348 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [November 
at the place where he had left them, we saw that tJiere 
was no chance of doing so. The kindly snow had covered 
his body, giving him a fitting burial. Here, again, as 
near to the site of the death as we could judge, we built 
another cairn to his memory, and placed thereon a small 
cross and the following record : ' Hereabouts died a very 
gallant gentleman. Captain L. E. G. Gates of the Inniskill- 
ing Dragoons. In March 1912, returning from the Pole, 
he walked willingly to his death in a blizzard, to try and 
save his comrades, beset by hardships. This note is 
left by the Relief Expedition of 1912.' 
It was signed by Cherry and myself. 
From here I decided to turn back and to take, as far 
as possible, all the stores to Hut Point. I then thought 
that by any means that lay within our power we should 
try to reach Lieutenant Campbell and his party. As the 
sea ice would in all likelihood be impossible, we should 
probably have to take the route along the plateau, ascend- 
ing the first Ferrar Glacier and making our way along 
the plateau as far as we were able. 
On the second day we came again to the resting-place 
of the three and bade them there a final farewell. There 
alone in their greatness they will lie without change or 
bodily decay, with the most fitting tomb in the world 
above them. 
Our journey back was uneventful. Two of the mules 
had to be killed because of their condition and to give 
food to the dogs. Five returned from the Barrier, and 
for the remainder of their days had as good a time as 
we could give them. 
