10th February 1912.

We did a good march, in very thick weather.  To-night we are camped and I am sorry to say Mr. Evans is in a very bad state.  If this is scurvy I am sorry for anyone it attacks.  We shall do our utmost to get him back alive, although he is so ill, he is very cheerful, which is very good and tries to do anything to help us along.  We are thinking the food, now we have got a change, may improve things.  I am very pleased to say Crean and myself are in the best of health, which we are thankful for.

    11th February 1912.

To-day we built a cairn and left all our gear we could do without, as it is impossible for us to drag the load now, and Mr. Evans we think is doing well as long as he can keep on his legs.  We have had a very bad light all day, and to-night we have a bliz on us, so we had to camp early.  Our day’s run has been 11 miles.  We are now about 99 miles from our base.

    12th February 1912.

We did not get away until 10 o’clock on account of bad weather, but after we put Mr. Evans on his ski he went on slowly.  It is against our wish to have to send him on a little in advance, but it is best as we shall have to drag him out of this we are certain.  He has fainted on two or three occasions, but after a drop of brandy he has been able to proceed, but it is very awkward, especially as the temperature is so low.  We are afraid of his getting frost-bitten.  Our progress is very slow, the light is very bad, and it is seldom we see the land.

    13th February 1912.

We got away in good time, but progress was slow, and Mr. Evans could not go, and we consulted awhile and came to the conclusion it would be best to put him on the sledge, otherwise he may not pull through, so we stopped and camped, and decided to drop everything we can possibly do without, so we have only got our sleeping bags, cooker, and what little food and oil we have left.  Our load is not much, but Mr. Evans on the sledge makes it pretty heavy work for us both, but he says he is comfortable now.  This morning he wished us to leave him, but this we could not think of.  We shall stand by him to the end one way or other, so we are the masters to-day.  He has got to do as we wish and we hope to pull him through.  This morning when we depoted all our gear I changed my socks and got my foot badly frostbitten, and the only way was to fetch it round.  So although Mr. Evans was so bad he proposed to stuff it on his stomach to try and get it right again.  I did not like to risk such a thing as he is certainly very weak, but we tried it, and it succeeded in bringing it round, thanks to his thoughtfulness, and I shall never forget the kindness bestowed on me at a critical time in our travels, but I think we could go to any length of trouble to assist one another; in such time and such a place we must trust in a higher power to pull us through.  When we pack up now and have to move