Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/452

Strict injunctions had been given by Captain Scott that the dogs should not be risked in any way.

On March 10 they depôted their two weeks' supply of provisions for the Southern Party, including several smaller delicacies. One Ton was then supplied with sufficient man provisions for a party of five for over a month. On this same day they started their return journey at 8 a.m. after a very cold night. Their gear and sleeping-bags were all iced up and neither of the men in good condition. The dogs at the start went practically wild, Demetri's sledge crossing Cherry-Garrard's and smashing the sledgemeter adrift. They fought as they went in their harness and had no idea of direction. This continued for six or seven miles and then they got better. After this the weather became gradually overcast and navigation became difficult. After camping, they again proceeded slowly by compass, completing 23 miles for the day, but had no idea of their whereabouts at the end.

The next morning, March 11, the weather was so overcast that they could not start. Quoting from his diary: 'Started at 2 p.m. with just a litle patch of blue sky, but we did not know where we were going and stopped at 8 miles in a blizzard. I think we were turning circles most of the time.' During the night and morning of March 12 they had a very heavy blizzard and very low temperature. Demetri declared that he could see the Bluff and that they were right into the land. This meant that they would be amongst the ice pressure and crevasses. They steered east away from this, and the