152 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 
sympathy, as he ought to have reported his trouble 
long before. Crean will manage to rescue some more of 
the forage from the Barrier edge — I am very sorry 
for him. 
On starting with all the ponies (I leading Atkinson's) 
I saw with some astonishment that the animals were not 
sinking deeply, and to my pleased surprise we made good 
progress at once. This lasted for more than an hour, 
then the surface got comparatively bad again — but still 
most of the ponies did well with it, making 5 miles. 
Birdie's * animal, however, is very heavy and flounders 
where the others walk fairly easily. He is eager and 
tries to go faster as he flounders. As a result he was 
brought in, in a lather. I inquired for our one set of 
snow-shoes and found they had been left behind. The 
difference in surface from what was expected makes one 
wonder whether better conditions may not be expected 
during the night and in the morning, when the temperatures 
are low. My suggestion that we should take to night 
marching has met with general approval. Even if there 
is no improvement in the surface the ponies will rest 
better during the warmer hours and march better in the 
night. 
So we are resting in our tents, waiting to start to- 
night. Gran has gone back for the snow-shoes — he volun- 
teered good-naturedly — certainly his cxpertness on ski 
is useful. 
Last night the temperature fell to -6° after the wind 
dropped — to-day it is warm and calm. 
* The favourite nickname for Bowers. 
