*"] MARCHING ROUTINE 115 



So wc arc drawn up in camp formation. The picket lines are run 

 across at right angles to the line of advance and secured to the 

 two sledges at each end. In a few minutes ponies are on the 

 lines covered, tents up again and cookers going. 



Meanwhile the dog drivers, after a long cold wait at the 

 old camp, have packed the last sledge and come trotting along 

 our tracks. They try to time their arrival in the new camp 

 immediately after our own and generally succeed well. The mid 

 march halt runs into an hour to an hour and a half, and at the 

 end we pack up and tramp forth again. We generally make our 

 final camp about 8 o'clock, and within an hour and a half most 

 of us are in our sleeping-bags. Such is at present the daily 

 routine. At the long halt we do our best for our animals by 

 building snow walls and improving their rugs, &c. 



Saturday, February n. No. 10 Camp. Bearings: Lat. 78 

 47'. Bluff S. 79 W.; Left extreme Bluff 6$; Bluff A White 

 Island near Sound. 1 1 miles. Covered 6 and 5 miles between 

 halts. The surface has got a good deal softer. In the next 

 two marches we should know more certainly, but it looks as 

 though the conditions to the south will not be so good as those 

 we have had hitherto. 



Blossom, Evans' pony, has very small hoofs and found the 

 going very bad. It is less a question of load than one of walk- 

 ing, and there is no doubt that some form of snow-shoe would 

 help greatly. The question is, what form? 



All the ponies were a little done when we stopped, but the 

 weather is favourable for a good rest; there is no doubt this 

 night marching is the best policy. 



Even the dogs found the surface more difficult to-day, but 

 they are pulling very well. Meares has deposed Osman in 

 favour of Rabchick, as the former was getting either very dis- 

 obedient or very deaf. The change appears excellent. Rab- 

 chick leads most obediently. 



Mem. for next year. A stout male bamboo shod with a 

 spike to sound for crevasses. 



Sunday, February 12. No. 11 Camp. 10 miles. Depot 

 one Bale of Fodder. Variation 150 E. South True = N. 30 E. 

 by compass. The surface is getting decidedly worse. The ponies 

 sink quite deep every now and again. We marched 6% miles 

 before lunch, Blossom dropping considerably behind. He lagged 



