426 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [October 
of difficulty; he improves rapidly in spirits as well as 
towards immunity from pain. The fiction of his pre- 
paration to join the motor sledge party is still kept up, 
but Atkinson says there is not the smallest chance of his 
being ready. I shall have to be satisfied if he practically 
recovers by the time we leave with the ponies. 
Forde's hand took a turn for the better two days ago 
and he maintains this progress. Atkinson thinks he will 
be ready to start in ten days' time, but the hand must be 
carefully nursed till the weather becomes really summery. 
The weather has continued bad till to-day, which has 
been perfectly beautiful. A fine warm sun all day— so 
warm that one could sit about outside in the afternoon, 
and photographic work was a real pleasure. 
The ponies have been behaving well, with exceptions. 
Victor is now quite easy to manage, thanks to Bowers' 
patience. Chinaman goes along very steadily and is not 
going to be the crock we expected. He has a slow pace 
which may be troublesome, but when the weather is fine 
that won't matter if he can get along steadily. 
The most troublesome animal is Christopher. He is 
only a source of amusement as long as there is no accident, 
but I am always a little anxious that he will kick or bite 
someone. The curious thing is that he is quiet enough 
to handle for walking or riding exercise or in the stable, 
but as soon as a sledge comes into the programme he is 
seized with a very demon of viciousness, and bites and 
kicks with every intent to do injury. It seems to be 
getting harder rather than easier to get him into the 
traces ; the last two turns, he has had to be thrown, as 
