6 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [November 



he rubbed his stomach and remarked to Oates ' no good ' gal- 

 lant little Anton ! 



There are four ponies outside the forecastle and to leeward 

 of the fore hatch, and on the whole, perhaps, with shielding tar- 

 paulins, they have a rather better time than their comrades. 

 Just behind the ice-house and on either side of the main hatch 

 are two enormous packing-cases containing motor sledges, each 

 16X5X4; mounted as they are several inches above the deck 

 they take a formidable amount of space. A third sledge stands 

 across the break of the poop in the space hitherto occupied by 

 the after winch. All these cases are covered with stout tarpaulin 

 and lashed with heavy chain and rope lashings, so that they may 

 be absolutely secure. 



The petrol for these sledges is contained in tins and drums 

 protected in stout wooden packing-cases which are ranged across 

 the deck immediately in front of the poop and abreast the motor 

 sledges. The quantity is 23^ tons and the space occupied 

 considerable. 



Round and about these packing-cases, stretching from the 

 galley forward to the wheel aft, the deck is stacked with coal 

 bags forming our deck cargo of coal, now rapidly diminishing. 



We left Port Chalmers with 462 tons of coal on board, rather 

 a greater quantity than I had hoped for, and yet the load mark 

 was 3 inches above the water. The ship was over 2 feet by the 

 stern, but this will soon be remedied. 



Upon the coal sacks, upon and between the motor sledges 

 and upon the ice-house are grouped the dogs, thirty-three in all. 

 They must perforce be chained up and they are given what shelter 

 is afforded on deck, but their position is not enviable. The seas 

 continually break on the weather bulwarks and scatter clouds of 

 heavy spray over the backs of all who must venture into the 

 waist of the ship. The dogs sit with their tails to this invading 

 water, their coats wet and dripping. It is a pathetic attitude, 

 deeply significant of cold and misery; occasionally some poor 

 beast emits a long pathetic whine. The group forms a picture 

 of wretched dejection; such a life is truly hard for these poor 

 creatures. 



We manage somehow to find a seat for everyone at our cabin 

 table, although the wardroom contains twenty-four officers. 

 There are generally one or two on watch, which eases matters, 



