SPRING 309 



the parties as to be prepared to meet them. I fear to be too 

 sanguine, yet taking everything into consideration I feel 

 that our chances ought to be good." 1 



And again he writes : " Of hopeful signs for the future 

 none are more remarkable than the health and spirit of our 

 people. It would be impossible to imagine a more vigorous 

 community, and there does not seem to be a single weak 

 spot in the twelve good men and true who are chosen for 

 the Southern advance. All are now experienced sledge 

 travellers, knit together with a bond of friendship that has 

 never been equalled under such circumstances. Thanks 

 to these people, and more especially to Bowers and Petty 

 Officer Evans, there is not a single detail of our equipment 

 which is not arranged with the utmost care and in accord- 

 ance with the tests of experience." 2 



Indeed Bowers had been of the very greatest use to 

 Scott in the working out of these plans. Not only had he 

 all the details of stores at his finger-tips, but he had studied 

 polar clothing and polar food, was full of plans and alter- 

 native plans, and, best of all, refused to be beaten by any 

 problem which presented itself. The actual distribution of 

 weights between dogs, motors and ponies, and between 

 the different ponies, was largely left in his hands. We had 

 only to lead our ponies out on the day of the start and we 

 were sure to find our sledges ready, each with the right load 

 and weight. To the leader of an expedition such a man 

 was worth his weight in gold. 



But now Scott became worried and unhappy. We were 

 running things on a fine margin of transport, and during 

 the month before we were due to start mishap followed 

 mishap in the most disgusting way. Three men were more 

 or less incapacitated: Forde with his frozen hand, Clis- 

 sold who concussed himself by a fall from a berg, and 

 Debenham who hurt his knee seriously when playing foot- 

 ball. One of the ponies, Jehu, was such a crock that at one 

 time it was decided not to take him out at all : and very bad 

 opinions were also held of Chinaman. Another dog died 

 of a mysterious disease. " It is trying," writes Scott, " but 



1 Scott's Last Expedition, vol. i. p. 403. * Ibid. p. 404. 



