86 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [January 



burning well and the interior of the building already warm and 

 homelike a day or two and we shall be occupying it. 



I took Ponting out to see some interesting thaw effects on 

 the ice cliffs east of the Camp. I noted that the ice layers were 

 pressing out over thin dirt bands as though the latter made the 

 cleavage lines over which the strata slid. 



It has occurred to me that although the sea ice may freeze 

 in our bays early in March it will be a difficult thing to get ponies 

 across it owing to the cliff edges at the side. We must there- 

 fore be prepared to be cut off for a longer time than I antici- 

 pated. I heard that all the people who journeyed towards C. 

 Royds yesterday reached their destination in safety. Campbell, 

 Levick, and Priestley had just departed when I returned. 10 



Tuesday, January 17. We took up our abode in the hut 

 to-day and are simply overwhelmed with its comfort. After 

 breakfast this morning I found Bowers making cubicles as I 

 had arranged, but I soon saw these would not fit in, so instructed 

 him to build a bulkhead of cases which shuts off the officers' 

 space from the men's, I am quite sure to the satisfaction of both. 

 The space between my bulkhead and the men's I allotted to five : 

 Bowers, Oates, Atkinson, Meares, and Cherry-Garrard. These 

 five are all special friends and have already made their dormi- 

 tory very habitable. Simpson and Wright are near the instru- 

 ments in their corner. Next come Day and Nelson in a space 

 which includes the latter's 'Lab.' near the big window; next 

 to this is a space for three Debenham, Taylor, and Gran; they 

 also have already made their space part dormitory and part 

 workshop. 



It is fine to see the way everyone sets to work to put things 

 straight; in a day or two the hut will become the most com- 

 fortable of houses, and in a week or so the whole station, 

 instruments, routine, men and animals, &c, will be in working 

 order. 



It is really wonderful to realise the amount of work which 

 has been got through of late. 



It will be a fortnight to-morrow since, we arrived in Mc- 

 Murdo Sound, and here we are absolutely settled down and 

 ready to start on our depot journey directly the ponies have had 

 a proper chance to recover from the effects of the voyage. I 

 had no idea we should be so expeditious. 



