228 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [AUGUST 



was that the broad front portion should run over and smooth 

 and prepare the track for the after tapered portion. 



There was very little alteration needed in any of the other 

 gear. Each individual had his personal likes and dislikes and 

 adapted his gear accordingly. In the rations there was only 

 a very slight alteration, our old summit ration being adhered to 

 with the addition of extra sugar, a stick of chocolate, and one 

 onion per man per day. 



On August 22 we celebrated the return of the sun with a 

 special dinner, and ended up proceedings with a sing-song. It 

 was not until the 23rd, however, that the sun was seen, and then 

 only by Nelson, who saw its upper rim from the top of the ramp. 

 Almost every day now we saw the earth shadows cast by Erebus 

 and Mount Discovery. These looked like dark cones of shadow 

 running across the sky from east to west. 



During these bad conditions of ice in the winter we neces- 

 sarily had to be careful of the dogs. Some of these were con- 

 firmed hunters, and it was through the ice going out during a 

 blizzard that we lost the best leader that we had. Noogis was 

 a dog who had been Demetri's leader on the southern journey 

 in the early part of the year; he had never lost heart on that 

 journey and had been a great factor in cheering the other dogs 

 and getting them along as well as they did. In the earlier part 

 of the year he had once before been taken out to sea by the ice 

 blowing away, but on that occasion he made his way back by the 

 icefoot around the Barne Glacier. On this occasion he was 

 blown out during the blizzard and we never saw him again. 



Our feeding during this winter, with the idea of preventing 

 scurvy, had a very welcome addition in the shape of fresh vege- 

 tables. These consisted of potatoes and onions which had been 

 brought down by the ship. As the party was so reduced in num- 

 bers, this store lasted practically throughout the winter and 

 proved very acceptable. In September we also had another addi- 

 tion in the shape of the Emperor penguins; they came up on the 

 ice in the South Bay in very large numbers, and nearly every 

 day for some time we were able to secure fresh food. The flesh 

 of the Emperor penguin is better and much less unpalatable than 

 seal; it was appreciated by the men where seal would only have 

 been eaten as a preventive measure. 



The number of dogs who were fit for work on the Barrier 



