Rennick conveyed me in pitiful state to the ship in my sleeping-bag.

I was placed in the Captain's cabin, and given Drake and Day as nurses. I
owe them a great debt too. Atkinson had still to remain at my side, for I
was even then at death's door--and, it is only due to Atkinson's
unremitting care that I am alive to-day. He came up therefore in the ship
and participated in the search for Campbell in the vicinity of Evans's
Coves, but after several unsuccessful attempts the "Terra Nova"
temporarily abandoned her objective and returned to Cape Evans on March
4. Here Keohane was picked up and taken with Atkinson to Hut
Point--Pennell relieved Atkinson of further responsibility on my account
and then landed him with Keohane here. It was impressed on Atkinson that
there was very little chance of relieving Campbell with ice conditions as
they were. They laid up a store of seal meat and blubber against the
return of Scott's company, while the ship made another fruitless attempt
to relieve Campbell. She did not return South after this on account of
the sea freezing and her own coal shortage, but proceeded back to New
Zealand, in accordance with her Commanding Officer's instructions.
Pennell was not justified in keeping the "Terra Nova" any later in the
McMurdo Sound.

Now let us consider poor Atkinson. He had Dimitri and Cherry-Garrard at
Hut Point in a state of collapse--he had on 16th March the knowledge that
the Polar Party were still on the Barrier with a season closing in and a
certainty of low temperature--there was no communication with Cape Evans,
for the ice had gone out and left open water between the two positions.
After discussing the situation fully, Atkinson and Keohane started out
alone to succour Scott's party. It was on March 26 that Atkinson and
Keohane set out, this being later in the year than we had sledged in
1911, when it will be remembered we gave up depot-laying on account of