290 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
northward in great rectangular fragments. Finally the 
ship butted a cake of floe towards the fixed ice and 
held it there long enough to get the sledge over. 
Once on board we made a dive for our mail. A pillow- 
case full for each of us, and all home news satisfactory. 
We had been picked up just a month later than the 
date fixed by Captain Scott. We were now only a few 
hours' sail from Cape Evans, and looked forward to a 
change and the comforts of the hut. But the blizzard 
we had been watching caught us and was succeeded by 
many others, and not for ten days did we get near the 
hut. In fact, during the ensuing three weeks there were 
only three hours in which we could get into touch with 
headquarters, before we turned our faces to the north. 
So ends my narrative. During the six months that 
we had spent sledging we had mapped a hundred miles 
of coast and hinterland, our detailed surveys extending 
in places over thirty miles from the sea. Our general 
scientific results are briefly described in the final chapters 
of the book. All our collections were safely brought 
back to England in the Terra Nova in 191 3. 
What is the best personal result of our sledge 
journeys ? A group of friends who are closer than 
' brothers. Here's luck to my mates — to Debenham, 
Wright, and Gran ! 
