390 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 



keep in the full ration, and we want rest, yet we shall pull through 

 all right, D.V. We are by no means worn out. 



Saturday, February lo. — R.24. Lunch Temp. + 12°; Sup- 

 per Temp. + io°- Got off a good morning march in spice of 

 keeping too far east and getting in rough, cracked ice. Llad a 

 splendid night sleep, showing great change in all faces, so didn't 

 get away till 10 A.M. Lunched just before 3. After lunch the 

 land began to be obscured. We held a course for 2^ hours 

 with difficulty, then the sun disappeared, and snow drove in our 

 faces with northerly wind — very warm and impossible to steer, 

 so camped. After supper, still very thick all round, but sun 

 showing and less snow falling. The fallen snow crystals are 

 quite feathery like thistledown. We have two full days' food 

 left, and though our position is uncertain, we are certainly within 

 two outward marches from the middle glacier depot. However, 

 if the weather doesn't clear by to-morrow, we must either march 

 blindly on or reduce food. It is very trying. Another night to 

 make up arrears of sleep. The ice crystals that first fell this 

 afternoon were very large. Now the sky is clearer overhead, 

 the temperature has fallen slightly, and the crystals are minute. 



Sunday, February 1 1. — R. 25. Lunch Temp. - 6-^° ', Supper 

 - 3-5°. The worst day we have had during the trip and greatly 

 owing to our own fault. We started on a wretched surface with 

 light S.W. wind, sail set, and pulling on ski — horrible light, which 

 made everything look fantastic. As we went on light got worse, 

 and suddenly we found ourselves in pressure. Then came the 

 fatal decision to steer east. We went on for 6 hours, hoping to 

 do a good distance, which in fact I suppose we did, but for the 

 last hour or two we pressed on into a regular trap. Getting on 

 to a good surface we did not reduce our lunch meal, and thought 

 all going well, but half an hour after lunch we got into the worst 

 ice mess I have ever been in. For three hours we plunged on on 

 ski, first thinking we were too much to the right, then too much 

 to the left; meanwhile the disturbance got worse and my spirits 

 received a very rude shock. There were times when it seemed 

 almost impossible to find a way out of the awful turmoil in 

 which we found ourselves. At length, arguing that there must 

 be a way on our left, we plunged in that direction. It got worse, 

 harder, more icy and crevassed. We could not manage our ski 

 and pulled on foot, falling into crevasses every minute — most 



