19"] DAILY ROUTINE 221 



no catch has been made for some time. I don't think we shall 

 get good catches during the dark season, but Atkinson's own 

 requirements are small, and the fish, though nice enough, are 

 not such a luxury as to be greatly missed from our ' menu.' 



Our daily routine has possessed a settled regularity for a 

 long time. Clissold is up about 7 A.M. to start the breakfast. 

 At 7.30 Hooper starts sweeping the floor and setting the table. 

 Between 8 and 8.30 the men are out and about, fetching ice for 

 melting, &c. Anton is off to feed the ponies, Demetri to see the 

 dogs; Hooper bursts on the slumberers with repeated announce- 

 ments of the time, usually a quarter of an hour ahead of the 

 clock. There is a stretching of limbs and an interchange of 

 morning greetings, garnished with sleepy humour. Wilson and 

 Bowers meet in a state of nature beside a washing basin filled 

 with snow and proceed to rub glistening limbs with this chilling 

 substance. A little later with less hardihood some others may 

 be seen making the most of a meagre allowance of water. Soon 

 after 8.30 I manage to drag myself from a very comfortable 

 bed and make my toilet with a bare pint of water. By about 

 ten minutes to 9 my clothes are on, my bed is made, and I sit 

 down to my bowl of porridge ; most of the others are gathered 

 about the table by this time, but there are a few laggards who 

 run the nine o'clock rule very close. The rule is instituted to 

 prevent delay in the day's work, and it has needed a little pres- 

 sure to keep one or two up to its observance. By 9.20 breakfast 

 is finished, and before the half-hour has struck the table has been 

 cleared. From 9.30 to 1.30 the men are -steadily employed on 

 a programme of preparation for sledging, which seems likely to 

 occupy the greater part of the winter. The repair of sleeping- 

 bags and the alteration of tents have already been done, but 

 there are many other tasks uncompleted or not yet begun, such 

 as the manufacture of provision bags, crampons, sealskin soles, 

 pony clothes, &c. 



Hooper has another good sweep up the hut after breakfast, 

 washes the mess traps, and generally tidies things. I think it 

 a good thing that in these matters the officers need not wait on 

 themselves; it gives long unbroken days of scientific work and 

 must, therefore, be an economy of brain in the long run. 



We meet for our mid-day meal at 1.30 or 1.45, and spend 

 a very cheerful half-hour over it. Afterwards the ponies are 



