10 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 



drowned last night, one pony is dead and two others in a bad con- 

 dition — probably they too will go.. ' Occasionally a heavy sea 

 would bear one of them away, and he was only saved by his chain. 

 Meares with some helpers had constantly to be rescuing these 

 wretched creatures from hanging, and trying to find them better 

 shelter, an almost hopeless task. One poor beast was found 

 hanging when dead; one was washed away with such force that 

 his chain broke and he disappeared overboard; the next wave 

 miraculously washed him on board again and he is now fit and 

 well.' The gale has exacted heavy toll, but I feel all will be well 

 if we can only cope with the water. Another dog has just been 

 washed overboard — alas ! Thank God, the gale is abating. The 

 sea is still mountainously high, but the ship is not labouring so 

 heavily as she was. I pray we may be under sail again before 

 morning. 



Saturday, December 3. — Yesterday the wind slowly fell 

 towards evening; less water was taken on board, therefore less 

 found its way below, and it soon became evident that our baling 

 was gaining on the engine-room. The work was steadily kept 

 going in two-hour shifts. By 10 P. M. the hole in the engine-room 

 bulkhead was completed, and (Lieut.) Evans, wriggling over the 

 coal, found his way to the pump shaft and down it. He soon 

 cleared the suction ' of the coal balls (a mixture of coal and oil) 

 which choked it,' and to the joy of all a good stream of water 

 came from the pump for the first time. From this moment it was 

 evident we should get over the difficulty, and though the pump 

 choked again on several occasions the water in the engine-room 

 steadily decreased. It was good to visit that spot this morning 

 and to find that the water no longer swished from side to side. 

 In the forenoon fires were laid and lighted — the hand pump was 

 got into complete order and sucked the bilges almost dry, so that 

 great quantities of coal and ashes could be taken out. 



Now all is well again, and we are steaming and sailing steadily 

 south within two points of our course. Campbell and Bowers 

 have been busy relisting everything on the upper deck. This 

 afternoon we got out the two dead ponies through the forecastle 

 sk3'light. It was a curious proceeding, as the space looked quite 

 inadequate for their passage. We looked into the ice-house and 

 found it in the best order. 



Though we are not yet safe, as another gale might have dls- 



