IN WINTER QUARTERS WITH CAPTAIN SCOTT 273 



occasion the coloured alcohol showed — 20 F., — 27°F., and 

 — 37°F., respectively. In calm weather it was usually from 

 five to ten degrees colder at the Hut than at Bertram, for the 

 cold air sank to sea-level. But in rough weather all the air 

 was churned up, and the temperatures were much the same at 

 all four stations. 



We read the thermometers by a candle, for it was a calm 

 day ; but my toes began to go, and so we hurried back to the 

 Hut, when I decided to go in for more socks. 



After this I read Bertram fairly regularly when the weather 

 seemed promising. Scott definitely ordered that no one 

 should visit the screens if there seemed risk involved, for the 

 Hut thermometer recorded continuously and the others were 

 only for comparison, and got less important as we noted the 

 regularity of their characteristic differences. After a few 

 visits 1 used to glissade down the icy Ramp, though I could 

 never see when I had reached the bottom, for in the dark you 

 cannot distinguish a vertical from a horizontal plane of 

 ice. 



" We had service on the 2nd of July. With our three 

 chief songsters Crozierwards, there is less harmony. I followed 

 Day in the hymns, and he afterwards confessed that he had 

 forgotten the tune ; so my help was not valuable ! Meantime 

 Simpson had a duet in the corner with Wright. c Twenty-one, 

 twenty-two, twenty-three ' . . . etc. ; he counted the seconds 

 through the 'phone to Wright, who was cussing the stars out- 

 side. The only accompaniment we had now that Cherry was 

 away was the telephone bell. 



" The combination would have been ludicrous if it hadn't 

 been necessary, for Wright had to abide by the transits of the 

 stars, and they occurred service or no service." 



The most noteworthy feature in the Hut was a strong 

 propensity to argument. I think Nelson and myself were the 

 chief offenders, as we disagreed on every topic under the sun, 

 and let each other (and also the rest of the Hut) know the 

 reasons ! I remember one cag resulted from a night- 

 watch supper. About this time I used to watch from 8 p.m. 

 till 2 a.m., and " Marie ' Nelson from 2 till 8 a.m. We 

 went shares in the supper. 



Here follows a verbatim report of an argument whose 

 only merit is its accuracy and representativeness. 



T 



