12 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 



Our deck cargo is getting reduced; all the coal is off the 

 upper deck and the petrol is re-stored in better fashion; as far 

 as that is concerned we should not mind another blow. Campbell 

 and Bowers have been untiring in getting things straight on 

 deck. 



The idea of making our station Cape Crozier has again come 

 on the tapis. There would be many advantages : the ease of get- 

 ting there at an early date, the fact that none of the autumn or 

 summer parties could be cut off, the fact that the main Barrier 

 could be reached without crossing crevasses and that the track 

 to the Pole would be due south from the first: the mild condi- 

 tion and absence of blizzards at the penguin rookery, the oppor- 

 tunity of studying the Emperor penguin incubation, and the new 

 interest of the geology of Terror, besides minor facilities, such 

 as the getting of ice, stones for shelters, &c. The disadvantages 

 mainly consist in the possible difficulty of landing stores a swell 

 would make things very unpleasant, and might possibly prevent 

 the landing of the horses and motors. Then again it would be 

 certain that some distance of bare rock would have to be trav- 

 ersed before a good snow surface was reached from the hut, and 

 possibly a climb of 300 or 400 feet would intervene. Again, it 

 might be difficult to handle the ship whilst stores were being 

 landed, owing to current, bergs, and floe ice. It remains to be 

 seen, but the prospect is certainly alluring. At a pinch we could 

 land the ponies in McMurdo Sound and let them walk round. 



The sun is shining brightly this afternoon, everything is dry- 

 ing, and I think the swell continues to subside. 



Tuesday, December 6. Lat. 59 7'. Long. 177 51' E. 

 Made good S. 17 E. 153; 457' to Circle. The promise of yes- 

 terday has been fulfilled, the swell has continued to subside, and 

 this afternoon we go so steadily that we have much comfort. I 

 am truly thankful mainly for the sake of the ponies; poor things, 

 they look thin and scraggy enough, but generally brighter and 

 fitter. There is no doubt the forecastle is a bad place for them, 

 but in any case some must have gone there. The four midship 

 ponies, which were expected to be subject to the worst conditions, 

 have had a much better time than their fellows. A few ponies 

 have swollen legs, but all are feeding well. The wind failed in 

 the morning watch and later a faint breeze came from the east- 

 ward; the barometer has been falling, but not on a steep gradient; 



