222 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [JUNE 



return to Cape Evans; but no trace of this animal was found on 

 arriving there and he was never seen again. 



The first week of June proved practically calm and we had 

 our coldest temperatures of the winter. 



However, as a little ice remained in the North Bay we were 

 able to get more exercise for men and animals. From the 8th to 

 the 1 3th we had a most exceptional blizzard; both for the 

 warmth of temperature and the amount of drift. It was quite 

 possible in this blizzard to move a few yards away from the hut 

 and be lost for some considerable time. The ice again blew out 

 and we had a wonderful show of phosphorescence in the sea. 

 Once beneath the ice foot we saw a seal chasing a school of fish, 

 the fish outlined with phosphorescence and the seal with a glow- 

 ing snout and all his body bright, in hot pursuit. 



In the previous season Wright had had great trouble in 

 maintaining an even temperature for his pendulum observations. 

 To overcome this a large hole was cut in the floor of the dark 

 room and a Kenyte boulder embedded in it, upon which the pen- 

 dulum was set. With this arrangement he was able to take his 

 observations more accurately and in greater comfort. 



By this time the weather seemed to have broken and we had 

 one almost continuous series of blizzards. Meanwhile we had 

 noticed one peculiarity about the mules. The ponies in the pre- 

 vious year had refused to go out when there was any wind and 

 drift blowing. The mules on the other hand objected strongly 

 by kicking their stable and squealing if they were not taken out 

 for exercise under these conditions. 



On the 1 9th preparations were begun for our celebrations of 

 Midwinter Day on June 22. Debenham was busy making the 

 slides for a lantern lecture. Gran and Williamson were busy 

 behind a blanket making a Christmas tree. This consisted of 

 a central bamboo with lateral stems and the whole embedded in 

 a pot of gravel. There was a present for everyone with an 

 appropriate oration on its presentation. The whole was lighted 

 with electric light, by arrangement with the physicist. 



On June 22, Mid-winter Day, Cherry-Garrard, our editor, 

 presented us with another number of the South Polar Times, 

 and the remainder of the afternoon was spent as a holiday in 

 reading this, playing bagatelle, or making preparations for a 

 happy evening. The whole hut was decorated with the Christ- 



