i9] THE LAST DEP6T 373 



to be feeling the cold and fatigue more than the rest of us, but 

 we are all very fit. It is a critical time, but we ought to pull 

 through. The barometer has fallen very considerably and we 

 cannot tell whether due to ascent of plateau or change of weather. 

 Oh ! for a few fine days ! So close it seems and only the weather 

 to baulk us. 



Monday, January 15. Lunch camp, Height 9,950. Last 

 depot. During the night the air cleared entirely and the sun 

 shone in a perfectly clear sky. The light wind had dropped and 

 the temperature fallen to - 25 , minimum - 27 . I guessed this 

 meant a hard pull, and guessed right. The surface was terrible, 

 but for 4^4 hours yielded 6 miles (geo.). We were all pretty 

 well done at camping, and here we leave our last depot only 

 four days' food and a sundry or two. The load is now very 

 light, but I fear that the friction will not be greatly reduced. 



Night, January 15. Height 9920. T. - 25 . The sledge 

 came surprisingly lightly after lunch something from loss of 

 weight, something, I think, from stowage, and, most of all per- 

 haps, as a result of tea. Anyhow we made a capital afternoon 

 march of 6-3 miles, bringing the total for the day to over 12 

 (12-3). The sastrugi again very confused, but mostly S.E. 

 quadrant; the heaviest now almost east, so that the sledge con- 

 tinually bumps over ridges. The wind is from the W.N.W. 

 chiefly, but the weather remains fine and there are no sastrugi 

 from that direction. 



Camp 67. Lunch obs. : Lat. 89 26' 57"; Lat. dead reck- 

 oning, 89 33' 15" S. ; Long. 160 56' 45" E.; Var. 179 E. 



It is wonderful to think that two long marches would land 

 us at the Pole. We left our depot to-day with nine days' pro- 

 visions, so that it ought to be a certain thing now, and the only 

 appalling possibility the sight of the Norwegian flag forestalling 

 ours. Little Bowers continues his indefatigable efforts to get 

 good sights, and it is wonderful how he works them up in his 

 sleeping-bag in our congested tent. (Minimum for night 

 -27-5.) Only 27 miles from the Pole. We ought to do it 

 now. 



Tuesday, January 16. Camp 68. Height 9760. T. - 23-5. 

 The worst has happened, or nearly the worst. We marched well 

 in the morning and covered 7^2 miles. Noon sight showed us 

 in Lat. 89 42' S., and we started off in high spirits in the after- 



