CHAPTER V 
ON October 29 the mules all came down with their leaders to 
Hut Point and everything was ready for a start on the journey 
south. It was decided to march at night as we had done in the 
previous season, so that the mules would be moving during this 
cold time and camp during the warm portion of the day. 
At 7.30 P.M. on October 30 the seven mules and eight men 
making up the Pony Party started south. C. S. Wright was in 
command, as he was a skilled navigator. The mules and their 
leaders were as follows: 
E. W. Nelson, leading Khan Sahib; T. Gran, leading Lal 
Khan; W. Lashly, leading Pyaree; T. Crean, leading Rani; 
T. Williamson, leading Gulab; P. Keohane, leading Begum; 
F. J. Hooper, leading Abdullah. 
Wright was in command and went ahead, setting the course 
and standing by to give any help he could. The mules’ weights 
up to Corner Camp would not exceed 500 lbs. This was because 
of the deep and bad surface usually occurring over this area. 
The tents were under Wright and Nelson. It was proposed to 
march twelve geographical miles every night, but, as their prog- 
ress was uncertain, the question of this distance was left entirely 
to Wright’s judgment. 
Pyaree started lame, but within a few days had lost any slight 
trouble which she had. Gulab had proved that he would chafe 
easily with the breast harness, and in his case a collar was taken 
as well. Their first day they did twelve miles, camping about 
six miles to the S.E. of Safety Camp. Where the sea ice joined 
the Barrier there was a wide tide-crack, and Khan Sahib un- 
luckily fell partially into this; he was a very quiet animal, and 
with the aid of an Alpine rope and hauling on his forelegs they 
got him up and over on to the surface. 
The next day they made good another twelve miles over a 
slightly worse surface, camping within six miles of Corner Camp. 
Owing to the dogs’ experience in the earlier part of the year, we 
