CHAPTER XV 
THE LAST WEEKS AT CAPE EVANS 
Friday^ October 6. — With the rise of temperature there 
has been a slight thaw in the hut ; the drips come down 
the walls and one has found my diary, as its pages show. 
The drips are already decreasing, and if they represent 
the whole accumulation of winter moisture it is extra- 
ordinarily little, and speaks highly for the design of the 
hut. There cannot be very much more or the stains 
would be more significant. 
Yesterday I had a good look at Jehu and became 
convinced that he is useless ; he is much too weak to 
pull a load, and three weeks can make no difference. It 
is necessary to face the facts and Pve decided to leave 
him behind — we must do with nine ponies. Chinaman is 
rather a doubtful quantity and James Pigg is not a tower 
of strength, but the other seven are in fine form and 
must bear the brunt of the work somehow. 
If we suffer more loss we shall depend on the motor, 
and then ! . . . well, one must face the bad as well as 
the good. 
It is some comfort to know that six of the animals 
at least are in splendid condition — Victor, Snippets, 
