roughly enjoyed the afternoon
march": "Christmas Day, and a real good and happy one with a very long
march": "January 1, 1912. We had only 6 hours' sleep last night by a
mistake, but I had mine solid in one piece, actually waking in exactly
the same position as I fell asleep in 6 hours before--never moved":
"January 2. We were surprised to-day by seeing a Skua gull flying over
us--evidently hungry but not weak. Its droppings, however, were clear
mucus, nothing in them at all. It appeared in the afternoon and
disappeared again about 1/2 hour after." And then on January 3: "Last night
Scott told us what the plans were for the South Pole. Scott, Oates,
Bowers, Petty Officer Evans and I are to go to the Pole. Teddie Evans is
to return from here to-morrow with Crean and Lashly. Scott finished his
week's cooking to-night and I begin mine to-morrow." Just that.

The next day Bowers wrote: "I had my farewell breakfast in the tent with
Teddy Evans, Crean and Lashly. After so little sleep the previous night I
rather dreaded the march. We gave our various notes, messages and letters
to the returning party and started off. They accompanied us for about a
mile before returning, to see that all was going well. Our party were on
ski with the exception of myself: I first made fast to the central span,
but afterwards connected up to the toggle of the sledge, pulling in the
centre between the inner ends of Captain Scott's and Dr. Wilson's traces.
This was found to be the best place, as I had to go my own step.

"Teddy and party gave us three cheers, and Crean was half in tears. They
have a feather-weight sledge to go back with of course, and ought to run
down their distance easily.[295] We found we could manage our load
easily, and did 6.3 miles before lunch, completing 12.5 by 7.15 P.M. Our
marching hours are nine per day. It is a long slog with a well-loaded
sledge, and more tiring for me than the others, as I have no ski.
However, as long as I can do my share all day and keep fit it does not
matter much one way or the other.

"We had our first northerly wind on the plateau to-day, and a deposit of
snow crystals made the surface like sand latterly on the march. The
sledge dragged like lead. In the evening it fell calm, and although the
temperature was -16 deg. it was positively pleasant to stand about outside
the tent and bask in the sun's rays. It was our first calm since we
reached the summit too. Our socks and other damp articles w