“Without the aid of four faithful friends, Oscar, Con, Gunner, and Towser, the party could never have arrived back.  These dogs from November 5 accompanied the sledging parties, and, although the pace was often very slow, they adapted themselves well to it.  Their endurance was fine.  For three whole days at one time they had not a scrap of food, and this after a period on short rations.  Though they were feeble towards the end of the trip, their condition usually was good, and those who returned with them will ever remember the remarkable service they rendered.

“The first indication of anything wrong with the general health of the party occurred at about lat. 82° 30´ S., when Spencer-Smith complained of stiffness in the legs and discolouration.  He attributed this to holes in his windproof clothing.  At lat. 83° S., when he gave way, it was thought that the rest would do him good.  About the end of January Captain Mackintosh showed very serious signs of lameness.  At this time his party had been absent from Hut Point, and consequently from fresh food, about three months.

“On the journey back Spencer-Smith gradually became weaker, and for some time before the end was in a very weak condition indeed.  Captain Mackintosh, by great efforts, managed to keep his feet until the long blizzard was encountered.  Here it was that Hayward was first found to be affected with the scurvy, his knees being stiff.  In his case the disease took him off his feet very suddenly, apparently causing the muscles of his legs to contract till they could be straightened hardly more than a right angle.  He had slight touches in the joints of the arms.  In the cases of Joyce, Wild, and Richards, joints became stiff and black in the rear, but general weakness was the worst symptom experienced.  Captain Mackintosh’s legs looked the worst in the party.”

The five men who were now at Hut Point found quickly that some of the winter months must be spent there.  They had no news of the ship, and were justified in assuming that she had not returned to the Sound, since if she had some message would have been awaiting them at Hut Point, if not farther south.  The sea-ice had broken and gone north within a mile of the point, and the party must wait until the new ice became firm as far as Cape Evans.  Plenty of seal meat was available, as well as dried vegetables, and the fresh food improved the condition of the patients very rapidly.  Richards massaged the swollen joints and found that this treatment helped a good deal.  Before the end of March Mackintosh and Hayward, the worst sufferers, were able to take exercise.  By the second week of April Mackintosh was free of pain, though the backs of his legs were still discoloured.