t.

But poor Evans had sustained a severe concussion through falling and
hitting his head on the 4th, and the party on his account was so delayed
that the surplus foodstuffs rapidly diminished, and the outlook became
serious. Bad weather was again encountered, and on February 17, near the
foot of the Glacier, Seaman Evans died. Wilson expressed the opinion that
Evans must have injured his brain by the fall. It was a great surprise to
all of us to hear of Evans failing so early, as he was known to be a man
of enormous strength, and a tried sledger. He was also a veteran in
Antarctic experience, having made some wonderful journeys under Scott in
the "Discovery" days.

After reaching the Lower Glacier Depot on the 17th the bereaved little
band pushed Northward with fine perseverance, although they must have
known by their gradually shortening marches that little hope of reaching
their winter quarters remained. Their best march on the Barrier was only
12 miles, and in the later stages their marches dropped to 4. The depots
were, as stated, some 65 miles apart, but the temperatures fell as they
advanced, instead of rising, as expected, and we find them
recording -46.2 degrees one night. Surfaces were terrible--"like
pulling over desert sand, not the least glide in the world."

Poor Oates's feet and hands were badly frostbitten--he constantly
appealed to Wilson for advice. What should he do, what could he do? Poor,
gallant soldier, we thought such worlds of him. Wilson could only answer
"slog on, just slog on." On March 17, which was Oates's birthday, he
walked out to his death in a noble endeavour to save his three companions
beset with hardships, and as Captain Scott himself wrote, "It was the act
of a brave man and an English gentleman--we all hope to meet the end with
a similar spirit, and assuredly the end is not far."

Scott, Wilson, and Bowers fought on until March 21, only doing about 20
miles in the four days, and then they were forced to camp 11 miles south
of One Ton Depot. They were kept in camp by a blizzard which was too
violent to permit them to move, and on March 25 Captain Scott wrote his
great message to the public:

MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC

The causes of the disaster are not due to faulty organisation, but to
misfortune in all risks which had to be undertaken.

1.--The loss of pony transport in March, 1911, obliged me to start later
than I had intended, and obliged the limits of stu