THE WINTER JOURNEY 299 



drifts above us. We halted and stood there trying to get 

 ourselves and one another out of our frozen harnesses — 

 the usual long job. The door opened — " Good God 1 here 

 is the Crozier Party," said a voice, and disappeared. 



Thus ended the worst journey in the world. 



And now the reader will ask what became of the three 

 penguins' eggs for which three human lives had been 

 risked three hundred times a day, and three human frames 

 strained to the utmost extremity of human endurance. 



Let us leave the Antarctic for a moment and conceive 

 ourselves in the year 1 9 1 3 in the Natural History Museum 

 in South Kensington. I had written to say that I would 

 bring the eggs at this time. Present, myself, C.-G., the sole 

 survivor of the three, with First or Doorstep Custodian of 

 the Sacred Eggs. I did not take a verbatim report of his 

 welcome; but the spirit of it may be dramatized as follows : 



FIRST CUSTODIAN. Who are you ? What do you want ? 

 This ain't an egg-shop. What call have you to come 

 meddling with our eggs ? Do you want me to put the 

 police on to you ? Is it the crocodile's egg you're after? 

 I don't know nothing about no eggs. You'd best speak 

 to Mr. Brown : it's him that varnishes the eggs. 



I resort to Mr. Brown, who ushers me into the presence 

 of the Chief Custodian, a man of scientific aspect, with two 

 manners : one, affably courteous, for a Person of Import- 

 ance (I guess a Naturalist Rothschild at least) with whom 

 he is conversing, and the other, extraordinarily offensive 

 even for an official man of science, for myself. 



I announce myself with becoming modesty as the 

 bearer of the penguins' eggs, and proffer them. The Chief 

 Custodian takes them into custody without a word of 

 thanks, and turns to the Person of Importance to discuss 

 them. I wait. The temperature of my blood rises. The 

 conversation proceeds for what seems to me a considerable 

 period. Suddenly the Chief Custodian notices my presence 

 and seems to resent it. 



CHIEF CUSTODIAN. You needn't wait. 



HEROIC EXPLORER. I should like to have a receipt for 

 the eggs, if you please. 



