Part 13 (1/2)

With camp equipment a party is always safe, though it is not easy to pitch tent in a high wind.

I can forsee no object before you which can justify the risk of accident to yourself or to the other members of your party.

I wish you to show these instructions to Debenham, who will take charge of the party in case you should be incapacitated.

I sincerely hope you will be able to accomplish your work without difficulty, and I am sure that Pennell will do his best to help you.

Yours,

(Signed) R.F. SCOTT.

IV.--INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOG TEAMS.

_October_ 20.

DEAR MEARES,--In order that there may be no mistake concerning the important help which it is hoped the dog teams will give to the Southern Party, I have thought it best to set down my wishes as under:

a.s.suming that you carry two bags of oilcake to Hut Point, I want you to take these with five bags of forage to Corner Camp before the end of the month. This will leave two bags of forage at Hut Point.

If the motors pa.s.s Hut Point en route for the Barrier, I should be glad to get all possible information of their progress. About a day after they have pa.s.sed if you are at Hut Point I should like you to run along their tracks for half a day with this object. The motors will pick up the two bags of forage at Hut Point--they should be placed in a convenient position for this purpose.

The general scheme of your work in your first journey over the Barrier has been thoroughly discussed, and the details are contained in Table VIII of my plan of which you should have a copy. I leave you to fix the date of your departure from Hut Point, observing that I should like you to join me at One Ton Camp, or very shortly after.

We cannot afford to wait. Look for a note from me at Corner Camp. The date of your return must be arranged according to circ.u.mstances. Under favourable conditions you should be back at Hut Point by December 19 at latest.

After sufficient rest I should like you to transport to Hut Point such emergency stores as have not yet been sent from Cape Evans. At this time you should see that the Discovery Hut is provisioned to support the Southern Party and yourself in the autumn in case the s.h.i.+p does not arrive.

At some time during this month or early in January you should make your second journey to One Ton Camp and leave there:

5 units X.S. ration.

3 cases of biscuit.

5 gallons of oil.

As much dog food as you can conveniently carry (for third journey).

This depot should be laid not later than January 19, in case of rapid return of first unit of Southern Party.

Supposing that you have returned to Hut Point by January 13, there will be nothing for you to do on the Southern road for at least three weeks.

In this case, and supposing the ice conditions to be favourable, I should like you to go to Cape Evans and await the arrival of the s.h.i.+p.

The s.h.i.+p will be short-handed and may have difficulty in landing stores.

I should like you to give such a.s.sistance as you can without tiring the dogs.

About the first week of February I should like you to start your third journey to the South, the object being to hasten the return of the third Southern unit and give it a chance to catch the s.h.i.+p. The date of your departure must depend on news received from returning units, the extent of the depot of dog food you have been able to leave at One Ton Camp, the state of the dogs, etc.

a.s.suming that the s.h.i.+p will have to leave the Sound soon after the middle of March, it looks at present as though you should aim at meeting the returning party about March 1 in Lat.i.tude 82 or 82.30. If you are then in a position to advance a few short marches or ”mark time” for five or six days on food brought, or ponies killed, you should have a good chance of affecting your object.

You will carry with you beyond One Ton Camp one X.S. ration, including biscuit and one gallon of paraffin, and of course you will not wait beyond the time when you can safely return on back depots.

You will of course understand that whilst the object of your third journey is important, that of the second is vital. At all hazards three X.S. units of provision must be got to One Ton Camp by the date named, and if the dogs are unable to perform this service, a man party must be organised.