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].