from a financial point of view I
should have gained by paying--but that is another story and has no
connection with the Frozen South.

On October 13 we finished the coast survey in McMurdo Sound: generally
the weather was wretched, but this notwithstanding we got along fairly
well with our work. Once back in the Hut there was plenty to be done
preparing for the Southern Journey.

My particular work consisted of rating chronometers, sewing, packing,
stowing, making sundials, calibrating instruments, and preparing little
charts which could be rolled up on a bamboo stick and carried in the
instrument boxes of the sledges.

Poor Clissold, our cook, fell off an iceberg while posing for Ponting,
and was on account of his severe shaking unable to accompany the Motor
party for which Scott had detailed him.

After dinner on October 17 Day started his motors, and amidst a perfect
furore of excitement he got one motor sledge down on to the sea ice. At
the ice foot, alas, one of the rear axle cases fractured badly and the
car was out of action 30 yards from the garage. The other car wouldn't
start.

From the 18th until the 24th October, Day and Lashly were at work
repairing the disabled car, and they made an excellent job of it, so that
there was no delay in the starting date for the pioneer party with the
motors.

We got all news by telephone from Hut Point with reference to the state
of the surface on the Great Ice Barrier, as Meares and Dimitri returned
on October 15 from a flying journey to Corner Camp and back with depot
stores. Meares's dogs on this trip covered the seventy statute miles, out
and home, in thirty-six hours, including their resting time.

Scott handed me my instructions on October 20, which read as follows:

_Instructions for Motor Party._

Proceed at convenient speed to Corner Camp, thence to One Ton Camp,
and thence due South to Latitude 80 1/2 degrees South. If motors
successful

(i) Carry forward from Corner Camp 9 bags forage, 1 bag of oilcake;
_but_ see that provision for ponies is intact, _viz._: 3 sacks oats,
1 bag oilcake, 4 bags of forage. If motors pulling very well you can
also take 9 cases emergency biscuit.

(ii) In addition carry forward from One Ton Camp all man food and fuel
in depot, _viz._: 7 units bagged provisions, 4 boxes biscuit, 8
gallons paraffin, but see that provision for ponies is intact, _viz._:
5 sacks oats; and deposit