STATE OF THE ICE-HOUSE 
63 
I was thinking during the gale last night that 
our position might be a great deal worse than it is. 
We were lying amongst the floes perfectly peacefully 
whilst the wind howled through the rigging. One felt 
quite free from anxiety as to the ship, the sails, the bergs 
or ice pressures. One calmly went below and slept in the 
greatest comfort. One thought of the ponies, but after 
all, horses have been carried for all time in small ships, 
and often enough for very long voyages. The Eastern 
Party * will certainly benefit by any delay we may make ; 
for them the later they get to King Edward's Land the 
better. The depot journey of the Western Party will be 
curtailed, but even so if we can get landed in January 
there should be time for a good deal of work. One must 
confess that things might be a great deal worse and there 
would be little to disturb one if one's release was certain, 
say in a week's time. 
I'm afraid the ice-house is not going on so well as it 
might. There is some mould on the mutton and the 
beef is tainted. There is a distinct smell. The house 
has been opened by order when the temperature has 
fallen below 28 0 . I thought the effect would be to 4 harden 
up ' the meat, but apparently we need air circulation. 
When the temperature goes down to-night we shall 
probably take the beef out of the house and put a wind- 
♦ The party headed by Lieutenant Campbell, which, being unable 
to disembark on King Edward's Land, was ultimately taken by the 
Terra Nova to the north part of Victoria Land, and so came to be known 
as the Northern Party. The Western Party here mentioned includes 
all who had their base at Cape Evans : the depots to be laid were for 
the subsequent expedition to the Pole. 
