LAYING THE DEPOTS 
slope and went up about one and a quarter miles, and saw 
the great Beardmore Glacier stretching to the south. It is 
about twenty-five miles wide— a most wonderful sight. Then 
we returned to our camp, which we found to be six miles away. 
We left at 8 a.m. and arrived back at 3 p.m., a good morning's 
work. We then had lunch. About 4 p.m. we got under way and 
proceeded with the two sledges and camped about 7 o'clock. 
Wild, Hayward, and myself then took the depot up the Glacier, 
a fortnight's provisions. We left it lashed to a broken sledge, 
and put up a large flag. I took two photographs of it. We 
did not arrive back until 10.30 p.m. It was rather a heavy 
pull up. I was very pleased to see our work completed at 
last. . . . Tm-ned in 12 o'clock. The distance done during 
day 22 miles." 
The party remained in camp until 3.30 p.m. on the 27th, 
owdng to a blizzard with heavy snow. Then they made a start 
in clearer weather and got through the crevassed area before 
camping at 7 p.m. Joyce was sufiering from snow-blindness. 
They were now homeward bound, with 365 miles to go. They 
covered 16| miles on the 28th, with Joyce absolutely blind and 
hanging to the harness for guidance, but still pulling his 
whack." They reached Spencer-Smith's camp the next after- 
noon and found him in his sleeping-bag, quite unable to walk. 
Joyce's diary of this date contains a rather gloomy reference 
to the outlook, since he guessed that Mackintosh also would 
be unable to make the homeward march. " The dogs are still 
keeping fit," he added. If they will only last to 80° S. we 
shall then have enough food to take them in, and then if the 
ship is in I guarantee they will live in comfort the remainder 
of their lives," 
No march could be made on the 30th, since a blizzard was 
raging. The party made 8 miles on the 31st, with Spencer- 
Smith on one of the sledges in his sleeping-bag. The sufferer 
was quite helpless, and had to be Hfted and carried about, but 
his courage did not fail him. His words were cheerful even 
when his physical suffering and weakness were most pronounced. 
The distance for February 1 was 13 miles. The next morning 
the party abandoned one sledge in order to lighten the load, 
283 
