People were busy in the hut all last night – we got away at 9 A.M. A boat from the Terra Nova fetched the Western Party and myself as the ponies were led out of the camp. Meares and Wilson went ahead of the ponies to test the track. On board the ship I was taken in to see Lillie’s catch of sea animals. It was wonderful, quantities of sponges, isopods, pentapods, large shrimps, corals, &c., &c. – but the piéce de rèsistance was the capture of several buckets full of cephalodiscus of which only seven pieces had been previously caught. Lillie is immensely pleased, feeling that it alone repays the whole enterprise.
In the forenoon we skirted the Island, getting 30 and 40 fathoms of water north and west of Inaccessible Island. With a telescope we could see the string of ponies steadily progressing over the sea ice past the Razor Back Islands. As soon as we saw them well advanced we steamed on to the Glacier Tongue. The open water extended just round the corner and the ship made fast in the narrow angle made by the sea ice with the glacier, her port side flush with the surface of the latter. I walked over to meet the ponies whilst Campbell went to investigate a broad crack in the sea ice on the Southern Road. The ponies were got on to the Tongue without much difficulty, then across the glacier, and picketed on the sea ice close to the ship. Meanwhile Campbell informed me that the big crack was 30 feet across: it was evident we must get past it on the glacier, and I asked Campbell to peg out a road clear of cracks. Oates reported the ponies ready to start again after tea, and they were led along Campbell’s road, their loads having already been taken on the floe – all went well until the animals got down on the floe level and Oates led across an old snowed-up crack. His and the next pony got across, but the third made a jump at the edge and sank to its stomach in the middle. It couldn’t move, and with such struggles as it made it sank deeper till only its head and forelegs showed above the slush. With some trouble we got ropes on these, and hauling together pulled the poor creature out looking very weak and miserable and trembling much.
We led the other ponies round farther to the west and eventually got all out on the floe, gave them a small feed, and started them off with their loads. The dogs meanwhile gave some excitement. Starting on hard ice with a light load nothing could hold them, and they dashed off over everything – it seemed wonderful that we all reached the floe in safety. Wilson and I drive one team, whilst Evans and Meares drive the other. I withhold my opinion of the dogs in much doubt as to whether they are going to be a real success – but the ponies are going to be real good. They work with such extraordinary steadiness, stepping out briskly and cheerfully, following in each other’s tracks. The great drawback is the ease with which they sink in soft snow: they go through in lots of places where the men scarcely make an impression – they struggle pluckily when they sink, but it is trying to watch them. We came with the loads noted below and one bale of fodder (105 lbs.) added to each sledge. We are camped 6 miles from the glacier and 2 from Hut Point – a cold east wind; to-night the temperature 19º.
Autumn Party to start January 25, 1911
12 men, 8 ponies, 26 dogs.
First load estimated 5385 lbs., including 14 weeks’ food and fuel for men – taken to Cache No. 1.
Teams return to ship to transport this load to Cache No. 1. Dog teams also take on 500 lbs. of biscuit from Hut Point.
| 2 pairs under socks | |
| 2 pairs outer socks | |
| 1 pair hair socks | |
| 1 pair night socks | |
| 1 pyjama jacket | |
| 1 pyjama trousers | |
| 1 woollen mits | |
| 2 finnesko | |
| Skein | = 10 lbs. |
| Books, diaries, tobacco, &c. | 2 ,, |
| - | |
| 12 lbs. |
Dress
Vest and drawers
Woollen shirt
Jersey
Balaclava
Wind Suit
Two pairs socks
Ski boots.
| No. 1. | |
| lbs. | |
| Sledge straps and tanks | 54 |
| Drivers’ ski and bags | 80 |
| Cooker primus and instruments | 50 |
| Tank contents: biscuit | 221 |
| Alpine rope | 5 |
| Lamps and candles | 4 |
| 2 shovels | 9 |
| Ready provision bag | 63 |
| Sledge meter | 2 |
| - - | |
| 488 |
| No. 2. | |
| lbs. | |
| Sledge straps and tanks | 54 |
| Drivers’ ski and bags | 80 |
| Tank contents: food bags | 324 |
| Tent and poles | 33 |
| - - | |
| 491 |
10-ft. sledge: men’s harness, extra tent.
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| “Interest in the trawl catch. Jan. 24th 1911.” |
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| “Interest in the trawl catch. Jan. 24th 1911.” |
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| “Lilley (sic) and Levick examing trawl catch. Jan. 24th 1911.” |
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| “Lilley (sic) and Levick examing trawl catch. Jan. 24th 1911.” |
