526 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [Decsicbsr 
showing a distance of about 5 miles between the wretched 
slopes which give us the hardest pulling, but as a matter 
of fact, we have been rising all day. 
We had a good full brew of tea and then set to work 
stripping the sledges. That didn't take long, but the 
process of building up the 10-feet sledges now in operation 
in the other tent is a long job. Evans (P.O.) and Crean 
are tackling it, and it is a very remarkable piece of work. 
Certainly P.O. Evans is the most invaluable asset to our 
party. To build a sledge under these conditions is a fact 
for special record. Evans (Lieut.) has just found the 
latitude— 86° 56' S., so that we arc pretty near the 87th 
parallel aimed at for to-night. We lose half a day, but 
I hope to make that up by going forward at much better 
speed. 
This is to be called the 1 3 Degree Depot,' and it holds 
a week's provision for both units. 
There is extraordinarily little mirage up here and the 
refraction is very small. Except for the seamen we are 
all sitting in a double tent— the first time we have put 
up the inner lining to the tent ; it seems to make us 
much snugger. 
10 p.m.— The job of rebuilding is taking longer than 
I expected, but is now almost done. The 10-feet sledges 
look very handy. We had an extra drink of tea and are 
now turned into our bags in the double tent (five of us) as 
warm as toast, and just enough light to write or work 
with. Did not get to bed till 2 a.m. 
Obs. : 86° 55' 47* S. I 165° 5' 48" E. ; Var. 175 0 40' E. 
Morning Bar. 20 - o8. 
