Indeed Bowers had been of the very greatest use to Scott in the working out of these plans.  Not only had he all the details of stores at his finger-tips, but he had studied polar clothing and polar food, was full of plans and alternative plans, and, best of all, refused to be beaten by any problem which presented itself.  The actual distribution of weights between dogs, motors and ponies, and between the different ponies, was largely left in his hands.  We had only to lead our ponies out on the day of the start and we were sure to find our sledges ready, each with the right load and weight.  To the leader of an expedition such a man was worth his weight in gold.

But now Scott became worried and unhappy.  We were running things on a fine margin of transport, and during the month before we were due to start mishap followed mishap in the most disgusting way.  Three men were more or less incapacitated:  Forde with his frozen hand, Clissold who concussed himself by a fall from a berg, and Debenham who hurt his knee seriously when playing foot-ball.  One of the ponies, Jehu, was such a crock that at one time it was decided not to take him out at all:  and very bad opinions were also held of Chinaman.  Another dog died of a mysterious disease.  “It is trying,” writes Scott, “but I am past despondency.  Things must take their course."[177] And “if this waiting were to continue it looks as though we should become a regular party of ‘crocks.’"[178]

Then on the top of all this came a bad accident to one of the motor axles on the eve of departure.  “To-night the motors were to be taken on to the floe.  The drifts made the road very uneven, and the first and best motor overrode its chain; the chain was replaced and the machine proceeded, but just short of the floe was thrust to a steep inclination by a ridge, and the chain again overrode the sprockets; this time by ill fortune Day slipped at the critical moment and without intention jammed the throttle full on.  The engine brought up, but there was an ominous trickle of oil under the back axle, and investigation showed that the axle casing (aluminium) had split.  The casing had been stripped and brought into the hut:  we may be able to do something to it, but time presses.  It all goes to show that we want more experience and workshops.  I am secretly convinced that we shall not get much help from the motors, yet nothing has ever happened to them that was unavoidable.  A little more care and foresight would make them splendid allies.  The trouble is that if they fail, no one will ever believe this."[179]

In the meantime Meares and Dimitri ran out to Corner Camp from Hut Point twice with the two dog-teams.  The first time they journeyed out and back in two days and a night, returning on October 15; and another very similar run was made before the end of the month.