422 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[October 
Christopher, Nobby, Bones are as fit as ponies could well 
be and are naturally strong, well-shaped beasts, whilst 
little Michael, though not so shapely, is as strong as he 
will ever be. 
To-day Wilson, Oatcs, Cherry-Garrard, and Crean 
have gone to Hut Point with their ponies, Oates getting 
off with Christopher after some difficulty. At 5 o'clock 
the Hut Point telephone bell suddenly rang (the line 
was laid by Meares some time ago, but hitherto there has 
been no communication). In a minute or two we heard 
a voice, and behold ! communication was established. I 
had quite a talk with Meares and afterwards with Oatcs. 
Not a very wonderful fact, perhaps, but it seems wonderful 
in this primitive land to be talking to one's fellow beings 
15 miles away. Oates told me that the ponies had arrived 
in fine order, Christopher a little done, but carrying the 
heaviest load. 
If we can keep the telephone going it will be a great 
boon, especially to Meares later in the season. 
The weather is extraordinarily unsettled ; the last 
two days have been fairly fine, but every now and again 
we get a burst of wind with drifts and to-night it is 
overcast and very gloomy in appearance. 
The photography craze is in full swing. Ponting's 
mastery is ever more impressive, and his pupils improve 
day by day ; nearly all of us have produced good negatives. 
Dcbcnham and Wright arc the most promising, but Taylor, 
Bowers and I are also getting the hang of the tricky 
exposures. 
Saturday, October 7. — As though to contradict the 
