258 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [August 



have the worst time; Gran, our youngest member (23), is a 

 very clear example, and now Cherry-Garrard at 26. 



Wilson (39) says he never felt cold less than he does now; 

 I suppose that between 30 and 40 is the best all round age. 

 Bowers is a wonder of course. He is 29. When past the 

 forties it is encouraging to remember that Peary was 52!! 



Thursday, August 10. — There has been very little to record 

 of late and my pen has been busy on past records. 



The weather has been moderately good and as before wholly 

 incomprehensible. Wind has come from a clear sky and from 

 a clouded one; we had a small blow on Tuesday but it never 

 reached gale force; it came without warning, and every sign 

 which we have regarded as a warning has proved a bogey. The 

 fact is, one must always be prepared for wind and never ex- 

 pect it. 



The daylight advances in strides. Day has fitted an extra 

 sash to our window and the light admitted for the first time 

 through triple glass. With this device little ice collects inside. 



The ponies are very fit but inclined to be troublesome: the 

 quiet beasts develop tricks without rhyme or reason. Chinaman 

 still kicks and squeals at night. Anton's theory is that he does 

 it to warm himself, and perhaps there is something in it. When 

 eating snow he habitually takes too large a mouthful and swal- 

 lows it; it is comic to watch him, because when the snow chills 

 his inside he shuffles about with all four legs and wears a most 

 fretful, aggrieved expression : but no sooner has the snow melted 

 than he seizes another mouthful. Other ponies take small 

 mouthfuls or melt a large one on their tongues — this act also 

 produces an amusing expression. Victor and Snippets are con- 

 firmed wind suckers. They are at it all the time when the 

 manger board is in place, but it is taken down immediately after 

 feeding time, and then they can only seek vainly for something 

 to catch hold of with their teeth. ' Bones ' has taken to kicking 

 at night for no imaginable reason. He hammers away at the 

 back of his stall merrily; we have covered the boards with sev- 

 eral layers of sacking, so that the noise is cured, if not the habit. 

 The annoying part of these tricks is that they hold the possi- 

 bility of damage to the pony. I am glad to say all the lice have 

 disappeared; the final conquest was effected with a very simple 

 remedy — the infected ponies were washed with water in which 



