and your forethought in returning the two ponies to this station.

I hope that all has been well with you and that you have been able to do
good work. I am sure that you have done everything that circumstances
permitted and shall be very eager to see your report.
With best wishes, etc.,

(Signed) R.F. SCOTT.




CHAPTER XII


SOUTHERN JOURNEY--MOTOR SLEDGES ADVANCE


On October 24, 1911, the advance guard of the Southern Party, consisting
of Day, Lashly, Hooper, and myself, left Cape Evans with two motor
sledges as planned. We had with us three tons of stores, pony food, and
petrol, carried on five 12 ft. sledges, and our own tent, etc., on a
smaller sledge. The object of sending forward such a weight of stores was
to save the ponies' legs over the variable sea ice, which was in some
places hummocky and in others too slippery to stand on. Also the first
thirty miles of Barrier was known to be bad travelling and likely to tire
the ponies unnecessarily unless they marched light, so here again it was
desirable to employ the motors for a heavy drag.

We had fine weather when at 10.30 a.m. we started off, with the usual