22/03/10 21:28:37.32 0.net
Saturday, March 10. – Things steadily downhill.
Oates’ foot worse.
He has rare pluck and must know that he can never get through.
He asked Wilson if he had a chance this morning, and of course Bill had to say he didn’t know.
In point of fact he has none.
Apart from him, if he went under now, I doubt whether we could get through.
With great care we might have a dog’s chance, but no more.
The weather conditions are awful, and our gear gets steadily more icy and difficult to manage.
At the same time of course poor Titus is the greatest handicap.
He keeps us waiting in the morning until we have partly lost the warming effect of our good breakfast, when the only wise policy is to be up and away at once; again at lunch.
Poor chap! it is too pathetic to watch him; one cannot but try to cheer him up.
Yesterday we marched up the depôt, Mt. Hooper.
Cold comfort. Shortage on our allowance all round.
I don’t know that anyone is to blame.
The dogs which would have been our salvation have evidently failed.
Meares had a bad trip home I suppose.
This morning it was calm when we breakfasted, but the wind came from the W.N.W. as we broke camp.
It rapidly grew in strength.
After travelling for half an hour I saw that none of us could go on facing such conditions.
We were forced to camp and are spending the rest of the day in a comfortless blizzard camp, wind quite foul.