THE MARCH TOWARD CAPE EVANS 159 



The late freezing of the sea, the terrible continuance of wind 

 and the abnormalities to which I have referred had gradually 

 strengthened the profound distrust with which I had been forced 

 to regard our mysterious Antarctic climate until my imagination 

 conjured up many forms of disaster as possibly falling on those 

 from whom I had parted for so long. 



We marched towards Cape Evans under the usually miser- 

 able conditions which attend the breaking of camp in a cold 

 wind after a heavy blizzard. The outlook was dreary in the 

 grey light of early morning, our clothes were frozen stiff and 

 our fingers, wet and cold in the tent, had been frostbitten in 

 packing the sledges. 



A few comforting signs of life appeared as we approached 

 the Cape; some old footprints in the snow, a long silk thread 

 from the meteorologist's balloon; but we saw nothing more 

 as we neared the rocks of the promontory and the many 

 grounded bergs which were scattered off it. 



To my surprise the fast ice extended past the Cape and 

 we were able to round it into the North Bay. Here we saw 

 the weather screen on Wind Vane Hill, and a moment later 

 turned a small headland and brought the hut in full view. It 

 was intact — stables, outhouses and all; evidently the sea had 

 left it undisturbed. I breathed a huge sigh of relief. We 

 watched two figures at work near the stables and wondered 

 when they would see us. In a moment or two they did so, and 

 fled inside the hut to carry the news of our arrival. Three 

 minutes later all nine occupants * were streaming over the floe 

 towards us with shouts of welcome. There were eager inquiries 

 as to mutual welfare and it took but a minute to learn the 

 most important events of the quiet station life which had been 

 led since our departure. These under the circumstances might 

 well be considered the deaths of one pony and one dog. The 

 pony was that which had been nicknamed Hackenschmidt from 

 his vicious habit of using both fore and hind legs in attacking 

 those who came near him. He had been obviously of different 

 breed from the other ponies, being of lighter and handsomer 

 shape, suggestive of a strain of Arab blood. From no cause 

 which could be discovered either by the symptoms of his illness 

 or the post-mortem held by Nelson could a reason be found 



* Viz. Simpson, Nelson, Day, Ponting, Lashly, Clissold, Hooper, Anton, and Dcmctri. 



