dinner time nearest the actual culmination. A Buszard's cake extravagantly iced was placed on the tea-table by Cherry-Garrard, his gift to us, and this was the first of the dainties with which we proceeded to stuff ourselves on this memorable day. Although in England it was mid-summer we could not help thinking of those at home in Christmas vein. The day here was to all intents and purposes Christmas Day; but it meant a great deal more than that, it meant that the sun was to come speeding back slowly to begin with, and then faster and faster until in another four months or so we should find ourselves setting out to achieve our various purposes. It meant that before another year had passed some of us, perhaps all of us, would be back in civilisation taking up again the reins of our ordinary careers which, of necessity, would lead us to different corners of the earth. The probability was that we should never all sit down together in a peopled land, for Simpson was bound to be racing back to India with Bowers and probably Oates, whose regiment was at Mhow; Gran would away to Norway, and the other Ubdugs to Australia. One or two of us had been tempted to settle in New Zealand, and the old Antarctics amongst us knew how useless it had been to arrange those Antarctic dinners which never came off as intended.

But to return to the menu for Midwinter Day. When we sat down in the evening we were confronted with a beautiful water-colour drawing of our winter quarters, with Erebus's gray shadow looming large in the background, from the summit of which a rose-tinted smoke-cloud delicately trended northward, and, standing out from the whole picture a neatly printed tablet which proclaimed the nature of this much-looked-forward-to meal:

Consomme Seal. Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. Horseradish Sauce. Potatoes a la mode and Brussels Sprouts. Plum Pudding. Mince Pies. Caviare Antarctic. Crystallised fruits. Chocolate Bonbons. Butter Bonbons. Walnut Toffee. Almonds and Raisins.

Wines.

Sherry, Champagne, Brandy Punch, Liqueur. Cigars, Cigarettes, and Tobacco. Snapdragon. Pineapple Custard. Raspberry jellies.

and what was left of the Buszard's cake!

The menu was, needless to say, Wilson's work, the exquisite dishes Clissold produced, the maitre d'hotel was Birdie, and Cherry-Garrard the producer of surprises in the shape of toys which adorned the Christmas Tree that followed on the dinner. Everybody got something from the tree, which was in reality no tree at all, for it was a cleverly constructed dummy, with sticks for branches and coloured paper leaves. Still, it carried little fairy candles and served its purpose well.

Then I must not forget the greatest treat of all: an exhibition of slides showing the life about our winter quarters and the general work of the Expedition from the starting away in New Zealand to this actual day almost in the hut. The slides were wonderful and they showed every stage of the ice through which we had come and in which we lived. There were penguin pictures, whales and seals, bird life in the pack, flash light photographs of people and ponies, pictures of Erebus and other splendid and familiar landmarks, and, in short, a magnificent pictorial record of events, for Ponting had been everywhere with his camera, and it is only to be regretted that the Expedition did not take him to the Pole. This was, of course, impossible, when everything had to give way to food. Following the photographic display and the Christmas Tree came the only Antarctic dance we enjoyed. Few of us remember much about it for we were very merry, thanks to the wine, and there was considerable horseplay. I remember dancing with the cook whilst Oates danced with Anton. Everybody took a turn, and associated with this dance I might mention that Clissold so far forgot himself as to call Scott "Good old Truegg." Truegg was the composition used by us for cooking in various ways omelets, buttered eggs, puddings, and cakes of all kinds, and, although it was a great boon to the Expedition, we had by this time tired of it. Still, we used it as a term of endearment, but nobody in his sober senses would have dreamt of calling our much respected Commander "Good old Truegg"; the brandy punch must have been responsible for Clissold's mixing up of names! We had now arrived at the stage when it was time to shut up, the officers became interested in an aurora display and gradually rolled off to bed. It was left to me to see the seamen turned in; they were good-humoured but obstreperous, and not until 2 a.m. did silence and order once more reign in the hut.

Very wisely our leader decided on June 23 being kept as a day of rest; our digestions were upset and we took this time off to make and mend clothes, and returned to our winter routine, a little subdued perhaps, on June 24.



CHAPTER IX

PRELIMINARY EXPLORATIONS

So much for the winter life up to date; no great excitements, nothing untoward, but a remarkable bonhomie obtaining in our little company despite the tedium of so many days of winter gloom. On June 27 Dr. Wilson with Bowers and Cherry-Garrard started on a remarkable journey to Cape Crozier, nearly seventy miles distant from Cape Evans, via Hut Point and the Barrier. The object of these intrepid souls was to observe the incubation of the Emperor Penguins at their rookery, which was known to exist near the junction point of the Barrier Edge with the rocky cliff south of Cape Crozier. It must be borne in mind that this was the first Antarctic midwinter journey, and that the three men must of necessity face abnormally low temperature's and unheard of hardships whilst making the sledge journey over the icy Barrier. We had gathered enough knowledge on the autumn sledge journeys and in the days of the Discovery expedition to tell us this, so that it was not without considerable misgivings that Captain Scott permitted Wilson to carry the winter expedition to Cape Crozier into being. The scope of my little volume only permits me to tell this story in brief. No very detailed account has yet been published, although Cherry-Garrard, the only survivor of the three, wrote the far too modest memoir of the journey which has been published in Volume II of "Scott's Last Expedition."

Apart from the zoological knowledge Wilson hoped to gain from the Cape Crozier visit in mid-winter, there was a wealth of other information to be collected concerning the Barrier conditions, particularly the meteorological conditions, but above all we knew that with such quick and reliable observers as Wilson and his companions we must derive additional experience in the matter of sledging rations, for the party had agreed to make experiments in order to arrive at the standard ration to be adopted for the colder weather we must face during the second half of the forthcoming Polar journey.

Wilson took two small 9 ft. sledges, and after being photographed was helped out to Glacier Tongue by a small hurrah party. In the bad light he was handicapped from the very first, and it took the party two days to get on to the Ice Barrier. Their progress was dreadfully slow, which was not to be wondered at, for they were pulling loads of 250 lb. per man, the surfaces were beyond anything they had faced hitherto, and the temperatures seldom above 60 degrees. Relay work had to be resorted to, and in consequence the party took eighteen days to reach Cape Crozier. They met with good weather, that is, calm weather, to begin with, but the bad surfaces handicapped them severely. After rounding Cape Mackay they reached a wind-swept area and met with a series of blizzards. Their best light was moonlight, and they were denied this practically by overcast skies. Picture their hardships: frozen bags to sleep in, frozen finnesko to put their feet in every time they struck camp, finger-tips always getting frost-bitten and sometimes toes and heels; no comfort was to be derived within camp, for, at the best, they could only sit and shiver when preparing the food, and once the bags were unrolled to sleep in more trouble came. It is on record that Cherry-Garrard took as long as three-quarters of an hour to break his way into his sleeping-bag, and once inside it he merely shook and froze. The party used a double tent for this journey, that is to say, a light lining was fitted on the inner side of the five bamboo tent poles, so that when the ordinary wind-proof tent cloth was spread over the poles an air space was provided. There was, I may say, a sharp difference of opinion as to the value of the tent; Wilson's party swore by it and Scott was always loud in its praise. The sailors hated it and despised it; they always argued, when consulted on the subject of the double tent, that it collected snow and rime and added much to the weights we had to drag along. Perhaps they were right, and I remember one occasion when two members of the Expedition dumped the inner lining after carrying it many hundred miles with the remark, "Good-bye, you blighter, you've had a damn good ride!"

The scene inside the little green tent baffles description: the three men's breath and the steam from the cooker settles in no time on the sides of the tent in a thick, white rime; the least movement shakes this down in a shower which brings clammy discomfort to all; the dimmest of light is given by the sledging lantern with its edible candle (for Messrs. Price and Co. had made our candles eatable and not poisonous), everything is frozen stiff, fur boots, bags and fur mitts break if roughly handled, for they are as hard as boards. The cold has carved deep ruts in the faces of the little company who, despite their sufferings and discomforts, smile and keep cheerful without apparent effort. This cheerfulness and the fragrant smell of the cooking pemmican are the two redeeming features of a dreadful existence, but the discomforts are only a foretaste of what is to come—one night the temperature fell to 77 degrees below zero, that is 109 degrees of frost. There is practically no record of such low temperature, although Captain Scott found that Roald Amundsen in one of his northern journeys encountered something nearly as bad. One cannot wonder that Wilson's party scarcely slept at all, but their outward experiences were nothing to what they put up with at Cape Crozier, which was reached on July 15. To get on to the slopes of Mount Terror near Crozier the party climbed over great pressure ridges and up a steep slope to a position between the end of a moraine terrace and the conspicuous hillock known as The Knoll. In the gap here the last camp was made in a windswept snow hollow, a stone hut was constructed behind a land ridge above this hollow, the party using a quantity of loose rocks and hard snow to build with. Cherry-Garrard did most of the building, while the others provided the material, for, in his methodical way, Cherry had built a model hut before leaving Cape Evans. The hut was 800 ft. above sea-level, roofed with canvas, with one of the sledges as a rafter to support the canvas roof.

On the 19th July the party descended by the snow slopes to the Emperor penguin rookery. They had great trouble in making this descent, on account of crevasses in the ice slopes which overhung the level way under the rock cliffs. As a matter of fact, the attempt on the 19th proved abortive, although the little band got close to the rookery. They reached it successfully on the 20th when the light was almost failing, and were mortified to find only about one hundred Emperor penguins in place of the two or three thousand birds which the rookery had been found to contain in the "Discovery" days. Possibly the early date accounted for the absence of Emperors; however, half a dozen eggs were collected, and three of these found their way home to England. Wilson picked up rounded pieces of ice at the rookery which the stupid Emperors had been cherishing, fondly imagining they were eggs; evidently the maternal instinct of the Emperor penguin is very strong.

The party killed and skinned three birds and then returned to the shelter of the stone hut, not without difficulty, it is true. It is worthy of note that the three birds killed by the party were very thickly blubbered, and the oil obtained from them burned well.

The Ross Sea was found to be frozen over as far as the horizon. When the party got back to their shelter two eggs had burst and saturated Cherry-Garrard's mitts. This optimistic young man found good even in this, for he said that on the way home to Cape Evans his mitts thawed out far more easily than Bowers's did, and attributed the little triumph to the grease in the broken egg! That night they slept for the first time in the stone hut; perhaps it was fortunate that they did so for it was blowing hard and the wind developed into a terrific storm.

One of the hurricane gusts of wind swept the roof of the hut away, and for two days the unfortunate party lay in their bags half smothered by fine drifting snow. The second day was Dr. Wilson's birthday; he told me afterwards that had the gale not abated when it did all three men must have perished. They had not dared to stir out of the meagre shelter afforded by their sleeping-bags. Wilson prayed hard that they might be spared. His prayer was answered, it is true, but before another year had passed two of this courageous little band lost their lives in their eager thirst for scientific knowledge.

When the three men crept out of their bags into the dull winter gloom they groped about and searched for their tent, which had blown away from its pitch near the stone hut. By an extraordinary piece of good fortune it was recovered, scarcely damaged, a quarter of a mile away. Cherry-Garrard describes the roar of the wind as it whistled in their shelter to have been just like the rush of an express train through a tunnel.

Wilson, Bowers, and Cherry-Garrard started home after this, but were caught by another blizzard, which imprisoned them in their tent for another forty-eight hours. They were now running short of oil for warming and cooking purposes, but the little party won through after a very rough march full of horrible hardships and discomforts, and reached Cape Evans on the 1st August, when they had faced the dreadful winter weather conditions on the cruel Ice Barrier for five weeks. What forlorn objects they did look: it was pathetic to see them as they staggered into the hut. Wilson, when he could give a collected account of what he and his party had faced, was loud in the praise of Birdy and Cherry.

The party were examined by Atkinson, who gave some direction and advice concerning their immediate diet—they seemed to want bread, butter, and jam most, and the little loaves provided by Clissold disappeared with extraordinary speed. They were suffering from want of sleep, but were all right in a few days. One of the remarkable features of this journey was the increase of weights due to ice collecting in their sleeping-bags, gear and equipment. Their three bags, which weighed forty-seven pounds on leaving Cape Evans, had increased their weight to one hundred and eighteen at the conclusion of the trip. Other weights increased in the same proportion, and the sledge had dragged very heavily in consequence.

The three men when they arrived were almost encased with ice, and I well remember undressing poor Wilson in the cubicle which he and I shared. His clothes had almost to be cut off him.

From this journey, as stated, we evolved the final sledging ration for the Summit, it was to consist of:

16 ozs. biscuit. 12 " pemmican. 3 " sugar. 2 " butter. 0.7 " tea. 0.6 " cocoa. daily 34.3 ozs.

It may seem little enough for a hungry sledger, but, no one could possibly eat that amount in a temperate climate; it was a fine filling ration even for the Antarctic. The pemmican consisted of the finest beef extract, with 60 per cent. pure fat, and it cooked up into a thick tasty soup. It was specially made for us by Messrs. Beauvais of Copenhagen.

No casualties occurred during the winter, but Dr. Atkinson sustained a severely frost-bitten hand on July 4 when we had one of our winter blizzards. Certain thermometers had been placed in positions on the sea ice and up on the Ramp by Simpson, and these we were in the habit of visiting during the course of our exercise; the thermometer reading was done by volunteers who signified their intention to Simpson in order to avoid duplication of observation. On blizzard days we left them alone, but Atkinson, seeing that the wind had modified in the afternoon, zealously started out over the ice and was absent from dinner. Search parties were sent in various directions, each taking a sledge with sleeping-bags, brandy flask, thermos full of cocoa, and first-aid equipment. Flares were lit and kept going on Wind Vale Hill, Simpson's meteorological station overlooking the hut. Search was made in all directions by us, and difficulty was experienced due to light snowfall. Atkinson fetched up at Tent Island, apparently, which he walked round for hours, and, in trying to make the Cape again, became hopelessly lost, and, losing one of his mitts for a time, fell into a tide crack and did not get home till close upon midnight. Search parties came in one by one and were glad to hear the good news of Atkinson's return. My own party, working to the south of Cape Evans, did not notice how time was passing, and we—Nelson, Forde, Hooper, and myself—fetched up at 2 a.m. to be met by Captain Scott and comforted with cocoa.

Atkinson's hand was dreadful to behold; he had blisters like great puffed-out slugs on the last three fingers of his right hand, while on the forefinger were three more bulbous-looking blisters, one of them an inch in diameter. For days and days the hand had constantly to be bandaged, P. O. Evans doing nurse and doing it exceedingly well. Considering all things, we were fairly free of frostbite in the Scott expedition, and there is no doubt that Atkinson's accident served as an example to all of us to "ca' canny."

Although we had our proportion of blizzard days I do not think our meteorological record showed any undue frequency of high wind and blizzards; but, as Simpson in his meteorological discussion points out, we suffered far more in this respect than Amundsen, who camped on the Ice Barrier far from the land. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but in the light of after events one is compelled to state that had we stuck to our original plan and made our landing four hundred miles or so to the eastward of Ross Island, we should have escaped, in all probability, the greater part of the bad weather experienced by us. Comparison with Framheim, Amundsen's observation station, shows that we at Cape Evans had ten times as much high wind as the Norwegians experienced. Our wind velocities reached greater speeds than 60 miles an hour, whereas there does not appear to be any record of wind higher than 45 miles an hour at Amundsen's base at the Bay of Whales. Some of our anemometer records were very interesting. In the month of July, when Wilson's party was absent, we recorded 258 hours of blizzards, that is, of southerly winds of more than 25 miles an hour speed. This was the record for the winter months, but while we were depot-laying and waiting for the sea to freeze over at Hut Point, no less than 404 hours of blizzard were recorded in one month—March. Think of it, well over half the month was blizzard, with its consequent discomfort and danger. The blizzard which nearly caused the loss of the Cape Crozier party measured a wind force up to 84 miles an hour; no wonder the canvas roof of the stone hut there was swept away!

Our minimum temperature at the hut meteorological station was 50 degrees below zero in July, 1911, and the maximum temperature during the winter occurred in June when the thermometer stood as high as +19 degrees.

Our ten ponies stood the winter very well, all things being considered. One nearly died with cramp, but he pulled round in extraordinary fashion after keeping Oates and myself up all night nursing him. In spite of the names we assigned to the animals, largely on account of their being presented to us by certain schools, institutions, and individuals, the ponies were called by names conferred on them by the sailors and those who led them out for exercise. The ten animals that now survived were James Pigg, Christopher, Victor, Nobby, Jehu, Michael, Snatcher, Bones, Snippets, and a Manchurian animal called Chinaman, who behaved very badly in that he was always squealing, biting, and kicking the other ponies. A visitor to the stables, if he lent a hand to stir up the blubber which was usually cooking there, found himself generally welcome and certain to be entertained. Oates and Meares, his constant companions, had both served through the South African War, and had many delightful stories to tell of their experiences in this campaign; their anecdotes are not all printable, but no matter. Of Oates it is correct to say that he was more popular with the seamen than any other officer. He understood these men perfectly and could get any amount of work out of them, this was a great advantage, because he only had his Russian groom permanently to assist him, and he generally used volunteer labour after working hours to carry out his operations. In the two lectures he gave us on "The Care and Management of Horses," to which reference has been made, Oates showed how much time and thought he had devoted to his charges, and to the forthcoming pony-sledge work over the Great Ice Barrier.

During the latter half of the winter Oates and I saw a good deal of one another, as we daily exercised our ponies on the sea ice when Wilson's party was away and afterwards also till the weather was light enough for me to continue surveying. Oates led two ponies out generally— Christopher, the troublesome, and Jehu, the indolent while the care of the rogue pony, Chinaman, devolved on myself. When the ponies went well, which was usually the case, when they did not suffer from the weather, we used to have long yarns about our respective services and mutual friends. Oates would often discuss the forthcoming southern journey, and his ambition was to reach the top of the Beardmore Glacier; he did not expect to be selected for the southern party, which was planned to contain four men only—two of these must have special knowledge of navigation, to check one another's observations—the third would be a doctor, and it was expected that a seaman would be chosen for the fourth. So Oates was convinced that he had no chance, never for a moment appreciating his own sterling qualities.

By the spring the ponies were all ready to start their serious training for the southern journey, and the proper leaders now took charge to daily exercise their animals in harness. The older sledges were used with dummy loads, varying in weight according to the condition and strength of the pony. So well in fact and so carefully did Oates tend his charges, that by the time they were required for the southern journey only Jehu caused him any anxiety, even so this beast managed to haul a reasonable load for a distance of nearly 280 miles.

As to the dogs, the list was as follows:

Poodle—killed during gale outward in ship. Mannike Rabchick (Little Grouse)—died from fall into crevasse. Vashka—died suddenly, cause unknown. Sera Uki (Gray Ears)—died after cramp and paralysis of hind legs. Seri do. do. Deek do. do. Stareek (Old Man)—sent back with first supporting party. Deek the Wild One. Brodiaga (Robber). Biele Glas (White Eye). Wolk (Wolf). Mannike Noogis (Little Leader). Kesoi (One Eye). Julik (Scamp). Tresor (Treasure). Vida. Kumugai. Biela Noogis (White Leader). Hohol (Little Russian). Krisraviza (Beauty). Lappe Uki (Lap Ears). Petichka (Little Bird). Cigane (Gipsy). Giliak (Indian). Osman. Seri (Gray). Sukoi (Lean). Borup. Rabchick (Grouse). Ostre Nos (Long Nose). Makaka (Monkey). Chorne Stareek (Black Old Man). Peary.

Note.—Borup and Peary were from the American North Polar Expedition puppies. Borup was used in Dimitri's dog team which got right on to the Beardmore Glacier, but Peary was never any use except for the other dogs to sharpen their teeth on. He was a regular pariah.

Apart from the sledge dogs, we had a bitch called Lassie for breeding purposes, but she was a rotten dog and killed her puppies, so we might as well have left her in New Zealand, where we got her.

The dogs came through the winter very well, and during blizzards they merely coiled themselves up into round balls of fur and let the snow drift over them. Meares and Dimitri kept a very watchful eye over the dog teams, and protected them against the prevailing winds with substantial snow-shelters, always taking the weaker or sick animals into the annexe where Birdie kept his stores, or else into the small dog hospital, which was made by Dimitri and perfected by Meares.

The sun returned to us on the 22nd August. We were denied a sight of it owing to bad weather, for on the 22nd and 23rd August we had a blizzard with very heavy snowfall, and the drift was so great that, when it became necessary to leave the hut for any purpose, the densely packed flakes almost stifled us. We hoped to see the sun at noon on the 23rd when it was denied us on the previous day, but no such luck, the sun's return was heralded by one of our worst blizzards, which continued with very occasional lulls until August 26, when we actually saw the sun, just a bit of it. I saw the upper limb from out on the sea ice, and Sunny Jim at the same time got a sight of it from his observatory hill. How glad we were. We drank champagne to honour the sun, people made poetry concerning it, some of which—Birdie Bowers's lines—found their way eventually into the "South Polar Times." The animals went half dotty over it, frisking, kicking, and breaking away even from their leaders; they seemed to understand so well, these little ponies, that the worst part of the winter was gone—poor ponies! Long before the sun again disappeared below the northern horizon the ponies were no more.

There is not so very much in the statement that the sun had now returned, but the fact, of little enough significance to those without the Antarctic Circle, left something in our minds, an impression never to be effaced—the snowed-up hut surrounded by a great expanse of white, the rather surprised look an the dogs' faces, the sniffing at one's knees and the wagging of tails as one approached to pat their heads, the twitching of the ponies' ears and nostrils, and the rather impish attitude the fitter animals adopted, the occasional kick out, probably meant quite playfully, and above all the grins on the faces of the Russian grooms. Yes, we were all smiling when the sun came back, even the horizon smiled kindly at us from the north. The Barne Glacier's snout lost its inexorable hard gray look and took on softer hues, and Erebus's slopes were now bathed in every shade of orange, pink, and purple. To begin with, we had very little of this lovely colouring, but soon the gladdening tints stretched out over morning and afternoon. We were never idle in the hut, but the sun's return seemed to make fingers lighter as well as hearts.



CHAPTER X

SPRING DEPOT JOURNEY

However well equipped an expedition may be, there are always special arrangements and adaptions necessary to further the labour-saving contrivances and extend the radius of action.

For this reason the short autumn journeys had been undertaken to test the equipment as well as to give us sledging experience and carry weights of stores out on to the Barrier. And now that Wilson had added yet more knowledge to what we were up against, we set Evans and his seamen companions on to the most strenuous preparations for going South with sledges. Thus, while one lot of men were skilfully fitting sledges with convenient straps to secure the loads against the inevitable bumping, jolting, and capsizing, and lashing tank-like contrivances of waterproof canvas on, to contain the component units of food, another set of people would be fastening light wicker or venesta boxes athwart the sledge ends for carrying instruments and such perishable things as the primus stoves and methylated spirit bottles. These sledges were under the particular charge of Petty Officer Evans, and he took delightful pride in his office. What little gray dawn there was enabled him gleefully to inspect the completed sledges as they stood ready in their special groups outside our hut.

The more general type would be the 12 ft. sledge, constructed of light elm with hickory runners. On it were secured venesta wood trays for the tins of paraffin, usually in front, the aforesaid capacious canvas tank, and behind everything the oblong instrument box surmounted by light wooden chocks for holding the aluminium cooker.

All sledges had small manilla rope spans, secured in most seamanlike fashion, to take the towing strain and throw it fairly through the structure of these light but wonderfully strong sledges.

While the sledging equipment advanced, Bowers, aided by Cherry-Garrard, sorted out the rations, which he weighed and packed in the most business-like manner. Bowers was always well served, for he had the happy knack of enlisting volunteers for whatever his particular purpose called.

By September 1 Scott must have felt that no portion of his preparations was incomplete, for the travelling equipment had been taken in hand with a thoroughness that was the outcome of zeal and thoughtful attention to detail.

Previous to the departure of the large caravan for the Polar journey, a spring journey was proposed for the purpose of laying a small depot at Corner Camp and generally reconnoitring. On account of the low spring temperatures no animals were used for this trip, which was carried out by Gran, Forde, and myself.

We started on ski, pulling a heavy load of over six hundred pounds. We marched from eight o'clock in the morning until nine at night, with a short interval for lunch, and that first day out we covered twenty miles and arrived on the Great Ice Barrier at the close of our march. The Barrier in its bleak loneliness is probably the most desolate portion of the earth's surface, with the possible exception of the high plateau which forms the ice cap of the great Antarctic mountain ranges. Although only twenty miles from our winter quarters at Cape Evans, the temperature was 21 degrees lower, as we afterwards found by comparison.

We were all three anxious to acquit ourselves well, and although the temperature on camping was 42 degrees below zero we had not experienced any great discomfort until we encountered a sharp, cold breeze off Cape Armitage, which resulted in Forde having his nose badly frost-bitten. Directly this was noticed we quickly unpacked our sledge, erected our tent, and whilst Gran cooked the supper I applied what warmth I could to Forde's nose to bring the frozen part of it back to life.

Needless to say, the sharp air had keened our appetites, and we were all eager for the fragrant smelling pemmican. We sat round on our rolled-up fur sleeping-bags, warming our hands over the primus stove, and literally yearning for the moment to arrive when the pemmican would boil and we could absorb the delicious beverage and derive some badly needed warmth therefrom. Following the pemmican and biscuit came a fine brew of cocoa. This finished, the bags were unstrapped and laid out, when the three of us soon curled up and, huddling together for warmth, endeavoured to get to sleep. The thermometer, however, fell to 60 degrees below zero, and the cold seemed to grip us particularly about the feet and loins. All night we shivered and fidgeted, feeling the want of extra beat in the small of our backs more than elsewhere. We got little or no sleep that night, and my companions were as glad as I was myself when daylight came and we got busy with our breakfast.

We arrived at the old pony-food depot, Safety Camp, during the forenoon of September 9, and dug out the stores and bales of compressed hay, which we carefully tallied and marked by setting up a large black flag. Then we continued towards Corner Camp. We covered only eight or nine miles this second day on account of spending much time in digging out the depot at Safety Camp. The temperature seemed to fall as we advanced into the Barrier, and this night the thermometer fell to 62 degrees below zero, which meant more shivering and even more discomfort, because now the moisture from our bodies and our breath formed ice in the fur of our sleeping-bags, especially at the head, hips, and feet. One can never forget the horrible ice-clammy feeling of one's face against the frozen fur. How I yearned for a whiff of mild New Zealand air and an hour of its glorious sunshine to thaw my frozen form.

In spite of the low temperature we did sleep this second night, for we were tired men, and Nature nursed us somehow into a sort of mild unconsciousness.

On the third day of our march a considerable effort was necessary to bring the sledge out of its settled position in the hard snow, but we soon got going, like willing horses swaying at our load. The day was very cold and our breath came out grayly steaming in the clear, crisp air.

At first our faces, feet, and fingers were quite painful from the cold, which bit right through, but as the march progressed the temperature rose kindly, until towards noon it was only about 30 degrees below zero, warm enough after what we had experienced earlier.

As we trudged along we watched the mist which clothed the distant hills uncurl from their summits and roll back into rising sheets of vapour which finally dispersed and left a cloudless sky. The awful absence of life struck strong notes within us. Even our feet made no noise at all, clad in their soft fur boots, for we could no longer pull on ski owing to the increasing weight of ice collecting in our sleeping-bags and on the sledging equipment.

We were disappointed as the day progressed, for the sky became overcast and the wind blew stronger and stronger from the W.S.W: with low drifts, and at 8.30 p.m., it being too dark to see properly, we camped. By the time our tent was pitched a fair blizzard was upon us, and by 10 o'clock the camp was well snowed up. In spite of the howling wind we made all snug inside, and the temperature rose to such an extent that we got quite a good night's rest.

The blizzard continued throughout the night, but on the following day the wind took off somewhat, and by the afternoon it was fine enough for us to make a start again, which we did in a biting cold wind. We marched on until nightfall, covering about seven and a half miles.

On the 13th September, having shivered in my bag all night, at five o'clock I told my companions to get up, both of them being awake. The cold had been so dreadful that none of us had slept a wink, and we were not at all surprised on looking at the thermometer when we found the temperature was 73.3 degrees below zero, Fahrenheit.

We cooked a meal and then prepared to scout for Corner Camp. I got a glimpse of Observation Hill, a well-known landmark, and took a bearing of that and another hill.

This gave me our whereabouts, and then we struck southward for a short distance until we saw just the top of the flagstaff of Corner Camp, which had been entirely buried up by the winter's snow-drifts. When we reached the Camp we pitched our tent and dug out all the forenoon, until eventually we had got all the stores repacked in an accessible fashion at the top of a great snow cairn constructed by the three of us. It was about the coldest day's work I ever remember doing.

The job finished, we made ourselves some tea and then started to march back to Hut Point, nearly thirty-five miles away. We proposed to do this distance without camping, except for a little food, for we had no wish to remain another minute at Corner Camp, where it was blowing a strong breeze with a temperature of 32 degrees below zero all the time we were digging, in fact about as much as we could stick. When four miles on our homeward journey the wind dropped to a calm, and at 10.30 we had some pemmican and tea, having covered nine and a half miles according to our sledge meter. We started again at midnight, and, steering by stars, kept our course correct. The hot tea seemed to run through my veins; its effect was magical, and the ice-bitten feeling of tired men gave way once more to vigour and alertness.

As we started out again we witnessed a magnificent Auroral display, and as we dragged the now light sledge onward we watched the gold white streamers waving and playing in the heavens. The atmosphere, was extraordinarily clear, and we seemed to be marching in fairyland, but for the cold which made our breath come in gasps. We were cased lightly in ice about the shoulders, loins, and feet, and we were also covered with the unpleasant rime which our backs had brushed off the tent walls when we had camped. On we went, however, confident but silent. No other sound now but the swish, swish of our ski as we sped through the soft new snow. In the light of the Aurora objects stood out with the razor-edge sharpness of an after-blizzard atmosphere, and the temperature seemed to fall even lower than at midnight. Our fingers seemed to be cut with the frost burn, and frost bites played all round our faces, making us wince with pain.

We were marching, as, it were, under the shadow of Erebus, the great Antarctic volcano, and on this never-to-be-forgotten night the Southern Lights played for hours. If for nothing else, it was worth making such a sledge journey to witness the display. First, vertical shafts ascended in a fan of electric flame, and then the shafts all merged into a filmy, pale chrome sheet. This faded and intensified alternately, and then in an instant disappeared, but more flaming lights burst into view in other parts of the heavens, and a phantom curtain of glittering electric violet trembled between the lights and the stars.

No wonder Wilson and Bowers stated that the Aurora effects were much better and more variegated in colour this southern side of Mount Erebus. The awful splendour of this majestic vision gave us all a most eerie feeling, and we forgot our fatigue and the cold whilst we watched.

The Southern Lights continued for some hours, only vanishing with the faint appearance of dawn. With daylight the well-known hills which surrounded our winter quarters thrust themselves into view, and gladdened by this sight we redoubled our efforts.

At 5 a.m. we had alight breakfast of tea and biscuits. We were off again before six, and we continued marching until we came to the edge of the Great Ice Barrier shortly before 1 p.m. We did not stop for lunch, but marched straight to Hut Point, arriving at three o'clock at the Hut.

We cooked ourselves a tremendous meal, which we ate steadily from 4 to 5.30, and then we discussed marching on to our winter quarters at Cape Evans, fifteen miles farther.

Had we started we might have got in by 3 a.m., but not before. We had marched all through one night, and besides digging out Corner Camp, we had covered nearly thirty-five miles, which on top of a day's work we considered good enough. We therefore prepared the hut for the night; two of us turned in about seven and soon fell asleep. Gran remained sitting at the stove, as his bag was in such a shockingly iced-up condition that he could not yet get into it. He awoke us about 10 p.m. with more food, cocoa and porridge, both of which were excellent. I full well remember that he put about four ounces of butter into each bowl of porridge, which we mightily enjoyed. We then slept again till morning—a long, warm, dreamless sleep.

We had an easy march back to Cape Evans on the sea ice, and arrived in the evening at the Main Hut, which appeared to us like a palace after our cold spring journey.



CHAPTER XI

PREPARATIONS AND PLANS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

Whilst the spring depot-laying party was absent, Scott, on September 15, took a small sledge party counting Bowers, Seaman Evans, and Simpson away westward. They covered over 150 geographical miles, and commenced by taking over to Butter Point a quantity of stores for Griffith Taylor's forthcoming western summer journey.

The provisions deposited, Scott marched up the Ferrar Glacier to Cathedral Rocks and did some scientific work and surveying. He found that the Ferrar Glacier moved 32 feet in seven months. He then came back down the Glacier and continued his march on sea ice, following the coast into the five mile deep bay known as New Harbour, thence outward and North Eastward to Cape Bernacchi and on past Marble Point, where the broken-off portion of Glacier Tongue was found aground as stated already.

After an examination of this ice mass the party pressed on past Spike Point to Dunlop Island, sledging coastwise parallel to the Piedmont Glacier, named by Griffith Taylor after Dr. Wilson. A thorough examination was made of Dunlop Island, revealing many facts of extraordinary scientific interest.

On 24th September the sledge team retraced their steps from Dunlop Island to a camp near Marble Point, and, after spending a night close to the remnant of Glacier Tongue, they shaped course direct for Cape Evans, which was reached about 1 a.m. on 29th September.

Travelling mostly on sea ice, and well away from the frigidity of the Ice Barrier, Scott was not troubled with any particularly low temperatures, but he experienced a nasty blizzard on the two days preceding his return to headquarters.

Apart from the value of this journey in observations of a technical nature, Scott gleaned much information, which he was able to impart to Griffith Taylor concerning the very important journey to be undertaken by the latter.

Once back in the Hut, Scott set to work to put the final touches to his elaborate plans, drew up instructions, got his correspondence in order lest he should miss the "Terra Nova" through a late return from the Pole, and even wrote a special letter urging that special promotion to Commander's rank should be given to Pennell and myself.

About this time he called on us severally to relieve him if we could of the responsibility of paying us for the second season. Most of us signed the document, but not all could afford to do so.

The general outline plan for the Polar journey was now understood by all concerned in it to be as follows:

The Motor Party.—Day, Lashly, Hooper, and myself to leave winter quarters about October 22, the two motors dragging fuel and forage.

The Pony Party, consisting of Scott, Wilson, Oates, Bowers, Cherry-Garrard, Atkinson, Wright, Petty Officer Evans, Crean, and Keohane, to be independent of the success of the motors, to work light loads and easy distances out to Corner Camp, full loads and easy distances to One Ton Camp, and full distances beyond this point.

The Dog Teams, starting later, to rejoin Scott at One Ton Camp.

The first object was to get twelve men with 43 weekly food units provision (four men per weekly unit) to the foot of Beardmore Glacier. Thence, with 3 units of four men and 21 units of provision, it was hoped to extend the advance unit (Polar party of four men) the required distance. The route intended was the actual one taken, as shown on the accompanying map.

All our instructions were clear, and we knew what was expected of us long before the start for the Southern journey was made.

The plans and instructions complete, we had a full month for our own individual work.

I had plenty to do in conjunction largely with Debenham, and accordingly he, I, and Gran set out on September 23 with sledge, tent, and a week's food supply to complete and extend our surveys, and in Debenham's case to "geologise."

We had an interesting but somewhat chilly time. Theodolite and plane table work are not suited to very cold climates. We all three worked long hours, usually turning out between 5 and 6 a.m. and not wasting time over meals.

Whilst away surveying we mostly worked on the sea ice, and pitched our tent there. On October 2 at, midnight a terrific squall struck our tent. We knew what Wilson's experience had been and consequently we were out of our bags in a moment. Being close to land we got Gran to collect rocks on the valance, while Debenham and I held on for our lives to it, otherwise the tent would have blown away via McMurdo Sound into the Ross Sea.

Eventually all was serene, the tent securely anchored by rocks piled close around, and we three were snoring in our bags.

We lay still until the following afternoon, by which time the blizzard had abated, and one could see a mile or two; accordingly we were up and about, so that when the visibility suited, Debenham and I were once more at work and Gran was away to Cape Evans for the purpose of replenishing our food bag.

It is worthy of mention that Gran could easily carry sixty pounds weight in a "rygsaek," (Norwegian knapsack for ski running and towing) and hung about him whilst keeping up a speed on ski that made the best of us sweat.

Debenham whilst in the neighbourhood of the Turk's Head found much of interest to geologists, and was pleased at what we collected in the way of information. "Deb" was one of the best cooks in the expedition, so we fared well whilst he was with Gran and myself.

Gran kept us alive with his reminiscences, which were always amusing, and he certainly possessed the liveliest imagination in the Expedition. He ought to have been a brigand chief. Sometimes his imaginative foresight led him to commit slight breaches of discipline, as the following anecdote will show. On midwinter night when our table was gay and festive Gran noticed an unopened pint bottle of champagne towards the end of the feast, when "bubbley" was being superseded by port and liqueurs. Cleverly he coaxed the champagne bottle on to his lap, under his jersey, and finally into his bunk, where it remained hidden until such opportunity should arise for its consumption.

Gran was too generous to finish it himself, and too wise to divide it with many—a pint was for two and no more.

It so happened that whilst we two were working around Glacier Tongue this spring doing survey work we had to come in to Cape Evans for some purpose. We had a hard run out on ski to our camp, and my short legs found great effort necessary to keep pace with the swarthy ski-runner. Once arrived at the survey camp I puffed and blew and sank nearly exhausted on my sleeping-bag in the tent. I told Gran we must have some tea before re-commencing work, and reached out to get the cooker ready. Gran asked me what I fancied most in the world, and my reply was—a pint of champagne.

He laughed and asked me what I would give him for that same, to which I articulated, "FIVE POUNDS," and sank my tired head between my knees. Noiselessly the Norwegian glided from the tent to reappear with the stolen champagne bottle. I smiled delightedly, and soon we were hard at work cooking the champagne into its liquid state once more, for it was of course hard frozen in the low temperature.

When we got the stuff melted it had lost its "fizz," but it tasted nectar-like even from our aluminium sledge mugs, and such was the stimulus from it that we worked until darkness had set in. I have never paid the five pounds, for the reason that Gran chose a dinner party at the Grand Hotel, Christiania instead: from a financial point of view I should have gained by paying—but that is another story and has no connection with the Frozen South.

On October 13 we finished the coast survey in McMurdo Sound: generally the weather was wretched, but this notwithstanding we got along fairly well with our work. Once back in the Hut there was plenty to be done preparing for the Southern Journey.

My particular work consisted of rating chronometers, sewing, packing, stowing, making sundials, calibrating instruments, and preparing little charts which could be rolled up on a bamboo stick and carried in the instrument boxes of the sledges.

Poor Clissold, our cook, fell off an iceberg while posing for Ponting, and was on account of his severe shaking unable to accompany the Motor party for which Scott had detailed him.

After dinner on October 17 Day started his motors, and amidst a perfect furore of excitement he got one motor sledge down on to the sea ice. At the ice foot, alas, one of the rear axle cases fractured badly and the car was out of action 30 yards from the garage. The other car wouldn't start.

From the 18th until the 24th October, Day and Lashly were at work repairing the disabled car, and they made an excellent job of it, so that there was no delay in the starting date for the pioneer party with the motors.

We got all news by telephone from Hut Point with reference to the state of the surface on the Great Ice Barrier, as Meares and Dimitri returned on October 15 from a flying journey to Corner Camp and back with depot stores. Meares's dogs on this trip covered the seventy statute miles, out and home, in thirty-six hours, including their resting time.

Scott handed me my instructions on October 20, which read as follows:

Instructions for Motor Party.

Proceed at convenient speed to Corner Camp, thence to One Ton Camp, and thence due South to Latitude 80 1/2 degrees South. If motors successful

(i) Carry forward from Corner Camp 9 bags forage, 1 bag of oilcake; but see that provision for ponies is intact, viz.: 3 sacks oats, 1 bag oilcake, 4 bags of forage. If motors pulling very well you can also take 9 cases emergency biscuit.

(ii) In addition carry forward from One Ton Camp all man food and fuel in depot, viz.: 7 units bagged provisions, 4 boxes biscuit, 8 gallons paraffin, but see that provision for ponies is intact, viz.: 5 sacks oats; and deposit second bag of oil-cake brought from Corner Camp. If motors pulling very well you can also take 2 or 3 bales of compressed fodder.

It being important that I should have latest news of your success I am arranging for dog teams to follow your tracks for some distance.

If motors break down temporarily you will have time for repairs.

If motors break down irretrievably, take 5 weeks' provision and 3 gallons extra summit oil on 10 foot sledge and continue South easy marches. Arrange as best you can for ponies to overtake you three or four marches due South One Ton Camp. Advance as much weight (man food) as you can conveniently carry from One Ton Camp, but I do not wish you to tire any of party. The object is to relieve the ponies as much as possible on leaving One Ton Camp, but you must not risk chance of your tracks being obliterated and pony party missing you.

(Signed) R. F. SCOTT.

On October 23 I wrote my final letters to my wife and friends lest I should get back to Cape Evans after the departure of the "Terra Nova": we had by now decided that another winter was imperious, and as far as possible those who were likely to remain a second winter wrote to this effect, and left their letters in Simpson's charge. Before my departure with the motors I also spent some time with my leader, and he gave me all his instructions to the various parties to read.

They are so explicit and comprehensive that I may well append certain of them here, for they clearly show how Scott's organisation covered the work of the ship, the base, the western party, the dog teams, and even the arrangements for Campbell's party.

I.—INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMMANDING OFFICER, "Terra Nova."

October, 1911.

The expedition suffered a considerable loss of ponies in March, but enough remain to carry out the Southern Plan, under favourable circumstances.

This loss and experience with the remaining animals have decided me to start the Southern journey at a later date than originally intended.

As at present arranged the Southern Party leaves at the end of this month (October), and it is estimated that if all goes well the earliest date at which the most advanced party can return to McMurdo Sound is March 15.

As it is probable the ship will be obliged to leave the Sound before this party has returned, arrangements have been made to pass a second winter at Cape Evans, and as is clearly desirable, the Scientific Staff will remain to continue their work.

If fresh transport is brought by the ship, other members of the Expedition will remain to work it, and it is probable that an attempt will be made to cross the Barrier in a S.S.E.ly direction in 1912-13.

The ship must be prepared to return to the Sound in 1912-13 to relieve those that remain for the second winter.

Details concerning past events can be learned from the bearers of these instructions.

In all that follows I want you to understand clearly that you should proceed in accordance with your judgment rather than the letter of these instructions, where the further information you possess may cause it to appear more expedient.

Subject to this condition I wish you to carry out the following programme:—

I assume that you arrive at the rendezvous, Granite Harbour, on or about January 15, and pick up the Western Geological Party as arranged.

The party will consist of Griffith-Taylor, Debenham, Gran, and Forde.

The first copy of this document may be found by you at the depot made by this party on the Bluff at the entrance of the Harbour, but I hope that Taylor himself will hand it to you.

In case the party should be absent it is well to quote Taylor's plan in brief:

To November 10—Exploring along coast North of Granite Harbour. November 14 to 28—Exploring coast and inland South of Granite Harbour. December 8 to January 8-Exploring inland of Granite Harbour region.

Taylor will make every effort to return to Granite Harbour in time to meet you, and should the party be absent you may assume that it has probably been delayed inland. On the chance that it may have been cut off you may proceed to search the coast in a Southerly direction if ice conditions permit.

The time occupied in the search must be left to your judgment, observing that the party will reach Granite Harbour with sufficient provision to last till April, 1912, and should be able to work its way back to this depot.

All things considered, I do not think you need be anxious about the party, even if you find a search impracticable, having regard to your future movements, and you will remember that the search will be more easily prosecuted as the season advances.

Should the party be recovered at once, as is most probable, I wish you to take it to Evans Coves, and land it without delay. The provisions carried by the party should be sufficient to support it for about two months, to provide for the possibility of the failure of the ship to return.

I imagine this landing will be effected about January 18 or 19, and the party should be instructed to be prepared to be re-embarked on February 15. It will, of course, be under your orders, and you should be careful that the place for relief is thoroughly understood by all concerned.

After landing this party you will proceed to Cape Evans, and should you reach it on or about January 23 you will have three weeks in McMurdo Sound before proceeding to finally relieve the Geological Party.

There will be a great deal of work to be done and very little assistance: the order in which it is performed must depend on the state of the ice, etc., but of course the practical work of relieving the station must take precedence in point of importance.

Simpson will remain in charge of the station, and is provided with complete lists of the stores remaining, together with the requirements for the future. Bowers will have left a letter for you concerning these matters. It is probable that a good many of the stores you bring will not be required on shore, and in any case you will easily determine what is wanted. If 10 tons of patent fuel remain, we shall not require more than 15 tons of additional fuel.

In addition to stores I hope you will be landing some fresh transport animals. Oates has drawn a plan for extending the stable accommodation, which will be left with Simpson. The carpenter should be landed for this work and for the few small alterations in the hut accommodation which may be necessary.

The Discovery Hut at Cape Armitage has now been put into fairly good order, and anticipating that returning parties may have to remain there for some time, as we did last year, I am arranging to transport a quantity of stores to Hut Point. In case the ponies are unable to finish this work, I should like you to complete it at some convenient season. According to circumstances you will probably wait till the ice has broken well back.

Mails and letters for members of the Southern Party should be taken to Hut Point and left in clearly marked boxes.

Simpson will inform you of the plan on which the Southern Journey is being worked. The first returning parties from the South should reach Hut Point towards the end of January. At as early a date as convenient I should like you to proceed to the Western side of the Sound

(i) To find a snug berth in which the ship can take shelter during gales.

(ii) To erect the meteorological hut if you have brought it with you.

From a recent sledge trip to the West I am inclined to think that excellent shelter could be found for the ship alongside the fast ice in the Ferrar Glacier Inlet or in New Harbour, and it might be well to make headquarters in such a place in time of disturbance. But it would be wise to keep an eye to the possibility of ice pressure across the Sound.

It might be possible to moor the ship under the shelter of Butter Point by a hawser secured to balks of timber buried deep in the snow; she should he easy at a long scope. In regards to the hut my idea is to place it in as sheltered a spot as possible, at or near a spot which commands a view of the Strait, the main object being to make it a station from which the phenomena of blizzards, etc., can be observed. Simpson, who was with me in the West, will give you some idea of our impressions.

You will understand that neither of the above objects are of vital importance.

On the proper date you will return to Evans Coves to pick up the Geological Party.

I must assume that Campbell has been landed in the region of Robertson Bay in a place that is fairly accessible at this season. If this is so I think it is desirable that you should visit his station after leaving Evans Coves to communicate fresh instructions to him.

Campbell was directed to be prepared to embark on February 25, and it is probable that he will have returned a few days before that date.

In view of the return of the ship in 1912-13 I propose to give Campbell's Party the choice of remaining another winter in their station under certain conditions or of returning to New Zealand. Should they decide to stay, the necessary stores for them can now be landed. Should they decide to return, inform Priestley that he is at liberty to remain at Cape Evans for a second winter if he wishes to do so.

Should the party be absent from the station you must leave the instructions and return to McMurdo Sound. I do not think you should delay beyond February 24 on this service.

You should be back in McMurdo Sound at the end of February or March, and after collecting fresh news, I hope you will be able to moor the ship and await developments for at least ten days.

The term of this stay must be left entirely to your judgment, observing that whilst it is highly undesirable for you to miss the latest possible news, it would be more undesirable for you to be caught in the ice and forced to winter.

Concerning this matter I can only give you information as to what had happened in previous years:

Last year the Bays froze permanently on March 24. Last year the Sound froze permanently on May 7 or 8.

By the Bays I mean the water south of Hut Point, inside Turtle Back Island, south of Glacier Tongue, inside the islands north of Glacier Tongue, and, I think, the western shores of the Sound.

The following gives the ice movements in the Sound in more detail:

March 24.-25. Ice forming and opening with leads. " 26. Sea clear. " 27. Strait apparently freezing. " 28 (early). Ice over whole Sound. " 29. All Ice gone. " 30. Freezing over. April 1. Ice out, etc.

This sort of thing continued till May, with lengthening intervals, but never more than three days of frozen sea.

The dates of freezing over in 1902 were approximately the same, except that the Sound continued to open beyond the Glacier Tongue throughout the winter.

In 1903 the Bays did not break out, but the Sound was freezing and opening in March and April as in the other years. I think it is certain that the old ice lately broken as well as all the broken young ice drifts to the west, and that a ship on the western side of the Sound would be pretty certainly entangled at this season of the year.

I think it more than probable that you will find all the old ice broken out when you return from the north, and the Bay south of Cape Armitage completely open.

If so, this seems to me to be a good place for you to wait, moored to the edge of the Barrier, if possible. Young ice will constantly form about you, but I do not think you need fear its detaining you until after the third week in March. I am afraid it may be very cold and unpleasant waiting in such a situation, and possibly better and safer conditions for the ship can be found farther to the west and nearer to the decayed Glacier ice south of Black Island.

Moored here the ship would have a clear sea to leeward, whereas in the Bay beyond Cape Armitage she might have a lee shore. You will know best how to make a good permanent ice anchor.

There are shoals off Cape Armitage which may extend for one or even two miles, and careful navigation is needed in this immediate vicinity. The shoals off Hut Point and the west side of the Peninsula do not extend more than a ship's length from the shore. Otherwise, except inside the Islands, I believe the Sound to be free from such dangers.

In case you choose to wait in a spot somewhat remote from Hut Point I am arranging to attract your attention in the following manner:—Very's lights will be discharged and as large a flare as possible will be burnt at Hut Point at midnight or noon (you will remember we are keeping time for 180th meridian).

As large a flag as possible will be displayed on the skyline of the heights near by, and attempts to heliograph with a looking-glass will be made.

With a keen lookout for such signals you need not frequently approach the Hut.

In the above I have referred to the young ice in the Sound only; there is no means of knowing what is happening farther north, but I am of opinion that as long as the "Terra Nova" is free to move in the Southern Bays, she will have no great difficulty in leaving the Ross Sea.

You will understand that the foregoing remarks are intended as helpful suggestions and that I do not wish them to interfere with your judgment of the situation as it stands; above all, I would not have them to prompt you to take a risk in detaining the ship beyond the time which you think proper for her departure. I fully realise that at this critical time, when gales are very frequent, your position will be beset with difficulties, and I much regret that it is necessary to ask you to undertake such an uncomfortable service.

Apart from, but concurrently with, the services which have been discussed, I know that you will be anxious to help forward the scientific objects of the Expedition. Having regard to your interests in such matters, they also are left mainly to your judgment, and I wish only to specify some lines on which any soundings taken would be especially important.

These seem to be:

1. In the space occupied by the old Glacier Tongue (some two miles of the Tongue was broken off last summer). 2. Across the Sound in one or two places to give a section of the bottom elevations. 3. Across any fiords on the coast such as the Ferrar Glacier Inlet. 4. Off the end of ice tongues or the edge of ice walls. 5. Off the old pinnacled ice north of Black Island. 6. From a boat near the Barne Glacier. 7. From a boat around grounded bergs.

I have now to mention various matters of lesser importance to which I should like attention given if time and circumstances permit.

1. The Hut Galley is not in a very satisfactory condition. I should like Williams to overhaul it and try to make it more serviceable for a second season.

2. The coast of Victoria Land has been redrawn over the "Discovery" track. I should be glad to have definite evidence on this point. Any replotting of coast will of course be valuable.

3. Boot-leather, stout boot-nails, and useful paper are requirements which I hope you will be able to supply sufficiently for a second season.

4. The only want for the second season which I can foresee is reindeer pelts for repairing sleeping-bags. I very much fear you will not have brought any: anything you can provide to make good the want would be acceptable.

5. If convenient Williams might look at the blubber cooking stove in the Discovery Hut and provide some sheet metal, etc., to keep it in good repair.

6. One of the old blubber stoves adapted as in stables and some chimney pipe should be placed in the Meteorological Hut if it is erected to the west.

7. To provide for possible difficulty in keeping up supply of blubber for Discovery Hut stove in March and April it might be useful to have a few bags of coal there, if you can spare them and land them conveniently. Last year we managed very well without coal.

8. If when erecting the stables, etc., the carpenter has not time to see to smaller matters, such as the repairing of the porch entrance, etc., will you please leave sufficient wood for the purpose. A drift screen would be an advantage outside door of porch.

9. If you erect the Meteorological Hut, and can conveniently do so, it would help for you to leave a few cases of provisions in it. Bowers leaves a note with Simpson on this point.

10. If at any time during the season it is convenient to you without undue expenditure of coal to land at Cape Crozier, I should like you to leave a small depot of provisions there. The object of this depot is to support a sledge party to visit the region early next season. Bowers leaves a note with Simpson concerning the stores required. They should be placed near the Discovery record post.

11. To assist the signalling to you from Hut Point you might land rockets or port-fires.

In regard to the constitution of the wintering party for the second winter, much must remain in doubt. The following members will return in any case:

1. Taylor, whose leave of absence transpires. 2. Ponting, who will have completed his work. 3. Anton, who has had enough of it.

Anton took the dark season very badly; it preyed on his superstitions, but he has worked like a Trojan and is an excellent little man. Please recommend him highly if he wants to get work in New Zealand.

Meares may possibly return; it depends on letters from home.

The following are certain to stay: Bowers, Simpson, Debenham, Wright, Nelson, Atkinson, Clissold, Hooper, Dimitri.

The movements of the following depend (i) on the date of the return from the South; (ii) on the fresh transport which you have brought: Myself, Wilson, Evans, Oates, Cherry-Garrard, Gran, Day, and the seamen.

If you have brought fresh transport the probability is that all these will remain. If you have not brought fresh transport the majority, if not all, who are able to catch the ship will return. The decision is in every case voluntary and subject to alteration on receipt of home news or from other causes.

It is impossible for me to speak too highly of any member of the Expedition who has remained in this party, and you must do your best to see that the reasons of returning members are generally understood.

In regard to my agreement with the Central News I am leaving with Simpson under separate cover a telegraphic despatch concerning the doings of this party, containing about 3000 words. I hope you will duly receive letters from me through returning sections of the Southern Party. I must leave it to you to complete the despatch with this material, with news from Campbell, and with an account of your own doings.

You will remember that the agreement is for a minimum of 6000 words, and we must not fail in the performance of our part, Drake must take special care to have the "Hereward" message correct.

As a matter of form, it will be well for you to remind every one returning in the ship of the terms of the ship's articles.

Ponting will be in charge of all the photographic material returning, and will see to the observance of the various agreements concerning it.

His own work is of the greatest importance, and it is probable that he will wish to be in the ship during your trip to recover the Geological Party and communicate with Campbell.

I should like you to give him every facility you can for his work, but of course you will remember that he is an enthusiast, and in certain circumstances might undervalue his own safety or that of the ship. I don't want you to run risks to get pictures.

I have hitherto made no mention of Amundsen, as we have no news of him beyond that which you brought. The circumstances do not appear to me to make it incumbent on you to attempt to visit his station. But should the "Fram" not have been heard of, or public opinion seem to point to the advisability, you are of course at liberty to go along the Barrier and to rearrange this programme as necessary for the purpose.

Finally, I wish you every sort of good fortune in the work that is to do, and better weather than you encountered last year. I am sure that you will do all that is possible under the circumstances.

(Signed) R.F. SCOTT.

II.—INSTRUCTIONS TO DR. G. C. SIMPSON.

MY DEAR SIMPSON,—In leaving you in charge of the Cape Evans Station I have little to do beyond expressing the hearty wish that all may be well with yourself and the other members of the Expedition remaining with you.

I leave in your charge a box containing instructions for the Commanding Officer of the "Terra Nova" and other documents which I wish you to deliver to the proper persons.

I think you are fully aware of my plans and wishes, beyond their expression in the various statements you have seen, and that it is needless to go further with written explanations.

As you know, it is arranged for Ponting, Hooper, and Anton to make a journey to the S.W. in December. Ponting will leave with you a written statement giving an outline of his intended movements. Later in the season he will probably visit Cape Royds and other interesting localities: please give him what assistance you can in his important work.

From time to time Meares may be visiting the station, and I hope that by this means, or through the telephone, you may receive information as to the progress of the Southern Party.

The thawing of the drifts in summer will have to be carefully watched and such measures as are necessary taken to avoid injury to the Hut and the stores. Cases should not be exposed to wet or tins to rust.

The breaking of the sea ice should be carefully watched, noted, and reported to Hut Point when possible.

Bowers will leave notes with you concerning store requirements and desirable expenditure. I anticipate the ship may have some difficulty in reprovisioning the station. You will of course render all the assistance you can.

Details as to the improvement of the Hut for a second winter will become more evident as the season advances. In addition to the probable renovation of the stables I can only suggest the following points at present:

1. An extension or rebuilding of the entrance porch so that the outer door faces north. Regard must be had to the possibility of bringing sledges into hut. 2. A shelter extension to latrine. 3. The construction of an air-tight embankment or other device at the base of the hut walls to keep the floor warmer. 4. The betterment of insulation in your corner, and the provision of a definite air inlet there. 5. The caulking of small holes and slits in the inner roof. 6. The whale boat should be looked to and probably filled with water under advice from ship.

After departure of Southern Party all mattresses and bedding should be rolled up, and as opportunity occurs they should be thoroughly dried in the sun.

You will remember that as the summer advances certain places in the solid floe become dangerously weak. It should be well to keep watch on such places, especially should they occur on the road to Hut Point, over which parties may be travelling at any time. It is probable there will be a rearrangement of the currents in the region of Tent Island since the breaking of the Glacier Tongue.

(Signed) R.F. Scott.

III.—INSTRUCTIONS LEADER OF WESTERN PARTY.

1911. The objects of your journey have been discussed, and need not here be particularised. In general they comprise the Geological exploration of the coast of Victoria Land.

Your party will consist of Debenham, Gran, and Forde, and you will cross the Sound to Butter Point on or about October.

You will depart from Butter Point with provision as under:

11 weeks' pemmican. 10 gallons oil. 18 weeks' remainder. 25 lb. cooking fat.

and make along the coast to Granite Harbour. You will leave at Butter Point two weeks' provision for your party, for use in case you are forced to retreat along the coast late in the season, and for the same eventuality you will depot a week's provision at Cape Bernacchi.

On arrival in Granite Harbour you will choose a suitable place to depot the main bulk of your provision.

As the Commanding Officer of the "Terra Nova" has been referred to the bluff Headland, shown in the photograph on page 154 "Voyage of the 'Discovery'," as the place near which you are likely to be found, it is obviously desirable that your depot should be in this vicinity.

I approve your plan to employ your time thereafter approximately as follows:

During what remains of the first fortnight of November in exploring north of Granite Harbour.

During the last fortnight in November in exploring south of Granite Harbour.

The only importance attached to the observance of this programme, apart from a consideration of the work to be done, lies in the fact that in case of an early break up of the sea ice and your inability to reach the rendezvous, the ship is directed to search the coast south of Granite Harbour.

You should act accordingly in modifying your plans.

It will certainly be wise for you to confine your movements to the regions of Granite Harbour during the second week in January.

You will carry a copy of my instructions to the Commanding Officer of the "Terra Nova," which you are at liberty to peruse.

This should be left at your depot and the depot marked, so that the ship has a good chance of finding it in case of your absence.

You will, of course, make every effort to be at the rendezvous at the proper time, January 15, and you need not be surprised if the ship does not appear on the exact date. The Commanding Officer has been instructed in the following words:

"I wish the ship to be at Granite Harbour on or about January 15.... No anxiety need be felt if she is unable to reach this point within a week or so of the date named."

You are now in possession of all the information I can give you on this point, and it must be left to your discretion to act in accordance with unforeseen circumstances.

Should the ship fail to find you it is probable she will not make a protracted search before going to Cape Evans to gather further particulars and land stores; it is to be remembered also that an extent of fast ice or pack may prevent a search of the coast at this early season.

Should the ship fail to appear within a fortnight of the date named you should prepare to retreat on Hut Point, but I am of opinion that the retreat should not be commenced until the Bays have refrozen, probably towards the end of March. An attempt to retreat over land might involve you in difficulties, whereas you could build a stone hut, provision it with seal meat, and remain in safety in any convenient station on the coast. In no case is an early retreat along the coast to be attempted without the full concurrence of the members of your party.

Should the ship embark you on or about the proper date, you will take on board your depot stores, except one week's provision. These stores should serve your travelling needs for the remainder of the season.

Whilst expressing my wishes to the Commanding Officer of the "Terra Nova," I have given him full discretion to act according to circumstances, in carrying out the further programme of the season.

You will, of course, be under his orders and receive his instructions concerning your further movements.

In your capacity as leader of a party I cannot too strongly impress on you the necessity for caution in your movements. Although you will probably travel under good weather conditions, you must remember that violent storms occasionally sweep up the coast and that the changes of weather are quite sudden, even in summer. I urge this the more especially because I think your experiences of last year are likely to be misleading.

I am confident that it is not safe for a party in these regions to be at a great distance from its camp, and that, for instance, it would be dangerous to be without shelter in such storms as that encountered by the "Discovery" off Coulman Island early in January, 1902.

With camp equipment a party is always safe, though it is not easy to pitch tent in a high wind.

I can forsee no object before you which can justify the risk of accident to yourself or to the other members of your party.

I wish you to show these instructions to Debenham, who will take charge of the party in case you should be incapacitated.

I sincerely hope you will be able to accomplish your work without difficulty, and I am sure that Pennell will do his best to help you. Yours,

(Signed) R.F. SCOTT.

IV.—INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOG TEAMS.

October 20. DEAR MEARES,—In order that there may be no mistake concerning the important help which it is hoped the dog teams will give to the Southern Party, I have thought it best to set down my wishes as under:

Assuming that you carry two bags of oilcake to Hut Point, I want you to take these with five bags of forage to Corner Camp before the end of the month. This will leave two bags of forage at Hut Point.

If the motors pass Hut Point en route for the Barrier, I should be glad to get all possible information of their progress. About a day after they have passed if you are at Hut Point I should like you to run along their tracks for half a day with this object. The motors will pick up the two bags of forage at Hut Point—they should be placed in a convenient position for this purpose.

The general scheme of your work in your first journey over the Barrier has been thoroughly discussed, and the details are contained in Table VIII of my plan of which you should have a copy. I leave you to fix the date of your departure from Hut Point, observing that I should like you to join me at One Ton Camp, or very shortly after.

We cannot afford to wait. Look for a note from me at Corner Camp. The date of your return must be arranged according to circumstances. Under favourable conditions you should be back at Hut Point by December 19 at latest.

After sufficient rest I should like you to transport to Hut Point such emergency stores as have not yet been sent from Cape Evans. At this time you should see that the Discovery Hut is provisioned to support the Southern Party and yourself in the autumn in case the ship does not arrive.

At some time during this month or early in January you should make your second journey to One Ton Camp and leave there:

5 units X.S. ration. 3 cases of biscuit. 5 gallons of oil. As much dog food as you can conveniently carry (for third journey).

This depot should be laid not later than January 19, in case of rapid return of first unit of Southern Party.

Supposing that you have returned to Hut Point by January 13, there will be nothing for you to do on the Southern road for at least three weeks. In this case, and supposing the ice conditions to be favourable, I should like you to go to Cape Evans and await the arrival of the ship.

The ship will be short-handed and may have difficulty in landing stores. I should like you to give such assistance as you can without tiring the dogs.

About the first week of February I should like you to start your third journey to the South, the object being to hasten the return of the third Southern unit and give it a chance to catch the ship. The date of your departure must depend on news received from returning units, the extent of the depot of dog food you have been able to leave at One Ton Camp, the state of the dogs, etc.

Assuming that the ship will have to leave the Sound soon after the middle of March, it looks at present as though you should aim at meeting the returning party about March 1 in Latitude 82 or 82.30. If you are then in a position to advance a few short marches or "mark time" for five or six days on food brought, or ponies killed, you should have a good chance of affecting your object.

You will carry with you beyond One Ton Camp one X.S. ration, including biscuit and one gallon of paraffin, and of course you will not wait beyond the time when you can safely return on back depots.

You will of course understand that whilst the object of your third journey is important, that of the second is vital. At all hazards three X.S. units of provision must be got to One Ton Camp by the date named, and if the dogs are unable to perform this service, a man party must be organised.