I9II] A BALLOON EXPERIMENT 259 



tobacco had been steeped. Oates had seen this decoction used 

 effectively with troop horses. The result is the greater relief, 

 since we had run out of all the chemicals which had been used for 

 the same purpose. 



I have now definitely told off the ponies for the Southern 

 Journey, and the new masters will take charge on September i. 

 They will continually exercise the animals so as to get to know 

 them as well as possible. The arrangement has many obvious 

 advantages. The following is the order: 



Bowers .... Victor. Evans (P.O.) . Snatcher. 



Wilson Nobby. Crean ... . Bones. 



Atkinson .... Jehu. Keohane . . . Jimmy Pigg. 



Wright Chinaman. Oates .... Christopher. 



Cherry-Garrard . Michael. Myself & Oates Snippets. 



The first balloon of the season was sent up yesterday by 

 Bowers and Simpson. It rose on a southerly wind, but remained 

 in it for 100 feet or less, then for 300 or 400 feet it went 

 straight up, and after that directly south over Razor Back 

 Island. Everything seemed to go well, the thread, on being 

 held, tightened and then fell slack as it should do. It was 

 followed for two miles or more running in a straight line for 

 Razor Back, but within a few hundred yards of the Island it 

 came to an end. The searchers went round the Island to try 

 and recover the clue, but without result. Almost identically 

 the same thing happened after the last ascent made, and we are 

 much puzzled to find the cause. 



The continued proximity of the south moving air currents 

 above is very interesting. 



The Crozier Party are not right yet, their feet are exceed- 

 ingly sore, and there are other indications of strain. I must 

 almost except Bowers, who, whatever his feelings, went off as 

 gaily as usual on the search for the balloon. 



Saw a very beautiful effect on my afternoon walk yesterday: 

 the full moon was shining brightly from a quarter exactly oppo- 

 site to the fading twilight and the icebergs were lit on one side 

 by the yellow lunar light and on the other by the paler white 

 daylight. The first seemed to be gilded, while the diffused light 

 of day gave to the other a deep, cold, greenish-blue colour — 

 the contrast was strikingly beautiful. 



