576 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 
At present our sledge and ski leave deeply ploughed tracks 
which can be seen winding for miles behind. It is 
distressing, but as usual trials are forgotten when we 
camp, and good food is our lot. Pray God we get better 
travelling as we are not so fit as we were, and the season 
is advancing apace. 
Tuesday , February 21. — R. 35. Lunch Temp. - 9^°; 
Supper Temp. -n°. Gloomy and overcast when we 
started ; a good deal warmer. The marching almost 
as bad as yesterday. Heavy toiling all day, inspiring 
gloomiest thoughts at times. Rays of comfort when we 
picked up tracks and cairns. At lunch we seemed to 
have missed the way, but an hour or two after we passed 
the last pony walls, and since, we struck a tent ring, 
ending the march actually on our old pony-tracks. There 
is a critical spot here with a long stretch between cairns. 
If we can tide that over we get on the regular cairn route, 
and with luck should stick to it ; but everything depends 
on the weather. We never won a march of %\ miles with 
greater difficulty, but we can't go on like this. We arc 
drawing away from the land and perhaps may get better 
things in a day or two. I devoutly hope so. 
Wednesday, February 22.— R. 36. Supper Temp. -2°. 
There is little doubt we are in for a rotten critical time 
going home, and the lateness of the season may make it 
really serious. Shortly after starting to-day the wind 
grew very fresh from the S.E. with strong surface drift. 
We lost the faint track immediately, though covering 
ground fairly rapidly. Lunch came without sight of the 
cairn we had hoped to pass. In the afternoon, Bovvers 
