208 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[March 
object on the Point are thickly covered with brine. Our 
seal floe has gone, so it is good-bye to seals on this side 
for some time. 
The dogs are the main sufferers by this continuance of 
phenomenally terrible weather. At least four are in a 
bad state ; some six or seven others are by no means fit 
and well, but oddly enough some ten or a dozen animals 
are as fit as they can be. Whether constitutionally harder 
or whether better fitted by nature or chance to protect 
themselves it is impossible to say — Osman, Czigane, 
Krisravitsa, Hohol, and some others are in first-rate 
condition, whilst Lappa is better than he has ever been 
before. 
It is so impossible to keep the dogs comfortable in 
the traces and so laborious to be continually attempting 
it, that we have decided to let the majority run loose. 
It will be wonderful if we can avoid one or two murders, 
but on the other hand probably more would die if we 
kept them in leash. 
We shall try and keep the quarrelsome dogs chained up. 
The main trouble that seems to come on the poor 
wretches is the icing up of their hindquarters ; once the 
ice gets thoroughly into the coat the hind legs get half 
paralysed with cold. The hope is that the animals will 
free themselves of this by running about. 
Well, well, fortune is not being very kind to us. This 
month will have sad memories. Still I suppose things 
might be worse ; the ponies are well housed and are 
doing exceedingly well, though we have slightly increased 
their food allowance. 
