I 9 62] R.I.P. 187 



have done the rest. To-night his temperature has gone up to 

 ioo°, but he is otherwise quite well. 



' In the afternoon we weighed our anchors and steamed 

 round to the scene of the accident, when every detail of what 

 we now called " Danger Slope " could be clearly seen. It is 

 very steep for about 400 or 500 yards, and ends in a sheer 

 drop into the sea. Though partly covered with hard white 

 snow, it has extensive patches of smooth bare ice ; and, as the 

 tracks of the various parties were worked out, it seemed more 

 wonderful than ever that any should have escaped to tell the 

 tale. 



' Every incident could now be closely followed, and all 

 shadow of doubt as to Vince's fate is gone. At least, we have 

 the satisfaction of knowing that nothing could have been 

 done either by his own party or by those on board to have 

 averted it.' 



We had now finally and sadly to resign ourselves to the 

 loss of our shipmate, and the thought was grievous to all. 

 From the moment when he joined us at the Cape of Good 

 Hope, Vince had been popular with all ; always obliging and 

 always cheerful, I learnt that he had never shown these qualities 

 more markedly than during the short sledge journey which 

 brought him to his untimely end. His pleasant face and ready 

 wit served to dispel the thought of hardship and difficulty to 

 the end. Life was a bright thing to him, and it is something 

 to think that death must have come quickly in the grip of that 

 icy sea. 



