9 8 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [Jan-uary 
ship seen from a big cave in an iceberg, and wished to get 
pictures of it. He succeeded in getting some splendid 
plates. This forenoon I went to the iceberg with him 
and agreed that I had rarely seen anything more beautiful 
than this cave. It was really a sort of crevasse in a tilted 
berg parallel to the original surface ; the strata on either 
side had bent outwards ; through the back the sky could 
be seen through a screen of beautiful icicles — it looked a 
royal purple, whether by contrast with the blue of the 
cavern or whether from optical illusion I do not know. 
Through the larger entrance could be seen, also partly 
through icicles, the ship, the Western Mountains, and a 
lilac sky ; a wonderfully beautiful picture. 
Ponting is simply entranced with this view of Mt. 
Erebus, and with the two bergs in the foreground and 
some volunteers he works up foregrounds to complete 
his picture of it. 
I go to bed very satisfied with the day's work, but 
hoping for better results with the improved organisation 
and familiarity with the work. 
To-day we landed the remainder of the woodwork of 
the hut, all the petrol, paraffin and oil of all descriptions, 
and a quantity of oats for the ponies besides odds and ends. 
The ponies arc to begin work to-morrow ; they did nothing 
to-day, but the motor sledges did well — they are steadying 
down to their work and made nothing but non-stop runs 
to-day. One begins to believe they will be reliable, but 
I am still fearing that they will not take such heavy loads 
as we hoped. 
Day is very pleased and thinks he's going to do wonders, 
