: and we
have to reduce food again, only one biscuit to-night with a thin hoosh of
pemmican. To-morrow we have to make one day's food which remains last
over the two. The weather became heavily overcast during the afternoon
and then began to snow, and though we got in our 4 hours' march it was
with difficulty, and we only made a bit over 5 miles. However, we are
nearer the depot to-night."

"_February 16. 121/2 m. geog._ Got a good start in fair weather after one
biscuit and a thin breakfast, and made 71/2 m. in the forenoon. Again the
weather became overcast and we lunched almost at our old bearing on
Kyffin of lunch Dec. 15. All the afternoon the weather became thick and
thicker and after 31/4 hours Evans collapsed, sick and giddy, and unable to
walk even by the sledge on ski, so we camped. Can see no land at all
anywhere, but we must be getting pretty near the Pillar Rock. Evans'
collapse has much to do with the fact that he has never been sick in his
life and is now helpless with his hands frost-bitten. We had thin meals
for lunch and supper."

"_February 17._ The weather cleared and we got away for a clear run to
the depot and had gone a good part of the way when Evans found his ski
shoes coming off. He was allowed to readjust and continue to pull, but it
happened again, and then again, so he was told to unhitch, get them
right, and follow on and catch us up. He lagged far behind till lunch,
and when we camped we had lunch, and then went back for him as he had not
come up. He had fallen and had his hands frost-bitten, and we then
returned for the sledge, and brought it, and fetched him in on it as he
was rapidly losing the use of his legs. He was comatose when we got him
into the tent, and he died without recovering consciousness that night
about 10 P.M. We had a short rest for an hour or two in our bags that
night, then had a meal and came on through the pressure ridges about 4
miles farther down and reached our Lower Glacier Depot. Here we camped at
last, had a good meal and slept a good night's rest which we badly
needed. Our depot was all right."[339] "A very terrible day.... On
discussing the symptoms we think he began to get weaker just before we
reached the Pole, and that his downward path was accelerated first by
the shock of his frost-bitten fingers, and later by falls during rough
travelling on the glacier, further by his loss of all confidence in
himself. Wilson thinks it certain he must have injured hi