SHELTER FOR THE ANIMALS 



The lee side of the hut ultimately became the wall 

 of the stables, for we decided to keep the ponies sheltered 

 during the winter. During the blizzard we experienced 

 on February 18, and for the three following days, 

 the animals suffered somewhat, mainly owing to the 

 knocking about they had received whilst on the way 

 south in the ship. We found that a shelter, not neces- 

 sarily warmed to a high temperature, would keep the 

 ponies in better condition than if they were allowed to 

 stand in the open, and by February 9 the stable 

 building was complete. A double row of cases of maize, 

 built at one end to a height of five feet eight inches, made 

 one end, and then the longer side of the shelter was 

 composed of bales of fodder. A wide plank at the 

 other end was cemented into the ground, and a doorway 

 left. Over all this was stretched the canvas tarpaulin 

 which we had previously used in the fodder hut, and 

 with planks and battens on both sides to make it wind- 

 proof, the stable was complete. A wire rope was 

 stretched from one end to the other on the side nearest 

 to the hut, and the ponies' head-ropes were made fast 

 to this. The first night that they were placed in the 

 stable there was little rest for any of us, and during the 

 night some of the animals broke loose and returned 

 to their valley. Shortly afterwards Grisi, one of the 

 most high-spirited of the lot, pushed his head through 

 a window, so the lower halves of the hut windows had 

 to be boarded up. The first strong breeze we had 

 shook the roof of the stable so much that we expected 

 every moment it would blow away, so after the gale 

 all the sledges except those which were in use were 

 laid on the top of the stable, and a stout rope passed 

 from one end to the other. The next snowfall covered 

 the sledges and made a splendid roof, upon which no 

 subsequent wind had any effect. Later, another addition 



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