i9"l THE END OF WEARY WILLY 133 



perate efforts to save the poor creature, got him once more 

 on his legs and gave him a hot oat mash. Then after a wait 

 of an hour Oates led him off, and we packed the sledge and fol- 

 lowed on ski; 500 yards away from the camp the poor creature 

 fell again and I felt it was the last effort. We camped, built a 

 snow wall round him, and did all we possibly could to get him 

 on his feet. Every effort was fruitless, though the poor thing 

 made pitiful struggles. Towards midnight we propped him up 

 as comfortably as we could and went to bed. 



Wednesday, March 1, A.M. Our pony died in the night. 

 It is hard to have got him back so far only for this. It is 

 clear that these blizzards are terrible for the poor animals. 

 Their coats are not good, but even with the best of coats it is 

 certain they would lose condition badly if caught in one, and we 

 cannot afford to lose condition at the beginning of a journey. 

 It makes a late start necessary for next year. 



Well, we have done our best and bought our experience at 

 a heavy cost. Now every effort must be bent on saving the 

 remaining animals, and it will be good luck if we get four back 

 to Cape Evans, or even three. Jimmy Pigg may have fared 

 badly; Bowers' big pony is in a bad way after that frightful 

 blizzard. I cannot remember such a bad storm in February or 

 March: the temperature was -7 . 



Bowers Incident 



I note the events of the night of March 1 whilst they are 

 yet fresh in my memory. 



Thursday, March 2, A.M. The events of the past 48 hours 

 bid fair to wreck the expedition, and the only one comfort is 

 the miraculous avoidance of loss of life. We turned out early 

 yesterday, Oates, Gran, and I, after the dismal night of our 

 pony's death, and pulled towards the forage depot * on ski. 

 As we approached, the sky looked black and lowering, and 

 mirage effects of huge broken floes loomed out ahead. At first 

 I thought it one of the strange optical illusions common in this 

 region but as we neared the depot all doubt was dispelled. 

 The sea was full of broken pieces of Barrier edge. My thoughts 



* This was at a point on the Barrier, one-half mile from the edge, in a S.S.E. direc- 

 tion from Hut Point. 



