322 
SCOTrS LAST EXPEDITION 
[May 
gear ; and was out continually taking photographs of 
general and scientific interest. 
On May lo Nelson lectured on the tides, the main interest 
of his contention being that with the greatest declination 
of the moon the movement of ice was more probable. 
A never-failing source of amusement after dinner 
every night has been a form of bagatelle which is played 
on a mess table. The table was covered with a strip 
of green Willesden canvas stretched between two long 
boards which formed the cushions. Between these boards 
at the top of the table a bridge fits, having in it a number 
of holes. The object is to get the balls into these holes, 
the score being according to the number above the hole. 
A competition was arranged and the lowest scorer of the 
competition received the Jonah Medal. Having obtained 
this, he had to announce at luncheon each day ^ Gentlemen, 
I am the Jonah.' This he continued to do until someone 
else had relieved him of the medal. 
The ice in the North Bay now froze again to a thickness 
of 4 to 5 inches. Nelson started again to build his igloo 
on the ice in the South Bay to carry on his biological 
work. When he had pricked the ice the water came 
through and flowed over the floor of his igloo. The ice, 
being thin, was pressed down at the spot where the weight 
bore on it. 
On May 13 we had a wonderful aurora display about 
6 P.M. and this was believed to be the brightest that had 
been seen at Cape Evans. The greater part of the sky was 
covered, but the most vivid shafts ran north-east and 
south-west. Debenham tried with various exposures 
