ery
little remains for me to say--except that I daily grow more grateful
to you for sparing him for this venture. I feel that he is going to be
a great help in every way and that it will go hard if, with so many
good fellows, we should fail in our objects.

"Before concluding I should really like to impress on you how little
cause you have for anxiety. We have had the greatest luck in finding
and establishing our winter quarters, and if I could go shopping
to-morrow I should not know what to buy to add to our comfort. We are
reaping a full reward for all those months of labour in London, in
which your husband took so large a share--if you picture us after
communication is cut off it must be a very bright picture, almost a
scene of constant revelry, with your husband in the foreground amongst
those who are merry and content--I am sure we are going to be a very
happy family and most certainly we shall be healthy and well cared
for.

"With all kind regards and hopes that you will not allow yourself to
be worried till your good man comes safely home again.

"Yours sincerely,

"R. SCOTT."

I said my good-byes after an early tea to the fellows of the "Terra Nova"
and also to the Eastern party, the lieutenants saw me over the side, and
I went away with a big lump in my throat, then Nelson and I took out a
10-ft. sledge with 530 lb. of fodder on it--rather too heavy a load, but
it all helped, and the sea ice surface was none too bad. We did not get
to camp till 10.35 p.m.: Meares, with his usual good-heartedness, came
out from the tent and helped us in for the last miles or so. He had
driven the dogs out with another load after tea time. Uncle Bill had a
fine pemmican supper awaiting us. My job kept me in camp next day to
adjust theodolites, but the rest of the party went out to bring the final
relay of depot stores from the "Terra Nova." During the following days we
relayed the depot stuff along to a position near the edge of the Barrier,
and whilst so engaged most of us found time to visit Hut Point. While
Captain Scott was selecting the position for dumping a quantity of
compressed fodder bales the remainder of the party dug the snow out of
the old hut left by the Discovery in 1904. It looked a very deserted
place, and the difference between the two winter quarters, Hut Point and
Cape Evans, was amazing. One could quite understand the first expedition
here selecti