the absence of fair winds. We had a few gales, but finer weather than we
expected, and took advantage of the ship's steadiness to work out the
details for the sledge journeys and depot plans. The lists of those who
were to form the two shore parties were published, together with a
skeleton list for the ship. The seamen had still to be engaged in New
Zealand to complete this party.

A programme was drawn up for work on arrival at winter quarters, a
routine made out for McMurdo Sound or Cape Crozier, if it so happened
that we could effect a landing there, weights were calculated for the
four men sledging-units, sledge tables embellished with equipment
weights, weekly allowances of food and fuel, with measures of quantities
of each article in pannikins or spoonfuls, provisional dates were set
down in the general plan, daily ration lists constructed, the first
season's depot party chosen and, in short, a thoroughly comprehensive
hand-book was made out for our guidance which could be referred to by any
member of the Expedition. Even an interior plan of the huts was made to
scale for the carpenter's edification.

It was an enormous advantage for us to have our leader with us now, his
master mind foresaw every situation so wonderfully as he unravelled plan
after plan and organised our future procedure.

Meantime, the seamen were employed preparing the sledge gear, sewing up
food bags, making canvas tanks and sledge harness, fitting out Alpine
ropes; repair bags, thongs, lampwick bindings, and travelling equipment
generally. Gran overlooked the ski and assigned them to their future
owners, Petty Officer Evans prepared the sewing outfits for the two shore
parties, the cooks assembled messtraps and cooking utensils, and Levick
and Atkinson, under Dr. Wilson's guidance, assembled the medical