THE TERRA NOVA GOES SOUTH 



107 



useless, so much so that they slept outside. He had never 

 seen the locality so free from snow. On the 25th of January 

 he hopes to make a start on the depot journey to the south, 

 and on the same day the western scientific party sets out to 

 explore Dryj Valley, Snow Valley, and the Koettlitz Glacier. 

 Captain Scott has honoured me with the charge of this party, 

 whose personnel I have described previously. 



We have now occupied our hut for a week. Let me 

 close the story of these early days by describing our life in 

 the hut. To-morrow we leave it for some months of sledge- 

 work, so that we have been very busy for some time past. 



///WUf/ 



First sketch-map made January 21, 191 1 (before any survey), showing ice 

 fronts and positions of ship, A-E. 



From the porch one enters the quarters assigned to the sea- 

 men and cooks. A large galley-stove is placed on the right, 

 and behind it is the chief touch of colour in the hut in the 

 form of rows of tins of food, spices, and utensils. A bunk 

 suspended high up from one corner by an iron rod marks 

 the resting-place of Engineer Lashley. To the left are many 

 wire mattresses supported on neat iron frames. A queer 

 instrument like a guitar cut in half is the cherished possession 

 of Anton, the Russian groom. His comical little bow when 

 you address him — for he speaks no English — reminds me of 

 the action known as " louting low." 



" For some time the ship had been lying quite close to 

 the hut — about a quarter of a mile away at the spot C (on the 



