304 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [March 
Strict injunctions had been given by Captain Scott 
that the dogs should not be risked in any way. 
On March lo they depoted their two weeks' supply 
of provisions for the Southern Party, including several 
smaller delicacies. One Ton was then supplied with 
sufficient man provisions for a party of five for over 
a month. On this same day they started their return 
journey at 8 a.m. after a very cold night. Their gear and 
sleeping-bags were all iced up and neither of the men in 
good condition. The dogs at the start went practically 
wild, Demetri's sledge crossing Cherry-Garrard's and 
smashing the sledgemeter adrift. They fought as they 
went in their harness and had no idea of direction. This 
continued for six or seven miles and then they got better. 
After this the weather became gradually overcast and 
navigation became difficult. After camping, they again 
proceeded slowly by compass, completing 23 miles for 
the day, but had no idea of their whereabouts at the 
end. 
The next morning, March ii, the weather was so 
overcast that they could not start. Quoting from his 
diary : ' Started at 2 p.m. with just a litle patch of 
blue sky, but we did not know where we were going and 
stopped at 8 miles in a blizzard. I think we were turning 
circles most of the time.' During the night and morning 
of March 12 they had a very heavy blizzard and very 
low temperature. Demetri declared that he could see 
the Bluff and that they were right into the land. This 
meant that they would be amongst the ice pressure and 
crevasses. They steered east away from this, and the 
