3) How does he account for the failure of the expedition?

The first failure Scott accounts to is when the expedition meet bad weather. (“The weather throughout the outward journey, and especially the long gale in 83° S., stopped us.”) Then the most experienced in the expedition, Edgar Evans fell sick (“but for the astonishing failure of the man whom we had least expected to fail. Edgar Evans was thought the strongest man of the party.”) and it now becomes more difficult for the expedition, because they now have to carry the sick Edgar Evans. (“The Beardmore Glacier is not difficult in fine weather, but on our return we did not get a single completely fine day; this with a sick companion enormously increased our anxieties.”) Afterwards Edgar end up dying (“he died a natural death, but left us a shaken party with the season unduly advanced.”) A other companion, Captain Oates fell sick (“and we should have got through in spite of the weather but for the sickening of a second companion, Captain Oates”) It all ends up with the expedition eat a last meal (“We arrived within 11 miles of our old One Ton Camp with fuel for one last meal and food for two days.”)