The return party suffered great hardships—Lieutenant Evans owing his life
to the devotion of his comrades, Potty Officer Crean and Mr. Lashley—but ultimately reached the Terra Nova.' The Northern Party under Lieutenant Campbell had been left behind, as the Terra Nova' could not reach them owing to the ice, and no record of their later movements is available. Important geological discoveries are reported, and natural history research has been greatly assisted by the use of the cinematograph. In fine, whatever fortune may attend Captain Scott in the last stages of his journey south, we have good reason to be proud of the splendid spirit and
endurance shown by the leader and his comrades. The infor- mation to hand fully proves the contention of Sir Clements Markham that the expedition is being carried out in the interest, not of sensation, but of science. The letter written by Captain Scott on October 29th, 1911, on the eve of his departure for the South makes it quite clear that he never had any intention of racing Captain Amundsen to the Pole. While admitting that Amundsen's presence in the Antarctic complicates the situation, he states that he decided long ago to do exactly as he would have done had Amundsen not been there. "If he gets to the Pole he will be bound to do it rapidly with dogs, and one foresees that success will justify him. Anyway he is taking a big risk, and if he gets through he will have deserved his luck."
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