SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION
CHAPTER I
THROUGH STORMY SEAS
The Final Preparations in New Zealand
The first three weeks of November have gone with such a rush that I have neglected my diary and can only patch it up from memory.
The dates seem unimportant, but throughout the period the officers and men of the ship have been unremittingly busy.
On arrival the ship was cleared of all the shore party, stores, including huts, sledges, &c. Within five days she was in dock. Bowers attacked the ship's stores, surveyed, relisted, and restowed them, saving very much space by unstowing numerous cases and stowing the contents in the lazarette. Meanwhile our good friend Miller attacked the leak and traced it to the stern. We found the false stem split, and in one case a hole bored for a long-stem through-bolt which was much too large for the bolt. Miller made the excellent job in overcoming this difficulty which I expected, and since the ship has been afloat and loaded the leak is found to be enormously
