Page:The Worst Journey in the World volume 1.djvu/194

Rh the lava blocks which lay on the escarpment of Erebus, south-eastwards towards Land's End, and thence to slide them down a steep but rubbly slope to the ice which still remained. As a matter of fact that ice went out the very next day.

During the last two days provisions had been bagged with the utmost despatch; sledges packed; letters scribbled; clothing sorted and rough alterations to it made. Scott was busy, with Bowers' help, making such arrangements as could be suggested for a further year's stay, for which the ship was to order the necessaries. Oates was busy weighing out the pony food for the journey, sorting harness, and generally managing a most unruly mob of ponies. Many were the arguments as to the relative value of a pair of socks or their equivalent weight in tobacco, for we were allowed 12 lbs. of private gear apiece, to consist of everything which we did not habitually wear on our bodies. This included such things as:


 * Sleeping-boots.
 * Sleeping-socks.
 * Extra pair of day socks.
 * A shirt.
 * Tobacco and pipe.
 * Notebook for diary and pencil.
 * Extra balaclava helmet.
 * Extra woollen mitts.
 * Housewife containing buttons, needles, darning needles, thread and wool.
 * Extra pair of finnesko.
 * Big safety-pins with which to hang up our socks.
 * And perhaps one small book.

My most vivid recollection of the day we started is the sight of Bowers, out of breath, very hot, and in great pain from a bad knock which he had given his knee against a rock, being led forward by his big pony Uncle Bill, over whom temporarily he had but little control. He had been left behind in the camp, giving last instructions about the storage of cases and management of provisions, and had