CHAPTER XII 



AWAITING THE CROZIER PARTY 



Friday, June 23 — Saturday, June 24. — Two quiet, unevent- 

 ful days and a complete return to routine. 



Sunday, June 25. — I find I have made no mention of Cherry- 

 Garrard's first number of the revived South Polar Times, pre- 

 sented to me on Midwinter Day. 



It is a very good little volume, bound by Day in a really 

 charming cover of carved venesta wood and sealskin. The con- 

 tributors are anonymous, but I have succeeded in guessing the 

 identity of the greater number. 



The Editor has taken a statistical paper of my own on the 

 plans for the Southern Journey and a well-written serious article 

 on the Geological History of our region by Taylor. Except for 

 editorial and meteorological notes the rest is conceived in the 

 lighter vein. The verse is mediocre except perhaps for a quaint 

 play of words in an amusing little skit on the sleeping-bag argu- 

 ment; but an article entitled 'Valhalla' appears to me to be 

 altogether on a different level. It purports to describe the arrival 

 of some of our party at the gates proverbially guarded by St. 

 Peter; the humour is really delicious and nowhere at all forced. 

 In the jokes of a small community it is rare to recognise one 

 which would appeal to an outsider, but some of the happier wit- 

 ticisms of this article seem to me fit for wider circulation than 

 our journal enjoys at present. Above all there is distinct literary 

 merit in it — a polish which leaves you unable to suggest the bet- 

 terment of a word anywhere. 



I unhesitatingly attribute this effort to Taylor, but Wilson 

 and Garrard make Meares responsible for it. If they are right 

 I shall have to own that my judgment of attributes is very much 

 at fault. I must find out.* 



A quiet day. Read Church Service as usual; in afternoon 



* Captain Scott's judgment was not at fault. 



