Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/474

gear; and was out continually taking photographs of general and scientific interest.

On May 10 Nelson lectured on the tides, the main interest of his contention being that with the greatest declination of the moon the movement of ice was more probable.

A never-failing source of amusement after dinner every night has been a form of bagatelle which is played on a mess table. The table was covered with a strip of green Willesden canvas stretched between two long boards which formed the cushions. Between these boards at the top of the table a bridge fits, having in it a number of holes. The object is to get the balls into these holes, the score being according to the number above the hole. A competition was arranged and the lowest scorer of the competition received the Jonah Medal. Having obtained this, he had to announce at luncheon each day 'Gentlemen, I am the Jonah.' This he continued to do until someone else had relieved him of the medal.

The ice in the North Bay now froze again to a thickness of 4 to 5 inches. Nelson started again to build his igloo on the ice in the South Bay to carry on his biological work. When he had pricked the ice the water came through and flowed over the floor of his igloo. The ice, being thin, was pressed down at the spot where the weight bore on it.

On May 13 we had a wonderful aurora display about 6 p.m. and this was believed to be the brightest that had been seen at Cape Evans. The greater part of the sky was covered, but the most vivid shafts ran north-east and south-west. Debenham tried with various exposures