I9IO] 
CAPE CROZIER AS A STATION 
"7 
especially those under the forecastle. We had thought 
the ponies on the port side to be pretty safe, but two of 
them seem tome to be groggy, and I doubt if they could 
stand more heavy weather without a spell of rest. I pray 
there may be no more gales. We should be nearing 
the limits of the westerlies, but one cannot be sure for 
at least two days. There is still a swell from the S.W., 
though it is not nearly so heavy as yesterday, but 
I devoutly wish it would vanish altogether. So much 
depends on fine weather. December ought to be a fine 
month in the Ross Sea ; it always has been, and just 
now conditions point to fine weather. Well, we must be 
prepared for anything, but I'm anxious, anxious about 
these animals of ours. 
The dogs have quite recovered since the fine weather — 
they are quite in good form again. 
Our deck cargo is getting reduced; all the coal is off 
the upper deck and the petrol is re-stored in better fashion ; 
as far as that is concerned we should not mind another 
blow. Campbell and Bowers have been untiring in 
getting things straight on deck. 
The idea of making our station Cape Crozier has again 
come on the tapis. There would be many advantages : 
the ease of getting there at an early date, the fact that 
none of the autumn or summer parties could be cut off, 
the fact that the main Barrier could be reached without 
crossing crevasses and that the track to the Pole would 
be due south from the first : — the mild condition and 
absence of blizzards at the penguin rookery, the oppor- 
tunity of studying the Emperor penguin incubation, and 
VOL. I. C 
