502 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION' [December 
better conditions as we rose, but it looks as though matters 
were getting worse instead of better. As far as the 
Cloudmakcr the valley looks like a huge basin for the 
lodgement of such snow as this. We can but toil on, but 
it is woefully disheartening. I am not at all hungry, but 
pretty thirsty. (T. + 15 0 .) I find our summit ration is 
even too filling for the present. Two skuas came round 
the camp at lunch, no doubt attracted by our * Shambles ' 
camp. 
Thursday^ December 14. — Camp 36. Indigestion and 
the soggy condition of my clothes kept me awake for 
some time last night, and the exceptional exercise gives 
bad attacks of cramp. Our lips arc getting raw and 
blistered. The eyes of the party are improving, I am 
glad to say. We are just starting our march with no 
very hopeful outlook. (T. + 13 0 .) 
Evening. (Height about 2000 feet.) Evans' party 
started first this morning; for an hour they found the 
hauling stiff, but after that, to my great surprise, they 
went on easily. Bowers followed without getting over 
the ground so easily. After the first 200 yards my own 
party came on with a swing that told me at once that all 
would be well. We soon caught the others and offered to 
take on more weight, but Evans' pride wouldn't allow 
such help. Later in the morning we exchanged sledges 
with Bowers, pulled theirs easily, whilst they made quite 
heavy work with ours. I am afraid Cherry-Garrard and 
Kcohanc arc the weakness of that team, though both put 
their utmost into the traces. However, we all lunched 
together after a satisfactory morning's work. In the 
