388 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 



Temp, [a blank here]. A wretched day with satisfactory end- 

 ing. First panic, certainty that biscuit-box was short. Great 

 doubt as to how this has come about, as we certainly haven't 

 over-issued allowances. Bowers is dreadfully disturbed about it. 

 The shortage is a full day's allowance. We started our march at 

 8.30, and travelled down slopes and over terraces covered with 

 hard sastrugi — very tiresome work — and the land didn't seem 

 to come any nearer. At lunch the wind increased, and what with 

 hot tea and good food, we started the afternoon in a better frame 

 of mind, and it soon became obvious we were nearing our mark. 

 Soon after 6.30 we saw our depot easily and camped next it at 



7-30- 



Found note from Evans to say the second return party passed 



through safely at 2.30 on January 14 — half a day longer be- 

 tween depots than we have been. The temperature is higher, 

 but there is a cold wind to-night. 



Well, we have come through our 7 weeks' ice camp journey 

 and most of us are fit, but I think another week might have had 

 a very bad effect on Evans, who is going steadily downhill. 



It is satisfactory to recall that these facts give absolute proof 

 of both expeditions having reached the Pole and placed the ques- 

 tion of priority beyond discussion. 



Thursday, February 8. — R.22. Height 6260. Start Temp. 

 — 11°; Lunch Temp. —5°; Supper, zero. 9-2 miles. Started 

 from the depot rather late owing to weighing biscuit, &c., and 

 rearranging matters. Had a beastly morning. Wind very 

 strong and cold. Steered in for Mt. Darwin to visit rock. 

 Sent Bowers on, on ski, as Wilson can't wear his at present. 

 He obtained several specimens, all of much the same type, a 

 close-grained granite rock which weathers red. Hence the pink 

 limestone. After he rejoined we skidded downhill pretty fast, 

 leaders on ski, Oates and Wilson on foot alongside sledge — 

 Evans detached. We lunched at 2 well down towards Mt. 

 Buckley, the wind half a gale and everybody very cold and cheer- 

 less. However, better things were to follow. We decided to 

 steer for the moraine under Mt. Buckley and, pulling with 

 crampons, we crossed some very irregular steep slopes with big 

 crevasses and slid down towards the rocks. The moraine was 

 obviously so interesting that when we had advanced some miles 

 and got out of the wind, I decided to camp and spend the rest 



