I902] SLOW PROGRESS 25 



to drag them out of their nests ; some were so cramped that it 

 was several minutes before they could stand. However, we 

 shook some life into them and started with the full load, but 

 very soon we had to change back into our old routine, and, if 

 anything, the march was more trying than ever. It becomes a 

 necessity now to reach the land soon in hopes of making a 

 depot, so our course has been laid to the westward of S.W., 

 and this brings the bold bluff cape on our port bow. I imagine 

 it to be about fifty miles off, but hope it is not so much ; nine 

 hours' work to-day has only given us a bare four miles. 



' It was my turn to drive to-day ; Shackleton led and 

 Wilson pulled at the side. The whole proceedings would have 

 been laughable enough but for the grim sickness that holds so 

 tight a grip on our poor team : Shackleton in front, with 

 harness slung over his shoulder, was bent forward with his 

 whole weight on the trace; in spite of his breathless work, 

 now and again he would raise and half-turn his head in an 

 effort to cheer on the team. " Hi, dogs," "Now then," "Hi 

 lo-lo-lo ..." or any other string of syllables which were 

 supposed to produce an encouraging effect, but which were 

 soon brought to a conclusion by sheer want of breath. Behind 

 him, and obviously deaf to these allurements, shambled the 

 long string of depressed animals, those in rear doing their best 

 to tread in the deep footprints of the leaders, but all by their 

 low-carried heads and trailing tails showing an utter weariness 

 of life. Behind these, again, came myself with the whip, 

 giving forth one long string of threats and occasionally bringing 

 the lash down with a crack on the snow or across the back of 

 some laggard. By this time all the lazy dogs know their 

 names, as well they ought; I should not Hke to count the 

 number of times I have said, "Ah, you, 'Wolf,'" or "Get on 

 there, ' Jim,' " or " ' Bismarck,' you brute " ; but it is enough to 

 have made me quite hoarse to-night, for each remark has to 

 be produced in a violent manner or else it produces no effect, 

 and things have now got so bad that if the driver ceases his 

 flow of objurgation for a moment there is a slackening of the 

 traces. Some names lend themselves to this style of language 



