PRETTY WELL DONE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 21, 24 January 1914, Page 7

PRETTY WELL DONE.

DYING EXPLORER’S LAST NOTES

Mr J. J. Kinsey, who was the New Zealand representative of Captain Scott’s Antarctic expeditions, lias in his possession (says the Lyttelton Times) a number of letters written to him by the explorer, and one of these has been inserted in the account of the expedition'. The letter as it appears in the book, is not complete. In the second line, for instance, Captain Scott wrote, on March 24, 1912: “1 am afraid we are pretty well done —four tlavs of blizzard.”

In the original, opposite the word “four,” there is a marginal note containing the words “now nine,” bringing the date close to the time of Captain Scott’s death. Those words on the margin of the letter are underlined, and, probably, are the last words lie ever wrote.

Mr Kinsey is reserving this letter, with a great deal of other interesting and valuable correspondence from Captain Scott, for publication at a future time. The letter, as it appears in the publication, is as follows: To Mr J. J. Kinsey, Christchurch. March 24, 1912.

My Dear Kinsey,—l’m afraid we are pretty well done—four days ol blizzard just as we were getting to the last depot. My thoughts have been with you often. You have been a brick. You will pull the exhibition through, I’m sure. . My thoughts are for my wife and boy. Will you do what you can for them if the country won’t?

i want the boy to have a good •bailee in the world, but you know the circumstances well enough. Tf I knew the wife and boy were in safe keeping I. should have little regret in leaving the world, for I feel that the country need not be ashamed of us—our journey lias been the biggest on record, and nothing but most exceptional hard luck at the end would have caused us to fail to return. We have been to the South Pole as we set out. Cod bless you and dear Mrs Kinsey. It is good to remember you ai/d your kindness.—Your friend,

R. SCOTT