ion] TO ENCOURAGE THE PONY 
H7 
We saw a dark object a quarter of a mile north as we 
reached the Barrier. I walked over and found it to be 
the tops of two tents more than half buried — Shacklcton's 
tents we suppose. A moulting Emperor penguin was 
sleeping between them. The canvas on one tent seemed 
intact, but half stripped from the other. 
The ponies pulled splendidly to-day, as also the dogs, 
but we have decided to load both lightly from now on, 
to march them easily, and to keep as much life as possible 
in them. There is much to be learnt as to their powers 
of performance. 
Kcohane says, 4 Come on, lad ; you'll be getting 
to the Pole ' by way of cheering his animal — all the 
party are cheerful, there never were a better set of 
people. 
Sunday, January 29. — Camp 2. This morning after 
breakfast I read prayers. Excellent day. The seven good 
ponies have made two journeys to the Barrier, covering 
18 geographical miles, half with good loads— none of them 
were at all done. Oates' pony, a spirited, nervous creature, 
got away at start when his head was left for a moment 
and charged through the camp at a gallop ; finally his 
sledge cannoned into another, the swingle tree broke, 
and he galloped away, kicking furiously at the dangling 
trace. Oates fetched him when he had quieted down, and 
we found that nothing had been hurt or broken but the 
swingle tree. 
Gran tried going on ski with his pony. All went well 
while he was alongside, but when he came up from the 
back the swish of the ski frightened the beast, who fled 
