4IO SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [Makch 



To-day forlorn hope, Wilson and Bowers going to depot for 

 fuel. 



Thursday, March 22 and 23. — Blizzard bad as ever — Wil- 

 son and Bowers unable to start — to-morrow last chance — no fuel 

 and only one or two of food left — must be near the end. Have 

 decided it shall be natural — we shall march for the depot with 

 or without our effects and die in our tracks. 



Thursday, March 29. — Since the 21st we have had a con- 

 tinuous gale from W.S.W. and S.W. We had fuel to make two 

 cups of tea apiece and bare food for two days on the 20th. 

 Every day we have been ready to start for our depot // miles 

 away, but outside the door of the tent it remains a scene of 

 whirling drift. I do not think we can hope for any better 

 things now. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting 

 weaker, of course, and the end cannot be far. 



It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. 



R. Scott. 



For God's sake look after our people. 



Wilson and Bowers were found in the attitude of sleep, 

 their sleeping-bags closed over their heads as they would natur- 

 ally close them. 



Scott died later. He had thrown back the flaps of his sleep- 

 ing-bag and opened his coat. The little wallet containing the 

 three notebooks was under his shoulders and his arm flung 

 across Wilson. So they were found eight months later. 



With the diaries in the tent were found the following letters: 



To Mrs. E. A. Wilson 



My dear Mrs. Wilson, 



If this letter reaches you Bill and I will have gone out to- 

 gether. We are very near it now and I should like you to know 

 how splendid he was at the end — everlastingly cheerful and ready 

 to sacrifice himself for others, never a word of blame to me for 

 leading him into this mess. He is not suffering, luckily, at least 

 only minor discomforts. 



His eyes have a comfortable blue look of hope and his mind 



