[the two dog-teams going out to meet the
Polar Party], a thing we had been looking for to try and get relief, but
when we came up to it we found it was only a piece of biscuit box stuck
on an old camp for a guide. It shows how deceiving the things here are. I
can tell you our hopes were raised, but on reaching it they dropped again
considerably. We were able to see the land occasionally, and during one
of the breaks this afternoon we spotted the motor. Oh, what joy! We again
uncovered Mr. Evans to let him have a look and after trudging along for
another three hours we brought up alongside it and camped for the night.
We are now only a little over 30 miles from Hut Point: if we could only
see the dogs approaching us, but they, we think, may have passed us while
the weather have been thick. Mr. Evans is getting worse every day, we are
almost afraid to sleep at night as he seems very weak. If the temperature
goes much lower it will be a job to keep him warm. We have found some
biscuits here at the motor but nothing else, but that will assist greatly
on our way. The slogging have been heavy all day. We are pretty tired
to-night. I dont think we have got the go in us we had, but we must try
and push on.

_18th February 1912._

I started to move Mr. Evans this morning, but he completely collapsed and
fainted away. Crean was very upset and almost cried, but I told him it
was no good to create a scene but put up a bold front and try to assist.
I really think he thought Mr. Evans had gone, but we managed to pull him
through. We used the last drop of brandy. After awhile we got him on the
sledge and proceeded as usual, but finding the surface very bad and we
were unable to make less than a mile an hour, we stopped and decided to
camp. We told Mr. Evans of our plans, which were: Crean should proceed,
it being a splendid day, on foot to Hut Point to obtain relief if
possible. This we had agreed to between ourselves. I offered to do the
Journey and Crean remain behind, but Tom said he would much rather I
stayed with the invalid and look after him, so I thought it best I should
remain, and these plans were agreed to by all of us, so after we had
camped the next thing was the food problem. We had about a day's
provisions with extra biscuit taken from the motor, and a little extra
oil taken from the same place, so we gave Crean what he thought he could
manage to accomplish the Journey of 30 miles geographical on, which was a
littl