CHAPTER XIII 
THE ROSS SEA PARTY 
I NOW turn to the fortunes and misfortunes of tlie Ross Sea 
Party and the Aurora. In spite of extraordinary difficulties 
occasioned by the breaking out of the Aurora from her winter 
quarters before sufficient stores and equipment had been landed, 
Captain -'Eneas Macldntosh and the party under his command 
achieved the object of this side of the Expedition. For the 
depot that was the main object of the Expedition was laid in 
the spot that I had indicated, and if the transcontinental party 
had been fortunate enough to have crossed they would Lave 
found the assistance, in the shape of stores, that would have been 
vital to the success of their undertaking. Owing to the dearth 
of stores, clothing, and sledging equipment, the depot party 
was forced to travel more slowly and with greater difficulty 
than would have otherwise been the case. The result Avas that 
in making this journey the greatest qualities of endurance, 
self-sacrifice, and patience were called for, and the call was not 
in vain, as you reading the following pages will realize. It is 
more than regrettable that after having gone through those 
many months of hardship and toil, Mackintosh and Hay ward 
should have been lost. Spencer-Smith during those long days, 
dragged by his comrades on the sledge, suffering but never 
complaining, became an example to all men. Mackintosh and 
Hay ward owed their lives on that journey to the unremitting 
care and strenuous endeavours of Joyce, Wild, and Richards, 
who, also scurvy-stricken but fitter than their comrades, dragged 
them through the deep snow and blizzards on the sledges. I 
think that no more remarkable story of human endeavour has 
been revealed than the tale of that long march which I have 
collated from various diaries. Unfortunately, the diary of the 
leader of this side of the Expedition was lost with him. The 
Q 241 
