5 i2 WORST JOURNEY IN THE WORLD 



after 7 p.m. I think we were all pretty tired out. We did 

 altogether 19.5 miles for the day. We are only thirty miles 

 from the 1^ Degree Depot, and should reach it in two 

 marches with any luck." [The minimum temperature this 

 night was - 30 (uncorrected).] 



" January 23. Started off with a bit of a breeze which 

 helped us a little [temperature - 2 8°]. After the first two 

 hours it increased to force 4, S.S.W., and filling the sail we 

 sped along merrily, doing 8§ miles before lunch. In the 

 afternoon it was even stronger, and I had to go back on the 

 sledge and act as guide and brakesman. We had to lower 

 the sail a bit, but even then she ran like a bird. 



" We are picking up our old cairns famously. Evans 

 got his nose frost-bitten, not an unusual thing with him, 

 but as we were all getting pretty cold latterly we stopped 

 at a quarter to seven, having done 1 6\ miles. We camped 

 with considerable difficulty owingto the force of the wind." 1 



The same night Scott wrote : " We came along at a 

 great pace, and should have got within an easy march of our 

 [One and a Half Degree] Depot had not Wilson suddenly 

 discovered that Evans' nose was frost-bitten — it was white 

 and hard. We thought it best to camp at 6.45. Got the 

 tent up with some difficulty, and now pretty cosy after 

 good hoosh. 



"There is no doubt Evans is a good deal run down — his 

 fingers are badly blistered and his nose is rather seriously 

 congested with frequent frost-bites. He is very much 

 annoyed with himself, which is not a good sign. I think 

 Wilson, Bowers and I are as fit as possible under the cir- 

 cumstances. Oates gets cold feet. One way and another I 

 shall be glad to get off the summit ! . . . The weather seems 

 to be breaking up." 2 



Bowers resumes the tale : 



''''January 24. Evans has got his fingers all blistered 

 with frost-bites, otherwise we are all well, but thinning, and 

 in spite of our good rations get hungrier daily. I some- 

 times spend much thought on the march with plans for 

 making a pig of myself on the first opportunity. As that 



1 Bowers. z Scott's Last Expedition, vol. i. pp. 550-55 1. 



