312 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[June 
Some very brilliant patches of aurora over the southern 
shoulder of the mountain. Observed an exceedingly bright 
meteor shoot across the sky to the northward. 
On my return found Debenham and Gran back from 
Cape Armitagc. They had intended to start back on 
Sunday, but were prevented by bad weather ; they seemed 
to have had stronger winds than we. 
On arrival at the hut they found poor little 
'Mukaka' coiled up outside the door, looking pitifully 
thin and weak, but with enough energy to bark at them. 
This dog was run over and dragged for a long way 
under the sledge runners whilst we were landing stores in 
January (the 7th). He has never been worth much since, 
but remained lively in spite of all the hardships of sledging 
work. At Hut Point he looked a miserable object, as the 
hair refused to grow on his hindquarters. It seemed as 
though he could scarcely continue in such a condition, and 
when the party came back to Cape Evans he was allowed 
to run free alongside the sledge. 
On the arrival of the party I especially asked after the 
little animal and was told by Demetri that he had returned, 
but later it transpired that this was a mistake — that he 
had been missed on the journey and had not turned up 
again later as was supposed. 
I learned this fact only a few days ago and had quite 
given up the hope of ever seeing the poor little beast 
again. It is extraordinary to realise that this poor, 
lame, half-clad animal has lived for a whole month 
by himself. He had blood on his mouth when found, 
implying the capture of a seal, but how he managed 
