588 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
[March 
Thursday , March 8. — Lunch. Worse and worse in 
morning ; poor Oatcs' left foot can never last out, and 
time over foot gear something awful. Have to wait in 
night foot gear for nearly an hour before I start changing, 
and then am generally first to be ready. Wilson's feet 
giving trouble now, but this mainly because he gives so 
much help to others. We did 4^ miles this morning 
and are now 8£ miles from the depot — a ridiculously 
small distance to feel in difficulties, yet on this surface 
we know we cannot equal half our old marches, and 
that for that effort we expend nearly double the energy. 
The great question is, What shall we find at the depot ? 
If the dogs have visited it we may get along a good 
distance, but if there is another short allowance of fuel, 
God help us indeed. We are in a very bad way, I fear, 
in anv case. 
Saturday, March 10. — Things steadily downhill. Oates' 
foot worse. He has rare pluck and must know that he- 
can never get through. He asked Wilson if he had a 
chance this morning, and of course Bill had to say he 
didn't know. In point of fact he has none. Apart 
from him, if he went under now, I doubt whether we 
could get through. With great care we might have a 
dog's chance, but no more. The weather conditions are 
awful, and our gear gets steadily more icy and difficult 
to manage. At the same time of course poor Titus is the 
greatest handicap. He keeps us waiting in the morning 
until we have partly lost the warming effect of our good 
breakfast, when the only wise policy is to be up and 
away at once ; again at lunch. Poor chap ! it is too 
