Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 1.djvu/873

1912] to get slack and slow with our camping arrangements, and small delays increase. I have talked of the matter to-night and hope for improvement. We cannot do distance without the ponies. The next depôt some 30 miles away and nearly 3 days' food in hand.

Thursday, February 15.—R. 29. Lunch Temp. −10°; Supper Temp. −4°. 13·5 miles. Again we are running short of provision. We don't know our distance from the depôt, but imagine about 20 miles. Heavy march—did 13¾ (geo.). We are pulling for food and not very strong evidently. In the afternoon it was overcast; land blotted out for a considerable interval. We have reduced food, also sleep; feeling rather done. Trust 1½ days or 2 at most will see us at depôt.

Friday, February 16.—12·5 m. Lunch Temp. −6·1°; Supper Temp. −7°. A rather trying position. Evans has nearly broken down in brain, we think. He is absolutely changed from his normal self-reliant self. This morning and this afternoon he stopped the march on some trivial excuse. We are on short rations with not very short food; spin out till to-morrow night. We cannot be more than 10 or 12 miles from the depôt, but the weather is all against us. After lunch we were enveloped in a snow sheet, land just looming. Memory should hold the events of a very troublesome march with more troubles ahead. Perhaps all will be well if we can get to our depôt to-morrow fairly early, but it is anxious work with the sick man. But it's no use meeting troubles half way, and our sleep is all too short to write more.