here,
except for small niches of ice, and the hut and the cape were
comparatively free from drifts; probably the open water had swallowed the
drifting snow. Not so Hut Point, which was surrounded by huge drifts: the
verandah which we had built up as a stable was filled from floor to roof:
there was no ice-foot to be seen, only a long snow-slope from the door to
the sea-level. The hut itself, when we had dug our way into it, was
clear. We took down stores for the Search Journey, and brought back with
us the only surviving sledge-meter.

These instruments, which indicate by a clockwork arrangement the distance
travelled in miles and yards, are actuated by a wheel which runs behind
the sledge. They are of the greatest possible use, especially when
sledging out of sight of land on the Barrier or Plateau, and we bitterly
regretted that we had no more. They do not have an easy time on a
glacier, and we lost the mechanism of one of our three Polar Journey
meters when on the Beardmore. Dog-driving is hard on them; and
pony-driving when the ponies are like Christopher plays the very deuce.
Anyway we found we had only one left for this year, and this was more or
less a dud. It was mended so far as possible but was never really
reliable, and latterly was useless. A lot of trouble was taken by Lashly
to make another with a bicycle wheel from one of our experimental trucks,
the revolutions of which were marked on a counter which was almost
exactly similar to one of our anemometer registers. A bicycle wheel of
course stood much higher than our proper sledge-meters, and a difficulty
rose in fixing it to the sledge so as to prevent its wobbling and at the
same time allow it the necessary amount of play.

Meanwhile the mules were being brought on in condition. With daylight and
improved weather they were exercised with loaded sledges on the sea-ice
which still remained in South Bay. They went like lambs, and were
evidently used to the work. Gulab was a troublesome little animal: he had
no objection to pulling a sledge, but was just ultra-timid. Again and
again he was got into position for having his traces hitched on, and each
time some little thing, the flapping of a mitt, the touch of the trace,
or the feel of the bow of the sledge, frightened him and he was off, and
the same performance had to be repeated. Once harnessed he was very good.
The breast harness sent down for them by the Indian Government was used:
it was excellent; thou