104 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 



The Soldier doesn't like the idea of fetching up the re- 

 mainder of the loads to this camp with the ponies. I think 

 we will bring on all we can with the dogs and take the risk of 

 leaving the rest. 



The Nimrod camp was evidently made by some relief or 

 ship party, and if that has stood fast for so long there should 

 be little fear for our stuff in a single season. To-morrow we 

 muster stores, build the depot, and pack our sledges. 



Tuesday, January 31. Camp 3. We have everything ready 

 to start but this afternoon we tried our one pair of snow-shoes 

 on ' Weary Willy.' The effect was magical. He strolled around 

 as though walking on hard ground in places where he floundered 

 woefully without them. Oates hasn't had any faith in these 

 shoes at all, and I thought that even the quietest pony would 

 need to be practised in their use. 



Immediately after our experiment I decided that an effort 

 must be made to get more, and within half an hour Meares and 

 Wilson were on their way to the station more than 20 miles 

 away. There is just the chance that the ice may not have gone 

 out, but it is a very poor one I fear. At present it looks as 

 though we might double our distance with the snow-shoes. 



Atkinson is better to-day, but not by any means well, so 

 that the delay is in his favour. We cannot start on till the 

 dogs return with or without the shoes. The only other hope 

 for this journey is that the Barrier gets harder farther out, but 

 I feel that the prospect of this is not very bright. In any case 

 it is something to have discovered the possibilities of these shoes. 



Low temperature at night for first time. Min. 2-4. Quite 

 warm in tent. 



Wednesday, February 1. Camp 3. A day of comparative 

 inactivity and some disappointment. Meares and Wilson re- 

 turned at noon, reporting the ice out beyond the Razor Back 

 Island no return to Cape Evans no pony snow-shoes alas ! 

 I have decided to make a start to-morrow without them. Late 

 to-night Atkinson's foot was examined: it is bad and there's 

 no possibility of its getting right for some days. He must be 

 left behind I've decided to leave Crean with him. Most luckily 

 we now have an extra tent and cooker. How the ponies are to 

 be led is very doubtful. Well, we must do the best that circum- 

 stances permit. Poor Atkinson is in very low spirits. 



