"WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST" 



January 9. — Our last day outwards. We have shot 

 our bolt, and the tale is latitude 88° 23' South, longitude 

 162° East. The wind eased down at 1 a.m., and at 



2 a.m. were up and had breakfast. At 4 a.m. started 

 south, with the Queen's Union Jack, a brass cylinder 

 containing stamps and documents to place at the furthest 

 south point, camera, glasses and compass. At 9 a.m. 

 we were in 88° 23' South, half running and half walking 

 over a surface much hardened by the recent blizzard. 

 It was strange for us to go along without the nightmare 

 of a sledge dragging behind us. We hoisted her 

 Majesty's flag and the other Union Jack afterwards, 

 and took possession of the plateau in the name of his 

 Majesty. While the Union Jack blew out stiffly in 

 the icy gale that cut us to the bone, we looked 

 south with our powerful glasses, but could see nothing 

 but the dead white snow plain. There was no break 

 in the plateau as it extended towards the Pole, and we 

 feel sure that the goal we have failed to reach lies on 

 this plain. We stayed only a few minutes, and then, 

 taking the Queen's flag and eating our scanty meal as 

 we went, we hurried back and reached our camp about 



3 p.m. We were so dead tired that we only did two hours' 

 march in the afternoon and camped at 5.30 p.m. The 

 temperature was minus 19° Fahr. Fortunately for us, 

 our tracks were not obliterated by the blizzard; indeed, 

 they stood up, making a trail easily followed. Home- 

 ward bound at last. Whatever regrets may be, we have 

 done our best. 



