'When I got aboard I found that I had no frostbites but my helmet was frozen on to my face & whiskers & hair at the back of my neck… & found that Wild had guided the other party of men back to the ship. He had spikes in the soles of his boots & went down the slope after us a little, but seeing nothing of us went back to his party… Vince was always falling and sliding & when they came to the ice, a few stones was all that saved these men from going over the same slope as we were on, to their death… Vince slipped & went down like a shot & disappeared over the edge. Wild looked over after him but could see nothing, but he knew that it was water. They then thought that we had perished in the same way… Weller nearly slipped over too. His toes were frozen. Then after a long struggle they wandered right down to Hut Point.'

'…Hoosh. This is a moment to be lived for – one of the brief incidents of the day to which we can look forward with some real pleasure. The hot food seems to give new life, its grateful warmth appears to run out to every limb. Exhaustion vanishes, and gradually that demon within, which has gripped so tightly for the past hour or two, is appeased. The hoosh' is followed by an equally delightful drink of boiling hot cocoa, but even as we gulp it down we feel that pleasure is drawing to an end, for the Primus is now out, the steam of cooking that has not passed through the ventilator has frozen in glistening crystals on the side of the tent, and the chill of the outer air is again finding its way through the thin canvas.'

'Our last day outwards. We have shot our bolt, and the tale is latitude 88° 23 mins South, longitude 162° East. The wind eased down at 1a.m., and at 2a.m. were up and had breakfast. At 4a.m. started south, with the Union Jack, a brass cylinder containing stamps and documents to place at the furthest south point, camera, glasses and compass. At 9 a.m. we were half running and half walking over a surface much hardened by the recent blizzard. It was strange for us to go along without the nightmare of a sledge dragging behind us. We hoisted his Majesty's flag and the other Union Jack afterwards, and took possession of the plateau in the name of his Majesty. While the Union Jack blew out stiffly in the icy gale that cut us to the bone, we looked south but could see nothing but the dead white snow plain. There was no break in the plateau as it extended towards the Pole, and we feel sure that the goal we have failed to reach lies on this plain. We stayed only a few minutes, and then, taking the Union Jack and eating our scanty meal we went… Homeward bound at last. Whatever regrets may be, we have done our best.'

'Suddenly Wilson shouted 'Hold on to the sledge,' and I saw him slip a leg into a crevasse. I jumped to the sledge, but saw nothing. Five minutes after, as the teams were trotting side by side, the middle dogs of our team disappeared. In a moment the whole team was sinking – two by two we lost sight of them, each team struggling for a foothold. Osman the leader exerted all his great strength and kept a foothold – it was wonderful to see him. The sledge stopped and we leapt aside. The situation was clear in another moment… the dogs hung in their harness in the abyss, suspended between the sledge and the lead dog… We could get not an inch on the main trace of the sledge or on the leading rope, which was binding Osman with a throttling pressure, Choking sounds from Osman made it clear that the pressure must soon be relieved… Meares managed to get a few inches on the leading line; this freed Osman… Two by two we hauled the animals up to the sledge and one by one cut them out of their harness… All is well that ends well, and certainly this was a most surprisingly happy ending to a very serious episode.'

Nov 1st – 'Left Cape Evans at 11.30 am in fine clear weather. Nobby, Chinaman & Michael started with Bill, Silas & Cherry at 11.10 am about - Helped Soldier away with Christopher - usual kick up. Supplies with Capt Scott Bones & Crean & Snatcher & F.O Evans started. Victor & I left last. V. a little truculent at first but took sledge like a bird when away - said au revoir to Hut Party Sunny Jim Nelson, Griff, Debenham Gran, Forde & Clissold.'

2nd Nov - 'Ponting hard at work with the cinematograph- It must have been jolly cold for him in the stiff blizzard...Clearing Cape Armitage wind fell considerably, not much on Barrier ascended slope easily after one or two falls on Slippery Sea ice, Barrier Surface softer than expected.'

Nov 3rd - 'Easy running for Sledges but heavy plodding for ponies & ourselves. Victor rolled himself into hole with soft snow from which he could not extract himself without help.'

4th Nov - 'Passed Capts lunch camp 1/2 mile further on A's party in sight ahead Surface as before. V going strong overhauled other ponies So I stopped him several times for snow to prevent him getting ahead as I think he takes life more easily with ponies in sight ahead of him. 4.30 am...Built good shelter for fear of blizzard but though it drifted slightly during forenoon it cleared about Noon & Sun shone through clouds, temp rising from –7 to +8. The exceptional mirage we had seen was all gone & The Bluff, Knoll at C. Crozer & Western mounts all Showed up very clearly. This fine warm weather at the outset is a perfect Godsend for the ponies.'

Nov 5th – 'As party & Capt left Before as usual – we pushed off at 11.30 pm without having to down Christopher. Fine clear night without Wind. Surface heavy. 22° halo.'

6th Nov - 'Came up with Capts lunch camp. Clear but Cold breeze. Sighted Cairn ahead & camped off it at same time as A (4.15 am) having the 10.1 miles in 4 ½ hours. The ponies pulling splendidly & surface improving Banking up to the SE & breeze freshening almost immediately. Built walls hurriedly breeze force 5 after breakfast. The Cairn contained 2 bales of fodder left since last Feb. & was plain & intact with only a deep drift all day. Increased to force 8 with more drift in night. Impossible to march with the animals.'

7th Nov - 'Very Considerable drift taking off a little towards morning when Meares & Demitri were in sight with the dog teams & pitched camp about ¼ mile astern of us Later Snow & drift necessitated digging out ponies again and again to keep them well sheltered from the wind. The walls made a splendid Iee but some sledges at the extremities were buried altogether & our tent being rather close to windward of our wall got The back eddy & was continuously being Snowed up over the door.'

8th Nov - 'The surface was so good in places that it was almost impossible to avoid slipping on the hard ridge I fell over several times but fortunately this never disturbs Victor who either stops to eat snow or ignores me altogether.'

10th Nov - 'Victor got off without mishap – he hates wind in his face & so I started him off from behind the wall bringing him head to wind when clear ... The surface was very slippery in parts & on the rather hard ridge it was a case of falling or stumbling continuously. The light got so bad that one night have been walking in the clouds for all that could be discerned & yet it was only snowing slightly. The Bluff became completely obscured & the usual signs of a blizzard were accentuated.'

11th Nov – 'We had a bad time with Chris again. He remembered having been bluffed before & could not be got near the sledge at all without trouble 4 times he broke away but fortunately he always ran back among the other ponies & not out on to the Barrier. Finally we had to down him & he was so tired with his recent struggles that after one abortive attempt we got him fast & away. It is an awful pity that the silly beggar will tire himself like this before his days work begins, it must eventually tell severely on him though he is a very strong beast My sledgemeter was nearly broken during one of the struggles We all got away by 2.30 am & found the Surface very trying to the animals owing to a deposit of fine snow on the hitherto good surface. This must have doubled the work of pulling the sledges & it plainly told on our beasts...The Bluff showed up in the mirage & the land beyond to the SW where the Sun was apparently shining.

12th Nov - 'The persistency of this bad weather is extraordinary. Bluff Camp Cairn showed up remarkably well in the gloom, we passed it about 5 ½ miles out.'

14th Nov - 'Huge icicles from under their noses during the march V generally rubs his off on my sleeve...I am enjoying a slight touch of Snow blindness in my right eye & so I am reduced to Goggles. they are a beastly nuisance as they constantly get fogged & ones breath on them freezes at once. They must be endured however & are a comfortable pair fortunately. 4 pm. Wonders will never cease we have had a fine day. It has been delightfully warm & all the animals are basking drowsily in the Sun. The Bluff & hut Discovery have actually re- appeared but are now a long way astern. Mount Erebus and Mount Terror have gone for good & we seem really well away from the disturbed area. What a godsend a day like this is after our recent misery.'

'We found our last February's depot just as we had left it except for excessive snow drift which was level with the top of the Cairn to leeward & extended in a broad tongue about 150 yards to NE Showing that the prevailing wind here is SW The minimum thermometer I had left here showed -72ºf which was not quite so low as out temp of -99º on the winter journey.'

'The loss of the ship sent a slight wave of depression over the camp. No one said much, but we cannot be blamed for feeling it in a sentimental way. It seemed as if the moment of severance from many cherished associations, many happy moments, even stirring incidents, had come as she silently up-ended to find a last resting-place beneath the ice on which we now stand. When one knows every little nook and corner of one's ship as we did, and has helped her time and again in the fight that she made so well, the actual parting was not without its pathos, quite apart from one's own desolation, and I doubt if there was one amongst us who did not feel some personal emotion when Sir Ernest, standing at the top of the look-out, said somewhat sadly and quietly, She's gone boys.'

'The wind was still blowing, and everywhere black turbulent clouds of drift were swirling up the dark windward side of the mountains. As they passed over the top they were caught by the sun's rays and changed into white foam which broke and disappeared in wisps of grey out to the west. It was pleasant to stand in the shelter of our camp and to look down on such a view… soon after the sun had set, Jupiter and Sirius were just visible and we went out to do longitude and azimuth observations while it was still light enough to use the theodolite without assistance from an electric torch. Later in the evening, we turned our to do a latitude observation and take a time signal, so that by the time we finally went to bed we felt that out position was well.'