542 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [January 
the rest of us, but we are all very fit. It is a critical time, 
but we ought to pull through. The barometer has fallen 
very considerably and we cannot tell whether due to 
ascent of plateau or change of weather. Oh ! for a 
few fine days ! So close it seems and only the weather to 
baulk us. 
Monday , January 15. — Lunch camp, Height 9950. 
Last depot. During the night the air cleared entirely 
and the sun shone in a perfectly clear sky. The light wind 
had dropped and the temperature fallen to-25 0 , minimum 
- 27 0 . I guessed this meant a hard pull, and guessed right. 
The surface was terrible, but for 4] hours yielded 6 miles 
(geo.). We were all pretty well done at camping, and 
here we leave our last depot — only four days' food and a 
sundry or two. The load is now very light, but I fear that 
the friction will not be greatly reduced. 
Night, January 15.— Height 9920. T. -25 0 . The 
sledge came surprisingly lightly after lunch— something 
from loss of weight, something, I think, from stowage, and, 
most of all perhaps, as a result of tea. Anyhow we made a 
capital afternoon march of 6'3 miles, bringing the total 
for the day to over 12 (12-3). The sastrugi again very 
confused, but mostly S.E. quadrant ; the heaviest now 
almost east, so that the sledge continually bumps over 
ridges. The wind is from the W.N.W. chiefly, but the 
weather remains fine and there are no sastrugi from that 
direction. 
Camp 67. Lunch obs. : Lat. 89 0 26' 57"; Lat. dead 
reckoning, 89 0 33' 15" S.J Long. 160 0 56' 45" E.J Var. 
i79° E. 
