104 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [January 
to the position of a case when it is wanted. The hut is 
advancing apace — already the matchboarding is being 
put on. The framework is being clothed. It should be 
extraordinarily warm and comfortable, for in addition to 
this double coating of insulation, dry seaweed in quilted 
sacking, I propose to stack the pony fodder all around it. 
I am wondering how we shall stable the ponies in the 
winter. 
The only drawback to the present position is that the 
ice is getting thin and sludgy in the cracks and on some 
of the floes. The ponies drop their feet through, but 
most of them have evidently been accustomed to some- 
thing of the sort ; they make no fuss about it. Every- 
thing points to the desirability of the haste which we are 
making — so we go on to-morrow, Sunday. 
A whole host of minor ills besides snow blindness have 
come upon us. Sore faces and lips, blistered feet, cuts 
and abrasions ; there are few without some troublesome 
ailment, but, of course, such things are 4 part of the 
business. 5 The soles of my feet are infernally sore. 
'Of course the elements are going to be troublesome, 
but it is good to know them as the only adversary and to 
feel there is so small a chance of internal friction. 5 
Ponting had an alarming adventure about this time. 
Bent on getting artistic photographs with striking objects, 
such as hummocked floes or reflecting water, in the 
foreground, he used to depart with his own small sledge 
laden with cameras and cinematograph to journey alone to 
the grounded icebergs. One morning as he tramped along 
harnessed to his sledge, his snow glasses clouded with the 
