OHYAT: The Second Returning Party

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO TODAY, the remaining men of the Southern Party at last split into two groups, those going on to the Pole and those turning back to Cape Evans.

It wasn't quite as simple as two sledge teams parting ways. The day before, Scott had spoken to Teddy, informing him he was to go home the next day. It was no secret there was some enmity between them, but Scott tried to soften the blow by framing it that Teddy was the only one he could rely on to navigate his party home without a sledgemeter (one of theirs had broken on the Beardmore). He also asked whether Teddy's team could make it back with three men instead of four, because he would like Birdie to join the final party. Teddy agreed.

The five men heading to the Pole, then, were:
Capt. Robert Falcon Scott (43)
Dr Edward A. 'Bill' Wilson (39)
Capt. Lawrence E.G. 'Titus' Oates (32)
Petty Officer Edgar 'Taff' Evans (36)
Lieut. Henry R. 'Birdie' Bowers (28)

( The Fifth Man )

On the fourth of January, the three men who would be the Second Returning Party accompanied the now-Polar Party in the morning –

– in case of accident, but as soon as I was certain we could get along we stopped and said farewell. Teddy Evans is terribly disappointed but has taken it very well and behaved like a man. Poor old Crean wept and even Lashly was affected. I was glad to find their sledge is a mere nothing to them, and thus, no doubt, they will make a quick journey back.

– R.F. Scott

... we stopped and did all the talking we could in a short time. We wished them every success and a safe return, and asked each one if there was anything we could do for them when we got back, but they were all satisfied they had left nothing undone, so the time came for the last handshake and good-bye. I think we all felt it very much. They then wished us a speedy return and safe, and then they moved off. We gave them three cheers, and watched them for a while until we began to feel cold. Then we turned and started for home.

– William Lashly

We gave three huge cheers for the Southern party, as they stepped off, and then turned our sledge and commenced our homeward march of between 750 and 800 statute miles. We frequently looked back until we saw the last of Captain Scott and his four companions – a tiny black speck on the horizon ... Oates's last remark was cheerful: "I'm afraid, Teddy, you won't have much of a 'slope' going back, but old Christopher is waiting to be eaten on the Barrier when you get there."

– Teddy Evans