222 SCOTT’S LAST EXPEDITION [June 
return to Cape Evans; but no trace of this animal was found on 
arriving there and he was never seen again. 
The first week of June proved practically calm and we had 
our coldest temperatures of the winter. 
However, as a little ice remained in the North Bay we were 
able to get more exercise for men and animals. From the 8th to 
the 13th we had a most exceptional blizzard; both for the 
warmth of temperature and the amount of drift. It was quite 
possible in this blizzard to move a few yards away from the hut 
and be lost for some considerable time. The ice again blew out 
and we had a wonderful show of phosphorescence in the sea. 
Once beneath the ice foot we saw a seal chasing a school of fish, 
the fish outlined with phosphorescence and the seal with a glow- 
ing snout and all his body bright, in hot pursuit. 
In the previous season Wright had had great trouble in 
maintaining an even temperature for his pendulum observations. 
To overcome this a large hole was cut in the floor of the dark 
room and a Kenyte boulder embedded in it, upon which the pen- 
dulum was set. With this arrangement he was able to take his 
observations more accurately and in greater comfort. 
By this time the weather seemed to have broken and we had 
one almost continuous series of blizzards. Meanwhile we had 
noticed one peculiarity about the mules. The ponies in the pre- 
vious year had refused to go out when there was any wind and 
drift blowing. The mules on the other hand objected strongly 
by kicking their stable and squealing if they were not taken out 
for exercise under these conditions. 
On the rg9th preparations were begun for our celebrations of 
Midwinter Day on June 22. Debenham was busy making the 
slides for a lantern lecture. Gran and Williamson were busy 
behind a blanket making a Christmas tree. ‘This consisted of 
a central bamboo with lateral stems and the whole embedded in 
a pot of gravel. There was a present for everyone with an 
appropriate oration on its presentation. The whole was lighted 
with electric light, by arrangement with the physicist. 
On June 22, Mid-winter Day, Cherry-Garrard, our editor, 
presented us with another number of the South Polar Times, 
and the remainder of the afternoon was spent as a holiday in 
reading this, playing bagatelle, or making preparations for a 
happy evening. The whole hut was decorated with the Christ- 
