i9i i] ON POLAR CLOTHING 4°3 
ability, and since his recent journey he must be considered 
as entitled to an authoritative opinion of his own. The 
points in our clothing problems are too technical and too 
frequently discussed to need special notice at present, 
but as a result of a new study of Arctic precedents it is 
satisfactory to find it becomes more and more evident 
that our equipment is the best that has been devised for 
the purpose, always excepting the possible alternative of 
skins for spring journeys, an alternative we have no 
power to adopt. In spite of this we are making minor 
improvements all the time. 
Sunday , September 10. — A whole week since the last 
entry in my diary. I feel very negligent of duty, but 
my whole time has been occupied in making detailed 
plans for the Southern journey. These arc finished at 
last, I am glad to say ; every figure has been checked by 
Bovvers, who has been an enormous help to me. If the 
motors are successful, we shall have no difficulty in getting 
to the Glacier, and if they fail, we shall still get there with 
any ordinary degree of good fortune. To work three units 
of four men from that point onwards requires no small 
provision, but with the proper provision it should take a 
good deal to stop the attainment of our object. I have 
tried to take every reasonable possibility of misfortune 
into consideration, and to so organise the parties as to 
be prepared to meet them. I fear to be too sanguine, yet 
taking everything into consideration I feel that our 
chances ought to be good. The animals arc in splendid 
form. Day by day the ponies get fitter as their exercise 
increases, and the stronger, harder food toughens their 
2D2 
