E.R.  Evans, Debenham, and Gran set off to the Turk’s Head on Friday morning, Evans to take angles and Debenham to geologise; they have been in their tent pretty well all the time since, but have managed to get through some work.  Gran returned last night for more provisions and set off again this morning, Taylor going with him for the day.  Debenham has just returned for food.  He is immensely pleased at having discovered a huge slicken-sided fault in the lavas of the Turk’s Head.  This appears to be an unusual occurrence in volcanic rocks, and argues that they are of considerable age.  He has taken a heap of photographs and is greatly pleased with all his geological observations.  He is building up much evidence to show volcanic disturbance independent of Erebus and perhaps prior to its first upheaval.

Meares has been at Hut Point for more than a week; seals seem to be plentiful there now.  Demetri was back with letters on Friday and left on Sunday.  He is an excellent boy, full of intelligence.

Ponting has been doing some wonderfully fine cinematograph work.  My incursion into photography has brought me in close touch with him and I realise what a very good fellow he is; no pains are too great for him to take to help and instruct others, whilst his enthusiasm for his own work is unlimited.

His results are wonderfully good, and if he is able to carry out the whole of his programme, we shall have a cinematograph and photographic record which will be absolutely new in expeditionary work.

A very serious bit of news to-day.  Atkinson says that Jehu is still too weak to pull a load.  The pony was bad on the ship and almost died after swimming ashore from the ship—­he was one of the ponies returned by Campbell.  He has been improving the whole of the winter and Oates has been surprised at the apparent recovery; he looks well and feeds well, though a very weedily built animal compared with the others.  I had not expected him to last long, but it will be a bad blow if he fails at the start.  I’m afraid there is much pony trouble in store for us.

Oates is having great trouble with Christopher, who didn’t at all appreciate being harnessed on Sunday, and again to-day he broke away and galloped off over the floe.

On such occasions Oates trudges manfully after him, rounds him up to within a few hundred yards of the stable and approaches cautiously; the animal looks at him for a minute or two and canters off over the floe again.  When Christopher and indeed both of them have had enough of the game, the pony calmly stops at the stable door.  If not too late he is then put into the sledge, but this can only be done by tying up one of his forelegs; when harnessed and after he has hopped along on three legs for a few paces, he is again allowed to use the fourth.  He is going to be a trial, but he is a good strong pony and should do yeoman service.

Day is increasingly hopeful about the motors.  He is an ingenious person and has been turning up new rollers out of a baulk of oak supplied by Meares, and with Simpson’s small motor as a lathe.  The motors may save the situation.  I have been busy drawing up instructions and making arrangements for the ship, shore station, and sledge parties in the coming season.  There is still much work to be done and much, far too much, writing before me.