5 8 SCO'lT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 
Should we now try to go east or west ? 
I have been trying to go west because the majority of 
tracks lie that side and no one has encountered such hard 
conditions as ours — otherwise there is nothing to point 
to this direction, and all through the last week the prospect 
to the west has seemed less promising than in other 
directions ; in spite of orders to steer to the S.W. when 
possible it has been impossible to push in that direction. 
An event of Christmas was the production of a family 
by Crean's rabbit. She gave birth to 17, it is said, and 
Crean has given away 22 ! 
I don't know what will become of the parent or family ; 
at present they are warm and snug enough, tucked away 
in the fodder under the forecastle. 
Midnight. — To-night the air is thick with falling snow ; 
the temperature 28 0 . It is cold and slushy without. 
A merry evening has just concluded. We had an 
excellent dinner : tomato soup, penguin breast stewed 
as an entree, roast beef, plum pudding, and mince pies, 
asparagus, champagne, port and liqueurs — a festive 
menu. Dinner began at 6 and ended at 7. For five 
hours the company has been sitting round the table sing- 
ing lustily ; we haven't much talent, but everyone has 
contributed more or less, ' and the choruses are deafening. 
It is rather a surprising circumstance that such an un- 
musical party should be so keen on singing. On Xmas 
night it was kept up till 1 a.m., and no work is done 
without a chanty. I don't know if you have ever heard 
sea chanties being sung. The merchant sailors have 
