"GETTING TO KNOW THE MEN" 5 



foods. One open tin discloses shrivelled root-like objects 

 about the size of lead-pencils. This was desiccated rhubarb, 

 and it seemed merely concentrated sourness in its present 

 state, though it furnished many dishes at headquarters later 

 on. Cabbages and greens too much resembled coarse leaf 

 tobacco to be eulogized by a non-smoker. A Cambridge friend 

 — doing physiological research — was extremely pleased when 

 he heard I was going South. " Ah," said he, " you can try 

 my patent food all next week ; you'll need nothing else for 

 any of your meals, and 1 can give you a full supply for the 

 Antarctic." Owing to various contingencies, the tin remained 

 unopened, and I left it, with my blessing, for the landlady. 



In another corner of the same room an eager inventor is 

 explaining the excellences of his patent stove, which burns 

 almost without fuel and is guaranteed " to produce little or no 

 carbon dioxide " ! 



Here I first saw Dr. Simpson, who was wrestling with this 

 invention, which — apart from its chemical peculiarities — 

 seemed suitable for warming his magnetic hut. The equip- 

 ment of this mansion seemed to occupy all his waking 

 thoughts, while his chief exercise seemed to be taken by 

 whirling sling thermometers. 



The other room was almost filled with a huge petty officer 

 who was sorting gear for the sledges. I looked at his sturdy 

 proportions with considerable respect, which would have been 

 increased had I known how invaluable "Taff" Evans was to 

 be on my first expedition in the Antarctic. An old 1902 

 sledge was lying in the passage, whose splintered runners and 

 weather-worn appearance told graphically of the screw-pack 

 and " bottle-glass " ice it had surmounted in the past. 



Captain Scott was busy at first, but I soon had a long talk 

 with him. In my journal I wrote as follows : — 



" Scott is just what I expected, a sturdily built, clean-shaved 

 naval officer, with plenty of humour and decision. He told 

 me that Mawson was coming over from Australia immediately. 

 His idea was to have two geologists on the Erebus side of the 

 Barrier, and one on King Edward VII. land. The latter 

 party would have wireless if possible. He drew a moving 

 picture of me wiring signals of wind velocity, etc., to Mawson. 

 * Just like old times, a friend at each end,' said he. Scott is 

 going to try for the Pole along the old route, I gather, and 



