^"l ANXIETY FOR EVANS 387 



from our depot, but I wish to goodness we could see a way- 

 through the disturbances ahead. Our faces are much cut up by 

 all the winds we have had, mine least of all; the others tell me 

 they feel their noses more going with than against the wind. 

 Evans' nose is almost as bad as his fingers. He is a good deal 

 crocked up. 



Tuesday, February 6. Lunch 7900; Supper 7210. Temp. 

 - 1 5 . We've had a horrid day and not covered good mileage. 

 On turning out found sky overcast; a beastly position amidst 

 crevasses. Luckily it cleared just before we started. We went 

 straight for Mt. Darwin, but in half an hour found ourselves 

 amongst huge open chasms, unbridged, but not very deep, I think. 

 We turned to the north between two, but to our chagrin they 

 converged into chaotic disturbance. We had to retrace our steps 

 for a mile or so, then struck to the west and got on to a con- 

 fused sea of sastrugi, pulling very hard; we put up the sail, 

 Evans' nose suffered, Wilson very cold, everything horrid. 

 Camped for lunch in the sastrugi; the only comfort, things 

 looked clearer to the west and we were obviously going down- 

 hill. In the afternoon we struggled on, got out of sastrugi and 

 turned over on glazed surface, crossing many crevasses very 

 easy work on ski. Towards the end of the march we realised 

 the certainty of maintaining a more or less straight course to the 

 depot, and estimate distance 10 to 15 miles. 



Food is low and weather uncertain, so that many hours of 

 the day were anxious; but this evening, though we are not as far 

 advanced as I expected, the outlook is much more promising. 

 Evans is the chief anxiety now; his cuts and wounds suppurate, 

 his nose looks very bad, and altogether he shows considerable 

 signs of being played out. Things may mend for him on the 

 glacier, and his wounds get some respite under warmer condi- 

 tions. I am indeed glad to think we shall so soon have done 

 with plateau conditions. It took us 27 days to reach the Pole 

 and 21 days back in all 48 days nearly 7 weeks in low tem- 

 perature with almost incessant wind. 



End of the Summit Journey 



Wednesday, February 7. Mount Darwin [or Upper Gla- 

 cier] Depot, R.21. Height 7100. Lunch Temp. -9 ; Supper 



