the Siberian capital they were
examined by the Government vet., after which Meares and an Australian
trainer picked the best, until a score were purchased. Horse boxes were
obtained now and feed tins made for the voyage and, after minor troubles
with shipping firms, Meares, Bruce, and three Russians sailed from
Vladivostock in a Japanese steamer which conveyed them to Kobe. Here they
transhipped into a German vessel that took then via Hong-kong, Manila,
New Guinea, Rockhampton, and Brisbane, to Sydney. There the animals were
inoculated for the N'th time and a good deal of palaver indulged in
before they were again shifted to the Lyttelton steamer. The poor beasts
suffered from the heat, particularly the dogs, although they had been
close-clipped for the long and trying voyage.

At Wellington, New Zealand, Meares was compelled to trans-ship the
animals to yet another steamer. When the travelling circus was safely
installed in Quail Island our dogs and ponies had undergone shipments,
trans-shipments, inoculations and disinfectings sufficient to make them
glad to leave civilisation, and we had to thank Meares for his patience
in getting them down without any losses.

We sailed from Lyttelton on November 25 for Port Chalmers, had a
tremendous send-off and a great deal of cheering as the ship moved slowly
away from the piers. Bands played us out of harbour and most of the ships
flew farewell messages, which we did our best to answer.

Some members went down by train to Dunedin and joined us at Port
Chalmers. We filled up here with what coal we could squeeze into our
already overloaded ship and left finally for the Great Unknown on
November 29, 1910.

Lady Scott, Mrs. Wilson, and my own wife came out with us to the Heads
and then went on board the "Plucky" tug after saying good-bye. We were
given a rousing send-off by the small craft that accompanied us a few
miles on our way, but they turned homeward at last and at 3.30 p.m. we
were clear with all good-byes said--personally I had a heart like lead,
but, with every one else on board, bent on doing my duty and following
Captain Scott to the end. There was work to be done, however, and the
crew were glad of the orders that sent them from one rope to another and
gave them the chance to hide their feelings, for there is an awful
feeling of loneliness at this point in the lives of those who sign on the
ships of the "South Pole trade"--how glad we were to hide those feelings
a