Chapter ^efcenteen 



SOUTHERN DEPOT JOURNEY 



DY the middle of September a good supply of pro- 

 visions, oil, and gear had been stored at Hut Point in 

 preparation for the sledge journeys. All the supplies 

 required for the southern journey had been taken there, 

 in order that the start might be made from the most 

 southern base available. During this period, while the 

 men were gaining experience and getting into training, 

 the ponies were being exercised regularly along the sea 

 ice from winter quarters across to Cape Barne, and I was 

 more than satisfied with the way in which they did their 

 work. I felt that the little animals were going to justify 

 the confidence I had reposed in them when I had brought 

 them all the way from Manchuria to the bleak Antarctic. 

 I tried the ponies with loads of varying weights in order 

 to ascertain as closely as possible how much they could 

 haul with maximum efficiency, and after watching the 

 results of the experiments very carefully came to the 

 conclusion that a load of 650 lb. per pony should be the 

 maximum. It was obvious that if the animals were 

 overloaded their speed would be reduced, so that there 

 would be no gain to us, and if we were to accomplish a 

 good journey to the south it was important that they 

 should not be tired out in the early stages of the march 

 over the Barrier surface. The weight I have mentioned 

 was to include that of the sledge itself, which I have 

 already stated was about 60 lb. When I came to 

 consider the question of weight, I realised the full 

 seriousness of the loss the expedition had sustained when 



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