well as much colder than pulling ahead. Most of the time we had to
brake back with all our strength to keep the sledge from overrunning.
Bill got a bad go of sun-glare from following the track without
goggles on.

"_January_ 26.--This day last year we started the depot journey. I did
not think so short a time would turn me into an old hand at Polar
travelling, neither did I imagine all the time that I would be
returning from the Pole.

"_January_ 29.--Our record march to-day. With a good breeze and
improving surface we were soon in amongst the double tracks where the
supporting party left us. Then we picked up the memorable camp where
I transferred to the advance party. How glad I was to change over. The
camp was much drifted up, and immense sastrugi . . . etc."

Day's marches, temperatures, and so on, then his diary commences missing
days out and only contains two line entries in short, sharp notes such
as:

"_January_ 31.--Picked up depot 11.20 a.m. Picked up my ski 6.15 p.m.
No wind latterly--heavy surface. 13 1/2--Bill's leg--Evans's
fingers--extra biscuits, etc."; and

"_February_ 11.--Very heavy surface--ice crystals--movement of upper
currents--Evans cook--finer weather--lower temperature--sastrugi.
Run 11.1."

It was probably the beginning of the end.

February brought little to the party but bad luck and reverses. Wilson
had strained a tendon in his leg. Evans's fingers were in a bad state
through frostbite, and on the first of the month Scott himself had fallen
and shaken himself badly. Temperatures low, too low for any good surface.
February 4 found the party amongst crevasses, both Scott and Evans
falling into them. Notwithstanding all their troubles they made a fine
pace over the ice-capped plateau and down the Beardmore. Evans's fall on
February 4 crocked him up a good deal, and he suffered from facial
frostbites. His condition all the time now was causing the gravest
anxiety. The summit journey ended on February 7. On the 8th valuable
geological specimens were collected and brought along, and then the
descent of the Great Glacier commenced. The Beardmore temperatures to
begin with were rather high, and Scott seems to have considered this a
disadvantage, for he says it made the party feel slack. Evans was rested
half-way down the Beardmore, Oates looking after him, while the other
made a halt for geological investigation by the Cloudmaker depo