PRETTY WELL DONE!

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 168, 15 January 1914, Page 6

PRETTY WELL DONE!

DYiXC; EXPLORER'S LA.ST XOTIiSCAPTAIN SCOTT IX TIIK AXTAIiCTJC. '.Ur. .f. J. Kinsey, who was the Xew Zealand representative of Captain Scott's Antarctic expeditions, 'has in his possession a number of letters written to him by the explorer, and one of these lias been .inserted in the account of the expedition. Tin.; letter as it' appears in the book is not complete. ,ln the second line, for instance. Captain Scott wrote, 011 March -24, P.ll-2: "1 am afraid we are pretty well done—four days of blizzard."

In the original, opposite the word "four," there is a marginal note containing t-lie words "now nine," bringing tile date close to the, time, of Captain Scott's death. These words on the margin of the letter arc underlined, and, probably, are the last words he ever wrote.

.Mr Kinsev is reserving tlii.s letter, with ;i. grout deal of other interesting and valuable correspondence from Captain Scott. for publication at a future time. Tiio letter. as it appears in the publication, is as follows:- - March 21, To Mr. .1. .1, Kinsev. <'.liristchiirch. -My Dear Kiuscy.—l am afraid we are pretty well done—four days of blizzard just as we were grtting to the last depot. .My thoughts have been with you often. You have been a brick. You will put the Exhibition tlu'ougli, I'm sure. My thought save I'm- my wifo and boy. Will you do what you tan for tliem of the country won't? I want the boy 'to have :i good chance in the world, -but you know the eircumslances well enough. If 1 knew the. wife and. boy were . ill safe keeping I should have little • regret in leaving the world, for T feel that the country need not no ■ ashamed of us —our journey lus been the biggest on record, and nothing but, most exceptional hard luck at the end would have caused ns to fail to return. We have been to the .South I'ole as we set out. <iod bless you, my dear Airs. Kinsey. It is' pood to remember you and your kindness.— Your Friend. R. SCCfILT.