Arrangements, however, were made for sending out a party early in December to lay a depot for the Northern Party, and when this was done, the same men were to proceed to the western mountains. Also on January 15, 1909, a party under Joyce, was to lay a depot near Minna Bluff containing sufficient stores for the return of the Southern Party from that point. This same party was to return to Hut Point, reload and march out to the depot a second time, and await the arrival of the Southern Party until February 10, 1909. If the Southern Party had not arrived by that date, Joyce and his companions were to go back to Hut Point and thence to the ship. Before my departure I left instructions which provided for the conclusion of the work of the Expedition in its various branches, and for the relief of the men left in the Antarctic in the event of the non-return of the Southern Party. To Murray I gave command of the Expedition and full instructions during my absence. The provisioning of the Southern Party was long and anxiously considered, and Marshall went very carefully into the question of the relative food-values of the various supplies, and we were able to derive much useful information from the experience of previous expeditions. At length we decided that the daily allowance of food for each man on the journey, as long as full rations were given, was to be as follows: Oz. Pemmican 7·5 Emergency Ration 1·5 Biscuit 16 Cheese or Chocolate 2 Cocoa ·7 Plasmon 1 Sugar 4·3 Quaker Oats 1 ---- 34·0 Tea, salt, and pepper were extras not weighed in with the daily allowance. We used about two ounces of tea per day for the four men, and the salt and pepper were carried in small bags, each bag to last one week. Everything was ready for the start as the end of October approached, and we looked forward with keen anticipation to the venture. The supporting-party, consisting of Joyce, Marston, Priestly, Armytage, and Brocklehurst, was to accompany us for the first ten days. The weather was not very good towards the end of October, but there were signs that summer was coming. We spent the last days overhauling sledges and equipment, and our evenings in writing letters for those at home, to be delivered in the event of our not returning from the unknown regions into which we hoped to penetrate. [Illustration: The Motor-car in the Garage, Maize-Crusher on the right] CHAPTER XXI THE START TO THE SOUTH POLE Brilliant sunshine and a cloudless sky were an auspicious beginning to the day on which we started upon our attempt to plant the Union Jack, which the Queen had given us, on the last untrodden spot of the world. Yet on leaving the hut where we had spent so many months in comfort, we had a feeling of real regret that never again should we all be together.