578 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [February 
Friday, February 24. — Lunch. Beautiful day — too 
beautiful — an hour after starting loose ice crystals spoiling 
surface. Saw depot and reached it middle forenoon. 
Found store in order except shortage oil 26 — shall have to 
be very saving with fuel — otherwise have ten full days' 
provision from to-night and shall have less than 70 miles 
to go. Note from Meares who passed through Dec- 
ember 15, saying surface bad; from Atkinson, after 
fine marching (z\ days from pony depot), reporting 
Keohane better after sickness. Short note from Evans, 
not very cheerful, saying surface bad, temperature high. 
Think he must have been a little anxious.* It is an 
immense relief to have picked up this depot and, for the 
time, anxieties are thrust aside. There is no doubt we 
have been rising steadily since leaving the Shambles Camp. 
The coastal Barrier descends except where glaciers press 
out. Undulation still but flattening out. Surface soft 
on top, curiously hard below. Great difference now 
between night and day temperatures. Quite warm as I 
write in tent. We are on tracks with half-march cairn 
ahead ; have covered 4^ miles. Poor Wilson has a fearful 
attack snow-blindness consequent on yesterday's efforts. 
Wish we had more fuel. 
Night camp R. 38. Temp. - 17 0 . A little despondent 
again. We had a really terrible surface this afternoon 
and only covered 4 miles. We are on the track just 
beyond a lunch cairn. It really will be a bad business 
if we are to have this pulling all through. I don't know 
what to think, but the rapid closing of the season is 
* It will be remembered that he was already stricken with scurvy. 
