238 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [July 



ten last night is necessary, partly due to some lack of coherency 

 in the tale as first told and partly a reconsideration of the cir- 

 cumstances by Atkinson himself. 



It appears he first hit Inaccessible Island, and got his hand 

 frostbitten before he reached it. It was only on arrival in its 

 lee that he discovered the frostbite. He must have waited 

 there some time, then groped his way to the western end thinking 

 he was near the Ramp. Then wandering avray in a swirl of 

 drift to clear some irregularities at the ice foot, he completely 

 lost the island when he could only have been a few yards from it. 



He seems in this predicament to have clung to the old idea 

 of walking up wind, and it must be considered wholly providential 

 that on this course he next struck Tent Island. It was round this 

 island that he walked, finally digging himself a shelter on its lee 

 side under the impression that it was Inaccessible Island. When 

 the moon appeared he seems to have judged its bearing well, 

 and as he travelled homeward he was much surprised to see 

 the real Inaccessible Island appear on his left. The distance of 

 Tent Island, 4 to 5 miles, partly accounts for the time he took 

 in returning. Everything goes to confirm the fact that he had 

 a very close shave of being lost altogether. 



For some time past some of the ponies have had great 

 irritation of the skin. I felt sure it was due to some parasite, 

 though the Soldier thought the food responsible and changed it. 



To-day a tiny body louse was revealed under Atkinson's 

 microscope after capture from ' Snatcher's ' coat. A dilute solu- 

 tion of carbolic is expected to rid the poor beasts of their pests, 

 but meanwhile one or two of them have rubbed off patches of 

 hair which they can ill afford to spare in this climate. I hope 

 we shall get over the trouble quickly. 



The day has been gloriously fine again, with bright moonlight 

 all the afternoon. It was a wondrous sight to see Erebus emerge 

 from soft filmy clouds of mist as though some thin veiling had 

 been withdrawn with infinite delicacy to reveal the pure outline 

 of this moonlit mountain. 



Thursday, July 6, continued. — The temperature has taken 

 a plunge — to -46° last night. It is now -45°^ with a ten- 

 mile breeze from the south. Frostbiting weather! 



Went for a short run on foot this forenoon and a longer 

 one on ski this afternoon. The surface is bad after the recent 



