been established in Polar regions. It took me days and even months
to realise fully the aims of our meteorologist and the scientific
accuracy with which he was achieving them. When I did so to an adequate
extent I wrote some description of his work which will be found in the
following pages of this volume. [21] The first impression which I am
here describing was more confused; I appreciated only that by going to
'Simpson's Corner' one could ascertain at a glance how hard the wind
was blowing and had been blowing, how the barometer was varying, to
what degree of cold the thermometer had descended; if one were still
more inquisitive he could further inform himself as to the electrical
tension of the atmosphere and other matters of like import. That such
knowledge could be gleaned without a visit to the open air was an
obvious advantage to those who were clothing themselves to face it,
whilst the ability to study the variation of a storm without exposure
savoured of no light victory of mind over matter.

The dark room stands next to the parasitologist's side of the bench
which flanks Sunny Jim's Corner--an involved sentence. To be more
exact, the physicists adjust their instruments and write up books at
a bench which projects at right angles to the end wall of the hut;
the opposite side of this bench is allotted to Atkinson, who is to
write with his back to the dark room. Atkinson being still absent
his corner was unfurnished, and my attention was next claimed by
the occupant of the dark room beyond Atkinson's limit. The art of
photography has never been so well housed within the Polar regions and
rarely without them. Such a palatial chamber for the development of
negatives and prints can only be justified by the quality of the work
produced in it, and is only justified in our case by the possession
of such an artist as Ponting. He was eager to show me the results
of his summer work, and meanwhile my eye took in the neat shelves
with their array of cameras, &c., the porcelain sink and automatic
water tap, the two acetylene gas burners with their shading screens,
and the general obviousness of all conveniences of the photographic
art. Here, indeed, was encouragement for the best results, and to
the photographer be all praise, for it is mainly his hand which has
executed the designs which his brain conceived. In this may be clearly
seen the advantage of a traveller's experience. Ponting has had to fend
for himself under pri