to be engaged in New
Zealand to complete this party.

A programme was drawn up for work on arrival at winter quarters, a
routine made out for McMurdo Sound or Cape Crozier, if it so happened
that we could effect a landing there, weights were calculated for the
four men sledging-units, sledge tables embellished with equipment
weights, weekly allowances of food and fuel, with measures of quantities
of each article in pannikins or spoonfuls, provisional dates were set
down in the general plan, daily ration lists constructed, the first
season's depot party chosen and, in short, a thoroughly comprehensive
hand-book was made out for our guidance which could be referred to by any
member of the Expedition. Even an interior plan of the huts was made to
scale for the carpenter's edification.

It was an enormous advantage for us to have our leader with us now, his
master mind foresaw every situation so wonderfully as he unravelled plan
after plan and organised our future procedure.

Meantime, the seamen were employed preparing the sledge gear, sewing up
food bags, making canvas tanks and sledge harness, fitting out Alpine
ropes; repair bags, thongs, lampwick bindings, and travelling equipment
generally. Gran overlooked the ski and assigned them to their future
owners, Petty Officer Evans prepared the sewing outfits for the two shore
parties, the cooks assembled messtraps and cooking utensils, and Levick
and Atkinson, under Dr. Wilson's guidance, assembled the medical
equipment and fixed up little surgical outfits for sledge parties. By the
time we arrived at Melbourne, our next port of call, a great deal had
been accomplished and people had a grasp of what was eventually expected
of them.

Scott left us again at Melbourne and embarked on yet another begging
campaign, whilst I took the ship on to Lyttelton, where the "Terra Nova"
was dry-docked with a view to stopping the leak in her bows. The decks,
which after her long voyage let water through sadly, were caulked, and
barnacles six inches long were taken from her bottom and sides. Whilst in
New Zealand all the stores were landed, sorted out and restowed. On a
piece of waste ground close to the wharves at Lyttelton the huts were
erected in skeleton in order to make certain that no hitch would occur
when they were put up at our Antarctic base. Davis, the carpenter, with
the seamen told off to assist him, marked each frame and joist, the
tongued and grooved boards were roughly