THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



the other four ponies were lost during the winter, for I 

 saw that we would not be able to take with us towards 

 the Pole as much food as I should have liked. 



The dogs, whose numbers had been increased by 

 births until we had a farly large team, were trained, 

 but I did not see much scope for them on the southern 

 journey. I knew from past experience that dogs would 

 not travel when low drift was blowing in their faces, and 

 such drift was to be expected fairly often on the Barrier 

 surface, even in the summer. 



During the month of May Day had taken the engine 

 out of the motor-car, a task of no little difficulty in a 

 temperature below zero, and after cleaning every part 

 thoroughly, had packed it away in a case for the winter. 

 On September 14, when the light was beginning to get 

 stronger, he got the engine back into the car, working in 

 a temperature of minus 10° Fahr., and began prepara- 

 tions for the journeys over the ice. The car made its first 

 journey of importance on September 19, and by that time 

 experiments had proved that an extensive reduction in 

 weight was necessary if the machine was to accomplish 

 anything at all. Day therefore proceeded to strip it of 

 every bit of wood or metal not absolutely essential to run- 

 ning efficiency. In its final form the bare chassis carried 

 the engine and one seat for the driver. No great diffi- 

 culties were experienced in connection with the engine, 

 even when the temperature was many degrees below 

 zero. The mixing chamber and inlet pipes were warmed 

 up by burning petrol in a small dish rigged round the 

 carburetter just below the throttle, the carburetter 

 being flooded at the same time. By the time the petrol 

 had burned out the engine would start with a few 

 turns of the crank. The petrol tank carried twenty- 

 three gallons, and fed the carburetter by pressure from 

 a small hand-pump. Accumulator ignition was found 



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