220 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 
with the odds and ends at Hut Point, but in principle the 
same, in that the fids of sealskin with the blubber attached 
to them were placed ona grid, and the heat generated caused 
them to drop their oil on to ashes below which formed the 
fire. This fire not only warmed the stable, but melted the 
snow to water the ponies and heated their bran mashes. I 
do not wonder that this warm companionable home ap- 
pealed to their minds when they were exercising in the 
cold, dark, windy sea-ice: they were always trying to get 
rid of their leader, and if successful generally went straight 
back to the hut. Here they would dodge their pursuers 
until such time as they were sick of the game, when they 
quietly walked into the stable of their own accord to be 
welcomed with triumphant squeals and kickings by their 
companions. 
I have already spoken of their exercise. Their ration 
during the winter was as follows: 
8 a.m. Chaff. 
12 Noon. Snow. Chaff and oats or oil-cake alternate 
days. 
5 P.M. Snow. Hot bran mash with oil-cake, or 
boiled oats and chaff; finally a small 
quantity of hay. 
In the spring they were got into condition on hard food all 
cold, and by a carefully increased scale of exercise during 
the latter part of which they drew sledges with very light 
loads. 
Unfortunately I have no record as to what changes of 
feeding stuffs Oates would have made if it had been pos- 
sible. Certainly we should not have brought the bales of 
compressed fodder, which as I have already explained,? 
was theoretically green wheat cut young, but practically 
no manner of use as a food, though of some use perhaps as 
bulk. Probably he would have used hay for this purpose at 
Winter Quarters had our stock of it not been very limited, 
for hay takes up too much room on a ship when every square 
inch of stowage space is of value. The original weights of 
Ey Seelpat 70: 
