'In spite of the persistent wind, away up the bay it is possible
to get some shelter, and here we take our ski exercise.... Skelton
is by far the best of the officers, though possibly some of the
men run him close.'

On the 19th the first small reconnoitering sledge party went out,
and on their return three days later they were so excited by their
experiences that some time passed before they could answer the
questions put to them. Although the temperature had not been severe
they had nearly got into serious trouble by continuing their march
in a snowstorm, and when they did stop to camp they were so exhausted
that frost-bites were innumerable. The tent had been difficult to
get up, and all sorts of trouble with the novel cooking apparatus
had followed. 'It is strange now,' Scott wrote three years later,
'to look back on
[Page 61]
these first essays at sledding, and to see how terribly hampered
we were by want of experience.'

By February 26 the main hut was practically finished, and as a
quantity of provisions and oil, with fifteen tons of coal, had been
landed, the ship could be left without anxiety, and arrangements for
the trip, which Scott hoped to lead himself, were pushed forward.
The object of this journey was to try and reach the record at Cape
Crozier over the barrier, and to leave a fresh communication there
with details of the winter quarters. On the following day, however,
Scott damaged his right knee while skiing, and had to give up all
idea of going to Cape Crozier. 'I already foresaw how much there
was to be learnt if we were to do good sledding work in the spring,
and to miss such an opportunity of gaining experience was terribly