4 WITH SCOTT: THE SILVER LINING 



I postponed my trip to Grenoble for half a day, and had 

 a long talk with Wilson. He gave me a letter to Captain 

 Scott, which I presented after my return from France. 



We had a fine trip ! Four Australians cycling through 

 the High Alps in mid-winter. When it did not snow it 

 rained — and mostly it did not snow ! At the pass of Croix 

 Haute we had to traverse thirty kilometres of heavy snow, 

 and later in the Auvergne we found that snow formed quite 

 a good surface for a bicycle, which discovery nearly led to a 

 fatality in the Antarctic, as will appear later. 



On my return to London a month later (8th January) I 

 called at the Antarctic offices and had an interview with 

 Captain Scott. 



I soon gained an insight into the multifarious occupations 

 of a Polar commander. The offices of the expedition were 

 in Westminster, at 36, Victoria Street, halfway between the 

 Abbey and the vast railway station at Victoria. They were 

 situated in a district peculiarly devoted to the empire's interests, 

 for most of the colonies have their representatives there ; and 

 that greatest boon to travellers, the Army and Navy Stores, is 

 just across the way. 



I will try to give some idea of the appearance of the expe- 

 dition's headquarters during the busy months of preparation. 

 In a large room occasionally sat Captain Scott, but he was 

 usually busy with some ingenious foodstuffs or patent ap- 

 pliance in one of the other rooms. Adjacent was the secretary's 

 office, and there he was to be seen, inter a/ia> wading through 

 some of the eight thousand applications from eager souls 

 anxious to get out of the rut by joining the expedition in one 

 capacity or another. Naturally enough, the names of naval 

 officers were numerous, both on the staff and among those 

 applying. In fact, the navy could beat any other team that 

 the expedition could get together at any game whatsoever. 

 An explorer friend of mine had no great opinion of navy 

 men, and strongly advised me to learn boxing to uphold the 

 dignity of science. So I started a boxing club at Cambridge 

 among the scientists, .but we did not know then that navy 

 champions like Parny Rennick and Dr. Atkinson were to join 

 the expedition. Here let me add that arrogance was the last 

 attribute of my dear naval friends down South. 



In a third room at headquarters were samples of patent 



