“After a little consultation we decided to get under way,” wrote Joyce.  “Although the weather is thick, and snow is falling, it is worth while to make the effort.  A little patience with the direction and the cairns, even if one has to put them up 200 yds. apart, enables us to advance, and it seems that this weather will never break.  We have cut up an old pair of trousers belonging to Richards to place on the sides of the cairns, so as to make them more prominent.  It was really surprising to find how we got on in spite of the snow and the pie-crust surface.  We did 5 miles 75 yds. before lunch.  The dogs are doing splendidly.  I really don’t know how we should manage if it were not for them....  The distance for the day was 10 miles 720 yds., a splendid performance considering surface and weather.”

The weather cleared on the 14th; and the men were able to get bearings from the mountains to the westward.  They advanced fairly rapidly during succeeding days, the daily distances being from ten to twelve miles, and reached lat. 82° S. on the morning of January 18.  The depot here, like the depot at 81° S., contained five days’ provisions for twelve men.  Mackintosh was having trouble with the Primus lamp in his tent, and this made it inadvisable to divide the party again.  It was decided, therefore, that all should proceed, and that the next and last depot should be placed on the base of Mount Hope, at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier, in lat. 83° 30´ S. The party proceeded at once and advanced five miles beyond the depot before camping on the evening of the 18th.

The sledge loads were now comparatively light, and on the 19th the party covered 13 miles 700 yds.  A new trouble was developing, for Spencer-Smith was suffering from swollen and painful legs, and was unable to do much pulling.  Joyce wrote on the 21st that Smith was worse, and that Mackintosh was showing signs of exhaustion.  A mountain that he believed to be Mount Hope could be seen right ahead, over thirty miles away.  Spencer-Smith, who had struggled forward gamely and made no unnecessary complaints, started with the party the next morning and kept going until shortly before noon.  Then he reported his inability to proceed, and Mackintosh called a halt.  Spencer-Smith suggested that he should be left with provisions and a tent while the other members of the party pushed on to Mount Hope, and pluckily assured Mackintosh that the rest would put him right and that he would be ready to march when they returned.  The party agreed, after a brief consultation, to adopt this plan.  Mackintosh felt that the depot must be laid, and that delay would be dangerous.  Spencer-Smith was left with a tent, one sledge, and provisions, and told to expect the returning party in about a week.  The tent was made as comfortable as possible inside, and food was placed within the sick man’s reach.  Spencer-Smith bade his companions a cheery good-bye after lunch, and the party was six or seven miles away before evening.  Five men had to squeeze into one tent that night, but with a minus temperature they did not object to being crowded.