572 
SCOTTS LAST EXPEDITION [February 
Saturday 9 February 17. — A very terrible day. Evans 
looked a little better after a good sleep, and declared, as 
he always did, that he was quite well. He started in his 
place on the traces, but half an hour later worked his 
ski shoes adrift, and had to leave the sledge. The surface 
was awful, the soft recently fallen snow clogging the ski 
and runners at every step, the sledge groaning, the sky 
overcast, and the land hazy. We stopped after about 
one hour, and Evans came up again, but very slowly. 
Half an hour later he dropped out again on the same plea. 
He asked Bowers to lend him a piece of string. I cautioned 
him to come on as quickly as he could, and he answered 
cheerfully as I thought. We had to push on, and the 
remainder of us were forced to pull very hard, sweating 
heavily. Abreast the Monument Rock we stopped, and 
seeing Evans a long way astern, I camped for lunch. There- 
was no alarm at first, and we prepared tea and our own 
meal, consuming the latter. After lunch, and Evans still 
not appearing, we looked out, to see him still afar off. 
By this time we were alarmed, and all four started back on 
ski. I was first to reach the poor man and shocked at 
his appearance ; he was on his knees with clothing dis- 
arranged, hands uncovered and frostbitten, and a wild 
look in his eyes. Asked what was the matter, he replied 
with a slow speech that he didn't know, but thought he 
must have fainted. We got him on his feet, but after 
two or three steps he sank down again. He showed 
every sign of complete collapse. Wilson, Bowers, and I 
went back for the sledge, whilst Oatcs remained with 
him. When we returned he was practically unconscious, 
