3 20 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [November 



repeatedly. Either the whole sky has been clear, or the over- 

 hanging cloud has lifted from time to time to show the lower 

 rocks. Had we been dependent on land marks we should have 

 fared ill. Evidently a good system of cairns is the best possible 

 travelling arrangement on this great snow plain. Meares and 

 Demetri up with the dogs as usual very soon after we camped. 



This inpouring of warm moist air, which gives rise to this 

 heavy surface deposit at this season, is certainly an interesting 

 meteorological fact, accounting as it does for the very sudden 

 change in Barrier conditions from spring to summer. 



Wednesday, November 15. Camp 1 2. Found our One Ton 

 Camp without any difficulty [130 geographical miles from Cape 

 Evans]. About 7 or 8 miles. After 5^ miles to lunch camp, 

 Chinaman was pretty tired, but went on again in good form after 

 the rest. All the other ponies made nothing of the march, 

 which, however, was over a distinctly better surface. After a 

 discussion we had decided to give the animals a day's rest here, 

 and then to push forward at the rate of 13 geographical miles 

 a day. Oates thinks the ponies will get through, but that they 

 have lost condition quicker than he expected. Considering his 

 usually pessimistic attitude this must be thought a hopeful view. 

 Personally I am much more hopeful. I think that a good many 

 of the beasts are actually in better form than when they started, 

 and that there is no need to be alarmed about the remainder, 

 always excepting the weak ones which we have always regarded 

 with doubt. Well, we must wait and see how things go. 



A note from Evans dated the 9th, stating his party has gone 

 on to 8o 30', carrying four boxes of biscuit. He has done 

 something over 30 miles (geo.) in 2j4 days exceedingly good 

 going. I only hope he has built lots of good cairns. 



It was a very beautiful day yesterday, bright sun, but as' we 

 marched, towards midnight, the sky gradually became overcast; 

 very beautiful halo rings formed around the sun. Four separate 

 rings were very distinct. Wilson descried a fifth the orange 

 colour with blue interspace formed very fine contrasts. We now 

 clearly see the corona ring on the snow surface. The spread 

 of stratus cloud overhead was very remarkable. The sky was 

 blue all around the horizon, but overhead a cumulo-stratus grew 

 early; it seemed to be drifting to the south and later to the east. 

 The broken cumulus slowly changed to a uniform stratus, which 



