CHAPTER V 



ON October 29 the mules all came down with their leaders to 

 Hut Point and everything was ready for a start on the journey 

 south. It was decided to march at night as we had done in the 

 previous season, so that the mules would be moving during this 

 cold time and camp during the warm portion of the day. 



At 7.30 P.M. on October 30 the seven mules and eight men 

 making up the Pony Party started south. C. S. Wright was in 

 command, as he was a skilled navigator. The mules and their 

 leaders were as follows : 



E. W. Nelson, leading Khan Sahib; T. Gran, leading Lai 

 Khan; W. Lashly, leading Pyaree; T. Crean, leading Rani; 

 T. Williamson, leading Gulab; P. Keohane, leading Begum; 

 F. J. Hooper, leading Abdullah. 



Wright was in command and went ahead, setting the course 

 and standing by to give any help he could. The mules' weights 

 up to Corner Camp would not exceed 500 Ibs. This was because 

 of the deep and bad surface usually occurring over this area. 

 The tents were under Wright and Nelson. It was proposed to 

 march twelve geographical miles every night, but, as their prog- 

 ress was uncertain, the question of this distance was left entirely 

 to Wright's judgment. 



Pyaree started lame, but within a few days had lost any slight 

 trouble which she had. Gulab had proved that he would chafe 

 easily with the breast harness, and in his case a collar was taken 

 as well. Their first day they did twelve miles, camping about 

 six miles to the S.E. of Safety Camp. Where the sea ice joined 

 the Barrier there was a wide tide-crack, and Khan Sahib un- 

 luckily fell partially into this; he was a very quiet animal, and 

 with the aid of an Alpine rope and hauling on his forelegs they 

 got him up and over on to the surface. 



The next day they made good another twelve miles over a 

 slightly worse surface, camping within six miles of Corner Camp. 

 Owing to the dogs' experience in the earlier part of the year, we 



