i-,6 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION (March 



road at the Barrier edge. We saved one pony; for a time I 

 thought we should get both, but Bowers' poor animal slipped 

 at a jump and plunged into the water: we dragged him out on 

 some brash ice — killer whales all about us in an intense state 

 of excitement. The poor animal couldn't rise, and the only 

 merciful thing was to kill it. These incidents were too terrible. 



At 5 P.M. we sadly broke our temporary camp and marched 

 back to the one I had first pitched. Even here it seemed unsafe, 

 so I walked nearly two miles to discover cracks: I could find 

 none, and we turned in about midnight. 



So here we are ready to start our sad journey to Hut Point. 

 Everything out of joint with the loss of the ponies, but merci- 

 fully with all the party alive and well. 



Saturday, March 4, A.M. — We had a terrible pull at the 

 start yesterday, taking four hours to cover some three miles 

 to march on the line between Safety Camp and Fodder Depot. 

 From there Bowers went to Safety Camp and found my notes 

 to Evans had been taken. We dragged on after lunch to the 

 place where my tent had been pitched when Wilson first met 

 me and where we had left our ski and other loads. All these 

 had gone. We found sledge tracks leading In towards the land 

 and at length marks of a pony's hoofs. We followed these and 

 some ski tracks right into the land, coming at length to the 

 highest of the Pram Point ridges. I decided to camp here, and 

 as we unpacked I saw four figures approaching. They proved 

 to be Evans and his party. They had ascended towards Castle 

 Rock on Friday and found a good camp site on top of the 

 Ridge. They were in good condition. It was a relief to hear 

 they had found a good road up. They went back to their 

 camp later, dragging one of our sledges and a light load. 

 Atkinson Is to go to Hut Point this morning to tell Wilson 

 about us. The rest ought to meet us and help us up the hill 

 — just off to march up the hill, hoping to avoid trouble with 

 the pony.^^ 



Sunday, March 5, A.M. — Marched up the hill to Evans' 

 Camp under Castle Rock. Evans' party came to meet us and 

 helped us up with the loads — It was a steep, stiff pull; the pony 

 vv^as led up by Oates. As we camped for lunch Atkinson and 

 Gran appeared, the former having been to Hut Point to carry 

 news of the relief. I sent Gran on to Safety Camp to fetch 



