SUSPENSE 413 



the dogs he found that there was no dog-food south of 

 Corner Camp, and that the rations for the return of the 

 Polar Party from One Ton Depot had still to be taken out. 

 That is to say, the depot of dog-food spoken of by Scott did 

 not exist. There was, however, enough food already at One 

 Ton to allow the Polar Party to come in on reduced rations. 

 This meant that what the dog-teams could do was limited, 

 and was much less than it might have been had it been pos- 

 sible to take out the depot of dog-food to One Ton. Also 

 the man-food for the Polar Party had to be added to the 

 weights taken by the dogs. 



To estimate even approximately at what date a party 

 will reach a given point after a journey of this length 

 when the weather conditions are always uncertain and the 

 number of travelling days unknown, was a most diffi- 

 cult task. The only guide was the average marches per 

 diem made by our own return party, and the average of 

 the second return party if it should return before the dog 

 party set out. A week one way or the other was certainly 

 not a large margin. A couple of blizzards might make this 

 much difference. 



In the plan of the Southern Journey Scott, working on 

 Shackleton's averages, mentions March 27 as a possible 

 date of return to Hut Point, allowing seven days in from 

 One Ton. Whilst on the outward journey I heard Scott 

 discuss the possibility of returning in April ; and the 

 Polar Party had enough food to allow them to do this on 

 full rations. 



Atkinson and Dimitri with the two dog-teams left Cape 

 Evans for Hut Point on February 1 3 because the sea-ice, 

 which was our only means of communication between these 

 places, and so to the Barrier, was beginning to break up. 

 Atkinson intended to leave Hut Point for the Barrier in 

 about a week's time. At 3.30 a.m. on February 19 Crean 

 arrived with the astounding news that Lieutenant Evans, 

 still alive but at his last gasp, was lying out near Corner 

 Camp, and that Lashly was nursing him ; that the Last 

 Supporting Party had consisted of three men only, a possi- 

 bility which had never been considered ; and that they had 



