SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
strove to stun it with a blow on the nose. As it turned 
it gaped its jaws wide, but oddly enough not a sound came 
forth, not even a hiss. 
After lunch a sledge was taken out to secure the prize, 
which had been photographed by flashlight. 
Ponting has been making great advances in flashlight 
work, and has opened up quite a new field in which artistic 
results can be obtained in the winter. 
Lecture — Japan. To-night Ponting gave us a charming 
lecture on Japan with wonderful illustrations of his own. 
He is happiest in his descriptions of the artistic side of 
the people, with which he is in fullest sympathy. So he 
took us to see the flower pageants. The joyful festivals of 
the cherry blossom, the wistaria, the iris and chrysan- 
themum, the sombre colours of the beech blossom and 
the paths about the lotus gardens, where mankind 
meditated in solemn mood. We had pictures, too, of 
Nikko and its beauties, of Temples and great Buddhas. 
Then in more touristy strain of volcanoes and their 
craters, waterfalls and river gorges, tiny tree-clad islets, 
that feature of Japan — baths and their bathers, Ainos, 
and so on. His descriptions were well given and we all of 
us thoroughly enjoyed our evening. 
Tuesday, May 30. — Am busy with my physiological 
investigations.* Atkinson reported a sea leopard at the 
tide crack ; it proved to be a crab-eater, young and very 
active. In curious contrast to the sea leopard of yesterday, 
in snapping round it uttered considerable noise, a gasping 
throaty growl. 
* I.e. in relation to a sledging ration. 
