CHAPTER XIV
THE LAST WINTER
Ordinary people snuggle up to God as a lost leveret in a freezing wilderness might snuggle up to a Siberian tiger. . . .—H.G. Wells.
| (I.) 5 men dead. | (III.) 2 men landed. | |||
| Scott | Oates | Archer | Williamson | |
| Wilson | Seaman Evans | |||
| Bowers | (IV.) 13 men at Cape Evans for third year. | |||
| Atkinson | Crean | |||
| (II.) 9 men gone home. | Cherry-Garrard | Keohane | ||
| Lieut. Evans | Day | Wright | Dimitri | |
| Simpson | Forde | Debenham | Hooper | |
| Meares | Clissold | Gran | Williamson | |
| Taylor | Anton | Nelson | Archer | |
| Ponting | Lashly | |||
A quite disproportionately small part of Scott's Last Expedition was given to Atkinson's account of the last and worst year any of us survivors spent: some one should have compelled him to write, for he will not do so if he can help it. The problems which presented themselves were unique in the history of Arctic travel, the weather conditions which had to be faced during this last winter were such as had never been met in McMurdo Sound! The sledging personnel had lately undergone journeys, in one case no less than four journeys, of major importance, until they were absolutely worn out. The successful issue of the party was a triumph of good management and good fellowship. The saving clause was that as regards hut, food, heat, clothing and the domestic life generally we were splendidly found. To the north of us, some hundreds of miles away,
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