Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/508

designs for taking the weight of his draught off his chafed shoulder. Eventually Gulab's tail was brought as an aid to this. By means of a back strap connecting his collar and his tail most of the drag was taken off his shoulder and, under these conditions, the chafe began to heal.

About this time, as the lights were very strong, the mules began to show signs of snow-blindness. It was then that their snow-goggles were tried for the first time. We found that they were of the greatest use and generally stayed on while the mules were on their lines; they were of the greatest comfort to the animals.

The mules would not eat their ration of oil cake and oats at all. They showed a liking for everything except their ration. They would eat man or dog biscuits, tea-leaves and tobacco, ash and various portions of garments, with the greatest of relish, but they needed the utmost care and coaxing to be induced to touch their ration at all. They were picketed by their fore-legs, as the ponies had been in the previous year, and they showed the greatest ingenuity in getting themselves free and strolling about the camp, testing various articles of the store goods.

The same routine was kept by this party. The morning march was seven miles in length; they then camped and had tea, which lasted for about one hour and a half. When camp was struck, they marched on for five miles more, completing the twelve geographical miles for the day. Their speed on march was favourable compared with that of the ponies of the previous year. Our surfaces were so hard and good that the mules did not with their small hooves sink appreciably into the snow.