47 2 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [partii 
and found that the Emperor penguins had hatched out 
their young. 
Barne and Mulock began their extended journey on 
October 6th to Barne Inlet. Scott's party started on 
their very difficult enterprise of discovering the ice cap 
on the 12th. His party was a combination of three 
separate parties. The first consisted of Captain Scott, 
Mr Skelton, Mr Feather the boatswain, Evans, Lashly, 
and Handsley. Secondly there was the geological party, 
consisting of Mr Ferrar with Kennar and Weller. The 
third, the auxiliary supporting party, consisted of Dailey 
the carpenter, and two other men, Williamson and 
Plumley. An absence of nine weeks was calculated for 
the extended party, and six weeks were allowed to 
Mr Ferrar for his geological studies. They started with 
four n-ft. sledges, and no animal traction, dragging 200 lb. 
each at starting. 
One of the noblest passages in Scott's great work 
compares the use of dogs with that of men for traction. 
Admitting that dogs, ruthlessly used, increase the dis- 
tances that may be reached he adds: — 
"To pretend that they can be worked to this end without pain, suffer- 
ing, and death is futile. The introduction of such sordid necessity must 
and does rob sledge-travelling of much of its glory. To my mind no 
journey ever made with dogs can approach the height of the fine 
conception which is realised when a party of men go forth to face 
hardships, dangers, and difficulties with their own unaided efforts 
and by days and weeks of hard physical labour succeed in solving 
some problem of the great unknown. Surely in this case the conquest 
is more nobly and splendidly won." 
On October 18th the condition of the sledges obliged 
them to return. Only one remained sound. On the 
others the German silver on the runners was split to 
ribbons and the wood deeply scored. Leaving the sound 
sledge and a large depot they hurried back to the ship, 
the last march covering 36 miles. The sledges were 
repaired, and Ferrar now took a smaller 7 ft. sledge. 
The final start was made on October 26th; and they 
crossed the sea ice at a rate of 25 miles a day. There was 
continual trouble with the runners, and Mr Skelton with 
the stokers of the party were kept at work with pliers, 
files, and hammers, stripping off the torn metal and 
lapping fresh pieces over the weak places. 
