Filchner

In 1911 Filchner, an officer in the Prussian army, came forward to raise funds for an Antarctic expedition, announcing that there was much talk of theories, but that he was going to cut the Gordian knot by going to see. Having raised the necessary funds, Filchner’s plan was to explore the Weddell Quadrant to its apex. He bought a Norwegian whaler built at Arendal and named the Njord, and took with him a scientific staff, Dr Koenig of Vienna being the naturalist, and Dr Heinrich Seelheim the geographer. The master of the ship was Captain Jorgensen. The expedition left Hamburg in May, 1911, with all the equipment for long inland journeys, including three motors.

Filchner went the right way to work. There was no impenetrable pack for him. He put the ship’s stem straight at it, somewhere near Weddell’s furthest, and forced her through. After battling with the pack over 120 miles the ship came out into open water, and land was sighted in 76° 35′ extending to 79°. There was an ice barrier to the westward. Unfortunately the ship was carried away to the north before she could be properly secured, and she drifted about in the ice-cumbered sea during the winter. The new land was named after the late venerable Regent of Bavaria. Captain Jorgensen died before the ship returned to Buenos Aires.

CHAPTER LVI
PREPARATIONS FOR THE SOCIETIES’ ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

In May 1893 I was elected President of the Royal Geographical Society, and resolved that an Antarctic expedition should be despatched, preferably by Government, as the encouragement of maritime enterprise, especially in a school so favourable to the acquisition of valuable experience as the polar regions, has always been my special aim. I found that Dr Murray of the Challenger agreed with me that the expedition should be under naval control, and he consented to open the campaign by reading a paper at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on November 27th, 1893.

It was a great meeting, reminiscent of the splendid opening of the Arctic campaign by Sherard Osborn, and Sir John Murray’s address was eloquent and convincing. Apart from the main object, the duties of an expedition, as outlined by Dr Murray, would be:—

He added that observations such as the above were especially desirable “for the more definite determination of the distribution of the land and water of our planet, for the solution of many problems concerning the ice age, for the better determination of the internal constitution and superficial form of the earth, and for a more complete knowledge of the laws which govern the motions of the atmosphere and hydrosphere.”

The approval of the great meeting was unanimous Sir Joseph Hooker, the Duke of Argyll, and other eminent men of science and naval officers expressing themselves strongly in favour of the project. A dash to the Pole was not advocated, but rather a steady, continuous, and systematic exploration of the antarctic region.

Our efforts to induce the Government to undertake an expedition failed, and need not be dwelt upon here. The Admiralty, however, offered to lend instruments, and later, thanks to the exertions of Admiral Sir Anthony Hoskins, there was liberality in giving leave, on full pay, to officers and men.

Articles in magazines had to be published, lectures to be delivered, circulars to be sent out, and the desperately uphill work of raising funds for a private expedition undertaken. In December, 1895, I proposed that the expedition should be undertaken by the Royal Geographical Society. There was some opposition and delay, but at length, on April 12th, 1897, the R.G.S. Council agreed to subscribe and raise funds. As the Royal Society is the scientific adviser of the Government, that eminent body was asked to unite with the Royal Geographical Society, and its President and Council consented on February 24th, 1898. The Council of the Geographical Society consented to a grant of £5000 for the expedition, on June 20th of that year.

By that time I had collected only £14,000 when on March 24th, 1899, Mr Longstaff asked me if £25,000 would enable the expedition to start. I assured him that it would, on a small scale, and he at once sent a cheque. This was an example of princely munificence which entitles its generous donor to take rank with the merchant adventurers of the days of Elizabeth. For similar patriotic munificence Sir Felix Booth received a baronetcy; Oscar Dickson received a barony. Longstaff received the admiration and gratitude of his countrymen, and a very honourable niche in polar history. On June 22nd, 1899, the First Lord of the Treasury promised a grant, and the Treasury afterwards announced that this would amount to £40,000 on condition that an equal sum was raised privately. We then had only £37,000, but the R.G.S. Council at once granted an additional £3000 to make up the required sum.

I considered it necessary, as did Sir William White, that a wooden ship should be specially built for the service. In consultation with Captain Creak, R.N., C.B., Superintendent of compasses at the Admiralty, I found that he also thought it necessary from the point of view of magnetic observations. Sir William White advised me to secure the services of Mr W. C. Smith, C.B., of the Controller’s Department at the Admiralty, to prepare the designs and specifications. Mr Smith very kindly undertook the duty, with the permission of Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson, the Controller. A Ship Committee was appointed on April 10th, 1899, meeting first on the 26th[203].

It was decided that the ship should be of wood, and that the lines of the old Discovery of the 1876 expedition should be followed as closely as possible. It was then considered whether the new ship should have a midship section, like the Fram, of a peg-top character to facilitate her rising to ice pressure, but as there is not the same likelihood of severe nips in the south, it was thought better to have an ordinary section, with a view to the probability of heavy weather conditions. A complement of 43 souls was to be arranged for, with accommodation equal in all respects to a man-of-war of the same size, and there was to be stowage for two years’ provisions and 335 tons of coal. The ship was to be of 400 I.H.P. and fitted with a two-bladed lifting screw. Mr Smith adopted a special plan for shipping and unshipping the rudder.

That the ship should be absolutely free from magnetic qualities was impossible, owing to the engine and boilers. But in order that there should be as little as possible, steel and iron were excluded from a space having a radius of 30 feet from where the magnetic observatory was placed.

Instead of the usual square stern, a round form of stern was adopted, which gave better protection to the rudder and screw and was much more satisfactory in heavy seas. It gave the helmsman nearly dry quarters.

The length of the ship on the water line was finally fixed at 179 ft., the breadth 34 ft., the depth amidships 18 ft. She was to be barque-rigged and of 735 gross and 483 registered tonnage. The framing throughout was of oak, the keel of elm. The boats were a sailing cutter (which was not taken south), four 26-foot whalers, and two Norwegian prams.

The Dundee Shipbuilders Company undertook her construction for £34,050 and £10,322 for the engines, and on March 16th, 1900, the keel was laid. On March 21st, 1901, Lady Markham launched the ship at Dundee, and gave her the name of the Discovery. She left Dundee on the 3rd June, was in the East India Docks for 55 days loading, and on August 1st she arrived at Stokes Bay[204].

I had selected the fittest commander in my own mind in 1887, when I was on board the Active in the West Indies, the guest of my cousin Commodore Markham, then in command of the training squadron, the other ships being the Rover, Volage, and Calypso. When we were at St Kitts, March 1st, 1887, the lieutenants got up a service cutter race. The boats were to be at anchor with awnings spread. They were to get under way and make sail, beat up to windward for a mile, round a buoy, down mast and sail, pull down to the starting point, anchor and spread awning again. The race tried several qualities. For a long time it was a close thing between two midshipmen, Robert Falcon Scott and Hyde Parker. However, Scott won the race and on the 5th he dined with us. He was then 18, and I was much struck by his intelligence, information, and the charm of his manner. My experience taught me that it would be years before an expedition would be ready, and I believed that Scott was the destined man to command it. At Vigo we were thrown together again, when my young friend was torpedo lieutenant of the Empress of India, and I was more than ever impressed by his evident vocation for such a command. When the time came for the selection I consulted Captain (now Admiral Sir George) Egerton, an Arctic officer with a wide knowledge of men and much experience in the service. He sent me several names, but Scott’s was first, and he had excellent testimonials. As a torpedo lieutenant he had gone through a special course of training in surveying, and he wrote the whole section on mining survey in the Torpedo Manual, and suggested all the instruments to be used. He had a thorough knowledge of the principles of surveying and of surveying instruments, as well as of electricity and magnetism. Seven of the ships in which he had served were masted, and frequently under sail.

Scott was now just the right age for a leader of a polar expedition, and admirably adapted for such a responsible post from every point of view. He was recommended very strongly by Captain Egerton, by his Admiral, and also by the First Lord and the First Sea Lord of the Admiralty. Yet there was long and tedious opposition from Joint Committees, Special Committees, Sub-Committees and all the complicated apparatus which our junction with the Royal Society involved, harder to force a way through than the most impenetrable of ice-packs. But we got through and I had the pleasure of signing Scott’s appointment on the 9th June, 1900. On the 30th he was promoted to the rank of Commander, the numerous committees were gradually got rid of, and Scott took command.

Albert Armitage, a Worcester boy and a very efficient P. and O. officer, who had served throughout Jackson’s expedition and was with Jackson on his long sledge journey round Alexandra Land, was selected by me as Navigator and in charge of magnetic observations at sea, and was approved by Captain Scott.

Some years before, on June 14th, 1892, I was in a river steamer going down to Greenhithe to see the boat-race between the Conway and Worcester cadets. I saw on board a young Conway cadet who bore a remarkable resemblance to Wyatt Rawson, the gallant Arctic officer in the expedition of 1875–76. The boy, Charles Royds, was his nephew, and I found that he was most anxious to get into the navy. He succeeded in July, 1892. His career was meritorious and he won golden opinions from his captains. He was the first to volunteer, and no better man could be found as First Lieutenant. He also took charge of the meteorology. He was a good musician, both vocal and instrumental, a thorough seaman, and a good all round man. Scott wrote of him that he was a first-rate worker, an excellent officer, popular with the men, and the right man in the right place as First Lieutenant.

Michael Barne was Scott’s special choice. The younger son of Colonel and Lady Constance Barne of Sotterley in Suffolk, and great-grandson of Admiral Sir George Seymour, he was born in 1877. He was always ready to help any one, full of good humour, the most unselfish of mortals, and entirely to be trusted in any position of responsibility. He had charge of all the deep sea apparatus and performed the duty right well.

The Engineer Lieutenant, Reginald Skelton, was an officer of great ability. In addition to his very arduous work in the engine room, he had charge of the dark room, stored all the negatives of interest, assisted with the pendulum observations, and, with Dr Wilson, did all the bird-skinning.

No more Lieutenants could be obtained from the Admiralty, so Captain Scott had to turn elsewhere and accepted Ernest Shackleton as the junior executive. He had been in the merchant service since 1890, and was very energetic and zealous. I got him made a Sub-Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.

Dr Koettlitz, the surgeon, had served in Jackson’s expedition., Dr Edward Wilson, of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, also surgeon, was the vertebrate zoologist. He had quite the keenest intellect of any one on board, and possessed great artistic talent, with a marvellous capacity for work. The special scientific staff consisted of Mr Hodgson, the invertebrate zoologist, Curator of the Plymouth Museum; Mr Ferrar, a very able young geologist, a graduate of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge; and Mr Bernacchi the physicist, who had previously been in the Southern Cross Antarctic expedition.

The Admiralty was liberal as regards volunteers, allowing 22 petty officers, able seamen, and stokers to join, and two marines, all excellent men. Indeed the whole ship’s company exclusive of the officers was naval except Clark, the cook’s mate and laboratory attendant, and Weller, who was in charge of the dogs.

A colossal amount of work and responsibility fell upon the shoulders of Captain Scott. Fortunately we had, in the person of Mr Cyril Longhurst, an admirable hard working and conscientious secretary, though he was then very young. Close attention was given to the supply of provisions, as one of the most important considerations. The food for the sledge travellers was mainly pemmican. It used to be made at Clarence Yard of the very best quality, but the art was lost. Scott had to fall back upon the very inferior article made at Chicago, and a better kind manufactured by Beauvais at Copenhagen. He himself visited the Beauvais factory, and ultimately took 500 lb. of American and 1500 lb. of Beauvais’ pemmican. Extreme care was taken in the examination of the preserved meats, soups, vegetables, and fruits. Dr Collingridge, medical officer for the city of London, appointed Mr Spadaccini for this duty, and 10,250 lb. in 1542 packages of other provisions were accepted, and 231 lb. rejected. But Captain Scott was deeply impressed with the urgency of supplying fresh meat to his people whenever it was possible.

Our dockyards had also lost the tradition of the clothing, sledge equipments, and sledges, which had been brought almost to perfection as supplied to the Franklin search expeditions. Scott had to turn to Norway for these things, and he was a good deal guided by Armitage, whose experience was the most recent, though he saw to the matter himself in Norway. The peltry, reindeer sleeping-bags, 4 bales of Lapland grass, and 70 pairs of ski (7 ft. h in.) were supplied from this source, as well as nine 9 ft. sledges of Nansen’s pattern with broad ski runners, five of 7½ ft., and five iron shod and fastened to be used for work in winter quarters[205].

Scott thought that it might be useful to have a captive balloon, whence to reconnoitre and obtain more extensive views, and the idea was strongly supported by Sir Joseph Hooker. Accordingly the necessary gear was provided, and an officer and two men went to Aldershot for instruction. The balloon was of the army pattern, and the gas was taken in sixty heavy tubes which were stowed on deck. There were also dynamos, for electric lighting. When the steam-driven dynamos were not at work, an iron-sailed windmill could be fitted, driving the dynamo at its base and thus supplying the accumulators with electric current.

Most of the instruments were lent by the Admiralty—astronomical, magnetic, meteorological, pendulum, and seismograph, as well as sounding gear with all the newest inventions, and dredging nets.

Baron Richthofen suggested to me that there should be synchronous observations at as many other observatories as possible. Captain Creak fully concurred and, in concert with him, I wrote to the observatories at Kew, Falmouth, Potsdam, Bombay, Mauritius, Melbourne, and Christ Church (N.Z.), also making arrangements with the Argentine Government for Staten Island, and for observations at Kerguelen Island, and with the Gauss. The object was to obtain a series of synoptic charts which would allow of the variations in the magnetic conditions of the whole earth being traced in detail during a definite period, and so provide the necessary basis from which alone the fundamental principles of terrestrial magnetism can be more closely approached. The observing stations to take part in this international co-operation were distributed over the globe with a uniformity never before attained.

The observations were of two classes: (1) of the three elements at intervals of an hour on certain terminal days, so as to obtain a comprehensive view of the diurnal variations of terrestrial magnetism, (2) of the three elements during one specified hour on each term day, to trace the course of individual disturbances. The Discovery, the Gauss, and all the observatories were supplied with identical forms for term days and term hours; declination, horizontal force, vertical force. The magnetic observations were the most carefully planned and completely thought out of all the branches of scientific work carried on by the expedition.

There was a complete supply of meteorological instruments under the able management of Lieutenant Royds, a most careful and accurate observer and recorder, and the observations were two-hourly, taken by the officers of the watch. Special instruments were taken out for use on shore including spirit thermometers graduated as low as -90° Fahr., and a Dines pressure anemometer. A photographic spectrometer was to be used for observing the auroras.

The most important question to be decided was the direction the expedition should take. To consider it with care and understanding we divided the regions within the Antarctic Circle into four quadrants—the Victoria Quadrant from 90° E. to 180°, the Ross Quadrant from 180° E. to 90° W., the Weddell Quadrant from 90° W. to 0°, and the Enderby Quadrant from 0° to 90° E. We knew from Captain Cook’s conclusion, and he was always right, that there was an extensive continent round the south pole, and that the coast line came furthest north to the south of Australia and the Cape, and receded furthest south in the King George IV Sea of Weddell and the Pacific. The correctness of Captain Cook’s view as regards the northern extension was proved by the discoveries of Balleny, Biscoe, and Kempe and confirmed, as regards Balleny’s discoveries, by Dumont d’Urville and Wilkes. Apparently, in most parts of this coast, access would be impossible owing to the lofty ice cliffs. Moreover, merely sighting ice cliffs at a distance is of no use. The great discoveries of Sir James Ross offered far better opportunities of landing. I felt that the chief point should be the finding of the land of Antarctica, not the ice cap which conceals everything. The land would be found on coasts facing east, the east coast of Victoria Land, and east coast of Graham Land; the ice cliffs occur mainly on northern and western-facing coasts.

The main object of the expedition, then, would be to explore this Antarctic continent by land, to ascertain its physical features, and above all to discover the character of its rocks, and to find fossils throwing light on its geological history. We therefore decided that the Discovery should follow in the wake of Sir James Ross, and winter on the Victorian coast. I was anxious that everything else should be left to the discretion of Captain Scott.

The instructions were drafted in January 1901. The first paragraph stated the objects to be discovery and exploration. Importance was also attached to a magnetic survey and to meteorological, oceanographic, geological, biological, and physical investigations and researches. After paragraphs dealing with the relations with a chief of the scientific staff—who, perhaps fortunately, did not go out, for there could have been no fitter chief of the scientific staff than Scott himself—particular attention was called to the discovery of new coast lines, of the depth and nature of the ice cap, of the nature of the mountain ranges, and of the underlying fossiliferous rocks. Co-operation with the German expedition was enjoined whenever possible. Attention was drawn to the region to the east of the Great Barrier, which was entirely unknown, and an effort was to be made to discover land in the Ross Quadrant. Equal importance was attached to an examination of the Barrier, of the volcanic region, and to journeys to the west and south. Discretion to winter with the ship was left to Captain Scott. All mention of the south pole as an objective was carefully avoided.

I planned an Antarctic Manual on the lines of the Arctic Manuals prepared for the expedition of 1875–76, securing the services of Mr G. Murray as editor. It proved very useful, the first part containing instructions and information by leading men of science, and the second part being the narratives of Biscoe, Balleny, Dumont d’Urville, and Wilkes, with papers on polar travelling by Sir Leopold M’Clintock and on the exploration of Antarctic lands by Arçtowski.

In July 1901 the great work of fitting out the expedition was fast approaching completion. The Geographical Club gave the officers a farewell dinner at Greenwich on the 3rd. There were many toasts, and Captain Scott did a very graceful thing in proposing the health of our Secretary, Mr Longhurst, “with whom,” he said, “he had worked so pleasantly for nearly a year, and whose services had been so valuable to the expedition.” On the 16th the Bishop of London visited the Discovery, held service and delivered a very impressive address to officers and men[206]. He presented the books for divine service, and a prayer which he had written for daily use.

On August 5th, 1901, when the Discovery was at Cowes, the King and Queen went on board, and his Majesty made a charming speech to the men. Then the good ship started on her mission. No finer set of men ever left these shores, nor were men ever led by a finer captain.

CHAPTER LVII
THE SOCIETIES’ ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION First Year.

Lyttelton, New Zealand, was selected for the head-quarters of the expedition in the southern hemisphere. It was a long voyage thither and there was natural anxiety respecting the behaviour of the new ship. As time went on, however, Captain Scott became more and more satisfied with her seaworthy qualities. She proved wonderfully stiff and, as her sail area was small, it was rarely necessary to shorten sail, even in the most violent gales. She was wonderfully free of water on the upper deck, and the peculiar rounded shape of her stern gave additional buoyancy to the after part and caused her to rise more quickly to the seas. One day, driving before a very heavy gale, the ship made 223 knots in the 24 hours.

In 51° S. and 131° E. a very interesting magnetic area was reached, where there appeared to be a curious inconsistency in the distribution of magnetic force to the north of the magnetic pole. Captain Scott, therefore, resolved to proceed south for some distance to explore this area more effectively. On November 15th the 60th parallel was crossed, and next day the first ice was seen. Soon loose pack ice was all round the ship. They were within 200 miles of Adélie Land in 62° 50′ S. when the ship’s head was reluctantly turned again to the north. The soundings at the furthest south were 1750, then 2300 and 2500 fathoms. Scott noticed and was much interested in the abundance and variety of bird life, most of the birds being familiar to those who have rounded the Horn. On the 22nd Macquarie Island was reached, and the first penguin rookery was visited. On the 30th November they arrived at Lyttelton and the ship was docked.

After a thorough refit, the receipt of more and supplementary provisions, and the enjoyment of much genuine hospitality, the Discovery was again ready for sea on the 21st December. Besides the dogs, there were 45 sheep on deck. A short service of farewell was held by the Bishop of Christchurch on the mess deck, and the voyage was continued.

The first iceberg was sighted in 65° 30′ S. on the 2nd January, 1902, and by evening as many as seventeen could be counted. On the 3rd the Antarctic Circle was crossed. Soundings were taken in 2040 fathoms. Soon afterwards the pack was entered, and they forced their way through grinding floes, taking advantage of every favourable lead when the ice loosened. Seals and penguins were plentiful on the pack, and very tame, for the only dangers they knew were in the sea. On the 8th a strong water sky was reported, and soon they were in a clear open sea, after only five days in the pack. There was a well-defined edge to the pack, which indicated the presence of southerly winds at this season. There must have been heavier obstruction than was met with by Sir James Ross, for he got through, in bluff-bowed sailing ships, in four days. Far to the south the high mountain peaks of Victoria Land were visible. Scott anchored in Robertson Bay, which is formed by the long peninsula of Cape Adare, but next day the anchor was weighed and the southward course continued.

It is very difficult to write an abstract of this voyage, for the perils of ice navigation, the lovely scenery in fine weather, and the gallant struggles against the ice helped by gales of wind and tides, are so delightfully described by Captain Scott that condensation seems impossible. A visit to the land, south of Cape Washington, satisfied Scott that there were possible winter quarters in a bay which he named Granite Harbour from the huge granite boulders on the beach. By 8 a.m. on January 21st the Discovery was in the middle of M’Murdo Sound, with fine views of the lofty mountains and of Mounts Erebus and Terror. A landing was effected on the north side of Cape Crozier, and Scott, with Dr Wilson and Royds, climbed to a height of 1350 ft., whence they obtained a glorious view of Ross’s great ice barrier. For the first time this extraordinary formation was seen from above.

Adélie Penguins

Emperor Penguin with chick

Captain Scott then proceeded to make a closer examination and survey, with soundings, of the barrier ice-cliffs. Sir James Ross, with sailing ships and with bad weather, was unable to do this thoroughly. The work was done with great care, the height of the cliffs, which attained 280 ft. in the highest part, was measured at intervals, photographs were taken, and frequent soundings, the depth varying from 350 to 400 fathoms. It was found that their course throughout had been south of the position of the barrier in Ross’s time, and that they had sailed continuously over sea which in his day had been covered with a solid ice sheet. On January 29th they were eastward of the extreme position reached by Sir James in 1842. Passing a deep bay in the barrier Scott pushed still further to the eastward; and on the 30th new land was sighted. Soundings varied from 88 to 265 fathoms. Most of the surrounding icebergs were aground, young ice was formed, and Scott resolved to shape a westward course on February 1st. The coast-line was now clearly seen for many miles, with sharp peaks rising to 2000 and 3000 feet, the bare rock appearing in a few places. The new discovery was a country of considerable altitude and extent, and of great importance as fixing the limit of the great ice barrier.

Captain Scott then steered for the inlet he had seen when standing to the east, and found that the ice cliffs were only 20 feet high, and in one place not higher than the ship’s bulwarks. Here he anchored and made fast. There were great numbers of seals on the sea-ice. Armitage and Bernacchi, with a light sledge equipment, marched up the ice valley to the south.

On February 4th preparations were commenced for a balloon ascent, in one of the army captive balloons for lifting a single observer. Scott himself ascended to 800 feet, from which height the nature of the barrier surface could be well seen as a series of long undulations running east and west, each wave occupying a space of two or three miles. Shackleton made the next ascent with a camera, and took some photographs, and in the evening Armitage returned, after having crossed and examined several of the undulations. At this place a quantity of seal meat was obtained.

The Discovery was then taken under sail along the barrier cliffs and was in M’Murdo Sound again on February 8th, where an excellent position for winter quarters was selected, with a view to a good starting-point for travelling parties. On one side was Mount Erebus and the lower hills ending in an abrupt point—Cape Armitage—on the other the lofty mountains of the Victoria range. The ship was to be the home, and the large hut was erected on shore, with two small huts for magnetic instruments, consisting of a wooden framework covered with sheets of asbestos. The kennels for the dogs were arranged on the hill side, below the huts. The selected place was at the southern extreme of a long tongue of land jutting out from the slopes of Mount Erebus. The hills on it formed a semicircle, the hut being on its western extreme which was called Hut Point. Behind, the hills rose to 500 ft., and to the north was a fine mass called Castle Rock.

There were ski races and football, and also limited sledge journeys, which discovered that the land of the volcanoes was, as Ross suspected, an island; that there were three small volcanic islets further south (named Black, Brown, and White), that the ice barrier came up to the foot of the mountains, and that the great Victoria range extended far to the south.

A journey was planned to Cape Crozier to be led by the Captain himself, but an accident to his knee while on ski prevented him from going, and Royds took command, with Skelton, Koettlitz, Barne, and eight men, divided into two teams, and each assisted by four dogs. Experience in sledge travelling was of course wholly wanting and had to be acquired. They started on March 4th.

Eight (Wild, Weller, Heald, Plumley, Quartley, Evans, Hare, and Vince) were sent back on the 9th under Lieut. Barne. On the 11th they left their tent and walked onward, thinking they were close to the ship. A blizzard came on and they found themselves on a steep slope, could see nothing, but tried to keep close together. Suddenly Hare disappeared, then Evans went. Barne and Quartley left the rest to search for Evans. Then they suddenly found themselves on the edge of a precipice. Vince shot past Wild, and went over the edge. With the greatest difficulty Wild, Weller, Heald, and Plumley climbed back, reached some rocks, and ultimately groped their way to the ship.

Armitage was at once despatched with a relief party and a sledge laden with warm clothing and medical comforts, and fortunately not in vain. They came upon Lieut. Barne with two men, and learnt that when Barne left the rest in search of Evans, he found himself flying down an icy slope at a furious pace until he was stopped by soft snow. Within a few feet of him was Evans, then Quartley came hurtling down. The soft snow saved all three, for they were on the brink of the precipice over which poor Vince had been hurled.

All hope of finding young Hare, a lad of 18 who had been shipped at Lyttelton, had been given up. But on March 13th, a solitary figure was seen staggering towards the ship. It was Hare, exhausted and famished, but free from frost bites. He had been buried in the snow for thirty-six hours without food. His preservation was little short of miraculous. Of Vince’s fate, however, there could be no doubt, though his body was never found. He was a fine young seaman, very popular, always obliging and cheerful. A cross, firmly fixed, was erected to his memory. Royds and his companions returned some days afterwards.

The explorers now entered upon a very severe Antarctic winter in 77° 52′ S. All the scientific observers were soon steadily at work, and occupations were found for officers and men alike. Every Tuesday, after dinner, there was a debate in the ward-room on a given subject. The South Polar Times came out periodically, edited by Shackleton, and most beautifully illustrated by Dr Wilson. Some of the men, as well as officers, contributed. The men acted the drama of the “Ticket-of-Leave Man” in the large hut, with Barne as stage manager.

Captain Scott, throughout the winter, was diligently studying the problems connected with sledge travelling. In many respects Arctic sledging conditions differ from those of the Antarctic regions. The cold in the spring and summer is very much more severe in the south, where the thermometer often falls below -60° Fahr. On the other hand the southern traveller escapes the misery of water on the floes, which renders travelling in an Arctic summer so very arduous. Another striking difference is that while the Arctic traveller usually travels over sea ice, often hindered by ranges of hummocks, the Antarctic explorer does most of his work over land ice. The land ice is the most formidable, not only from the deep furrows ploughed by the wind, but also from the dangerous chasms and crevasses. Scott was impressed with the necessity of attention to the minutest details in studying the art of Antarctic sledge travelling.

The sledges were built at Christiania. Their great fault was in being too narrow, causing them to capsize more readily, it being necessary to pile the load much higher. They had five pairs of uprights and cross bars. The width of the sledges was only 17 inches, the runners 3¾ inches wide; two sledges were 12 ft. long, six 11 ft., and three 7 ft.[207] The best width of runner-surface depends on the nature of the snow, and can only be decided after sufficient experience. The Danes have an excellent plan of attaching a ski-runner of walrus-hide in dealing with soft snow.

Scott conceived the idea, having to deal with fewer men, of dividing the sledging crews into units of three, each unit having its own tent and equipment complete. The great advantage of this plan is that, when advisable, a party can be split up into threes, or three can be detached from it. Each article was, therefore, designed for the requirements of three men. The tents were bell-shaped and made of the lightest green Willesden canvas, spread on five bamboo poles 7 ft. long and united at the top. They were thus 5 ft. 6 in. high, and 6 ft. in diameter on the floor, with a skirting edge on which to pile snow; their weight with the floor cloth was 30 lb. Scott considered the sleeping bags of the greatest importance. They were made on board of reindeer skin, some for one man, but most of them to contain three men, which is a great advantage as regards weight. The fur was inside, and there was a flap to be drawn over the occupants and made fast. Their weight was 40 lb. Seven of M’Clintock’s sleeping bags only weighed 42 lb. but there was also a wolf or buffalo robe weighing 40 lb.

Scott’s arrangements for diet while travelling were adopted after careful study and much thought. Experts place our ordinary food under three headings—the nitrogenous food supplied by meats, the fats, and the carbohydrates or farinaceous foods. Supposing all to be water-free, the allowance he adopted was 29 ounces per man, 25 being the allowance in the army on war footing. For polar travelling a much larger allowance is necessary. Water cannot be entirely excluded, though it is a dead and useless addition to the weights. Ordinary cooked meat contains 54 per cent. of moisture. This moisture in food was reduced to a minimum, yet it increased the 29 ounces of actual food to about 35 ounces[208]. Our ration in the Arctic Regions was 42 ounces per man per day. We could not do without 1 lb. of pemmican, and we also included lime-juice ½ ounce, tobacco ½ ounce, and 3¾ ounces (¾ of a gill) of rum. Fanaticism has deprived Antarctic travellers of the latter most comforting and useful part of the ration. On the whole the pemmican allowance might well have been increased, by omitting plasmon and cheese.

The manufacture of the best pemmican is a lost art. Scott obtained most of his from Beauvais of Copenhagen. It contained 20 per cent. of water, but that I sent out in the Morning made by the Bovril Company was better. But the substantial dish with the Discovery travelling parties was a mixture of pemmican, bacon, and other ingredients, forming a thick soup which they called “hoosh.”

Scott adopted the cooking apparatus invented and used by Nansen, made of aluminium for lightness. It takes as long to reduce ice to a liquid state at very low temperatures as it does to boil the water, so that double the quantity of fuel is needed. Boiling water was made from snow in twelve minutes. The “Primus” lamp of Nansen’s pattern was also adopted. Paraffin oil was used for fuel. Each tin contained a gallon, weighed 10 lb., and was the allowance for three men for ten days.

The constant weights for two sledges were 568½ lb. and 630 lb. could be devoted to provisions, a total of 1200 lb., i.e. about 200 lb. per man at starting. Our constant weights in the Arctic regions were 440 lb., provisions 840 lb., making a total of 1280 lb.

Ski were given a fair trial, but all were novices, and it was found that a party on foot invariably beat a party on ski.

For clothing, furs were eschewed, thick cloth was used, and over all a suit of thin and loose gaberdine, consisting of a blouse and breeches, fitting closely, however, about the neck, wrists, and ankles. “Balaclava” helmets were the head-gear, with special protection for the ears and back of the neck. In summer, when the glare was great, broad-brimmed felt hats were preferred. For the hands, fur or felt mitts were worn over long woollen half-mitts. For the feet finneskos were used. These are Lapp reindeer-fur boots, the soles being of the hard skin of reindeer legs. Two pairs of socks were worn and the boots were stuffed with fine hay before they were put on. There were three kinds of goggles in use, one wire gauze with smoked glass, another a piece of leather with a slit in place of the glass, the third made out of a piece of wood with cross slits cut for the eyes. The latter, used also by the Eskimos, were the best, but attacks of snow blindness could not be altogether prevented.

Scott adopted a quite different kind of hauling gear from any hitherto used. Instead of working from the shoulder, a broad band of webbing was worn round the waist with braces for supports. The two ends of the band were fastened by an iron ring to which a rope was attached, secured to the trace. The men were thus upright when pulling, and Scott believed that the weight was thus distributed evenly over the upper part of the body, which made the pulling easier, and gave greater freedom for breathing.

With regard to the use of dogs there were two ways of treating them. There was the idea of bringing them all back safe and well, which was M’Clintock’s way, and there was the way of getting the greatest amount of work possible out of them, regardless of everything else, and using them as food, which was Nansen’s and Peary’s way. If dogs are treated with humanity, they are in the writer’s opinion not so good as men in a long journey, and Scott had an unconquerable aversion to the employment of them in the second way. The dogs, twenty in number, had been obtained from Siberia, but five were lost in various ways before the travelling season arrived.

Chasm separating Ice and Land in Lat. 82° S.

Having thus settled every part of the equipment down to the minutest detail Scott then proceeded to plan the work for the coming season. He himself was to lead the journey to the south: Armitage was to attempt the main ridge of mountains, provided with ice axes, crampons, and ropes. Several shorter journeys were to precede them. Royds and Skelton made their way to Cape Crozier to see to the record post, as a signal to a relief ship, and returned on October 24th, having discovered the breeding-place of the Emperor penguins. On the 30th the supporting party, under Lieut. Barne, left for Depôt A, where Scott had already established provisions.

On November 2nd the southern party started under the command of Captain Scott, with Dr Wilson, Sub-Lieut. Shackleton, R.N.R., and the dogs. Barne was caught up just as he was rounding White Island. Odometers had been manufactured on board, the wheel being attached to the sterns of the sledges, so that a rough dead-reckoning could be kept, provided that the route was straight and the course observed and known. Stockfish had been brought for the diet of the dogs, and though it had been taken by the advice of an experienced authority on dog-driving it soon became apparent that it was having a permanently bad effect on them. The food must have deteriorated on the passage through the tropics. Advances could only be made by relays, going over 15 miles to make 5 miles good.

On November 25th the latitude was 80° S. On December 2nd they were passing a magnificent range of mountains running S.E. and N.W., with peaks 10,000 feet above the sea, and long rounded snow capes merging into the barrier. A deep chasm cut them off from any nearer approach to the land. For 31 days they had been at the wearisome relay work, as it was impossible to drag the whole load, but at length a suitable place for a depôt was found, called Depôt B. Throughout the journey Dr Wilson was indefatigable, spending two or three hours at the end of each fatiguing day, sitting at the door of the tent, sketching the splendid mountainous coast to the west. Scott wrote:—

The beauty of the scene before us is much enhanced when the sun circles low to the south, we then get the most delicate blue shadows, and purest tones of pink and violet on the hill slopes. There is rarely any intensity of shade—the charm lies in the subtlety and delicacy of the colouring and in the clear softness of the distant outline.

Their furthest point was reached in 82° 17′ S. December 30, 1902. The views of the land were here extremely interesting. The cliffs rose to a height of 1800 feet, ending in the snow expanse which rose into ridges and peaks. In colour the cliffs were a rich deep red, further on nearly black. The most distant peak to the south, far beyond the 83rd parallel, was christened Mount Longstaff. To the S.W. “there was a splendid twin-peaked mountain which, even in such a lofty country, seemed as a giant among pigmies.” Captain Scott named it Mount Markham. One more unsuccessful attempt was made to reach the land, but it was impossible owing to an intervening chasm.

On the return journey the few surviving dogs were useless, and the men had to drag the sledge, deriving occasional help from the sail. On the 14th January, Shackleton broke down altogether. The only hope was to keep him on his legs, doing nothing, for the other two could not possibly have dragged him all the way on the sledge. On the 15th the two last of the dog team died, but on the 28th the depôt was reached and they again had plenty of food. Shackleton struggled along on ski, in a deplorable state, Scott and Wilson dragging the sledge, and on the 30th they put Shackleton on it and dragged him also. Next day he managed to walk again; his two gallant companions being nearly worn out. The ship was finally reached on February 3rd, 1903. In 94 days they had gone over 800 miles, or counting relays 960 miles. The return with their disabled comrade was nothing less than heroic.

The western party started on December 2nd, Armitage and Skelton with ten men forming the extended party; Koettlitz, Ferrar, and Dellbridge (Assistant Engineer) with six others the limited party. Armitage’s plan was to attempt the ascent of the mountains near a vast pile of moraine material which he had seen on a reconnoitring journey. The party ascended a steep snow-slope which divides two masses of bare rocky foot-hills, and rises to a plateau separating them from the higher mountains beyond. Armitage reached an elevation of 5000 ft., and obtained a view of a glacier, afterwards called the Ferrar Glacier, winding inland between high rocky cliffs. Here the supporting party returned, while Armitage and Skelton with the rest of the extended party continued to ascend the steep snow slopes, most arduous and toilsome work. At 6000 ft. they were stopped by an outcrop of rock, and Armitage then resolved to attempt the descent into the Ferrar Glacier, a fall of 1800 feet. In this his party succeeded. On December 18th they commenced the ascent of the glacier, and by January 1st, 1903, were 7500 feet above the sea. One of the men broke down and was left in a tent with half the party, while Armitage pushed on with the rest until his elevation was over 8900 feet. In returning Armitage fell down a crevasse, and was saved with great difficulty. They returned to the ship on the 19th, after having discovered a practicable route to the interior. It was a piece of excellent pioneer work.

Many shorter but useful sledge journeys were made by Koettlitz, Ferrar, Hodgson, and Bernacchi which threw much light on the volcanic region, where the numerous craters show the result of a very remarkable volcanic outburst. Thus Koettlitz proved the insularity of Black Island, examined the northern side of Minna Bluff, and ascended to the summit of Brown Island, 2750 ft. in height.

As the summer advanced the anxious work of freeing the boats, which had sunk deep in the snow, was undertaken; equally laborious work was entailed in getting the ship ready for sea, and well-founded hopes were entertained that a relief ship would arrive.

CHAPTER LVIII
THE SOCIETIES’ ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION The Morning

The dreadful disaster to the Franklin Expedition was entirely due to the absence both of a relief ship and a depôt ship; and the necessity of providing one has ever since been recognised. We had promised Captain Scott that such a ship should be provided to take out provisions and letters, bring back any invalids, and afford relief and the means of return if anything had happened to the Discovery. Captain Scott had furnished full information respecting places where records would be found, and other directions for finding his ship.

There was no time to be lost. I first carefully considered what ships suitable for arctic work were available in Scotland, but the only one was the Terra Nova and her price was beyond our means. This ship was built in 1884 and had been employed in Newfoundland; she would have suited admirably had sufficient funds been forthcoming. I therefore turned to Norway in August, 1900, where I had an excellent adviser and friend in Captain Bonnevie of Laurvik, who had been surveyor for the Veritas, the Norwegian Lloyds, since 1874, a good seaman who had had immense experience. There were a dozen ships. Of these four were too small, though strongly built, others had dry rot. The only one that would suit was the Morgen, but her price was £6000, and I then had no money in hand.

The Morning

It became necessary to raise funds and bring down the price of the Morgen. The Council of the Royal Geographical Society subscribed nothing, but the Royal Society generously sent me £500. With his usual munificence Mr Longstaff subscribed £5000, and later Sir Edgar Speyer gave another £5000. With these exceptions very rich people refused to help. But hundreds of our countrymen with small means sympathized and sent all they could afford. Money came from officers in South Africa and on the Gold Coast, in the Sudan and Uganda, from a Gurkha regiment at Chitral, from 24 Admirals and Captains, from several men-of-war, and a large and most generous subscription from the acting Sub-Lieutenants at Greenwich. One schoolboy, who was saving up his money to buy a bicycle, sent 5s., a real act of sympathy and self-sacrifice. Mr Cyril Longhurst was untiring and indefatigable in seconding my efforts. I also appealed to the Government, as there were 32 naval officers and men on board the Discovery, who ought not to be abandoned to their fate. The reply was that the Government denied any responsibility and expressed surprise at being asked. On the other hand the New Zealand Government granted £1000. From Norwich, due to the exertions of Mr and Mrs Colman, nearly £200 was received. The Duke of Westminster kindly gave the use of Grosvenor House for a concert, which yielded £483. On February 14th the Prince of Wales sent for me to enquire about my progress and subscribed £50, while His Majesty the King gave £100. By July 2nd, 1902, the receipts amounted to £22,000.

I then went to Norway again and met Captain Bonnevie at Tönsberg to inspect the Morgen. Mr William Colbeck, R.N.R., then Chief Officer of the Montebello (Wilson line) accompanied me, as I had decided upon offering him the command, and ultimately I succeeded in getting the price of the vessel reduced to £3,880. The Morgen was built specially for strength by Mr Svend Foyn of Tönsberg. The engines were old-fashioned but strong, the boilers strong and serviceable. I bought the vessel on October 23rd, 1901, and became the managing owner, and on the 30th she was delivered over to Bonnevie as our agent. Her length was 140 ft., breadth 31 ft., depth 16½ ft., tonnage 452. I had her painted black, with a white ribbon like the dear old Assistance, with Morning on her stern in white. On arrival in England she was handed over to Messrs Green of Blackwall for considerable repairs and alterations, which were effected under the superintendence of Lieut. Colbeck.

William Colbeck, born at Hull in 1871, was educated at Hull grammar school, and went through a six months’ course of navigation before going to sea as an apprentice, at the age of 15. He passed for first Mate in July 1892, and got a Master’s extra-certificate in 1897. Since 1900 he had served as chief officer of the Montebello under Captain Pepper. After going through a course of magnetism at Kew, he joined the Newnes Antarctic Expedition as navigator, cartographer, and one of the magnetic and meteorological observers. He proved himself to be an acute and intelligent observer and his descriptions of parts of the coast of Victoria Land are excellent. He had acquired experience in Antarctic ice navigation. There could not be a better man to command our relief ship, and he was appointed on February 10th, 1902. After some delay, he received his commission as a Lieutenant R.N.R. and I had the pleasure of conferring upon him Sir George Back’s geographical award for his former services in the Antarctic regions.

Captain Colbeck chose for his chief officer Mr Rupert England, who held the same position on board the Angelo of Wilson’s line. He was a steady attentive officer who knew his work, and saw that the men did theirs. Mr Morrison, the engineer, was an excellent and zealous officer, always making the best of everything. Dr Davidson, the surgeon, a distinguished student and medallist of Edinburgh University, was an excellent doctor and very popular. Two friends, formerly cadets of the Worcester, came to volunteer, Evans a naval Sub-Lieutenant, and Doorly a P. and O. officer, and they were very anxious to be taken as junior executive officers. Evans had excellent certificates, was keen, able, and full of zeal. Gerald Doorly was a musician, an athlete, and a student, in the racing boat’s crew of the Worcester, and Queen’s Gold Medallist on board that ship. He proved to be very popular and clever, always bright and cheerful, and a hard worker. Then came Mulock, a naval Sub-Lieutenant who was very pressing and said he must go; so I got leave from the Admiralty for him also. He was an acquisition, for he had served in the Triton surveying ship under Captain Cust, who had the highest opinion of him. He was a surveyor and an excellent draughtsman. There were two midshipmen, Maitland Somerville and a son of Captain Pepper.

For the crew, as a nucleus, Captain Colbeck got several volunteers from his old ship the Montebello, and the rest appeared satisfactory. Cheetham, the boatswain from the Montebello, was a very smart respectable man who could be trusted to take charge of a watch. He continued in the service and now has a long record of Antarctic work.

The officers were entertained at dinner by the Geographical Club, when a glee was sung specially composed for the occasion. Afterwards the Bishop of Stepney kindly came on board and conducted a farewell service. The ship was loaded with letters and papers, and supplies of all kinds for the Discovery. I had been rather anxious about the pemmican, and I sent out a fresh supply which I believed to be very good, manufactured by the Bovril Company.

During the long voyage to Lyttelton all went well; and the ship was received in New Zealand with cordial hospitality. On the 6th December, 1902, they sailed for the Antarctic. The Morning met with adverse winds and frequent gales at first, until she reached 60° S. in longitude 170° 30′ E., when Captain Colbeck was able to stand away to the south with a W.S.W. wind and fine clear weather. He decided to work south between longitudes 178° and 180° E., well to the eastward of the Balleny Islands. The Antarctic Circle was crossed on Christmas Day in 179° 30′ E., when icebergs became numerous. At 2 p.m. two small islands were sighted, and later the Morning steamed round them. The largest was about 1¼ miles long and three-quarters of a mile broad, rising to about 250 ft. The other islet or rock was only about 200 ft. in diameter and 250 ft. high. Captain Colbeck, accompanied by Mulock and two others, effected a landing with some difficulty on a beach on the southern side of the larger island, and collected some rock specimens. Thousands of birds were on both islands. Mulock made a careful survey and the position was fixed. It received the name of Scott Island and is a discovery of special interest, from its isolated position.

Making her way through much heavy pack ice, the Morning came in sight of the lofty mountains of Victoria Land on the 3rd January, 1903, when a very heavy gale was encountered. On the 8th Captain Colbeck landed at Cape Adare and then proceeded to the south, guided in his search by the information in Captain Scott’s letter. Reaching Franklin Island, England landed and searched the beach, but could find no record. Captain Colbeck and Mulock then landed at Cape Crozier and found the record announcing the position of the winter quarters of the Discovery in M’Murdo Sound. The Morning then proceeded to Cape Bird and announced her arrival to the Discovery by signal. The mails, stores, and provisions were transferred to the Discovery with all possible speed. The distance between the ships was six miles of ice, and 14 tons of stores were transported, officers and men carrying out the work with admirable zeal and determination. The Mornings dragged the loads to a half-way flag, and the Discoveries took them on—a heavy job completed with alacrity and despatch.

Some invalids and others, including Shackleton, were sent home in the Morning; and Mulock, an acquisition as a draughtsman, surveyor, and good messmate, was transferred to the Discovery.

On the 2nd March the Morning began her return voyage, arriving at Lyttelton on the 25th, ready to return again for the relief of the Discovery in the ensuing year. England had proved himself to be an indefatigable worker and an excellent seaman. Evans had been of great assistance in the navigation of the ship, and in the work of transporting the stores over the ice. Doorly had kept the meteorological records. All had done well. Above all Captain Colbeck had proved that there could be no better man to perform the very important duties which the command of the Morning entailed.

CHAPTER LIX
THE SOCIETIES’ ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION Second Year.

The arrival of the Morning with letters and fresh supplies of stores and provisions was a very welcome incident for the explorers, though the precaution had been taken to collect the largest possible supply of seal and other fresh meat. The need for constant exercise had been kept in view; there was a good deal of hockey on the ice, dancing, and other amusements. The second winter thus passed without sickness and in the pleasantest fashion.

When the travelling season approached Captain Scott decided that there should be a journey over the mountains to the west, led by himself, one to the south under Barne and Mulock, and one to the south-east over the barrier ice under Royds and Bernacchi, besides several shorter journeys for specific purposes.

Captain Scott started on September 9th, 1903, with Mr Skelton, Evans, Lashly, Mr Dailey, and Handsley. The first object was to find a new road to the Ferrar Glacier, and to lay out a depôt. The discovery of a route by New Harbour was made, and the glacier was entered. It lay between massive cliffs like a ribbon of blue, down the middle of which ran a dark streak caused by a double line of boulders—a median moraine. The depôt was placed on this moraine, 2000 ft. above the sea. Scott observed that where Antarctic glaciers run east and west the south side is much broken up and decayed, while the north side is comparatively smooth and even. The reason is that the most direct and warmest rays of the sun fall on the south side of a valley, and here the greatest amount of summer melting takes place.

Scott’s party returned, and found that Barne had laid out a depôt S.E. of White Island, the temperature being as low as -70°. Royds had reached Cape Crozier and found that the Emperor penguins had hatched out their young.

Barne and Mulock began their extended journey on October 6th to Barne Inlet. Scott’s party started on their very difficult enterprise of discovering the ice cap on the 12th. His party was a combination of three separate parties. The first consisted of Captain Scott, Mr Skelton, Mr Feather the boatswain, Evans, Lashly, and Handsley. Secondly there was the geological party, consisting of Mr Ferrar with Kennar and Weller. The third, the auxiliary supporting party, consisted of Dailey the carpenter, and two other men, Williamson and Plumley. An absence of nine weeks was calculated for the extended party, and six weeks were allowed to Mr Ferrar for his geological studies. They started with four 11-ft. sledges, and no animal traction, dragging 200 lb. each at starting.

One of the noblest passages in Scott’s great work compares the use of dogs with that of men for traction. Admitting that dogs, ruthlessly used, increase the distances that may be reached he adds:—

“To pretend that they can be worked to this end without pain, suffering, and death is futile. The introduction of such sordid necessity must and does rob sledge-travelling of much of its glory. To my mind no journey ever made with dogs can approach the height of the fine conception which is realised when a party of men go forth to face hardships, dangers, and difficulties with their own unaided efforts and by days and weeks of hard physical labour succeed in solving some problem of the great unknown. Surely in this case the conquest is more nobly and splendidly won.”

On October 18th the condition of the sledges obliged them to return. Only one remained sound. On the others the German silver on the runners was split to ribbons and the wood deeply scored. Leaving the sound sledge and a large depôt they hurried back to the ship, the last march covering 36 miles. The sledges were repaired, and Ferrar now took a smaller 7 ft. sledge. The final start was made on October 26th; and they crossed the sea ice at a rate of 25 miles a day. There was continual trouble with the runners, and Mr Skelton with the stokers of the party were kept at work with pliers, files, and hammers, stripping off the torn metal and lapping fresh pieces over the weak places.

On November 3rd they had reached a height of 7000 ft. The majestic cliffs were below them and they gazed over the summits of mountains to the eastward. Next day it was blowing a full gale, and there was only just time to get the tents up when it burst upon them. It was a week before they were able to move again, and throughout the whole time the gale raged incessantly.

The delight of being able to start again may be imagined, and on the 13th they had reached the summit at a height of 8900 ft. with five weeks’ provisions in hand. They found themselves on a great snow plain with a level horizon all round, but above it to the east rose the tops of mountains. Captain Scott had discovered the great Antarctic ice-cap.

The gale had blown away the nautical tables so that the observations could not be worked out until their return. Scott’s inventive talent came into play. He could calculate the declination for certain fixed days, and having ruled a sheet of his note-paper in squares, he plotted these points on the squares, and joined them with a curve. It was afterwards found that the curve was nowhere more than 4′ in error. It gave him the latitude with as much accuracy as was needed at the time.

The cold on the ice-cap was intense, -44° Fahr. But they had reached the lofty plateau, leaving the mountain peaks behind, and before them lay the unknown. Scott resolved to press onwards. On November 22nd he went on with Evans and Lashly, the rest returning.

From a magnetic point of view this was a very interesting region. The travellers were directly south of the magnetic pole, and the north end of the compass pointed south, or a variation of 180°!

Of Scott’s two companions, Evans, who had been a gymnastic instructor in the navy, was a man of herculean strength. Lashly had been a non-smoker and a teetotaller all his life, and had the largest chest measurement in the ship. The progress made was rapid, though they had to struggle over a sea of broken and distorted snow-waves, causing frequent capsizes of the far-too-narrow sledge. The night temperature continued as low as -40°, and, judging from the sastrugi, the wind blows from west to east across the ice-cap, often with great violence, and as the summer temperature is -40° the cold of the winter may be imagined. The little party of three resolutely pushed on to the westward until November 30th. They had gone for 200 miles over the ice-cap, and could see nothing beyond but a further expanse of the terrible plateau. Yet, “After all,” writes Scott,

“it is not what we see that inspires awe, but the knowledge of what lies beyond our view. We see only a few miles of ruffled snow bounded by a vague wavy horizon, but we know that beyond that horizon are hundreds and even thousands of miles which offer no change to the weary eye ... nothing but this terrible limitless expanse of snow. It has been so for countless ages and it will be so for countless more.... Could anything be more terrible than this silent wind-swept immensity?”

On December 1st the little party turned their steps homewards. Day by day they struggled on over rough snow ridges in thick weather. On the 15th all were precipitated down a steep slope for 200 ft., finding themselves sore and bruised at the bottom, and near the upper entrance of the glacier. It was a month since Scott had seen any known landmark. They started again, Scott in the middle and a little in front, Lashly on his right, and Evans on his left. They had been going for a quarter of an hour when Scott and Evans suddenly disappeared down a crevasse. Almost by a miracle Lashly saved himself from following, and sprang back with his whole weight on the trace. The sledge rushed past him and jumped the crevasse down which Scott and Evans had gone. The two who had fallen were dangling at the ends of their traces with blue walls of ice on each side and a fathomless abyss below. Scott struggled on to a thin shaft of ice wedged between the walls of the chasm, guiding Evans’s feet to the same support. The great danger was that the intense cold would soon render them powerless. There was no time to lose, and Scott by a desperate effort managed to swarm up the trace and flung himself on the snow. With the united efforts of Scott and Lashly Evans was also landed on the surface. Both were terribly frost-bitten. On the same evening they reached their nunatak depôt and next day, by a long march, arrived at the main depôt. There were no further troubles, and the three reached the ship on the 23rd December.

In his absence of fifty-nine days Scott and his companions had travelled over 725 miles, but for nine days they had been confined to the tent by gales of wind. The distance, therefore, was accomplished in fifty marching days, a daily average of 14½ miles. Taking the whole eighty-one days of absence they had covered 1098 miles at a little under 15½ miles a day. They had reached the limit of possible performance, under the hardest conditions.

This is, in some respects, the greatest polar journey on record without dogs. The only comparison can be with the journeys of M’Clintock and Mecham. But they had not the intense cold, the danger from crevasses, and the great height to climb. Nor can any one journey be compared with it as regards the value and importance of its results. Scott discovered the vast Antarctic ice-cap and explored it for 200 miles, and his observations enabled Captain Chetwynd to fix the position of the south magnetic pole.

Barne and Mulock marched to the south, but, after leaving Minna Bluff, they were much hampered by southerly gales which confined them to the tent for ten days. They had barely reached the mouth of the inlet which they were to explore when they were obliged to return. The ground was scarcely passable, and they had to cross wide crevasses, and clamber over steep ridges. Mulock was indefatigable in the use of the theodolite, so that this stretch of coast-line has been very accurately plotted. But the most important result of Barne’s journey was the discovery that the ice on the barrier moved. Depôt A lay on an alignment with a small peak on Minna Bluff and Mount Discovery in 1902. Barne found the depôt was no longer on with this small peak and Mount Discovery and, therefore, that it must have moved. Thirteen and a half months after the establishment of Depôt A Barne measured the displacement, and found that it had moved 608 yards. Barne and his party were absent 68 days.

The journey of Royds and Bernacchi over the ice of the barrier to the S.E. occupied thirty days. Scott wrote, “It deserves to rank very high in our sledging efforts, for every detail was carried out in the most thoroughly efficient manner.” A very interesting series of magnetic observations were taken by Bernacchi, who carried with him the Barrow dip circle, a specially delicate instrument. The party returned on the 10th December, having accomplished an exceedingly fine journey. There were several shorter journeys. Dr Wilson was at Cape Crozier again to study the habits of the Emperor penguins during twelve days, and Armitage explored the Koettlitz glacier, previously only seen from Brown Island, and obtained some excellent photographs.

Captain Scott ordered all the parties, when they returned from sledging and had rested, to join the sawing camp about ten miles to the north, where work was being proceeded with for cutting the ship out of the ice. But it was soon found that the task was an impossible one, and it was accordingly relinquished.

The Morning was got ready for her second voyage, with arrangements complete for taking all the Discovery’s officers and men on board if necessary, which was very unlikely. But the Government began to interfere. The Terra Nova, Captain MacKay, was bought and sent out as well as the Morning, which was quite unnecessary and a great waste of public money, for all that was required could have been perfectly done by the Morning. The two ships arrived at the edge of the ice on the 5th January, 1904. The Discovery was freed from the ice on the 16th February. A large wooden cross, with an inscription, had been made in memory of Vince, and this was erected on the summit of Hut Point before their departure.

On the 17th a furious gale of wind sprang up. A heavy anchor was down. Steam was got up, but the wind was more powerful and the ship was driven upon a shoal near Hut Point at 11 a.m. The gale kept increasing in force, the seas broke over the Discovery’s starboard quarter and she listed heavily to port, the keel constantly pounding and grinding on the stones. Late in the afternoon the wind abated and the ship began working astern. The engines were put full speed astern, and she slid gently into deep water. There was no leakage, an eloquent testimony to the solid structure of the ship, and what showed every sign of becoming a great disaster was happily averted.

The Discovery then received her coal from the relief ships, Colbeck reducing himself to the very narrowest limits, keeping just enough to take him back to New Zealand. Scott intended to explore westward from Cape North. In the voyage northward the rudder was damaged, and the Discovery, after rounding Cape Adare, anchored in Robertson Bay, where the rudder was shifted. As soon as the spare rudder was in place the vessel put to sea again, February 25th, and was soon in the thick of the icebergs. There was a great mass of closely-packed ice towards Cape North. Captain Scott, therefore, altered course and sighted the Balleny Islands on the 2nd March, afterwards proceeding west to beyond 159°E., where the ship was actually behind Wilkes’s alleged land. On March 4th she was in 67° 23′ S. and 155° 30′ E., and it was quite clear that Eld’s Peak and Ringgold’s Knoll did not exist. Cape Hudson is also imaginary, and there is no case for any land near that latitude eastward of Adélie Land. The coast turns S.E. to Cape North. On April 1st the Discovery arrived at Lyttelton, where a most cordial reception awaited her.

The Discovery sailed again June 8th, completing her magnetic survey across the South Pacific. Passing through Magellan Strait, Port Stanley was visited for coal, and on the 10th September the good ship was anchored at Spithead. Never has any polar expedition returned with so great a harvest of results. The discoveries alone were remarkable—the entirely new land of King Edward VII, the nature of the ice on the barrier, the great Victorian range of mountains, the volcanic region of Ross and the smaller islands, the glaciers and the remarkable phenomenon of their recession, the great Antarctic ice-cap over which Captain Scott and two companions travelled for 200 miles, the discovery of the position of the south magnetic pole, and the lines of deep sea soundings with serial temperatures and dredgings. Yet these are only the skeleton which is provided with flesh and blood by the scientific results and observations which are contained in the twelve large volumes published on the voyage.

Captain Scott’s own narrative, in two volumes, beautifully illustrated by Dr Wilson, was worthy of the expedition. It was his first literary effort, but the great explorer had a natural gift, and there are few polar stories to be compared with the Voyage of the Discovery either in literary merit or in scientific interest.

CHAPTER LX
SHACKLETON’S ATTEMPT TO REACH THE POLE

Shackleton’s expedition to reach the South Pole differed from any previous one in that ponies were employed. Great care was exercised in the equipment, the sledges were built in Christiania, and ten 12 ft., eighteen 11 ft., and two 7 ft. were taken. Woollen garments were almost exclusively used, with an outer suit of wind-proof gaberdine; fur being restricted to the sleeping bags, and to foot and hand coverings. “Finnesko” boots filled with sennegrass were, however, largely used. A hut, 33 ft. by 19 ft., was taken out in pieces ready for erection, lighted with acetylene gas and heated by anthracite. There were 15 Manchurian ponies, nine Siberian dogs, and a motor car, but much was not expected of either of the two latter modes of traction.

The intention was to land a shore-party, which was to winter, and though the scientific work of the expedition was not to be sacrificed, one of the main objects was to reach the South Pole. The ship’s staff consisted of 14 officers and crew under the command of Lieut. R. N. England, R.N.R., who had been first officer in the Morning; the shore party were also 14, with Shackleton as commander. Professor T. W. E. David was Director of the scientific staff, Dr Douglas Mawson physicist, Mr J. Murray biologist, Mr Raymond Priestley and Sir Philip Brocklehurst geologists, and Lieut. J. B. Adams meteorologist. The vessel purchased for the expedition was the Nimrod, a not very suitable craft, being small and not able to make more than six knots under steam. She proved, however, to be better than was anticipated.

On July 30th, 1907, the Nimrod left the East India Docks for New Zealand, King Edward and Queen Alexandra and others of the Royal party paying a visit to the ship at Cowes. She reached Lyttelton and sailed on New Year’s Day, 1908, for the south, being towed to the edge of the pack, a distance of over 1500 miles, and meeting with very heavy weather. After trying along the Barrier for a place for winter quarters a landing was ultimately made close to Cape Royds at Ross I. under great difficulties, and on February 22nd the Nimrod left on her return voyage to New Zealand.

On March 5th an expedition with a supporting party was arranged to ascend Mt Erebus, and in this they were successful; the summit, which was estimated at 13,370 ft., being reached on March 10th. A striking feature was found to be the vast quantity of large and perfect felspar crystals on the snow around the crater.

Preliminary sledge journeys were made from August to get all hands into practice, and visits were made to Hut Point of the Discovery expedition, whither ultimately everything needed for the journey to the South Pole was brought, in order that the start might be made from the most southern point possible. Depôts were also laid out. Ill luck befell them with the ponies, only four being left at the start. It was resolved that the sledge loads should be limited to 650 lb., the sledge itself weighing 60 lb. The daily rations for the polar journey per man were as follows:—Pemmican 7½ oz., biscuit 16 oz., cheese or chocolate and cocoa 2·7 oz., plasmon and quaker oats each 1 oz., sugar 4·3 oz., emergency ration 1·5 oz., total 34 oz. This was doubtless an insufficient quantity, the pemmican allowance especially being much too small.

On October 29th the southern party, consisting of Adams, Marshall, and Wild, under Shackleton, started, accompanied by a supporting party who returned on November 7th. The ponies did well, but crevasses rendered the going very dangerous and narrow escapes more than once occurred. Later the surface became soft, and on November 21st the first pony had to be shot, and a week later two others, the conditions being very bad. On December 1st the latitude of 83° 16′ was reached and they were left with one pony, which pulled one of the sledges while the other was dragged by themselves. Misfortune, however, was soon to overtake them, for on December 7th the last pony fell down a crevasse, and complete disaster was only just avoided.

The sledges had now to be dragged by the explorers unaided, but by December 16th they had crossed over 100 miles of dangerously crevassed glacier and were at an altitude of some 6000 ft. The ground steadily rose, and on December 28th an altitude of 10,199 ft. was attained. The party suffered from a kind of mountain sickness, and the lessening food, combined with failing strength, made it evident that success was beyond their powers. They persevered for a few days longer, until January 9th, 1909, when the flag was hoisted in what was calculated to be Lat. 88° 23′ S., and the return march was begun. This was a desperate struggle against starvation, failing strength, and disease, for a form of dysentery attacked all of the party, and it was only by providential fortune that Shackleton and Wild were able to reach the Nimrod (which by this time had arrived) on March 1st, and the others three days later. The explorers had done all that was humanly possible on a somewhat inadequate supply of food, due mainly to an insufficiently-considered scheme of depôt-laying. A noteworthy fact was that both on the outward and the return journey the wind had been very greatly in their favour.

During the absence of Shackleton and his companions on their southward march, the Western Party, consisting of Armitage, Priestley, and Brocklehurst, did some work in the western mountains and obtained a valuable series of geological specimens. On their way back, while encamped on the sea ice, it broke up, and they were carried out to sea. Their position seemed desperate, for some miles of open water separated them from the shore, and the day passed without relief, but by the greatest good fortune the floe was at length swept back into contact with the shore ice for a few seconds and they were just able to get across.

A third expedition was meanwhile being undertaken by the Northern Party, which was also composed of three men—Professor David, Mawson, and Mackay. The main object was accurately to determine the position of the South Magnetic Pole, and to reach it, while if possible a rough geological survey of the coast of Victoria Land was to be made if time and opportunity permitted.

Typical Loose Pack—Mt Melbourne in distance

The start was made on October 5th, and twelve days later, after landing at Cape Bernacchi, the Union Jack was hoisted and Victoria Land taken possession of for the British Empire. Progress was very slow, only about four miles a day being covered by relay work. The Drygalski Glacier, however, was reached in the beginning of December, whence the party turned inland, and on January 16th the mean position for the magnetic pole, as calculated by Mawson, was reached in Lat. 72° 25′ S., Long. 155° 16′ E. The return was made to the depôt left by them on the Drygalski Glacier, and this was attained on February 3rd after desperately hard work and many narrow escapes from falling into crevasses. Next day they were picked up by the Nimrod, having brought their work to a successful termination. The remaining parties were then picked up and the Nimrod arrived safely in Lyttelton on March 25th.

CHAPTER LXI
AMUNDSEN’S JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH POLE

Shackleton’s attempt to reach the South Pole was soon followed by another and more successful one. The Norwegian, Amundsen, whose conquest of the North-west Passage had fascinated him with Arctic work, had formed a project of drifting across the North Pole after the manner of Nansen. Funds for such an expensive expedition, however, were difficult to obtain, and it was while awaiting events that the idea occurred to him of making a bid for fame and the South Pole together, the latter goal requiring less time and hence less expense. But the affair was kept secret, and when on August 9th, 1910, the Fram left Norway under Roald Amundsen with 110 dogs and 18 men, she left for an unknown destination. Reaching Madeira on the 5th September this was announced to be the South Pole.

There were several points of difference between the Norwegian expedition and those led by Scott and Shackleton. The first, and perhaps the most important, was that dogs were to form the motive power, instead of men as in Scott’s, or men plus ponies as in Shackleton’s journey. All the Norwegians had been practised ski-runners from childhood, but the English were very indifferent performers in this respect. The English always used woollen clothing, the Norwegians only wore it in moderate temperatures, invariably using fur for the extreme cold. It was not a teetotal expedition, though alcohol was apparently only served out about twice a week. The aim was to make seal meat as much as possible the basis of their rations, and whether owing to this or not the fact remains that there was not a single case of scurvy throughout.

On January 2nd, 1911, the Antarctic Circle was crossed, and a few hours later the pack was sighted. Fortune favoured them and they got through it with great rapidity—“a four days’ pleasure-trip,” Amundsen called it. They were no less favoured in finding Ross Sea free from icebergs, and on January 11th they reached the Great Barrier and altered course due east for the Bay of Whales, their destination, which they reached on the following day. Their hut was in 78° 40′ S. and 164° W., three miles from the edge of the Barrier, and 150 ft. above the sea. Great herds of seals were found here—Weddell’s seals and “crab-eaters”—but at that time not many penguins. The crew were now divided into two parties. It had been decided to despatch the Fram on an oceanographical cruise while the Polar journey was attempted, and with her went ten men under Capt. Nilsen. The party to be left on shore consisted of eight. Without loss of time the hut, “Framheim,” which had been brought out in pieces, was erected, and the party set to work to shoot and store seals, of which they soon had a pile of 100 or more. On February 4th Capt. Scott’s ship, the Terra Nova, entered the bay on its way from M’Murdo Sound.

On February 10th the first expedition for the placing of depôts started; it consisted of four men and three sledges, each drawn by six dogs, and left a depôt in Lat. 80° S., a distance of 93 miles, which took them 4½ days. They drove back in two days, running no less than 62 miles in one day. On February 22nd the second depôt expedition started, consisting of eight men, seven sledges, and 42 dogs. They passed the depôt in 80° S., and reached 81° S. on March 3rd, where they left a depôt of 1234 lb. of dogs’ pemmican, and three men returned. They flagged their depôts for a distance of 5½ miles at right angles on each side, the flags being about 1000 yards apart, so that they should be sure of not missing them. The weather was very cold for the season, -49° Fahr. Five days later, March 8th, Lat. 82° S. was attained, and 1370 lb. of pemmican placed in depôt. But the dogs had suffered greatly and they could not get farther. They got back to the base March 21st, having lost 8 dogs altogether. On March 31st the third depôt party left for Lat. 82° S., returning April 11th, and by the time winter arrived they had a total of 3 tons of supplies in their depôts.

Anxious to lose no time, they started for their attempt on the Pole on September 8th, but it was soon evident that it was far too early, the temperature being -60° Fahr. or thereabouts, and the party returned after reaching the first depôt in 80° S. and leaving further stores there.

At length, on October 19th, 1911, the final start was made—five men, Amundsen, Bjaaland, Wisting, Hassel, and Hanssen, with four sledges, each with 13 dogs. Under favourable conditions the pace attained was very fast, and 4½ miles per hour was covered with the greatest ease. They now began the system of putting up beacons of snow, 6 ft. high, each of which was numbered and gave the distance and direction of the next one to the north. They were put up about every 13th or 15th kilometre, and 150 of them were erected. After 81° S. they were put up every 9 kilometres. The final depôt at 82° S. was reached and left on November 6th, and the latitude of 83° on November 8th, and here provisions for 5 men and 12 dogs for four days were left.

On November 10th they approached the great mountain chain, the mighty peaks of which rose to heights of 15,000 ft., and on the 12th made their depôt in Lat. 84° S. leaving provisions for 5 men and 12 dogs for five days, as well as matches and about 4 gallons of paraffin. Three days later they were in 85° S. It was from here that they decided to make their dash for the Pole—a distance there and back of 683 English miles—and it was resolved to take 60 days’ provisions on the sledges, leaving the remainder, 30 days, in depôt. The weather was very fine, and in this respect they were peculiarly fortunate. On the 17th they began their passage through the mountain range and found it easier than they had expected. The dogs were in admirable condition, and nearing 86° S. they found the heat positively disagreeable, and “sweated as if they were running races in the tropics.” Twenty-four dogs were killed for food on reaching the divide, and a rest of five days taken, partly owing to a blizzard. Great difficulties now beset them on the glacier on the farther side, and one day only 2½ miles were covered. In Lat. 87°, however, things improved, and December 4th and following days they progressed at the rate of some 25 miles a day. On the 6th they passed Lat. 88° S., and were at an altitude of a little over 11,000 ft. A meridian altitude was obtained in 88° 16′ S. on December 7th, and a little later Shackleton’s record of 88° 23′ was beaten. Two miles farther they camped and left 220 lb. of stores. They were suffering greatly from frost sores on the face and shortness of breath. On the 14th December, 1911, the Pole was reached without further adventure. After a series of observations the return journey was begun on the 17th. On January 6th they reached the Barrier and met with much snow and a temperature of 17° Fahr. The remaining dogs were in very good condition, and 34 miles were made one day. On January 25th, 1912, they were all safely back at “Framheim” with eleven dogs. The journey of 1860 miles had taken 99 days. It was a miracle of forethought and organisation, the success of which was greatly aided by remarkably favourable weather conditions, and no doubt also by the fact that the explorers were all practised ski-runners. All returned in perfect health.

CHAPTER LXII
MAWSON’S EXPEDITION

It had always been desired that that portion of the coast of Antarctica which faces Australia, along which Balleny, and afterwards Wilkes and Dumont d’Urville, had sailed more than sixty years ago, should be landed upon and explored. The coast is not one that faces eastward, and much accessible land could not be expected. It was assumed that there would probably be ice cliffs for the most part, and the ice-cap inland. Still, exploration of this locality was very desirable.

Mr. Mawson[209] undertook the difficult enterprise. He had made a very fine journey to the South Magnetic Pole during Shackleton’s Expedition, and was deeply interested in Antarctic problems. Born in Australia he wished his expedition to be mainly an Australian undertaking. The Aurora, a fine steamer, was purchased and Captain Davis received the command. There could be no better man, both as a sailor and an enthusiast in the work of deep-sea sounding. Frank Wild, who had been both on the Discovery and the Nimrod, was appointed to command a second landing party. Dr Mertz was the naturalist. Ninnis, a 2nd Lieut. of the Royal Fusiliers, son of my old friend Dr Belgrave Ninnis of the Discovery in the Arctic expedition of 1875–6, first wrote to me from Pietermaritzburg, full of Antarctic enthusiasm, in September 1909, and his excellent qualifications obtained for him a place on the scientific staff of the Aurora.

The Aurora left Hobart December 2nd, 1911, arriving at Macquarie Island on the 11th to land five men, who were to install and manage the wireless telegraph. On Christmas Day the voyage to the south was resumed. On January 3rd, 1912, the ice cliffs were sighted, 50 to 80 ft. high, and the Aurora sailed along them all day. On the 6th she crossed the Antarctic Circle and sighted Adélie Land, with small rocky islets off the coast. On the 8th a landing was effected, and winter quarters were established in 66° 48′ S. and 143° 5′ E. Mawson landed with Dr Mertz, Lieut. Ninnis, and 15 men, all hands working hard at landing the hut, stores, and provisions. Their quarters were at the western end of Adélie Land, in a bay with ice cliffs on both sides. It received the name of Commonwealth Bay.

On January 19th, 1912, the Aurora sailed eastward to land another party of eight men under Frank Wild. They met with many icebergs and heavy pack, but the Côte Clarie of Dumont d’Urville had disappeared. From the 24th to the 27th the Aurora encountered gales and heavy seas. It was not until February 19th in Lat. 66° 18′ 28″ S. and Long. 94° 58′ E. that Captain Davis found a place on the ice cliffs to land Wild’s party and their provisions, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that Wild got his stores on shore and managed to haul them up to the top of the ice cliff. The two stations were 1200 miles apart. Having passed the winter on this ice, Wild and his companions made two important journeys. One was nearly to Sabrina Land, the other connected Wild’s base with Kaiser Wilhelm II Land. The Aurora returned to Hobart on March 11th, 1912.

In the spring Dr Mawson, with Dr Mertz and Ninnis, undertook a journey with dogs over the ice cap to the S.E. While travelling over the ice, many days after leaving the winter station, the sledge, dogs, and Ninnis suddenly disappeared down a crevasse and were seen no more. Mawson and Mertz were left with scarcely any food and only six dogs, and began to make their way back, undergoing terrible privations from which Dr Mertz died. Mawson, now the sole survivor, succeeded in reaching the winter quarters after 31 days of untold hardship and danger.

The loss of Lieut. Ninnis was deeply felt by his friends. He was full of life and energy, and deeply interested in his work. He had the makings of a very good officer, in whatever branch of the service he might have been employed.

The Aurora had arrived off the winter quarters in January, 1913, but was unable to wait for the return of Mawson himself, so that he and sixteen men were left to face a second winter. On February 23rd, however, Captain Davis reached Wild’s station, taking him and his party on board, and bringing them back to Hobart. The Aurora returned again the next summer, picking up Mawson on December 13th, 1913. After carrying out some important oceanographical work she reached Adelaide on February 26th, 1914.

The result of this expedition was the final connecting up of the northern coast of Antarctica from Lieut. Pennell’s discovery to Kaiser Wilhelm II Land, which was found, as I anticipated, to be the edge or northern boundary of the ice cap, with scarcely any visible land. It is from coasts with eastern aspects that interesting discoveries will be made. A further valuable result were the lines of deep sea soundings taken by Captain Davis.

CHAPTER LXIII
CAPTAIN SCOTT’S LAST EXPEDITION I.

The ideal of Captain Scott was completeness, and he put it into practice in his second expedition. This is the reason that the areas discovered from his chosen M’Murdo base are far more exhaustively explored, as regards every branch of science, than any other area within either the Arctic or Antarctic Circles.

After four years of naval service Scott entered upon the organisation of his final expedition. In September 1908 he was happily married to Miss Kathleen Bruce, who gave signal encouragement and help to her husband in all his work connected with the expedition. With such help the labour of preparation was much lightened, and the work of collecting the funds, a tedious and wearisome business, was fairly successful. Sir Edgar Speyer consented to act as treasurer, Mr. George Wyatt was business manager, and Mr. Drake, R.N., secretary. In September, 1909, the Terra Nova, the largest of the Dundee whalers, was purchased from Messrs Bowring of Liverpool, and handed over in the West India Docks on November 8th. She was barque-rigged, built in 1884, was of 744 tons gross and 450 net register; with a length of 187 ft., beam 31 ft., depth 19 ft. Scott had been elected to the Royal Yacht Squadron, so the Terra Nova flew the white ensign. Most of the interior re-fitting was entrusted to Lieut. Evans, who was to be captain on the way out, but to land when the station for wintering was reached. The provisions were most carefully selected and packed. Special 4-inch theodolites were constructed for sledge travelling, and there were 8 chronometers and 12 deck watches. Ponies and good teams of dogs were obtained from Siberia by Mr. Meares, Commander Wilfred Bruce meeting him at Vladivostock. They were brought to New Zealand with two Russian drivers.

The expedition had two 12-ft. and thirty ordinary sledges, ordered at Christiania. Captain Scott was very anxious that his experiments with motor sledges should be successful, for he disliked the use of dogs or ponies, and hoped that motor traction would be the remedy. He made trials, both in the Alps and in Norway, which gave every hope of success, and three motor sledges were taken out. One was lost in landing; the other two went well on the surface of the barrier, and the system of propulsion was quite satisfactory, but their use had to be abandoned owing to the over-heating of the air-cooled engines, a defect which could undoubtedly be remedied. Captain Scott was quite on the right tack, and with more experience, his idea of polar motors will hereafter be made feasible, a consummation which was very dear to his heart.

The financial position made a relief ship impossible, and it was arranged that the Terra Nova should land the exploring party with their provisions and a suitable house ready for erection, going back to New Zealand for the winter and returning in the next navigable season.

The Admiralty were fairly liberal in their permission for naval officers and men to join the Terra Nova. There were four Lieutenants—Evans, Pennell, Campbell, and Rennick. A young Lieutenant of the Indian Marine, named Bowers, was also allowed to go, but in his case the Indian Government was the reverse of liberal. Captain Oates of the Inniskilling Dragoons was a volunteer, and an invaluable acquisition. Two naval surgeons were allowed to join, Dr Atkinson and Dr Levick. Dr Wilson of the Discovery was chief of the scientific staff and a host in himself. Besides the two Russians there were twelve men to land, all naval. Of these, five were old Discoveries. Lashly and Edgar Evans were Scott’s companions during his great journey over the ice-cap. Crean and Williamson were also thoroughly reliable men, the former having been Captain Scott’s coxswain in the Victorious.

With the most complete collection of scientific instruments and appliances Captain Scott resolved to have the largest and most efficient scientific staff that ever left these shores. Instead of the two biologists of the Discovery he took four, Dr Wilson, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Cherry Garrard, and Mr. Lillie; instead of one geologist he took three, Mr. Griffith Taylor, Mr. Debenham, and Mr Priestley, one of them a specialist in physiography; instead of one physicist he took two, Dr Simpson and Mr Wright; besides a photographer of great ability, Mr. Ponting. A young Sub-Lieutenant of the Norwegian navy, named Tryggve Gron, came as a ski expert, Mr. Day as motor engineer, and Mr. Meares in charge of the dogs.

The Terra Nova left the docks on June 1st, and arrived at Stokes Bay on June 3rd, 1910. They were all cordially received by the Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth and at Cardiff there was another enthusiastic reception. During the voyage out the Terra Nova touched at Simon’s Bay, Melbourne, and Lyttelton; large and very generous subscriptions to the expedition being received from Cape Colony, Australia, and New Zealand.

After a stay of a month at Lyttelton, where the ponies and dogs were taken on board, and a valuable addition was made to the executive officers in the person of Scott’s brother-in-law, Wilfred Bruce, the Terra Nova finally sailed for the Antarctic regions on November 29th, 1910. Three days had not passed before the explorers encountered a furious storm from the S.W., lasting from December 1st to 3rd. The ship, hove to under a main lower topsail, laboured heavily and big seas began to come on board. The ponies suffered greatly, and Captain Oates and Dr Atkinson worked incessantly throughout the gale, dragging the poor beasts on to their legs again. The solid water which came on board lifted the coal bags and flung them against the rest of the deck cargo, acting like battering rams and gradually loosening the lashings of the petrol cases and forage bales. Soon the whole of the deck cargo was in danger, and there was nothing for it but to heave the coal bags overboard and re-lash the petrol cases. But the seas were continually breaking over the crew, and now and again they were completely submerged.

Worse was to come. It was reported that the pumps were choked and that the water, steadily gaining, was now over the stokehold plates. Every effort was being made to keep the fires fed, but a considerable part of the water on the upper deck found its way below. Then it was discovered that the main engine pump was also choked. The water gained to the lower level of the boilers, and the order had to be given to draw fires. The ship was very deeply laden, and it did not need the addition of much water to get her water-logged. As the water was gaining and there were no pumps available, the only resource left was an attempt at baling, yet the idea of baling a ship out by hand seemed ludicrous. Nevertheless all the officers and scientific staff fell to, working two hours’ spells all day and night, passing up buckets of water from hand to hand.

Captain Scott felt that, at all hazards, they must get at the hand pump suctions, and ordered a hole to be made in the steel bulkhead behind the boiler. All this time the gale was raging as furiously as ever. About midnight the hole through the bulkhead was completed, and Evans and Bowers crawled through to the pump suctions and found them choked with coal. This was got out, and the pump on being tried again gave a good stream once more. By morning the level of the water was brought under the stokehold plates again. Very slowly the wind and sea had been moderating and in the afternoon of December 3rd they were able to continue the voyage. Two ponies had dropped never to rise again, with the minor losses of 10 tons of coal, 65 gallons of petrol, and a case of the biologists’ spirits. The ship had been in great danger. This terrible experience in its absorbing interest stands side by side with Ross’s story of the collision among the icebergs.

On December 9th the Terra Nova entered the pack in 65° 5′ S. and 178° E. There was a long detention, unlike the fortunate voyage of the Discovery, and it was not until December 30th that the ship was extricated in 71° 30′ S., having had to force her way through 370 miles of ice. On January 3rd, 1911, Cape Crozier was sighted, the ship entered M’Murdo Sound, and on the 4th she was off the winter quarters at Cape Evans, 14 miles north of the Discovery’s winter quarters. The landing was at once commenced. In a week the house, stores, coals, animals, and equipments were all on shore. In a fortnight the house was built and habitable, and in three weeks everything was ready for the depôt journey.

A Tilted Berg, showing the old surface inclined to the left

Typical Bergs. Terra Nova in distance

One part of Captain Scott’s plan was that Lieut. Campbell should explore King Edward VII Land with Dr Levick, Mr. Priestley the geologist, three men, and two ponies. The Terra Nova, now commanded by Lieut. Pennell, accordingly took the party with their house and stores, leaving M’Murdo Sound on January 26th, but unfortunately no landing could be found at King Edward VII Land. Lieut. Pennell then took them to Balloon Bay, where there is a landing on the barrier, but the place was found to be already occupied by Amundsen’s party. Campbell, in consequence, gave up the plan of landing there, and returned to Cape Evans and left the ponies. He then went on in the Terra Nova, intending to land at Smith Inlet, or as near Cape North as possible. But once more fortune was against him, the ice prevented the ship from approaching the land, and the whole coast back to Cape Adare was found to consist of inaccessible ice cliffs. Ultimately the party were landed in Robertson Bay, where they wintered. Sledging was attempted, but the ice near the coast proved too rotten to be trustworthy, and no exploring could be done in the direction of Cape North. On January 8th, 1912, the Terra Nova arrived and took the party on board, landing them again near Mt Melbourne with six weeks’ sledging rations only. But grave misfortune was in store for them. The ship was prevented by dense pack from picking them up again and they were forced to winter, living in an ice cave with little besides penguins and seals for their food. These great privations were met with the greatest fortitude and cheerfulness, and in October they started with their sledge, reaching Cape Evans safely November 7th, 1912.

After landing Campbell’s party, Lieut. Pennell again shaped a course to the westward, and discovered a long line of new coast beyond Cape North, from 68° 30′ S. and 158° 15′ E. to 69° 50′ S. and 163° 29′ E. On March 8th the Terra Nova was beset, and from March 20th a S.W. gale took her to Stewart Island. After being thoroughly overhauled and repaired the ship was chartered by the New Zealand Government to survey the channel between the north point of the North Island and the Three Kings Islands, 38 miles to the N.W. The survey occupied three months, and Lieut. Rennick drew the resulting chart, since published by the Admiralty. In the next winter Lieut. Pennell conducted another survey for the New Zealand Government, this time of Admiralty Bay, the chart being drawn by Lieut. Rennick. “It was a great thing,” Pennell thought, “to have such long and continuous work for all hands during the winter.” Lieut. Wilfred Bruce was a most valuable addition to the executive staff on board, and Mr. Lillie was indefatigable as a collector. Very valuable lines of deep sea soundings were taken southwards from New Zealand, and a large biological collection was made. Indeed the Terra Nova made no unimportant addition to the results of the expedition.

Captain Scott was meanwhile preparing for one of the greatest feats in man-drawn sledge travelling that has ever been achieved, comparable with the splendid journeys of M’Clintock and Mecham. There was much to be done and no time to lose. A great depôt had to be laid out during the autumn, a hundred and thirty miles to the south. Scott started on January 25th from Cape Evans with 12 men, 8 ponies, and 26 dogs, with 14 weeks’ food and fuel (5385 lb.), 3680 lb. of compressed fodder, 1400 lb. of dog biscuit and 15 sacks of oats.

The journey was along the coast of Ross Island, passing the well-remembered places and the great hut at the Discovery’s winter quarters. The first depôt was formed in 77° 55′, to the S.E. of Cape Armitage, called the home depôt. This was “Corner Camp.” On the 12th February the party passed Minna Bluff, and rested at Bluff Camp; on the 15th the place for the final depôt was reached in 79° 28′ S., where 2181 lb. of provisions were deposited. This was the “One-ton Depôt.”

In returning, a short cut was attempted by Scott with the dog teams nearer the coast, where the ice turned out to be heavily crevassed. On the 20th February they covered 35 miles. Next day they were about 12 miles inshore from Corner Camp. The men were running by the sledges. Suddenly Dr Wilson shouted “Hold on to the sledge,” and as he spoke the whole team of dogs sank through the snow down a crevasse, and hung by their harness far down the abyss. Scott hauled the sledge clear and anchored it. The dogs were howling dismally. Two had dropped out of their harness and landed on a snow bridge far below. Cherry Garrard brought the Alpine rope they had with them; the sledge was unloaded, and run across the gap. The dogs were then hauled up two by two until eleven of the thirteen were recovered, the other two loose ones being on the snow bridge 65 ft. down the chasm. Scott made a bowline in the Alpine rope and was lowered down. He reached the bridge, fastened the first dog to the rope, which was hauled up, and then the second. Lastly he himself, with some effort, was hauled to the surface. It was all the other three could do, the cold being intense and their fingers badly frost-bitten. Scott of course was in great danger, but he had insisted upon going down. It was characteristic of him that “he wanted to take such a good opportunity of examining the sides of a crevasse.”

A greater disaster overtook the ponies in the return journey, coming from the Barrier on to the sea ice. It suddenly broke up, forming lanes of water, and notwithstanding every exertion to save them, two were lost on the ice and others succumbed to the furious icy gales. The year had been quite exceptional in this respect. There had already been four furious southerly gales. It was not until April 13th that Captain Scott returned to Cape Evans.

The abode for the winter had been carefully planned. The walls and roof had a double thickness of boarding, with sea-weed on both sides of the frames. On the south side Bowers built a long annex to contain spare clothing and provisions for immediate use. On the north was the stable, and a short distance away was a solid block of ice in which two caverns were dug, one for a larder, the other for differential magnetic instruments. Near this cavern there was a hut for absolute magnetic observations, and on a small hill above, on which was a flag-staff, were the meteorological instruments.

The house, below the hill, was on a long stretch of bleak sand, with many tons of provision cases ranged in neat blocks in front of it. The interior was divided into two rooms. Two-thirds of the area was for the 16 officers and members of the scientific staff, the other third for the 9 men[210]. In the officers’ quarters there was a dark room, a space for the physicist and his instruments, a space for charts, instruments, and chronometers, and on the sides the 16 bed-places. Arrangements for light, warmth, and cooking were very satisfactory. The ten surviving ponies were made comfortable in their stables by the Russian lads.

The last day of the sun was April 23rd. Throughout the winter there was much to be done and many calculations to be made respecting the great journey. Everyone was always busy and the daily exercising of the horses was no simple task. Every Sunday divine service was held. There were frequent lectures, generally on subjects connected with Antarctic travelling or scientific work, often illustrated, and always followed by a discussion. So the winter passed, with the most perfect good fellowship. The South Polar Times was again started under the editorship of Cherry Garrard, well aided by Dr Wilson’s admirable illustrations.

Dr Wilson was anxious to visit the emperor penguin rookery in order to secure eggs of the bird at such a stage as would furnish a series of early embryos by which alone the particular points of interest in the development of the bird could be worked out—this penguin being supposed to be the nearest approach to the primitive form. The journey entailed the risk of travelling in the winter and in darkness, for the birds nest in the coldest season of the year, early in July.

The party consisted of Dr Wilson, Lieut. Bowers, and Cherry Garrard, with two sledges and provisions for five weeks. They started on June 27th, 1911, and next day passed round Cape Armitage, and turned in the direction of Cape Crozier. At night the temperature was -56° Fahr. On July 11th, off Mount Terror, the wind from S.S.W. blowing a gale, brought the temperature up in a most extraordinary way to +7° Fahr., with heavy snow-fall. On the 15th they got to a height overlooking the barrier cliffs, with a magnificent view, the whole range of pressure ridges at their feet, looking “as if giants had been ploughing with ploughs that made furrows fifty or sixty feet deep.” The Ross Sea was completely frozen over, except an open lead along the coast. On this height at about 800 ft. they built a stone hut. On the 19th they made an unsuccessful attempt to descend to the rookery and next day the hut was finished. Then at last they effected a descent. Six eggs were collected and three birds were killed and skinned. Returning, the ascent was extremely difficult and hazardous. A heavy gale was blowing on the 22nd from S.S.W. and the tent was blown clean away. They took refuge in the hut, but next day the force of wind had risen to a storm, and the roof of the hut was blown away. At last the wind went down and they all started in search of the tent, which Bowers found a quarter of a mile from the place where it had been pitched, but fortunately undamaged. Without the tent it is doubtful whether any of them would have survived. The return journey in darkness and intense cold was terrible, the bags were saturated and hard frozen. Hut Point was reached on the last day of July, and the home at Cape Evans on August 1st.

Emperor Penguin Rookery, Cape Crozier

Scott wrote:—

“The Cape Crozier party returned after enduring for five weeks the hardest conditions on record. It forms one of the most gallant stories in polar history. That man should wander forth in the depth of a polar winter to face the most dismal cold and the fiercest gales in darkness is something new; that they should have persisted in their efforts in spite of every adversity for five full weeks, is heroic. It makes a tale for our generation which I hope will not be lost in the telling.”

From that time all was preparation and calculation for the great journey. The ponies were to take them to the foot of the glacier, where they would be killed for fresh food; the dog teams were also to go thus far, as far as they could be taken without cruelty. The hope that the motor sledges would be useful auxiliaries was vain. Scott had looked forward to their revolutionizing polar traction, but was doomed to disappointment.

From the foot of the glacier to the Pole, a distance of 450 miles, the extended party would be able to reach their goal by the help of two limited parties, making three parties of four men each to start. Six depôts were to be placed at intervals. The most careful calculations were made about the quantity in each depôt and the quantity to be taken by each returning party, and it was found in practice that every detail of equipment was right.

Before starting, Captain Scott, with Dr Simpson, Bowers, and Edgar Evans went for a fortnight on what he called a remarkably pleasant and instructive spring journey. The party went a long way up the Ferrar Glacier, and Scott was able to measure the movement of the glacier, finding it to be at the rate of 24 to 32 feet in 7½ months.

On the 1st November, 1911, Captain Scott started on his last great journey. The ponies were in fine form, due to the care of Captain Oates through the winter. They drew 450 lb. each. On the 15th “One-ton Depôt” was reached, 130 miles from Cape Evans. On arriving at the entrance to the Beardmore Glacier the ponies were shot for fresh food. They had done their work well. Meares and the dog teams returned home.

From December 5th to the 9th a furious gale was blowing with heavy snow-fall. This most unfortunate storm not only caused serious delay, but also filled the lower part of the glacier ravine with soft snow, retarding progress and causing awful toil.

The three final units of four were:—

ScottCommander EvansAtkinson
WilsonBowersWright
OatesCreanCherry Garrard
E. EvansLashlyKeohane

The ascent was hard work, and falls down crevasses to the length of the harness were quite common, but on the 22nd December the summit was reached at 7100 ft. in 85° 13′ S., 161° 55′ E. and here the “Upper Glacier Depôt” was formed. At this point Atkinson, Wright, Cherry Garrard, and Keohane bade farewell—alas! a long farewell—to their beloved chief, and returned.

Pushing steadily on, the two remaining parties reached 86° 55′ 47″ S. and formed another depôt, consisting of a week’s provisions for both units. It was named “Three-Degree Depôt.” On January 2nd, 1912, the camp was in 87° 32′ S. Long. 160° 40′ E., and 9600 ft. above the sea. Here Bowers joined the extended party, raising the number to five. The last limited party, consisting of Commander Evans, Crean, and Lashly, bade farewell and set out on the return journey. Evans was attacked by scurvy, became rapidly worse, and near Corner Camp was unable to go further. Lashly remained to nurse him, while Crean went off alone for help. Fortunately Dr Atkinson was at Hut Point and came at once to the rescue. Evans was brought safely down, and got on board the Terra Nova[211].

Scott, with his four gallant companions, was left within 140 miles of the South Pole, with provisions for a month, and depôts at proper intervals in their rear.

CHAPTER LXIV
CAPTAIN SCOTT’S LAST EXPEDITION The End

Scott and his companions could now easily reach their goal. On the 4th January they were 10,280 ft. above the sea, the soft snow giving them very heavy work. They were still ascending slightly, reaching 10,320 ft. on the 5th, on the 6th 10,470 ft., and on the 7th 10,570 ft.

“It is quite impossible,” wrote Scott, “to speak too highly of my companions. Wilson ever on the look-out to alleviate the small pains and troubles incidental to the work, ever thinking of some fresh expedient to help the camp life, tough as steel on the traces, never wavering from start to finish. Evans a giant worker with a really remarkable head-piece. It is only now I realize how much has been due to him. Little Bowers remains a marvel—he is thoroughly enjoying himself. He has not made a single mistake in making up the dépôts, and at all times knows exactly how we stand. Nothing comes amiss to him, and no work is too hard. Oates goes hard the whole time, and does his share of camp work.”

The highest point had now been passed and they were descending again. On the 15th at 89° 26′ 57″ S. the height was only 9920 ft. On the 16th, still descending, they were in 89° 42′ S. Scott had been for some time apprehensive of the possibility of the Norwegian expedition under Amundsen having forestalled them. The doubt was now to resolve itself into certainty. In the afternoon march Bowers’ keen eyes detected an unusual object in the distance, which proved to be a black flag tied to a sledge-bearer. Around were the remains of a camp and tracks of men and dogs, and it was only too evident that the Norwegians had succeeded in their endeavour. Two days later Scott’s party arrived at the tent left by Amundsen, and found his record dated December 16th, just a month previously. It was a terrible disappointment and no doubt was not without its depressing effect on their spirits on the homeward journey. The weather, moreover, was of an unusually trying character, a strong wind blowing with the thermometer at -22° Fahr. and a curious damp cold feeling in the air. “This is an awful place,” writes Scott, “and terrible enough for us to have laboured to it without the reward of priority.”

A cairn was built on the South Pole, and the Union Jack was hoisted. The altitude was 9500 ft. a descent of 1000 ft. from 88° S.

On the 19th January the return march was commenced, and they had a very hard time before them. Oates was feeling the cold more than the others, and Evans was never the same man after leaving the Pole. These were danger signals; both got frost-bitten so easily. There seems to be nothing in the Arctic regions to be compared with the wonderful storm-tossed sastrugi which here so perplexed and delayed them. On January 31 the Three-Degree Depôt was reached. The 9th February was a grand day. They steered for a moraine under Mount Buckley, which proved so interesting that Scott determined to spend the day there geologising. Above them rose a perpendicular cliff of sandstone, weathering rapidly and carrying veritable coal seams. Wilson found several plant impressions, one a piece of coal with beautifully-traced leaves in layers. There were some excellently preserved impressions of thick stems, showing cellular structure. Altogether they had a most interesting afternoon, “and the relief of being out of the wind and in a warmer temperature is inexpressible.” Some 35 lb. weight of fossils were taken on the sledge. This discovery throws most important light on the geological history of Antarctica.

The return journey was continued. On February 16th poor Evans had quite collapsed in mind and body. He caused much delay and the rest felt that they were in a desperate position with a sick man on their hands at such a distance from home. Here was the risk which could not be foreseen, and which seemed so unlikely to arise. All that the very best arrangement can possibly do is to leave a margin for detentions. That margin had been overpassed, and there was danger. The arrangements were admirable, the depôts fairly easily found, but their contents were not calculated for such a long detention.

Evans died in the tent on February 17th, a sad and unexpected end for such a fine and useful hand, and one supposed to be the strongest of the party. On February 18th they had reached the Lower Glacier Depôt and were entering upon the march over the barrier ice. They began to use the horse meat.

The survivors encountered most extraordinary, indeed for the time of year quite abnormal, degrees of cold, and they were retarded by unusually bad surface. They reached the Middle Barrier Depôt on the 2nd March but found a shortage of oil, due to a leak, leaving hardly sufficient to take them to the next depôt. The temperature was -40°. Captain Oates disclosed the state of his feet, which were most seriously frost-bitten. Every circumstance was against them, and the danger was rapidly increasing. The surface continued terrible and retarded them fatally. “Amongst ourselves,” wrote Scott, “we are unendingly cheerful, but what each man feels in his heart I can only guess.” By the 6th Oates was unable to pull, and suffering great pain. He got worse and worse; but was always cheery, and never made a complaint. On the 17th the end came. It was blowing a gale. He said “I am just going outside and may be some time.” He knew they would never leave him and that he was increasing their danger. He nobly resolved to sacrifice himself. “It was the act of a brave man and an English gentleman. We all hope to meet the end in a similar spirit, and assuredly the end is not far.” Hope was departing. On Sunday March 21st they were only eleven miles from One-ton Depôt, getting more and more unequal to the work. Yet they had brought the great extra weight of 35 lb. of fossils all the way, a monument to the heroism of the gallant discoverers. Scott was now in as bad case as Oates had been. The tent was pitched, Wilson and Bowers intending to go to the depôt and back for fuel. But a furious gale, rendering the journey impossible, blew for several days from S.W. This was the final blow. Scott wrote letters to relations and friends until death caused his pencil to drop from his hand. Every sentence was intended to give them consolation and comfort. He also left a touching appeal to his countrymen. He died as he had lived, one of the most beautiful characters in our generation. When found by the search party Wilson and Bowers lay with their sleeping-bags closed over their heads, in the attitude of sleep. Scott had died later. The flaps of his sleeping-bag were thrown back. The little wallet containing his note-books was under his shoulder, and one arm was flung across Wilson’s body.

The search party, led by Dr Atkinson, started on the 30th of October, 1912. The excellent mules had arrived on board the Terra Nova in the spring. Seven mules and eight men set out from Hut Point, with Wright in command, two dog teams following with Dr Atkinson, Cherry Garrard, and Demetri[212].

On the morning of the 12th November, 1912, they found the tent. It was pitched well and had withstood the furious gales. Each man recognised the bodies. All their gear was recovered, and the sledge was dug out with their belongings and the precious fossils. Then the bodies were covered with the outer tent and the burial service was read. A mighty cairn was built above them, and it was surmounted by a cross made out of two skis. On either side two sledges were up-ended and fixed firmly in the snow. Between the eastern sledge and the cairn a bamboo was placed containing a metal cylinder and the following inscription:—

This cross and cairn were erected over the bodies of Captain Scott, R.N., Dr Wilson, M.B., and Lieut. Bowers, R.I.M. a slight token to perpetuate their successful and gallant attempt to reach the Pole. This they did on January 17th, 1912. Inclement weather with lack of fuel was the cause of their death. Also to commemorate their two gallant comrades, Captain Oates of the Inniskilling Dragoons, who walked to his death to save his comrades about eighteen miles south of this position; and Seaman Edgar Evans, who died at the foot of the glacier.

“The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”

It was signed by all the members of the party. They then marched south to search for the body of Captain Oates; but “the kindly snow had covered the body, giving it a fitting burial.” Here, as near the site as they could judge, they built another cairn to his memory, placing on it a small cross and the following record:—

Hereabouts died a very gallant gentleman, Captain Oates of the Inniskilling Dragoons. In March 1912, returning from the Pole, he walked willingly to his death to try and save his comrades, beset by hardships. This note is left by the Relief Expedition of 1912.

It was signed by Dr Atkinson and Mr. Cherry Garrard. Returning they bade a final farewell to their lost friends. Dr Atkinson wrote:—

There, alone in their greatness, they will lie without change or bodily decay, with the most fitting tomb in the world above them.

The results of Captain Scott’s expedition are of great importance. He arranged that the geologists should make a thorough geological survey of the region from Granite Harbour to Koettlitz Glacier, extending thirty miles inland where possible. This was done, and they also made a very interesting ascent to the crater of Mount Erebus, an account of which was written by Mr. Priestley. The results in the other branches of science were of no less importance, and furnish a splendid and convincing answer to those who question the use of polar expeditions. But of far greater service are the examples set to their countrymen by the lost heroes, and the experience gained by the young naval officers of the expedition.

The dying appeal of Captain Scott met with a prompt response. Seldom has the nation, both at home and beyond seas, been so deeply touched. On February 14th, 1913, there was a memorial service at St Paul’s at which the King and the Queen Mother were present. Scott’s widow was given the rank to which her heroic husband would have been raised. An appeal for funds to meet all demands received a most generous and ample response. The widows and orphans were suitably provided for, all the liabilities of the expedition were met, a bounty was given to the members of the expedition, provision was made for the publication of results, and a large sum was left for memorials.

In the whole range of polar history there is no greater name than that of Robert Falcon Scott. A life of devotion to duty, latterly of devotion to scientific discovery, was closed by a heroic and glorious death. A man with rare gifts both of head and heart, those gifts were nobly used through life, and were never more prominent than in his last fatal march and in the hour of death.

CHAPTER LXV
REMAINING ANTARCTIC WORK

The great object of Antarctic exploration is to discover the outline of the Antarctic continent, and to study its physiography so far as the great ice-cap will admit of such researches. Among those who took an intelligent interest in this important question was the late Duke of Argyll’s father, who had the firmest grasp of the subject and the deepest insight. His view was that our efforts should be directed to discovering the physiography of this continental land previous to its being almost entirely concealed by the ice-cap. In that way alone—combined with series of deep sea soundings radiating from the shores of Antarctica to lands to the north—could its geological history, and possible former connection with other lands, be ascertained. Impressed with these views, we saw that those coasts must be sought where the mountains are more or less clear of the assumed ice-cap. The northern coasts forming the eastern half of the Victoria and all the Enderby Quadrant appeared to be ice cliffs only, and therefore unsuited. It was evident that coasts and mountains with an eastern aspect would alone enable us to obtain the desired knowledge. There are two such eastern coasts. These are the western side of the Ross Sea facing east, and the western side of the Weddell Sea, the coast of Graham Land facing east.

Victoria Land was selected for the first attempt, and a grand result was achieved by Captain Scott in his two expeditions. The great Victorian chain of mountains was traced from the Antarctic Circle to the apex of the quadrant, a distance of 1200 miles. The volcanic region of Ross Island was thoroughly explored. The basaltic irruptions were observed, together with the primitive rocks; the great unaltered formation now known as the “Beacon Sandstone” was discovered, the movements and character of its glaciers were noted, a complete geological survey was made from Granite Harbour to Koettlitz Glacier, and the peaks were measured. To crown all, Captain Scott and Dr Wilson made a large collection of the fossil flora which established the geological period of the rock formation. These fossils weighed 35 lb., but though worn out, and with strength failing fast, the gallant explorers would not leave them, but dragged these records, until they died. There is no more glorious and more touching event in the whole range of polar history.

Captain Scott observed that the Victorian mountains turned in the direction of Graham Land, and this conclusion now has to be proved. A branch seems to run down to the coast and to terminate in the heights of King Edward VII Land, thus enclosing the vast bay filled with Mr Ferrar’s “Ross piedmont.” It would not be surprising to find a minor range branching off to Enderby Land, which Biscoe described as mountainous.

The land and islands with an eastern aspect on the other side of Antarctica were partly explored by Captain Larsen, who made an important voyage down the east coast of Graham Land, and the fossil remains have been collected and described by Nordenskiöld and Gunnar Andersson. Next to Captain Scott’s great discoveries, the work of the Swedes has thrown most light on the former history of Antarctica.

There is something very fascinating in considering the analogy between the Ross and Weddell Seas and their shores on opposite sides of Antarctica. The Victorian Mountains on one side match the Graham Land mountains on the other. The interest is increased by the probability that they form one chain, and by the discovery that there are volcanic rocks peculiar to the Andes which have been found in Graham Land. Then there are the enormous icebergs in both seas pointing to the need for the further study of the wonderful ice-cap which conceals so much of Antarctica from our knowledge.

The Antarctic ice-cap was discovered and explored by Captain Scott, who penetrated into its solitudes for two hundred miles from the mountain range. Dr Mawson has also examined it from another direction. There is little or no interest in travelling over its monotonous surface, but numerous borings would reveal its depth and solid contents, as suggested by the late Sir John Murray. The greatest interest connected with the Antarctic ice-cap is to be found in the study of its glaciers, and of its edges, possibly mighty cliffs like the Ross piedmont, whence the vast icebergs are discharged.

Barrier Berg Aground off King Edward VII Land

The most important geographical discoveries which remain to be revealed in the Antarctic regions are the coasts and interiors of the Weddell and Ross Quadrants. A great part of the eastern side of Graham Land is still undiscovered, and it is not known whether it is a peninsula or an island. A plan for the exploration of this important area was ably sketched out by Lieut. Barne, but nothing has yet been done. The continuation of the Victorian chain of mountains possibly to Graham Land, 800 miles in length, likewise calls for investigation as a part entirely unknown. An ancient connection between Antarctica and South America may be revealed, when the warm current flowing south down the east side of the latter continent was not diverted but flowed directly into the far south. But these are but a tithe of the problems which Antarctica still offers. There is the enterprise of crossing the mountains to ascertain the character of the much smaller section of the continent in the Ross Quadrant; there is the survey of the southern part of Graham Land; the exploration of the coast to the eastward; the problem of the origins of the great icebergs. The Weddell Quadrant calls for an immense amount of geographical and other scientific work, which would give full occupation for more than one expedition.

In the Ross Quadrant there is a coast line of 1100 miles in extent to be discovered. Captain Scott’s work on King Edward VII Land on one side, Alexander and Charcot Lands on the other, are the boundary posts to this undiscovered Edwardian coast. All we know is that Captain Cook saw land in 71° S., that Bellingshausen sighted Peter Island a little further to the east, and that the Belgian expedition wintered over the continental shelf in about 71° S. The land is probably not a hundred miles further south. The ice-pack floats north from the coast during the navigable season, and in that case a ship might navigate along the Edwardian coast. It is possible that there may be one or more deep indentations, like the Ross Sea, when there would be a coast or coasts facing east whose exploration would throw further important light on the history of Antarctica.

Finally, in the Enderby Quadrant there is the “Challenger Gap” to be explored, so as to complete an examination of the region from Gaussberg to Kempe Land.

Fixed stations for meteorological, magnetic, and tidal observations ought to be established to carry out this excellent and useful work within the Antarctic Circle during a course of years, similar to that which Captain Scott achieved in M’Murdo Sound during four years. In no other part of the Arctic or Antarctic regions have observations been taken in one place for so long a time. But they are needed on other spots all round Antarctica.

There are many true lovers of geographical exploration for its own sake in the present generation, who look upon achievement as its own reward. We may, therefore, hope that the great work initiated by the Societies with such splendid results will be renewed by successors to Scott and Wilson, and that they will again and again raise the standard of duty and useful, if perilous, achievement. For such men there is a note of encouragement and sympathy deep down in the hearts of all true Britons.