Page:Scott's Last Expedition, Volume 2.djvu/459

On March 26 Keohane and I, having eighteen days' food for ourselves and the major portion of a week's ration for the Polar Party, started south. On the first day we made good about nine miles after a very hard pull. The temperature was exceedingly low but the weather fair. Our minimum thermometer failed on this journey, so that there was no accurate record of the temperatures. After a sleepless night we started at 8.30 and made good another nine miles. The day was overcast and there was no point to steer by. The weather continued cold and there was practically no sleep at night in the tent occupied by only two men.

On March 29 it was again overcast, with strong breeze; we made good eleven miles and then, the weather clearing, we realised that we were too far in to White Island amongst the pressure.

On the 30th we made out from White Island, then a few miles south of Corner Camp. We returned to the motor, taking up the sledge left there by Lieutenant Evans, and then on to Corner Camp. Taking into consideration the weather and temperatures and the time of the year, and the hopelessness of finding the party except at any definite point like a depôt, I decided to return from here. We depôted the major portion of a week's provisions to enable them to communicate with Hut Point in case they should reach this point. At this date in my own mind I was morally certain that the party had perished, and in fact on March 29 Captain Scott, 11 miles south of One Ton Depôt, made the last entry in his diary.