THOSE WHO ASSISTED THE EXPEDITION 63 



bodies, but especially is it to the honour of those who bore the 

 chief responsibility as officers of the Societies. I think there 

 is little doubt that these gentlemen would acknowledge that 

 during the troublous youth of the Antarctic Expedition they 

 were more worried over its details than by all the other 

 business of the Societies which they guided. 



Of those who were thus forced to give much attention to 

 the affairs of the expedition, and who did so for its benefit, 

 were the successive Presidents of the Royal Society, Lord 

 Lister and Sir William Huggins ; the Honorary Secretaries, 

 Sir Arthur Riicker and Sir Michael Foster ; and the Permanent 

 Secretary, Mr. Harrison. In speaking of my own experiences, 

 I have ever to remember the courteous and kindly treatment I 

 received from these gentlemen. There were many reasons 

 why my lot was still more closely cast with the Geographical 

 Society at this time, and here, also, I can speak in the warmest 

 manner of the treatment I received. Its Secretary, Dr. Scott 

 Keltie, has always taken the keenest interest in the expedition, 

 and the services he has rendered to it and to me might alone 

 occupy a chapter of this book. To the Honorary Secretaries of • 

 this Society also, Major L. Darwin and Mr. J. F. Hughes, my 

 thanks are due for their continual efforts to make my path smooth; 

 and of the important services of Dr. H. R. Mill, who was at this 

 time Librarian of the Society, I shall speak at a later date. 



Though on the officers of the Societies fell the greatest 

 share of the difficulties which beset the expedition, there were 

 several other gentlemen who in the midst of busy lives spared 

 many an hour for its service. 



As Hydrographer of the Navy, Sir William Wharton under- 

 took the supply of the greater part of the instruments which we 

 carried, and in this, as in many other ways, he showed his deep 

 sympathy with the objects of the expedition. 



On Captain E. W. Creak, at that time Director of Com- 

 passes at the Admiralty, fell all the difficulties of arranging our 

 long and complicated magnetic programme, and of drawing up 

 such instructions concerning it as were necessary for our 

 guidance. 



