SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[January 
canvas was rotten except some material used for the 
doors. The floor cloth could not be freed. 
The Soldier doesn't like the idea of fetching up the 
remainder of the loads to this camp with the ponies. 
I think we will bring on all we can with the dogs and take 
the risk of leaving the rest. 
The Nimrod camp was evidently made by some relief 
or ship party, and if that has stood fast for so long there 
should be little fear for our stuff in a single season. 
To-morrow we muster stores, build the depot, and pack 
our sledges. 
Tuesday, January 31. — Camp 3. We have everything 
ready to start — but this afternoon we tried our one pair of 
snow-shoes on * Weary Willy.' The effect was magical. 
He strolled around as though walking on hard ground in 
places where he floundered woefully without them. Oatcs 
hasn't had any faith in these shoes at all, and I thought 
that even the quietest pony would need to be practised in 
their use. 
Immediately after our experiment I decided that an 
effort must be made to get more, and within half an hour 
Meares and Wilson were on their way to the station more 
than 20 miles away. There is just the chance that the ice 
may not have gone out, but it is a very poor one I fear. 
At present it looks as though we might double our distance 
with the snow-shoes. 
Atkinson is better to-day, but not by any means well, 
so that the delay is in his favour. We cannot start on till 
the dogs return with or without the shoes. The only other 
hope for this journey is that the Barrier gets harder farther 
