Clissold the cook has started splendidly, has served seal, penguin, and skua now, and I can honestly say that I have never met these articles of food in such a pleasing guise; ’this point is of the greatest practical importance, as it means the certainty of good health for any number of years.’  Hooper was landed to-day, much to his joy.  He got to work at once, and will be a splendid help, freeing the scientific people of all dirty work.  Anton and Demetri are both most anxious to help on all occasions; they are excellent boys.

Thursday, January 19.—­The hut is becoming the most comfortable dwelling-place imaginable.  We have made unto ourselves a truly seductive home, within the walls of which peace, quiet, and comfort reign supreme.

Such a noble dwelling transcends the word ‘hut,’ and we pause to give it a more fitting title only from lack of the appropriate suggestion.  What shall we call it?

’The word “hut” is misleading.  Our residence is really a house of considerable size, in every respect the finest that has ever been erected in the Polar regions; 50 ft. long by 25 wide and 9 ft. to the eaves.

’If you can picture our house nestling below this small hill on a long stretch of black sand, with many tons of provision cases ranged in neat blocks in front of it and the sea lapping the icefoot below, you will have some idea of our immediate vicinity.  As for our wider surroundings it would be difficult to describe their beauty in sufficiently glowing terms.  Cape Evans is one of the many spurs of Erebus and the one that stands closest under the mountain, so that always towering above us we have the grand snowy peak with its smoking summit.  North and south of us are deep bays, beyond which great glaciers come rippling over the lower slopes to thrust high blue-walled snouts into the sea.  The sea is blue before us, dotted with shining bergs or ice floes, whilst far over the Sound, yet so bold and magnificent as to appear near, stand the beautiful Western Mountains with their numerous lofty peaks, their deep glacial valley and clear cut scarps, a vision of mountain scenery that can have few rivals.

’Ponting is the most delighted of men; he declares this is the most beautiful spot he has ever seen and spends all day and most of the night in what he calls “gathering it in” with camera and cinematograph.’

The wind has been boisterous all day, to advantage after the last snow fall, as it has been drifting the loose snow along and hardening the surfaces.  The horses don’t like it, naturally, but it wouldn’t do to pamper them so soon before our journey.  I think the hardening process must be good for animals though not for men; nature replies to it in the former by growing a thick coat with wonderful promptitude.  It seems to me that the shaggy coats of our ponies are already improving.  The dogs seem to feel the cold little so far, but they are not so exposed.

A milder situation might be found for the ponies if only we could picket them off the snow.