Antarctica

  They saw the cables loosened, they saw the gangways cleared, 
  They heard the women weeping, they heard the men who cheered. 
  Far off-far off the tumult faded and died away. 
  And all alone the sea wind came singing up the Bay. 
   - NEWBOLT.

                 Free men freely work. 
  Whoever fears God, fears to sit at ease. 
   - E. B. BROWNING.

  Beholde I see the haven near at hand 
  To which I mean my wearie course to bend; 
  Vere the main sheet and bear up to the land 
  To which afore is fairly to be ken'd. 
   - SPENSER, Faerie Queene.

  The cold ice slept below, 
  Above the cold sky shone, 
    And all around 
    With a chilling sound 
  From caves of ice and fields of snow 
  The breath of night like death did flow 

  In thrilling region of thick ribbed ice 
  To be imprison'd in the viewless winds 
  And blown with restless violence round about. 
   - SHAKESPEARE.

On the death of the ponies at Camp 31 the party was reorganized, and for some days advanced in the following order:

  Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit 
  To its full height...

  The Silence was deep with a breath like sleep 
    As our sledge runners slid on the snow, 
  And the fate-full fall of our fur-clad feet 
    Struck mute like a silent blow 
  On a questioning 'Hush?' as the settling crust 

        How many weary steps 
  Of many weary miles you have o'ergone, 
  Are numbered to the travel of one mile. 
   - SHAKESPEARE.

  It matters not how strait the gate, 
    How charged with punishments the scroll; 
  I am the master of my fate, 
    I am the Captain of my soul. 
   - HENLEY.

  As cold waters to a thirsty soul, 
  So is good news from a far country. 
   - PROVERBS.

In a very short time Scott discovered that the sledding resources of the ship had been used to their fullest extent during his absence, and that parties had been going and coming and ever adding to the collection of knowledge.