, 1913-03-22

~ 'HA' OLh IL ~ AI'uLAo NdF NhONOAO
the strongest man of the party, and the
Beardmore Glacier is not difficult in fine
weather. But on our return we did not get
a single completely fine day. This, with a
sick companion, enormously increased our
snxieties. I have said elsewhere we got in
to frightfully rough ice, and Edgar Evans
received conclusion of the brain. He died
a natural death, but left us a shaken party,
with the season unduly advanced.
But all the facts above enumerated were
as nothing to the surprise which awaited us
on the Barrier. / maintain that our arrange
ments for returning were quite adequate and
that no one in the world would have expect
ed the temperature and surface which we en-
'countered at this time of the year. On the
summit in Lat. 85deg. TO Lat. 86deg. We had
minus 20 to minus 80.
On the Barrier in Lat. 82deg, 10,O0Oft.
lower, we had minus 80 in the day and minus
At at night pretty regularly, with a continu-
GUS head wind during our day marches. 1t
is clear that these circumstances came on
very suddenly, and our wreck is certainly due
to this sudden advent of severe weather, which
does not seem to have any satisfactory cause.
I do not think human beings ever came
through such q month as we have come
through, and we should have got through Ia
spite of the weather but for the sickenlng OF
a second companion, Captain Oates, and q
shortage of fuel in our depots for which l
cannot account, and, finally, but for the
storm which has fallen on Us within II miles
of this depot at which we hoped to secure
the final supplies.
Surely misfortune could scarcely have ex-
'ceeded this last blow. We arrived within
eleven miles of our old One Ton Camp with
81 g.. -. l4 1911 o-l Gool F~n Ayvo loyc
For four days we have been unable to leave
the tent, a gale blowing about us. We are
weak, writing is difficult; but for nv own
sake | do not regret this journey, which has
shown that Engllshmen can endure hardship,
help one another, and meet death with as
great a fortitude as ever in the past We
took risks-we know we took them. Things
have come out against Us, and therefore we
have no cause for complaint, but bow to the
will of Providence, determined still to do our
best TO the last.
But if we have been willing to give our
lives to this enterprise, which is for the hou-
our of our country, [ appeal 70 our country
men to see that those who depend on us are
properly cared for.
Had we lived I should have had a tale to
tell of the hardihood, endurance, and cour-
age of ny companions which would have
stirred the heart of every Englishman.
These rough notes and our dead bodies
must tell the tale, but surely, surely q great,
rich country like oars will see that those who
ale dependent upon us are properly provided
for.
(Signed) r. Scott, Goth March, 1912.
EVERY RECORD PRESERVED.
Surgeon Atkinson and the party gathered
the records and the effects of the dead mon,
read the burial service over their bodies, and
erected q cairn and cross to their memory
over the inner tent in which they buried
them: The party then searched for 20 miles
to the south, endeavouring to discover the
body of Captain Oates. 1t was never found,
but another cairn and record were lett in the
vicinity to his memory.
It should here most certainly be noted
that the Southern party nobly stood by their
sick companions to the end, and in spite of
their distressing condition they had retained
every record and 35lb. of geological speci-
mems, which proved to be OF the greatest sci
entifc value. This emphasizes the nature of
their journey.
The search party now turned %northward,
having decided to direct their efforts next to
the relief of lieutenant Campbell and the