"9"J A SICK COMRADE 587 
spurts now, and he grows more silent in the tent. We 
are making a spirit lamp to try and replace the primus 
when our oil is exhausted. It will be a very poor substitute 
and we've not got much spirit. If we could have kept 
up our 9-mile days we might have got within reasonable 
distance of the depot before running out, but nothing 
but a strong wind and good surface can help us now, and 
though we had quite a good breeze this morning, the 
sledge came as heavy as lead. If we were all fit I should 
have hopes of getting through, but the poor Soldier has 
become a terrible hindrance, though he does his utmost 
and suffers much I fear. 
Wednesday, March 7. — A little worse I fear. One of 
Oates' feet very bad this morning ; he is wonderfully brave. 
We still talk of what we will do together at home. 
We only made 6i miles yesterday. (R. 49.) This 
morning in 4A hours we did just over 4 miles. We are 16 
from our depot. If we only find the correct proportion of 
food there and this surface continues, we may get to the 
next depot [Mt. Hooper, 72 miles farther] but not to 
One Ton Camp. We hope against hope that the 
dogs have been to Mt. Hooper; then we might pull 
through. If there is a shortage of oil again we can 
have little hope. One feels that for poor Oates the crisis 
is near, but none of us are improving, though we are won- 
derfully fit considering the really excessive work we are 
doing. We are only kept going by good food. No wind 
this morning till a chill northerly air came ahead. Sun 
bright and cairns showing up well. I should like to 
keep the track to the end. 
