22 October, 1910

Well, raised a measly 2,500 pounds from the Australians after all that lecturing. Only half what we need. I was asked by the Press about our chances and said: 

"We may get through, we may not. We may have accidents to some of our transports, to the sledges or to the animals. We may lose our lives. We may be wiped out. It is all a question that lies with providence and luck." 

Kathleen poked me in the ribs when I suggested we might come a cropper. But it's all theatre, isn't it? You have to introduce some element of extreme danger or there's no story. If you succeed after having lowered people's expectations, you reap double the praise. 

Some snipe wanted to follow up with a question about fatalism, but I pretended I didn't hear him. I'm not fatalistic; I'm realistic. I'm idealistic. I'm optimistic. Just because you believe in luck, that doesn't make you throw caution to the wind. 

Anyway, it's good to be back at sea. Kathleen and I are on our way to Wellington, at last.