8 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[December 
port swing back ; then up come the port heads, whilst 
the starboard recede. It seems a terrible ordeal for these 
poor beasts to stand this day after day for weeks together, 
and indeed though they continue to feed well the strain 
quickly drags down their weight and condition ; but never- 
theless the trial cannot be gauged from human standards. 
There are horses which never lie down, and all horses can 
sleep standing ; anatomically they possess a ligament in 
each leg which takes their weight without strain. Even 
our poor animals will get rest and sleep in spite of the 
violent motion. Some 4 or 5 tons of fodder and the ever 
watchful Anton take up the remainder of the forecastle 
space. Anton is suffering badly from sea-sickness, but 
last night he smoked a cigar. He smoked a little, then 
had an interval of evacuation, and back to his cigar whilst 
he rubbed his stomach and remarked to Oatcs ' No good ' 
— gallant little Anton ! 
There arc four ponies outside the forecastle and to 
leeward of the fore hatch, and on the whole, perhaps, 
with shielding tarpaulins, they have a rather better time 
than their comrades. Just behind the ice-house and on 
either side of the main hatch arc two enormous packing- 
cases containing motor sledges, each 16 X 5 X 4; mounted 
as they arc several inches above the deck they take a 
formidable amount of space. A third sledge stands 
across the break of the poop in the space hitherto occupied 
by the after winch. All these cases are covered with stout 
tarpaulin and lashed with heavy chain and rope lashings, 
so that they may be absolutely secure. 
The petrol for these sledges is contained in tins and 
