I90I] PREPARATIONS. FOR FINAL DEPARTURE 8i 



some task lay before our observers, but luckily their comple- 

 ment was now complete, for we found the last of our officers, 

 Mr. Bernacchi, awaiting us on our arrival ; so pushed had we 

 been with many of our arrangements in England that this 

 ofificer had been obliged to remain behind and to spend the 

 weeks which could be saved by a rapid steamer voyage in 

 getting together and studying the delicate recording instru- 

 ments which were needed for our Southern station. And so, 

 for the time being, the members of our small community were 

 scattered once more, and whilst each was working at his special 

 task in more than one place there was bustle and hurry to be 

 prepared for the date of our final sailing. 



At Lyttelton we found awaiting us large quantities of stores 

 ready to be shipped for our long voyage, and since, as I have 

 already mentioned, some of the stores in the ' Discovery ' had 

 been damaged by the leaky state of the ship, it was neces- 

 sary to replace these by purchases in New Zealand. It was 

 when I appreciated the excellence of the goods obtained in 

 this manner I regretted that we had not relied on New Zealand 

 for the greater part of our provisions. Were I to go again on 

 such an expedition, I should certainly do this. Tinned meat, 

 flour, cheese, and, in fact, every necessary for a voyage, can be 

 obtained at moderate prices and of most excellent quality ; and 

 the fact that in such an expedition as ours these provisions 

 would not have had to come through the tropics, is, I think, of 

 very great importance. 



The case of butter may be especially mentioned. The 

 tinned Danish butter which we had brought from Europe was 

 as satisfactory as tinned butter could be, but in New Zealand 

 we were able to purchase fresh butter which is largely exported 

 in cases of white pine, and we found that it was quite possible 

 to keep these cases sound through the short voyage to the 

 Antarctic Circle, after which they could be relied on to keep 

 for any length of time. 



Owing to the damage done to our provisions, and wishing, 

 moreover, to know exactly where everything was stowed, we 

 thought it advisable to re-stow our holds at Lyttelton, a task 

 VOL. I. G 



