462 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 



A bicycle wheel of course stood much higher than our 

 proper sledge-meters, and a difficulty rose in fixing it to 

 the sledge so as to prevent its wobbling and at the same 

 time allow it the necessary amount of play. 



Meanwhile the mules were being brought on in con- 

 dition. With daylight and improved weather they were 

 exercised with loaded sledges on the sea-ice which still 

 remained in South Bay. They went like lambs, and were 

 evidently used to the work. Gulab was a troublesome little 

 animal : he had no objection to pulling a sledge, but was 

 just ultra-timid. Again and again he was got into position 

 for having his traces hitched on, and each time some little 

 thing, the flapping of a mitt, the touch of the trace, or the 

 feel of the bow of the sledge, frightened him and he was off, 

 and the same performance had to be repeated. Once har- 

 nessed he was very good. The breast harness sent down for 

 them by the Indian Government was used : it was excellent; 

 though Oates, I believe, had an idea that collars were better. 

 However, we had not got the collars. The mules them- 

 selves looked very fit and strong : our only doubt was 

 whether their small hoofs would sink into soft snow even 

 farther than the ponies had done. 



No record of this expedition would be complete with- 

 out some mention of the cases of fire which occurred. The 

 first was in the lazarette of the ship on the voyage to Cape 

 Town : it was caused by an overturned lamp and easily 

 extinguished. The second was during our first winter in 

 the Antarctic, when there was a fire in the motor shed, 

 which was formed by full petrol cases built up round the 

 motors, and roofed with a tarpaulin. This threatened to be 

 more serious, but was also put out without much difficulty. 

 The third and fourth cases were during the winter which 

 had just passed, and were both inside Winter Quarters. 



Wright wanted a lamp to heat a shed which he was build- 

 ing out of cases and tarpaulins for certain of his work. He 

 brought a lamp (not a primus) into the hut, and tried to make 

 it work. He spent some time in the morning on this, and 

 after lunch Nelson joined him. The lamp was fitted with 

 an indicator to show the pressure obtained by pumping. 



