The Voyages of Captain Scott

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akeshift affair. Skins of an inferior quality had to be used for sleeping-bags; the tents were blackened with use, threadbare in texture, and patched in many places; the cooking apparatus was considerably the worse for wear; the wind clothes were almost worn out, while for all the small ba

ight be just possible to make a third more or less lengthy journey without support. The next thing to decide was in what direction these parties should go, and in this connection the greatest interest undoubtedly lay in the

nd consequently had left many problems unsolved, chief among which were the extraordinary straits that had appeared to run through the mountain ranges without risin

sk Scott what proof they had that the barrier surface continued on a level to the eastward; and when Scott began to conside

AT MOUTH OF

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NORTH SIDE OF

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and the most important of these were the periodic visits to the Emperor penguin rookery, as it was

at everything man could do to free her from the ice should be done. As soon as they could hope to make any impression upon the great ice-sheet around them, the whole force

ted most adversely on this inlet as a route for sledges, and in conducting his own party had led it across the high foot-hills. As yet Scott had not been to this region, but in the nature of things he could not help thinking that some practical route must exist up the New Harbour inlet, and that if it could be found the journey to the

d to be much broken up and decayed, while the north side will be comparatively smooth and even. The reason of this, of course, is simple enough, for the sun achieves its highest altitude in the north,

at a spot which Armitage had taken three weeks to reach

at least, we thought so, and thought also how pleasant it would be to tell these things in front of a nice bright fire. As we approached the ship, however, Hodgson came out to greet us, a

tunity of studying the chicks at such a tender age. Commenting upon this and another journey to Cape Crozier, Wilson wrote: 'The Emperor penguin stands nearly four feet high, and weighs upward of eighty to ninety pounds.... I think the chickens hate their parents, and when one watches the proceedings in a rookery it strikes one as not surprising. In the first place there is about one chick to ten or twelve adults, and each adult has an overpowering desire to "sit" on something. Both males an

care, he succeeded in his attempt. But eventually they died from unnatural feeding, and Wilson says: 'Had we even succeeded in bringing them to the age when they put

ring the day. Telescopes and the spectroscopic camera were trained in the right direction, magnetic instruments were set to run at quick speed, and observers were told off to watch everything on which the absence of sun could possibly have the smallest effe

ur 11-foot sledges. First came his own party, which included Skelton, Feather, Evans, Lashly and Handsley; secondly there was a small party for t

d upon, and that it would take a good deal to stop the determined men whom he had chosen. At the start their loads were a little over 200 lbs. per man, but most of the

urn journey they could hope to obtain fresh seal-meat, and in preparation for t

had split under the runners of two sledges, and this was a most serious blow; for although the wood runners were capable of running on snow without protection, on hard, sharp ice, especially if the sledge was heavily laden, they would be knocke

of hard ice were to be expected, and the problem that immediat

omptly decided that there was one course and only one to take, and that was to return to the ship as fast as they could. Had two sledges been available the advance party might have struggled on, but with one they could do nothing; so they left the sound sledge with everything

r, did not mean to be left behind if they could help it, and later on the night of the 21st they also reached the ship. In the hard struggle of the last hours some of the members of the supporting party, though de

almost at once began with the runners, and on the 29th Ferrar's sledge gave out and caused a long delay. But in spite of being held up by wind for two days, they reached their dep?t on November 1, and thought at first that every

the blow I felt that nothing would induce me to return to the ship a second time; I thought it fair, however, to put

the help of these observations he finds his latitude and longitude, but to do this a certain amount of data is required. 'Hints to Travelers' supplies these necessary data, and it was on this book that Scott had been relying to help him to work out his sights and fix accurately the position of his party

ledge-runners continued to need constant attention they arrived at the base of the up

eatening. Still, however, they battled on and were half-way up the bare, icy slope they were climbing, when the air became thick with driving snow and the full force of the gale burst upon them. Pushing on at almost a run they succeeded in reaching the top, and hurriedly started to search for a patch of snow on which to

and dug for all he was worth without making the least impression. At this moment Feather, the boatswain, luckily came to help him, and being more expert with the shovel managed to chip out a few small blocks. Then they tried to get up a tent, but again a

resume their march. From November 4-11 the gale raged unceasingly, and meanwhile not a vision of

gers prevented the pages from being turned over. Only one piece of work were they able to perform, and this on the first day when, thinking

zing that the long inactivity was telling on the health of the party, determined th

ling in both feet. 'Things are looking serious,' Scott wrote after this unsuccessful effort to be up and doing, 'I fear the long spell of bad weather is telling on us. The cheerfulness of the par

r the ice-fall and eventually and miraculously reaching the top without accident. On starting they could not see half-a-dozen yards ahead, and at once went as nearly as possible into an enormous chasm; and when they began to ascend t

s' provisions in hand, and the prospect of covering many miles before a return to the glacier would be necessary, they were, as they camped

-jackets with ice, and with falling temperatures this ice had so little chance to evaporate that camping arrangements were acutely uncomfortable; and as each night the thermometer fell a little lower, the chance of r

n on this lofty, desolate plateau we turned our backs upon the last mountain peak that could remind us of habitable lands. Yet before us l

ficulty in keeping up, and that although he himself felt thoroughly strong and well, some of his companions were beginning to fail. As was natural with such men not one of them would own that he was exhausted, and in consequence it was only by paying the keenest attention that he could detect those who from sheer incapacity w

s breakdown was a disgrace, and no arguments would make him change it. Small wonder then that Scott wrote in his diary: 'What children these men are, and yet what splendid children! The boatswain has been suffering agonies from his back; he has been pulling just beh

d to tell Skelton, Feather, and Handsley that they must turn back, and though 'they co

or him and his companions, Evans and Lashly. Nevertheless Scott looked back upon this strenuous time with unmixed s

e numbered.... Troubles and discomforts were many, and we could only guess at the progress we made, but we knew tha

and cut them to pieces. So cracked were their faces that laughing hurt horribly, and the first half-hour of the morning march, before they were warmed up to the work, was dreadful, as then all their sore places got frost-bitten.

outward march, thank heaven! Nothing has kept us going during the past week but the determination to carry