272 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [May 
Other details as to the carbide consumed in making 
acetylene gas may be briefly quoted. The first tin was 
opened on February l 9 the second on March 26. The 
seventh on May 20, the next eight at the average interval 
of 9A days.] 
Sunday, May 14. — Grey and dull in the morning. 
Exercised the ponies and held the usual service. This 
morning I gave Wright some notes containing speculations 
on the amount of ice on the Antarctic continent and on 
the effects of winter movements in the sea ice. I want 
to get into his head the larger bearing of the problems 
which our physical investigations involve. He needs two 
years here to fully realise these things, and with all 
his intelligence and energy will produce little unless he 
has that extended experience. 
The sky cleared at noon, and this afternoon I walked 
over the North Bay to the ice cliffs — such a very beautiful 
afternoon and evening — the scene bathed in moonlight, 
so bright and pure as to be almost golden, a very wonderful 
scene. At such times the Bay seems strangely homely, 
especially when the eye rests on our camp with the hut 
and lighted windows. 
I am very much impressed with the extraordinary and 
general cordiality of the relations which exist amongst 
our people. I do not suppose that a statement of the real 
truth, namely, that there is no friction at all, will be 
credited — it is so generally thought that the many rubs 
of such a life as this arc quietly and purposely sunk in 
oblivion. With me there is no need to draw a veil ; there 
is nothing to cover. There are no strained relations in 
