4 8z SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 
ponies went poorly on the first march, when there was 
little or no wind and a high temperature. They were 
sinking deep on a wretched surface. I suggested to 
Oates that he should have a roving commission to watch 
the animals, but he much preferred to lead one, so I 
handed over Snippets very willingly and went on ski 
myself. It was very easy work for me and I took several 
photographs of the ponies plunging along — the light 
very strong at 3 (Watkins actinometer). The ponies 
did much better on the second march, both surface and 
glide improved ; I went ahead and found myself obliged 
to take a very steady pace to keep the lead, so we arrived 
in camp in flourishing condition. Sad to have to order 
Victor's end — poor Bowers feels it. He is in excellent 
condition and will provide five feeds for the dogs. (Temp. 
+ 17 0 ). We must kill now as the forage is so short, but we 
have reached the 83rd parallel and are practically safe to 
get through. To-night the sky is breaking and conditions 
generally more promising — it is dreadfully dismal work 
marching through the blank wall of white, and we should 
have very great difficulty if we had not a party to go ahead 
and show the course. The dogs are doing splendidly 
and will take a heavier load from to-morrow. We kill 
another pony to-morrow night if we get our march off, and 
shall then have nearly three days' food for the other five. 
In fact everything looks well if the weather will only give 
us a chance to see our way to the Glacier. Wild, in his 
Diary of Shackleton's Journey, remarks on December 15, 
that it is the first day for a month that he could not 
record splendid weather. With us a fine day has been the 
