is better than no news.

_Evening._ The Pole Party photos of themselves at the Pole and at the
Norwegian cairn (a Norwegian tent, post and two flags) are very good
indeed--one film is unused, one used on these two subjects: taken with
Birdie's camera. All the party look fit and well, and their clothes are
not iced up. It was calm at the time: the surface looks rather soft.

Atkinson and Campbell have gone to Hut Point with one dog-team, and we
are all to forgather here. The ice still seems good from here to Hut
Point: all else open water as far as can be seen.

A steady southerly wind has been blowing here for three days now. The
mules should get into Hut Point to-day.

It is the happiest day for nearly a year--almost the only happy one.

FOOTNOTES:

[291] My own diary.

[292] Wright's diary.

[293] Wright's diary.

CHAPTER XVII

THE POLAR JOURNEY

DON JUAN. This creature Man, who in his own selfish affairs is a
coward to the backbone, will fight for an idea like a hero. He
may be abject as a citizen; but he is dangerous as a fanatic. He
can only be enslaved while he is spiritually weak enough to
listen to reason. I tell you, gentlemen, if you can show a man a
piece of what he now calls God's work to do, and what he will
later on call by many new names, you can make him entirely
reckless of the consequences to himself personally....

DON JUAN. Every idea for which Man will die will be a Catholic
idea. When the Spaniard learns at last that he is no better than
the Saracen, and his prophet no better than Mahomet, he will
arise, more Catholic than ever, and die on a barricade across the
filthy slum he starves in, for universal liberty and equality.

THE STATUE. Bosh!

DON JUAN. What you call bosh is the only thing men dare die for.
Later on, Liberty will not be Catholic enough: men will die for
human perfection, to which they will sacrifice all their liberty
gladly.

BERNARD SHAW, _Man and Superman._

V. THE POLE AND AFTER

_The Polar Party._ _Depots._

SCOTT One Ton [79 deg. 29'].
WILSON Upper Barrier or Mount Hooper [80 deg. 32'].
BOWERS Middle Barrier [81 deg. 35'].
OATES Lower Barrier [82 deg. 47'].
Seaman EVANS Shambles Camp [N. of Gateway].