344 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 



though we did not know it, was on the point of breaking 

 upon us, and he was untying his cloth and chewing up every- 

 thing he could reach to the last. " It was decided after we 

 camped, and he had his feed already on : Meares reported 

 that he had no more food for the dogs. He walked away, 

 and rolled in the snow on the way down, not having done 

 so when we got in. He was just like a naughty child all the 

 way, and pulled all out. He has been a good friend, and 

 has a good record, 8 2° 23' S. He was a bit done to-day: 

 the blizzard had knocked him. Gallant little Michael ! " 1 



As we got into our bags the mountain tops were fuzzy 

 with drift. We wanted one clear day to get across the 

 chasm: one short march and the ponies' task was done. 

 Their food was nearly finished. Scott wrote that night : 

 "We are practically through with the first stage of our 

 journey." 2 



"Tuesday, December 5. Camp 30. Noon. We awoke 

 this morning to a raging howling blizzard. The blows we 

 have had hitherto have lacked the very fine powdering 

 snow, that especial feature of the blizzard. To-day we 

 have it fully developed. After a minute or two in the 

 open one is covered from head to foot. The temperature is 

 high, so that what falls or drives against one sticks. The 

 ponies — heads, tails, legs and all parts not protected by 

 their rugs — are covered with ice ; the animals are standing 

 deep in snow, the sledges are almost covered, and huge 

 drifts above the tents. We have had breakfast, rebuilt the 

 walls, and are now again in our bags. One cannot see the 

 next tent, let alone the land. What on earth does such 

 weather mean at this time of year ? It is more than our 

 share of ill-fortune, I think, but the luck may turn yet. . . . 



"11 p.m. It has blown hard all day with quite the 

 greatest snowfall I remember. The drifts about the tents 

 are simply huge. The temperature was +27 this fore- 

 noon, and rose to + 3 1° in the afternoon, at which time the 

 snow melted as it fell on anything but the snow, and, as a 

 consequence, there are pools of water on everything, the 

 tents are wet through, also the wind-clothes, night-boots, 



1 My own diary. 2 Scott's Last Expedition, vol. i. p. 4.86. 



