i 9 4 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[March 
without breakfast : we made them cocoa and discussed the 
gloomiest situation. Just after cocoa Wilson discovered 
a figure making rapidly for the depot from the west. 
Gran was sent off again to intercept. It proved to be 
Crean — he was exhausted and a little incoherent. The 
ponies had camped at 2.30 a.m. on the sea ice well beyond 
the seal crack on the previous night. In the middle of 
the night . . . 
Friday , March 3, a.m. — I was interrupted when 
writing yesterday and continue my story this morning. . . . 
In the middle of the night at 4.30 Bowers got out of the 
tent and discovered the ice had broken all round him : a 
crack ran under the picketing line, and one pony had 
disappeared. They had packed with great haste and 
commenced jumping the ponies from floe to floe, then 
dragging the loads over after — the three men must have 
worked splendidly and fearlessly. At length they had 
worked their way to heavier floes lying near the Barrier 
edge, and at one time thought they could get up, but 
soon discovered that there were gaps everywhere off the 
high Barrier face. In this dilemma Crean volunteering was 
sent off to try to reach me. The sea was like a cauldron 
at the time of the break up, and killer whales were 
putting their heads up on all sides. Luckily they did 
not frighten the ponies. 
He travelled a great distance over the sea ice, leaping 
from floe to floe, and at last found a thick floe from which 
with help of ski stick he could climb the Barrier face. It 
was a desperate venture, but luckily successful. 
As soon as I had digested Crean's news I sent Gran 
