3 62 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [January 



camped by direction at 1.30. By this time we had covered 

 exactly 7 miles (geo.), and we must have risen a good deal. We 

 rose on a steep incline at the beginning of the march, and topped 

 another at the end, showing a distance of about 5 miles between 

 the wretched slopes which give us the hardest pulling, but as a 

 matter of fact, we have been rising all day. 



We had a good full brew of tea and then set to work stripping 

 the sledges. That didn't take long, but the process of building 

 up the 10-feet sledges now in operation in the other tent is a 

 long job. Evans (P.O.) and Crean are tackling it, and it is 

 a very remarkable piece of work. Certainly P.O. Evans is the 

 most invaluable asset to our party. To build a sledge under 

 these conditions is a fact for special record. Evans (Lieut.) has 

 just found the latitude 86 56' S., so that we are pretty near 

 the 87th parallel aimed at for to-night. We lose half a day, 

 but I hope to make that up by going forward at much better 

 speed. 



This is to be called the ' 3 Degree Depot,' and it holds a 

 week's provisions for both units. 



There is extraordinarily little mirage up here and the refrac- 

 tion is very small. Except for the seamen we are all sitting in 

 a double tent the first time we have put up the inner lining to 

 the tent; it seems to make us much snugger. 



10 P.M. The job of rebuilding is taking longer than I 

 expected, but is now almost done. The 10-feet sledges look very 

 handy. We had an extra drink of tea and are now turned into 

 our bags in the double tent (five of us) as warm as toast, and 

 just enough light to write or work with. Did not get to bed 

 till 2 A.M. 



Obs.: 86 55' 47" S.; 165 5' 48" E.; Var. 175 40' E. 

 Morning Bar. 20-08. 



Monday, January 1, 19 12. New Year's Day. Lunch. 

 Bar. 20-04. Roused hands about 7.30 and got away 9.30, Evans' 

 party going ahead on foot. We followed on ski. Very stupidly 

 we had not seen to our ski shoes beforehand, and it took a good 

 half-hour to get them right; Wilson especially had trouble. 

 When we did get away, to our surprise the sledge pulled very 

 easily, and we made fine progress, rapidly gaining on the 

 foot-haulers. 



Night camp 54. Bar. 19-98. Risen about 150 feet. Height 



