THE TERRA NOVA GOES SOUTH 109 



some clear floor space. In our own cubicle Debenham has 

 raised his bunk five feet from the floor, and underneath this 

 will ultimately develop a whole geological laboratory ! In the 

 far corner is a little oil-engine and dynamo, providing current 

 for Dr. Simpson's meteorological apparatus. On a table at 

 one of the two windows is the "counter," an important 

 portion of the biologist's sanctum. The rest of it is below 

 the counter ! 



Half the left side of the wardroom is in part partitioned 

 off". Captain Scott has one portion of this. His eastern 

 boundary is a huge drawing-table under our second window. 

 On the other side of this, and snugly fenced in by the dark 

 room, are the quarters of Lieutenant Evans and Dr. Wilson. 



Near the dark room are the stove and the pianola. The 

 removal of the latter from the ship nearly devastated the 

 officers' quarters afloat. The stairs were removed, and we 

 had to get into the ship's wardroom down a rope during the 

 two days while they struggled with the pianola. However, 

 it has safely arrived, though just the last few days a new 

 gramophone has had greater popularity. 



During the two months of our absence the hut will be 

 fitted with acetylene lighting. The four officers and five men 

 who remain have also a contract to kill (and clean) a thousand 

 penguins and skuas, so that they will be as busy as the 

 sledging parties. 



Outside the hut the sea waves now wash the kenyte 

 gravel. In the last two days a mile of sea-ice has floated off, 

 and now the Terra Nova is hovering around only waiting to 

 land the three parties (south, west, and east) before she turns 

 her prow to the green northern land. All our preparations 

 are made, and we join her to-morrow morning. 



The educative value and the interest of an expedition like 

 this is inestimable. I have tried to describe some of the 

 features with which I have been most impressed myself. 

 During the voyage one learns something of seamanship, of 

 biology, of navigation, and of naval matters generally. First- 

 hand information on every conceivable subject from men who 

 have seen many quarters of the world with an appreciative 

 eye is obviously full of interest. The biologist discusses 

 those portions of his subject which touch on geology or 

 meteorology with students who are as anxious to approach 



