Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/451

low temperature and a blizzard blowing from the north-west. The rate of travel was so quick that the dogs' run was finished early and the two men had to spend an unusually long time in their sleeping-bags, which in this cold weather was bad for them and bad for their gear. About mid-day the weather cleared enough to let them start.

On March 4 they reached One Ton Depôt in the morning, travelling during a clear night and morning. A blizzard came on after their arrival and the temperature had fallen considerably. Cherry-Garrard, owing to the low temperature, found his glasses of no use and had to trust to Demetri to pick out the cairns. Owing to the cold weather and the thin coats of the dogs he rightly decided to give them more food.

On March 5, 6, 7, and 8 they had exceedingly cold weather and blizzard. On none of these days would it have been possible for them to proceed south had they wished to do so. This party had no minimum thermometer, but on most of the nights before the sun had set the temperature had fallen to nearly minus 40°, which probably meant a minimum temperature of between 40° and 50° for the night. The dogs were in bad condition and feeling the cold. Demetri also declared that he felt far from well. These days of bad weather left Cherry-Garrard with the alternative of holding on at the camp or of travelling south for one day and allowing one day to return to the One Ton Depôt. Owing to the difficulties of keeping the right line with dog teams, he very wisely decided to remain at One Ton Depôt, leaving himself with only 8 days' dog food to return on.