The worst journey in the world, Antarctic, 1910-1913 . Bowersand I practically made camp, and when we got into thetent at last we were all deadly cold. Then temp, now mid-day down - 43° and the wind strong. We must go on, butnow the making of every camp must be more difficult anddangerous. It must be near the end, but a pretty merci-ful end. Poor Oates got it again in the foot. I shudderto think what it will be like to-morrow. It is only withgreatest pains rest of us keep off frost-bites. No idea therecould be temperatures like this at this time of year withsuch winds. Truly awful outside the
The worst journey in the world, Antarctic, 1910-1913 . Bowersand I practically made camp, and when we got into thetent at last we were all deadly cold. Then temp, now mid-day down - 43° and the wind strong. We must go on, butnow the making of every camp must be more difficult anddangerous. It must be near the end, but a pretty merci-ful end. Poor Oates got it again in the foot. I shudderto think what it will be like to-morrow. It is only withgreatest pains rest of us keep off frost-bites. No idea therecould be temperatures like this at this time of year withsuch winds. Truly awful outside the tent. Must fight itout to the last biscuit, but cant reduce rations. Friday, March 16, or Saturday, 17. Lost track ofdates, but think the last correct. Tragedy all along the lunch, the day before yesterday, poor Titus Oates saidhe couldnt go on ; he proposed we should leave him inhis sleeping-bag. That we could not do, and we inducedhim to come on, on the afternoon march. In spite of itsawful nature for him he struggled on and we made a few. < o Q ^ THE POLAR JOURNEY 537 miles. At night he was worse and we knew the end hadcome. Should this be found I want these facts recorded. Oateslast thoughts were of his mother, but immediately beforehe took pride in thinking that his regiment would bepleased with the bold way in which he met his death. Wecan testify to his bravery. He has borne intense sufferingfor weeks without complaint, and to the very last was ableand willing to discuss outside subjects. He did not—would not—give up hope till the very end. He was a bravesoul. This was the end. He slept through the night beforelast, hoping not to wake; but he woke in the morning—yesterday. It was blowing a blizzard. He said, * I am justgoing outside and may be some time. He went out intothe blizzard and we have not seen him since. I take this opportunity of saying that we have stuck toour sick companions to the last. In case of Edgar Evans,when absolutely out of food an
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1922
