Editing Robert Falcon Scott (section)

=== Journey to the Pole ===
Scott outlined his plans for the southern journey to the entire shore party,{{sfn|Huxley|1913a|p=407}} leaving open who would form the final polar team, according to their performance during the polar travel. Eleven days before Scott's teams set off towards the pole, Scott gave the dog driver Meares the following written orders at Cape Evans, dated 20 October 1911, to secure Scott's speedy return from the pole using dogs:

{{blockquote|About the first week of February I should like you to start your third journey to the South, the object being to hasten the return of the third Southern unit [the polar party] and give it a chance to catch the ship. The date of your departure must depend on news received from returning units, the extent of the depot of dog food you have been able to leave at One Ton Camp, the state of the dogs, etc&nbsp;... It looks at present as though you should aim at meeting the returning party about March 1 in Latitude 82 or 82.30{{sfn|Evans|1949|pp=187–188}}}}

The march south began on 1 November 1911, a caravan of mixed transport groups (motors, dogs, horses), with loaded sledges, travelling at different rates, all designed to support a final group of four men who would make a dash for the Pole. The southbound party steadily reduced in size as successive support teams turned back. Scott reminded the returning Surgeon-Lieutenant [[Edward L. Atkinson|Atkinson]] of the order "to take the two dog-teams south in the event of Meares having to return home, as seemed likely".{{sfn|Cherry-Garrard|1970|p=424}} By 4 January 1912, the last two four-man groups had reached 87°34′S.{{sfn|Huxley|1913a|p=528}} Scott announced his decision: five men — himself, [[Edward Adrian Wilson|Wilson]], [[Henry Robertson Bowers|Bowers]], [[Lawrence Oates|Oates]] and [[Edgar Evans|E. Evans]] — would go forward; the other three - ([[Teddy Evans]], [[William Lashly]] and [[Tom Crean (explorer)|Tom Crean]]) - would return. The chosen group marched on, reaching the Pole on 17 January, only to find [[Polheim|a tent]] left in place by Amundsen, in it containing a letter dated 18 December. Scott's anguish is indicated in his diary: "The worst has happened&nbsp;[...] All the day dreams must go&nbsp;[...] Great God! This is an awful place".{{sfn|Huxley|1913a|pp=543–544}}