2 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [June 
rate early in July. ... It would at any time require 
that a party of three at least, with full camp equipment, 
should traverse about a hundred miles of the Barrier 
surface and should, by moonlight, cross over with rope 
and axe the immense pressure ridges which form a chaos 
of crevasses at Cape Crozier . . . which have taken a 
party as much as two hours of careful work to cross by 
daylight.' 
Furthermore, it afforded an opportunity of obtaining 
an exact knowledge of the winter conditions on the 
Barrier at its western end, and throughout its dangers 
and difficulties Bowers kept a most remarkable meteoro- 
logical record (given at the end of this volume), the 
substance of which is embodied in this Report. The 
three travellers also experimented with their sledging 
rations, each for some time taking a different proportion 
of pemmican and biscuit, the results of which were used 
in order to make up the rations for future use. 
The journey was planned to last six weeks, with a 
stay of several days near the rookery, but was shortened 
by the extreme cold and consequent consumption of 
their store of fuel, and the tempest which drove the 
party back from Cape Crozier. 
To the report written by Dr. Wilson various 
notes and details are added in square brackets from 
Mr. Cherry-Garrard's diary. This diary, be it said, 
was never written for publication. It was a private 
record, for private remembrance. It tells of incidents 
and impressions in their personal bearing, and so telling, 
incidentally preserves the fuller human colouring that 
