3 84 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 



reverse of the medal is serious. Wilson has strained a tendon 

 in his leg; it has given pain all day and is swollen to-night. Of 

 course, he is full of pluck over it, but I don't like the idea of 

 such an accident here. To add to the trouble Evans has dis- 

 lodged two finger-nails to-night; his hands are really bad, and 

 to my surprise he shows signs of losing heart over it. He hasn't 

 been cheerful since the accident. The wind shifted from S.E. 

 to S. and back again all day, but luckily it keeps strong. We can 

 get along with bad fingers, but it (will be) a mighty serious 

 thing if Wilson's leg doesn't improve. 



JFednesday, January 31. — 9800. Lunch Temp. -20°, Sup- 

 per Temp. — 20°. The day opened fine with a fair breeze; we 

 marched on the depot,* picked it up, and lunched an hour later. 

 In the afternoon the surface became fearfully bad, the wind 

 dropped to light southerly air. Ill luck that this should happen 

 just when we have only four men to pull. Wilson rested his leg 

 as much as possible by walking quietly beside the sledge; the 

 result has been good, and to-night there is much less inflamma- 

 tion. I hope he will be all right again soon, but It is trying to 

 have an injured limb in the party. I see we had a very heavy 

 surface here on our outward march. There is no doubt we are 

 travelling over undulations, but the inequality of level does not 

 make a great difference to our pace; it is the sandy crystals that 

 hold us up. There has been very great alteration of the surface 

 since we were last here — the sledge tracks stand high. This 

 afternoon we picked up Bowers' ski f — the last thing we have to 

 find on the summit, thank Heaven ! Now we have only to go 

 north and so shall welcome strong winds. 



Thursday, February i. — R.15. 9778. Lunch Temp. - 20°, 

 Supper Temp. — 19-8°. Heavy collar work most of the day. 

 Wind light. Did 8 miles, 4-)4 hours. Started well in the after- 

 noon and came down a steep slope in quick time; then the sur- 

 face turned real bad — sandy drifts — very heavy pulling. Work- 

 ing on past 8 P.M. we just fetched a lunch cairn of December 

 29, when we were only a week out from the depot. | It ought 

 to be easy to get In with a margin, having 8 days' food In hand 

 (full feeding). We have opened out on the ^Tth increase and 



* Three Degree Depot. t Left on December 31. 



t The Upper Glacier Depot, under Mount Darwin, where the first supporting party- 

 turned back. 



