3io WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 



I am past despondency. Things must take their course." x 

 And "if this waiting were to continue it looks as though 

 we should become a regular party of 'crocks.' " 2 



Then on the top of all this came a bad accident to one 

 of the motor axles on the eve of departure. " To-night the 

 motors were to be taken on to the floe. The drifts made 

 the road very uneven, and the first and best motor overrode 

 its chain; the chain was replaced and the machine pro- 

 ceeded, but just short of the floe was thrust to a steep in- 

 clination by a ridge, and the chain again overrode the 

 sprockets; this time by ill fortune Day slipped at the 

 critical moment and without intention jammed the throttle 

 full on. The engine brought up, but there was an ominous 

 trickle of oil under the back axle, and investigation showed 

 that the axle casing (aluminium) had split. The casing 

 had been stripped and brought into the hut: we may be 

 able to do something to it, but time presses. It all goes to 

 show that we want more experience and workshops. I am 

 secretly convinced that we shall not get much help from 

 the motors, yet nothing has ever happened to them that 

 was unavoidable. A little more care and foresight would 

 make them splendid allies. The trouble is that if they fail, 

 no one will ever believe this." 3 



In the meantime Meares and Dimitri ran out to Corner 

 Camp from Hut Point twice with the two dog-teams. The 

 first time they journeyed out and back in two days and a 

 night, returning on October 15 ; and another very similar 

 run was made before the end of the month. 



The motor party was to start first, but was delayed 

 until October 24. They were to wait for us in latitude 

 8o° 30', man-hauling certain loads on if the motors broke 

 down. The two engineers were Day and Lashly, and their 

 two helpers, who steered by pulling on a rope in front, were 

 Lieutenant Evans and Hooper. Scott was " immensely 

 eager that these tractors should succeed, even though they 

 may not be of great help to our Southern advance. A small 

 measure of success will be enough to show their possibili- 

 ties, their ability to revolutionize polar transport." 4 



1 Scott's Last Expedition, vol. i. p. 425. 2 Ibid. p. 437. 3 Ibid. p. 429. 



* Ibid. p. 438. 



