370 THE END OF THE WINTER 



result rewarded our pains; we had good, strong harness 

 for every team. 



This description will, perhaps, open the eyes of some 

 people, and show them that the equipment of an ex- 

 pedition such as we were about to enter upon is not the 

 affair of a day. It is not money alone that makes for 

 the success of such an expedition though, Heaven 

 knows, it is a good thing to have but it is in a great 

 measure indeed, I may say that this is the greatest 

 factor the way in which the expedition is equipped 

 the way in which every difficulty is foreseen, and pre- 

 cautions taken for meeting or avoiding it. Victory 

 awaits him who has everything in order luck, people 

 call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to 

 take the necessary precautions in time; this is called 

 bad luck. But pray do not think this is an epitaph 

 I wish to have inscribed on my own tomb. No; 

 honour where honour is due honour to my faithful 

 comrades, who, by their patience, perseverance and 

 experience, brought our equipment to the limit of per- 

 fection, and thereby rendered our victory possible. 



On August 16 we began to pack our sledges; two 

 were placed in the Crystal Palace and two in the 

 Clothing Store. It was a great advantage to be able 

 to do this work under cover; at this time the tempera- 

 ture was dancing a cancan between -58 and -75 F., 



