SOUTHWARD 49 
“Evening.—Loom of land and Cape Saunders Light 
blinking.” } 
The ponies and dogs were the first consideration. Even 
in quite ordinary weather the dogs had a wretched time. 
“The seas continually break on the weather bulwarks and 
scatter clouds of heavy spray over the backs of all who must 
venture into the waist of the ship. The dogs sit with their 
tails to this invading water, their coats wet and dripping. 
It is a pathetic attitude deeply significant of cold and 
misery ; occasionally some poor beast emits a long pathetic 
whine. The group forms a picture of wretched dejection ; 
such a life is truly hard for these poor creatures.” ? 
The ponies were better off. Four of them were on deck 
amidships and they were well boarded round. It is signifi- 
cant that these ponies had a much easier time in rough 
weather than those in the bows of the ship. ‘‘ Under the 
forecastle fifteen ponies close side by side, seven one side, 
eight the other, heads together, and groom between— 
swaying, swaying continually to the plunging, irregular 
motion.” 
“One takes a look through a hole in the bulkhead and 
sees a row of heads with sad, patient eyes come swinging 
up together from the starboard side, whilst those on the 
port swing back; then up come the port heads, while the 
starboard recede. It seems a terrible ordeal for these poor 
beasts to stand this day after day for weeks together, and 
indeed though they continue to feed well the strain quickly 
drags down their weight and condition; but nevertheless 
the trial cannot be gauged from human standards.’’§ 
The seas through which we had to pass to reach the 
pack-ice must be the most stormy in the world. Dante tells 
us that those who have committed carnal sin are tossed 
about ceaselessly by the most furious winds in the second 
circle of Hell. The corresponding hell on earth is found 
in the southern oceans, which encircle the world without 
break, tempest-tossed by the gales which follow oneanother 
round and round the world from West to East. You will 
find albatross there—great Wanderers, and Sooties, and 
1 Scotts Last Expedition, vol. i. p. 7. 2 Ibid. p. 9. 3 Tbid. p. 8. 
E 
