shirt again. This is the last clean side I have got. I have been wearing
two shirts and each side will now have done duty next the skin, as I have
changed round each month, and I have certainly found the benefit of it,
and on the point we all three agree. Mr. Evans is still gradually worse:
it is no good closing our eyes to the fact. We must push on as we have a
long way to go yet.

_2nd February 1912._

A very bad light again to-day: could not make much progress, only did 11
miles, but we must think ourselves lucky we have not had to lay up and
get delayed, but we have had the wind and more behind us, otherwise we
should have had to stop. Mr. Evans is no better but seems to be in great
pain, but he keeps quite cheerful we are pleased to say.

_3rd February 1912._

This morning we were forced to put Mr. Evans on his ski and strap him on,
as he could not lift his legs. I looked at them again and found they are
rapidly getting worse, things are looking serious on his part, but we
have been trying to pump him up he will get through alright, but he
begins to think different himself, but if we get to One Ton and can get a
change of food it may relieve him. He is a brick, there is plenty of
pluck: one cannot but admire such pluck. The light have been dreadful all
day and I seemed to have got a bit depressed at times, not being able to
see anything to know where I was on the course or not and not getting a
word from Mr. Evans. I deliberately went off the course to see if anyone
was taking notice but to my surprise I was quickly told I was off the
course. This I thought, but wanted to know if he was looking out, which
he was. It came on to bliz after we camped, we ought to reach Mt. Hooper
to-morrow night.

_4th February 1912._

Started in splendid weather, but the surface was bad and dragging was
very heavy, but it improved as the day went on, and we arrived at the
depot at 7.40 P.M. We are now 180 miles from Hut Point, and this Sunday
night we hope to be only two more Sundays on the Barrier. No improvement
in Mr. Evans, much worse. We have taken out our food and left nearly all
the pemmican as we dont require it on account of none of us caring for
it, therefore we are leaving it behind for the others. They may require
it. We have left our note and wished them every success on their way, but
we have decided it is best not to say anything about Mr. Evans being ill
or suffering from scurvy. This old cairn have stood the weather and is
still a huge thing.

_5th February 1912._

Had a very fine day and a good light all day, which makes things much
more cheerful. Did not get away before 9 o'clock but we did 111/2 miles, it
is gradually getting colder. Mr. Evans is still getting worse, to-day he
is suffering from looseness in the bowels: shall have to stop his
pemmican.

_6th February 1912._

Another fine day but sun was very hot and caused us to sweat a good deal,
but we dont mind as we are pretty used to such changes. We shall soon be
looking for land ahead, which will be Mt. Discovery or Mt. Erebus, we
have 155 miles to go to Hut Point: done alright again 131/2 miles, we do
wonderfully well especially as Mr. Evans have got to go very slowly first
off after stopping until he gets the stiffness out of his legs, but he is
suffering a good deal and in silence, he never complains, but he dont get
much sleep. We shall all be glad when we arrive at One Ton, where there
is a change of food for us all. The pemmican is too much, especially when
the weather is warm.

_7th February 1912._

A very fine day but heavy going. We are bringing the land in sight. The
day have been simply lovely, did 12 miles. No better luck with our
patient, he gets along without a murmur. We have got to help him in and
out of the tent, but we have consulted on the matter and he is determined
to go to the last, which we know is not far off, as it is difficult for
him to stand, but he is the essence of a brick to keep it up, but we
shall have to drag him on the sledge when he cant go any further.

_8th February 1912._

To-day have been very favourable and fine, we had a good breeze and set
sail after lunch. If we get a good day to-morrow we hope to reach One
Ton. Mr. Evans have passed a good deal of blood to-day, which makes
things look a lot worse. I have to do nearly everything for him now.

_9th February 1912._

A very fine day and quite warm. Reached the depot at 5.5 P.M. and we all
had a good feed of oatmeal. Oh, what a God-send to get a change of food!
We have taken enough food for 9 days, which if we still keep up our
present rate of progress it ought to take us in to Hut Point. We cannot
take too heavy a load, as there is only the two of us pulling now, and
this our last port of call before we reach Hut Point, but things are not
looking any too favourable for us, as our leader is gradually getting
lower every day. It is almost impossible for him to get along, and we
are still 120 miles from Hut Point.

_10th February 1912._

We did a good march, in very thick weather. To-night we are camped and I
am sorry to say Mr. Evans is in a very bad state. If this is scurvy I am
sorry for anyone it attacks. We shall do our utmost to get him back
alive, although he is so ill, he is very cheerful, which is very good and
tries to do anything to help us along. We are thinking the food, now we
have got a change, may improve things. I am very pleased to say Crean and
myself are in the best of health, which we are thankful for.

_11th February 1912._

To-day we built a cairn and left all our gear we could do without, as it
is impossible for us to drag the load now, and Mr. Evans we think is
doing well as long as he can keep on his legs. We have had a very bad
light all day, and to-night we have a bliz on us, so we had to camp
early. Our day's run has been 11 miles. We are now about 99 miles from
our base.

_12th February 1912._

We did not get away until 10 o'clock on account of bad weather, but after
we put Mr. Evans on his ski he went on slowly. It is against our wish to
have to send him on a little in advance, but it is best as we shall have
to drag him out of this we are certain. He has fainted on two or three
occasions, but after a drop of brandy he has been able to proceed, but it
is very awkward, especially as the temperature is so low. We are afraid
of his getting frost-bitten. Our progress is very slow, the light is very
bad, and it is seldom we see the land.

_13th February 1912._

We got away in good time, but progress was slow, and Mr. Evans could not
go, and we consulted awhile and came to the conclusion it would be best
to put him on the sledge, otherwise he may not pull through, so we
stopped and camped, and decided to drop everything we can possibly do
without, so we have only got our sleeping bags, cooker, and what little
food and oil we have left. Our load is not much, but Mr. Evans on the
sledge makes it pretty heavy work for us both, but he says he is
comfortable now. This morning he wished us to leave him, but this we
could not think of. We shall stand by him to the end one way or other, so
we are the masters to-day. He has got to do as we wish and we hope to
pull him through. This morning when we depoted all our gear I changed my
socks and got my foot badly frostbitten, and the only way was to fetch it
round. So although Mr. Evans was so bad he proposed to stuff it on his
stomach to try and get it right again. I did not like to risk such a
thing as he is certainly very weak, but we tried it, and it succeeded in
bringing it round, thanks to his thoughtfulness, and I shall never forget
the kindness bestowed on me at a critical time in our travels, but I
think we could go to any length of trouble to assist one another; in such
time and such a place we must trust in a higher power to pull us through.
When we pack up now and have to move off we have to get everything ready
before we attempt to move the tent, as it is impossible for our leader
now to stand, therefore it is necessary to get him ready before we start.
We then pull the sledge alongside his bag and lift him on to it and strap
him on. It is a painful piece of work and he takes it pretty well, but we
can't help hurting him, as it is very awkward to lift him, the snow being
soft and the light so bad, but he dont complain. The only thing we hear
him grind his teeth.

_14th February 1912._

Another good start after the usual preparation, we have not got much to
pack, but it takes us some time, to get our invalid ready, the surface is
very bad and our progress is very slow, but we have proposed to go longer
hours and try to cover the distance, that is if we can stick it
ourselves.

_15th February 1912._

We started in fine weather this morning, but it soon came over thick and
progress became slow. We had to continually consult the compass, as we
have had no wind to assist us, but after awhile the sun peeped out and
the wind sprang up and we were able to set sail, which helped us put in
a good march.

_16th February 1912._

To-day it have been a very heavy drag all day, and the light is very bad,
but we had the pleasure of seeing Castle Rock and Observation Hill. We
uncovered Mr. Evans to let him have a look and we have reduced our ration
now to one half as it is impossible for us to reach Hut Point under four
days, that is if everything goes favourable with us.

_17th February 1912._

To-day it has been thick, this morning soon after we started we saw what
we thought was the dog tent [the two dog-teams going out to meet the
Polar Party], a thing we had been looking for to try and get relief, but
when we came up to it we found it was only a piece of biscuit box stuck
on an old camp for a guide. It shows how deceiving the things here are. I
can tell you our hopes were raised, but on reaching it they dropped again
considerably. We were able to see the land occasionally, and during one
of the breaks this afternoon we spotted the motor. Oh, what joy! We again
uncovered Mr. Evans to let him have a look and after trudging along for
another three hours we brought up alongside it and camped for the night.
We are now only a little over 30 miles from Hut Point: if we could only
see the dogs approaching us, but they, we think, may have passed us while
the weather have been thick. Mr. Evans is getting worse every day, we are
almost afraid to sleep at night as he seems very weak. If the temperature
goes much lower it will be a job to keep him warm. We have found some
biscuits here at the motor but nothing else, but that will assist greatly
on our way. The slogging have been heavy all day. We are pretty tired
to-night. I dont think we have got the go in us we had, but we must try
and push on.

_18th February 1912._

I started to move Mr. Evans this morning, but he completely collapsed and
fainted away. Crean was very upset and almost cried, but I told him it
was no good to create a scene but put up a bold front and try to assist.
I really think he thought Mr. Evans had gone, but we managed to pull him
through. We used the last drop of brandy. After awhile we got him on the
sledge and proceeded as usual, but finding the surface very bad and we
were unable to make less than a mile an hour, we stopped and decided to
camp. We told Mr. Evans of our plans, which were: Crean should proceed,
it being a splendid day, on foot to Hut Point to obtain relief if
possible. This we had agreed to between ourselves. I offered to do the
Journey and Crean remain behind, but Tom said he would much rather I
stayed with the invalid and look after him, so I thought it best I should
remain, and these plans were agreed to by all of us, so after we had
camped the next thing was the food problem. We had about a day's
provisions with extra biscuit taken from the motor, and a little extra
oil taken from the same place, so we gave Crean what he thought he could
manage to accomplish the Journey of 30 miles geographical on, which was a
little chocolate and biscuits. We put him up a little drink, but he would
not carry it. What a pity we did not have some ski, but we dumped them to
save weight. So Crean sailed away in splendid weather for a try to bring
relief. I was in a bit of a sweat all day and remained up to watch the
weather till long after midnight. I was afraid of the weather, but it
kept clear and I thought he might have reached or got within easy
distance of Hut Point; but there was the possibility of his dropping down
a crevasse, but that we had to leave to chance, but none the more it was
anxious moments as if it comes on to drift the weather is very
treacherous in these parts. After Crean left I left Mr. Evans and
proceeded to Corner Camp which was about a mile away, to see if there was
any provisions left there that would be of use to us. I found a little
butter, a little cheese, and a little treacle that had been brought there
for the ponies. I also went back to the motor and got a little more oil
while the weather was fine. I also got a large piece of burbery and tied
on a long bamboo and stuck up a big flag on our sledge so that anyone
could not pass our way without seeing us or our flag. I found a note left
at Corner Camp by Mr. Day saying there was a lot of very bad crevasses
between there and the sea ice, especially off White Island. This put me
in a bit of a fix, as I, of course, at once thought of Crean. He being on
foot was more likely to go down than he would had he been on ski. I did
not tell Mr. Evans anything about the crevasses, as I certainly thought
it would be best kept from him. I just told him the note was there and
all was well.

_19th February 1912._

To-day Mr. Evans seems a bit better and more cheerful, the rest will do
him good and assist in getting a little strength. We have been wondering
when relief will reach us, but we cannot expect it for at least a day or
two yet at the earliest. It was very thick this morning and also very
cold. The temperature is dropping rapidly. Our tent was all covered in
frost rime to-day, a sure sign of colder weather. It was very thick this
morning but cleared as the day advanced, but we could not see Hut Point.
I wonder if poor old Tom reached alright. We have very little food now
except biscuit, but oil is better. We have got 1/2 gallon and if relief
dont come for some time we shall be able to have hot water when all other
things are gone. I have thought out a plan for the future, in case of no
relief coming, but of course we took all things into consideration in
case of failure, but we must hope for the best. Of course I know it is no
use thinking of Mr. Evans being able to move any further as he cant stand
at all, the only thing is, we may have missed the dogs, if so there is
still a chance of someone being at Hut Point. I am cold now and cannot
write more to-night. We lose the sun at midnight now. If all had went
well we should have been home by now.

_20th February 1912._

Tuesday not a nice day. A low drift all the morning and increased to a
blizzard at times. Have had to remain in the tent all day to try and keep
warm. Have not got much food except biscuits. Mr. Evans is about the same
but quite cheerful. We have had whole journey over and over: it have
passed these three days away. We have wondered how they are getting on
behind us; we have worked it out and they ought to be on the Barrier now,
with anything of luck. We have been gambling on the condition of the ice
and the possibility of the open water at Hut Point at any time now, and
also about what news of home, although home is one of the foremost
thoughts we hardly ever mention it, only what we are going to have to eat
when we do arrive there. I think we have got everything that is good down
on our list. Of course New Zealand have got to be answerable for a good
deal: plenty of apples we are going to have and some nice home-made cake,
not too rich, as we think we can eat more. I wonder if the mules will
have arrived, as I am to look after them till Capt. Oates returns, as
Anton will be gone home, or at least going soon. We shall have to hurry
up as the ship is to leave again on the 2nd of March, as it is not safe
to remain longer in these regions. I am now too cold to write, and I dont
seem settled at all and the weather is still pretty bad outside, so we
are not going to look for anything to come along to-night. "Hark!" from
us both. "Yes, it is the dogs near. Relief at last. Who is there?" I did
not stay to think more before I was outside the tent. "Yes, sir, it is
alright." The Doctor and Dimitri. "How did you see us?" "The flag Lash,"
says Dimitri. The Doctor, "How is Mr. Evans?" "Alright, but low." But
this had a good effect on him. After the first few minutes we got their
tent pitched and the food they brought us I was soon on the way preparing
a meal for us all, but Mr. Evans cannot have pemmican, but the Doctor
have brought everything that will do him good, some onions to boil and
several other things. Dimitri brought along a good lump of cake: we are
in clover. To-night after the Doctor had examined my patient and we got
through a good deal of talk about everything we could think of,
especially home news and the return parties and the ship and those in
her. We were sorry to hear she had not been able to get very near, and
that the mules had arrived, and I dont know what, we now settled down for
a good night. It seems to me we are in a new world, a weight is off my
mind and I can once more see a bright spot in the sky for us all, the
gloom is now removed. The bliz is bad outside, and Doctor and Dimitri is
gone and turned in, so will [I] once more, but sleep is out of the
question.

_21st February 1912._

The day have been very bad and we are obliged to remain until it clears.
We are going to move off as soon as it clears, the day have been very
cold, so we have had to remain in our bags, but things are alright and we
have got plenty to eat now. We have all retired for the night as the bliz
is still raging outside.

_22nd February 1912._

The wind went down about 9 P.M., so we began to move and were ready to
kick off at 10, and proposed to do the journey in two stages. It was
fearful heavy going for the poor dogs, we arranged so that Mr. Evans was
on Dimitri's sledge and Doctor and myself was on the other. We have done
about half the journey and are now camped for a rest for the dogs and
ourselves. We had a stiff 16 miles: the Doctor and myself, we took turns
in riding on the sledge and walking and running to keep up to the dogs.
Sometimes we sank in up to the knees, but we struggled through it. My
legs is the most powerful part of me now, but I am tired and shall be
glad when it is over. I must lie down now, as we are starting again soon
for Hut Point, but the surface is getting better as we have passed White
Island and can see so plainly the land. Castle Rock and good old Erebus
look so stately with the smoke rolling out. It is so clear and calm and
peaceful. What a change in our surroundings of a few days ago and also
our prospects. Doctor and Dimitri have done everything they could for us.

_22nd February 1912._

We started off after a rest for the dogs and reached here at Hut Point at
1 P.M. where we can rest in peace for a time. Dimitri and Crean are going
to Cape Evans: the ship is nowhere in sight. Have had to get some seal
meat and ice and prepare a meal. Mr. Evans is alright and asleep. We are
looking for a mail now. How funny we should always be looking for
something else, now we are safe.

[End of Lashly's Diary.]

*       *       *       *       *

Crean has told me the story of his walk as follows:

He started at 10 on Sunday morning and "the surface was good, very good
surface indeed," and he went about sixteen miles before he stopped. Good
clear weather. He had three biscuits and two sticks of chocolate. He
stopped about five minutes, sitting on the snow, and ate two biscuits and
the chocolate, and put one biscuit back in his pocket. He was quite warm
and not sleepy.

He carried on just the same and passed Safety Camp on his right some five
hours later, and thinks it was about twelve-thirty on Monday morning that
he reached the edge of the Barrier, tired, getting cold in the back and
the weather coming on thick. It was bright behind him but it was coming
over the Bluff, and White Island was obscured though he could still see
Cape Armitage and Castle Rock. He slipped a lot on the sea-ice, having
several falls on to his back and it was getting thicker all the time. At
the Barrier edge there was a light wind, now it was blowing a strong
wind, drifting and snowing. He made for the Gap and could not get up at
first. To avoid taking a lot out of himself he started to go round Cape
Armitage; but soon felt slush coming through his finnesko (he had no
crampons) and made back for the Gap. He climbed up to the left of the Gap
and climbed along the side of Observation Hill to avoid the slippery ice.
When he got to the top it was still clear enough to see vaguely the
outline of Hut Point, but he could see no sledges nor dogs. He sat down
under the lee of Observation Hill, and finished his biscuit with a bit of
ice: "I was very dry,"--slid down the side of Observation Hill and
thought at this time there was open water below, for he had no goggles on
the march and his eyes were strained. But on getting near the ice-foot he
found it was polished sea-ice and made his way round to the hut under the
ice-foot. When he got close he saw the dogs and sledges on the sea-ice,
and it was now blowing very hard with drift. He walked in and found the
Doctor and Dimitri inside. "He gave me a tot first, and then a feed of
porridge--but I couldn't keep it down: thats the first time in my life
that ever it happened, and it was the brandy that did it."

FOOTNOTES:

[253] See pp. 382, 383, 410, 412.

[254] My own diary, December 22, 1911.

[255] My own diary.

[256] My own diary.

[257] See p. 412.

[258] See p. 335.




CHAPTER XIII

SUSPENSE

All the past we leave behind;
We debouch upon a newer, mightier world, varied world;
Fresh and strong the world we seize, world of labour and the march,
Pioneers! O pioneers!

We detachments steady throwing,
Down the edges, through the passes, up the mountains steep,
Conquering, holding, daring, venturing, as we go, the unknown ways,
Pioneers! O pioneers!

WALT WHITMAN.


Let us come back to Cape Evans after the return of the First Supporting
Party.

Hitherto our ways had always been happy: for the most part they had been
pleasant. Scott was going to reach the Pole, probably without great
difficulty, for when we left him on the edge of the plateau he had only
to average seven miles a day to go there on full rations. We ourselves
had averaged 14.2 geographical miles a day on our way home to One Ton
Depot, and there seemed no reason to suppose that the other two parties
would not do likewise, and the food was not only sufficient but abundant
if such marches were made. Thus we were content as we wandered over the
cape, or sat upon some rock warmed by the sun and watched the penguins
bathing in the lake which had formed in the sea-ice between us and
Inaccessible Island. All round us were the cries of the skua gulls as
they squabbled among themselves, and we heard the swish of their wings as
they swooped down upon a man who wandered too near their nests. Out upon
the sea-ice, which was soggy and dangerous, lay several seal, and the
bubblings and whistlings and gurglings which came from their throats
chimed musically in contrast to the hoarse aak, aak, of the Adelie
penguins: the tide crack was sighing and groaning all the time: it was
very restful after the Barrier silence.

Meanwhile the Terra Nova had been seen in the distance, but the state of
the sea-ice prevented her approach. It was not until February 4 that
communication was opened with her and we got our welcome mails and news
of the world during the last year. We heard that Campbell's party had
been picked up at Cape Adare and landed at Evans Coves. We started
unloading on February 9, and this work was continued until February 14:
there was about three miles of ice between the ship and the shore and we
were doing more than twenty miles a day. In the case of men who had been
sledging much, and who might be wanted to sledge again, this was a
mistake. Latterly the ice began to break up, and the ship left on the
15th, to pick up the Geological Party on the western side of McMurdo
Sound. But she met great obstacles, and her record near the coasts this
year is one of continual fights against pack-ice, while the winds
experienced as the season advanced were very strong. On January 13 the
fast ice at the mouth of McMurdo Sound extended as far as the southern
end of the Bird Peninsula: ten days later they found fast ice extending
for thirty miles from the head of Granite Harbour. Later in the season
the most determined efforts were made again and again to penetrate into
Evans Coves in order to pick up Campbell and his men, until the ice was
freezing all round them, and many times the propeller was brought up dead
against blocks of ice.[259]

The expedition was originally formed for two years from the date of
leaving England. But before the ship left after landing us at Cape Evans
in January 1911 the possibility of a third year was considered, and
certain requests for additional transport and orders for stores were sent
home. Thus it came about that the ship now landed not only new sledges
and sledging stores but also fourteen dogs from Kamchatka and seven
mules, with their food and equipment. The dogs were big and fat, but the
only ones which proved of much service for sledging were Snowy, a nice
white dog, and Bullett. It was Oates' idea that mules might prove a
better form of transport on the Barrier than ponies. Scott therefore
wrote to Sir Douglas Haig, then C.-in-C. in India, that if he failed to
reach the Pole in the summer of 1911-12, "it is my intention to make a
second attempt in the following season provided fresh transport can be
brought down: the circumstances making it necessary to plan to sacrifice
the transport animals used in any attempt.

"Before directing more ponies to be sent down I have thoroughly discussed
the situation with Captain Oates, and he has suggested that mules would
be better than ponies for our work and that trained Indian Transport
Mules would be ideal. It is evident already that our ponies have not a
uniform walking pace and that in other small ways they will be
troublesome to us although they are handy little beasts."

The Indian Government not only sent seven mules but when they arrived we
found that they had been most carefully trained and equipped. In India
they were in the charge of Lieutenant George Pulleyn, and the care and
thought which had been spent upon them could not have been exceeded: the
equipment was also extremely good and well adapted to the conditions,
while most of the improvements made by us as the result of a year's
experience were already foreseen and provided. The mules themselves, by
name Lal Khan, Gulab, Begum, Ranee, Abdullah, Pyaree and Khan Sahib, were
beautiful animals.

Atkinson would soon have to start on his travels again. Before we left
Scott at the top of the Beardmore he gave him orders to take the two
dog-teams South in the event of Meares having to return home, as seemed
likely. This was not meant in any way to be a relief journey. Scott said
that he was not relying upon the dogs; and that in view of the sledging
in the following year, the dogs were not to be risked. Although it was
settled that some members of the expedition would stay, while others
returned to New Zealand, Scott and several of his companions had left
undecided until the last moment the question of whether they would
themselves remain in the South for another year. In the event of Scott
deciding to return home the dog-teams might make the difference between
catching or missing the ship. I had discussed this question with Wilson
more than once, and he was of opinion that the business affairs of the
expedition demanded Scott's return if possible: Wilson himself inclined
to the view that he himself would stay if Scott stayed, and return if
Scott returned. I think that Oates meant to return, and am sure that
Bowers meant to stay: indeed he welcomed the idea of one more year in a
way which I do not think was equalled by any other member of the
expedition. For the most part we felt that we had joined up for two
years, but that if there was to be a third year we would rather see the
thing through than return home.

I hope I have made clear that the primary object of this journey with the
dog-teams was to hurry Scott and his companions home so that they might
be in time to catch the ship if possible, before she was compelled by the
close of the season to leave McMurdo Sound. Another thing which made
Scott anxious to communicate with the ship if possible before the season
forced her to leave the Sound was his desire to send back news. From many
remarks which he made, and also from the discussions in the hut during
the winter, it was obvious that he considered it was of the first
importance that the news of reaching the Pole, if it should be reached,
be communicated to the world without the delay of another year. Of course
he would also wish to send news of the safe return of his party to wives
and relations as soon as possible. It is necessary to emphasize the fact
that the dog-teams were intended to hasten the return of the Polar Party,
but that they were never meant to form a relief journey.

But now Atkinson was left in a rather difficult position. I note in my
diary, after we had reached the hut, that "Scott was to have sent back
instructions for the dog party with us, but these have, it would seem,
been forgotten"; but it may be that Scott considered that he had given
these instructions in a conversation he had with Atkinson at the top of
the Beardmore Glacier, when Scott said, "with the depot [of dog-food]
which has been laid come as far as you can."

According to the plans for the Polar Journey the food necessary to bring
the three advance parties of man-haulers back from One Ton Depot to Hut
Point was to be taken out to One Ton during the absence of these parties.
This food consisted of five weekly units of what were known as XS
rations. It was also arranged that if possible a depot of dog-biscuit
should be taken out at the same time: this was the depot referred to
above by Scott. In the event of the return of the dog-teams in the first
half of December, which was the original plan, the five units of food and
the dog-biscuit would have been run out by them to One Ton. If the
dog-teams did not return in time to do this a man-hauling party from Cape
Evans was to take out three of the five units of food.

It has been shown that the dog-teams were taken farther on the Polar
Journey than was originally intended,[260] indeed they were taken from
81 deg. 15', where they were to have turned back, as far as 83 deg. 35'. Nor were
they able to make the return journey in the fast time which had been
expected of them, and the dog-drivers were running very short of food and
were compelled to encroach to some extent upon the supplies left to
provide for the wants of those who were following in their tracks.[261]
The dog-teams did not arrive back at Cape Evans until January 4.

Meanwhile a man-hauling party from Cape Evans, consisting of Day, Nelson,
Clissold and Hooper, had already, according to plan, taken out three of
the five XS rations for the returning parties. The weights of the
man-hauling party did not allow for the transport of the remaining two XS
rations, nor for any of the dog-food. Thus it was that when Atkinson came
to make his plans to go South with the dogs he found that there was no
dog-food south of Corner Camp, and that the rations for the return of the
Polar Party from One Ton Depot had still to be taken out. That is to say,
the depot of dog-food spoken of by Scott did not exist. There was,
however, enough food already at One Ton to allow the Polar Party to come
in on reduced rations. This meant that what the dog-teams could do was
limited, and was much less than it might have been had it been possible
to take out the depot of dog-food to One Ton. Also the man-food for the
Polar Party had to be added to the weights taken by the dogs.

To estimate even approximately at what date a party will reach a given
point after a journey of this length when the weather conditions are
always uncertain and the number of travelling days unknown, was a most
difficult task. The only guide was the average marches per diem made by
our own return party, and the average of the second return party if it
should return before the dog party set out. A week one way or the other
was certainly not a large margin. A couple of blizzards might make this
much difference.

In the plan of the Southern Journey Scott, working on Shackleton's
averages, mentions March 27 as a possible date of return to Hut Point,
allowing seven days in from One Ton. Whilst on the outward journey I
heard Scott discuss the possibility of returning in April; and the Polar
Party had enough food to allow them to do this on full rations.

Atkinson and Dimitri with the two dog-teams left Cape Evans for Hut Point
on February 13 because the sea-ice, which was our only means of
communication between these places, and so to the Barrier, was beginning
to break up. Atkinson intended to leave Hut Point for the Barrier in
about a week's time. At 3.30 A.M. on February 19 Crean arrived with the
astounding news that Lieutenant Evans, still alive but at his last gasp,
was lying out near Corner Camp, and that Lashly was nursing him; that the
Last Supporting Party had consisted of three men only, a possibility
which had never been considered; and that they had left Scott,
travelling rapidly and making good averages, only 148 geographical miles
from the Pole. Scott was so well advanced that it seemed that he would be
home much earlier than had been anticipated.

A blizzard which had been threatening on the Barrier, and actually
blowing at Hut Point, during Crean's solitary journey, but which had
lulled as he arrived, now broke with full force, and nothing could be
done for Evans until it took off sufficiently for the dog-teams to
travel. But in the meantime Crean urgently wanted food and rest and
warmth. As these were supplied to him Atkinson learned bit by bit the
story of the saving of Evans' life, told so graphically in Lashly's diary
which is given in the preceding chapter, and pieced together the details
of Crean's solitary walk of thirty-five statute miles. This effort was
made, it should be remembered, at the end of a journey of three and a
half months, and over ground rendered especially perilous by crevasses,
from which a man travelling alone had no chance of rescue in case of
accident. Crean was walking for eighteen hours, and it was lucky for him,
as also for his companions, that the blizzard which broke half an hour
after his arrival did not come a little sooner, for no power on earth
could have saved him then, and the news of Evans' plight would not have
been brought.

The blizzard raged all that day, and the next night and morning, and
nothing could be done. But during the afternoon of the 20th the
conditions improved, and at 4.30 P.M. Atkinson and Dimitri started with
the two dog-teams, though it was still blowing hard and very thick. They
travelled, with one rest for the dogs, until 4.30 P.M. the next day, but
had a very hazy idea where they were most of the time, owing to the vile
weather: once at any rate they seem to have got right in under White
Island. When they camped the second time they thought they were in the
neighbourhood of Lashly's tent, and in a temporary clearance they saw the
flag which Lashly had put up on the sledge. Evans was still alive, and
Atkinson was able to give him immediately the fresh vegetables, fruit,
and seal meat which his body wanted. Atkinson has never been able to
express adequately the admiration he feels for Lashly's care and
nursing.

All that night and the next day the blizzard continued and made a start
impossible, and it was not until 3 A.M. on the morning of the 22nd that
they could start for Hut Point, Evans being carried in his sleeping-bag
on the sledge. Lashly has told how they got home.

At Cape Evans we knew nothing of these events, which had made
reorganization inevitable. It was clear that Atkinson, being the only
doctor available, would have to stay with Evans, who was very seriously
ill: indeed Atkinson told me that another day, or at the most two, would
have finished him. In fact he says that when he first saw him he thought
he must die. It was a considerable surprise then when Dimitri with Crean
and one dog-team reached Cape Evans about mid-day on February 23 with a
note from Atkinson, who said that he thought he had better stay with
Lieutenant Evans and that some one else should take out the dogs. He
suggested that Wright or myself should take them. This was our first
intimation that the dogs had not already gone South.

Wright and I started for Hut Point by 2 P.M. the same day and on our
arrival it was decided by Atkinson that I was to take out the dogs. Owing
to the early departure of our meteorologist, Simpson, Wright, who had
special qualifications for this important work, was to remain at Cape
Evans. Dimitri having rested his dog-team overnight at Cape Evans arrived
at Hut Point on the morning of the 24th.

Now the daily distance which every 4-man party had to average from Hut
Point to its turning-point and back to Hut Point, so as to be on full
rations all the way, was only 8.4 geographical miles. From Hut Point to
the latitude in which he was last seen, 87 deg. 32' S., Scott had averaged
more than ten geographical miles a day.

Taking into consideration the advanced latitude, 87 deg. 32' S., at which the
Second Return Party had left Scott, and the extremely good daily averages
these two parties had marched on the plateau up to this point, namely
12.3 geographical miles a day; seeing also that the First Return Party
had averaged 14.2 geographical miles on their return from 85 deg. 3' S. to
One Ton Depot; and the Second Return Party had averaged 11.2 geographical
miles on their return from 87 deg. 32' S. to the same place, although one of
the three men was seriously ill; it was supposed that all the previous
estimates made for the return of the Polar Party were too late, and that
the opportunity to reach One Ton Camp before them had been lost.
Meanwhile the full rations for their return over the 140 miles (statute)
from One Ton to Hut Point were still at Hut Point.

My orders were given me by Atkinson, and were verbal, as follows:

1. To take 24 days' food for the two men, and 21
days' food for the two dog-teams, together with the food
for the Polar Party.

2. To travel to One Ton Depot as fast as possible and
leave the food there.

3. If Scott had not arrived at One Ton Depot before
me I was to judge what to do.

4. That Scott was not in any way dependent on the
dogs for his return.

5. That Scott had given particular instructions that the
dogs were not to be risked in view of the sledging plans
for next season.

Since it had proved impossible to take the depot of dog-food, together
with the full Polar Party rations, to One Ton before this; considering
the unforeseen circumstances which had arisen; and seeing that this
journey of the dog-teams was not indispensable, being simply meant to
bring the last party home more speedily, I do not believe that better
instructions could have been given than these of Atkinson.

I was eager to start as soon as the team which had come back from Cape