SOUTH 
to reach Cape Evans within a few days. But a prolonged 
blizzard took the ice out right up to the Point, so that the open 
water extended at the end of April right up to the foot of 
Vinie's Hill. Then came a spell of calm weather, and during 
the first week of May the sea-ice formed rapidly. The men 
made several short trips over it to the north. The sun had 
disappeared below the horizon in the middle of April, and 
would not appear again for over four months. 
The disaster that followed is described by both Richards 
and Joyce. And now a most regrettable incident occurred," 
wrote Richards. " On the morning of May 8, before breakfast, 
Captain Mackintosh asked Joyce what he thought of his going 
to Cape Evans with Hayward. Captain Mackintosh considered 
the ice quite safe, and the fine morning no doubt tempted him 
to exchange the quarters at the hut for the greater comfort 
and better food at Cape Evans." (Mackintosh naturally would 
be anxious to know if the men at Cape Evans were well and 
had any news of the ship.) He was strongly urged at the 
time not to take the risk, as it was pointed out that the ice, 
although firm, was very young, and that a blizzard was almost 
sure to take part of it out to sea.'' 
However, at about 1 p.m., with the weather apparently 
changing for the worse, Mackintosh and Hayward left, after 
promising to turn back if the weather grew worse. The last 
sight the watching party on the hill gained of them was when 
they were about a mile away, close to the shore, but apparently 
making straight for Cape Evans. At 3 p.m. a moderate blizzard 
was raging, which later increased in fury, and the party in the 
hut had many misgivings for the safety of the absent men. 
On May ] 0, the first day possible, the three men left behind 
walked over new ice to the north to try and discover some 
trace as to the fate of the others. The footmarks were seen 
clearly enough raised up on the ice, and the track was followed 
for about two miles in a direction leading to Cape Evans. Here 
they ended abruptly, and in the dim fight a wide stretch of 
water, very lightly covered with ice, was seen as far as the eye 
could reach. It was at once evident that part of the ice over 
which they had travelled had gone out to sea. 
300 
