19"] IMPRESSIONS ON THE MARCH 107 



seemed to have improved during the last part of the march till 

 just before camping time, when Bowers, who was leading, 

 plunged into soft snow. Several of the others following close 

 on his heels shared his fate, and soon three ponies were plunging 

 and struggling in a drift. Garrard's pony, which has very broad 

 feet, found hard stuff beyond and then my pony got round. 

 Forde and Keohane led round on comparatively hard ground 

 well to the right, and the entangled ponies were unharnessed 

 and led round from patch to patch till firmer ground was reached. 

 Then we camped and the remaining loads were brought in. Then 

 came the triumph of the snow-shoe again. We put a set on 

 Bowers' big pony at first he walked awkwardly (for a few 

 minutes only) then he settled down, was harnessed to his load, 

 brought that in and another also all over places into which 

 he had been plunging. If we had more of these shoes we could 

 certainly put them on seven out of eight of our ponies and 

 after a little I think on the eighth, Oates' pony, as certainly the 

 ponies so shod would draw their loads over the soft snow patches 

 without any difficulty. It is trying to feel that so great a help 

 to our work has been left behind at the station. 



Impressions l l iifi\fi> 



It is pathetic to see the ponies floundering in the soft patches. 

 The first sink is a shock to them and seems to brace them to 

 action. Thus they generally try to rush through when they feel 

 themselves sticking. If the patch is small they land snorting and 

 agitated on the harder surface with much effort. And if the 

 patch is extensive they plunge on gamely until exhausted. Most 

 of them after a bit plunge forward with both forefeet together, 

 making a series of jumps and bringing the sledge behind them 

 with jerks. This is, of course, terribly tiring for them. Now 

 and again they have to stop, and it is horrid to see them half 

 engulfed in the snow, panting and heaving from the strain. 

 Now and again one falls and lies trembling and temporarily 

 exhausted. It must be terribly trying for them, but it is won- 

 derful to see how soon they recover their strength. The quiet, 

 lazy ponies have a much better time than the eager ones when 

 such troubles arise. 



The soft snow which gave the trouble is evidently in the 

 hollow of one of the big waves that continue through the pres- 



