The Last Weeks at Cape Evans
_Friday, October_ 6.--With the rise of temperature there has been
a slight thaw in the hut; the drips come down the walls and one has
found my diary, as its pages show. The drips are already decreasing,
and if they represent the whole accumulation of winter moisture it
is extraordinarily little, and speaks highly for the design of the
hut. There cannot be very much more or the stains would be more
significant.
Yesterday I had a good look at Jehu and became convinced that he
is useless; he is much too weak to pull a load, and three weeks
can make no difference. It is necessary to face the facts and I've
decided to leave him behind--we must do with nine ponies. Chinaman is
rather a doubtful quantity and James Pigg is not a tower of strength,
but the other seven are in fine form and must bear the brunt of the
work somehow.
If we suffer more loss we shall depend on the motor, and
then! ... well, one must face the bad as well as the good.
It is some comfort to know that six of the animals at least are in
splendid condition--Victor, Snippets, Christopher, Nobby, Bones are
as fit as ponies could well be and are naturally strong, well-shaped
beasts, whilst little Michael, though not so shapely, is as strong
as he will ever be.
To-day Wilson, Oates, Cherry-Garrard, and Crean have gone to Hut
Point with their ponies, Oates getting off with Christopher after
some difficulty. At 5 o'clock the Hut Point telephone bell suddenly
rang (the line was laid by Meares some time ago, but hitherto there
has been no communication). In a minute or two we heard a voice, and
behold! communication was established. I had quite a talk with Meares
and afterwards with Oates. Not a very wonderful fact, perhaps, but it
seems wonderful in this primitive land to be talking to one's fellow
beings 15 miles away. Oates told me that the ponies had arrived in
fine order, Christopher a little done, but carrying the heaviest load.
If we can keep the telephone going it will be a great boon, especially
to Meares later in the season.
The weather is extraordinarily unsettled; the last two days have been
fairly fine, but every now and again we get a burst of wind with drift,
and to-night it is overcast and very gloomy in appearance.
The photography craze is in full swing. Ponting's mastery is ever
more impressive, and his pupils improve day by day; nearly all of
us have produced good negatives. Debenham and Wright are the most
promising, but Taylor, Bowers and I are also getting the hang of the
tricky exposures.
_Saturday, October_ 7.--As though to contradict the suggestion
of incompetence, friend 'Jehu' pulled with a will this morning--he
covered 3 1/2 miles without a stop, the surface being much worse than
it was two days ago. He was not at all distressed when he stopped. If
he goes on like this he comes into practical politics again, and
I am arranging to give 10-feet sledges to him and Chinaman instead
of 12-feet. Probably they will not do much, but if they go on as at
present we shall get something out of them.
Long and cheerful conversations with Hut Point and of course an
opportunity for the exchange of witticisms. We are told it was blowing
and drifting at Hut Point last night, whereas here it was calm and
snowing; the wind only reached us this afternoon.
_Sunday, October_ 8.--A very beautiful day. Everyone out and about
after Service, all ponies going well. Went to Pressure Ridge with
Ponting and took a number of photographs.
So far good, but the afternoon has brought much worry. About five
a telephone message from Nelson's igloo reported that Clissold had
fallen from a berg and hurt his back. Bowers organised a sledge
party in three minutes, and fortunately Atkinson was on the spot and
able to join it. I posted out over the land and found Ponting much
distressed and Clissold practically insensible. At this moment the
Hut Point ponies were approaching and I ran over to intercept one
in case of necessity. But the man# party was on the spot first, and
after putting the patient in a sleeping-bag, quickly brought him home
to the hut. It appears that Clissold was acting as Ponting's 'model'
and that the two had been climbing about the berg to get pictures. As
far as I can make out Ponting did his best to keep Clissold in safety
by lending him his crampons and ice axe, but the latter seems to have
missed his footing after one of his 'poses'; he slid over a rounded
surface of ice for some 12 feet, then dropped 6 feet on to a sharp
angle in the wall of the berg.
He must have struck his back and head; the latter is contused and he
is certainly suffering from slight concussion. He complained of his
back before he grew unconscious and groaned a good deal when moved in
the hut. He came to about an hour after getting to the hut, and was
evidently in a good deal of pain; neither Atkinson nor Wilson thinks
there is anything very serious, but he has not yet been properly
examined and has had a fearful shock at the least. I still feel very
anxious. To-night Atkinson has injected morphia and will watch by
his patient.
Troubles rarely come singly, and it occurred to me after Clissold had
been brought in that Taylor, who had been bicycling to the Turk's Head,
was overdue. We were relieved to hear that with glasses two figures
could be seen approaching in South Bay, but at supper Wright appeared
very hot and said that Taylor was exhausted in South Bay--he wanted
brandy and hot drink. I thought it best to despatch another relief
party, but before they were well round the point Taylor was seen
coming over the land. He was fearfully done. He must have pressed on
towards his objective long after his reason should have warned him
that it was time to turn; with this and a good deal of anxiety about
Clissold, the day terminates very unpleasantly.
_Tuesday, October_ 10.--Still anxious about Clissold. He has passed
two fairly good nights but is barely able to move. He is unnaturally
irritable, but I am told this is a symptom of concussion. This morning
he asked for food, which is a good sign, and he was anxious to know
if his sledging gear was being got ready. In order not to disappoint
him he was assured that all would be ready, but there is scarce a
slender chance that he can fill his place in the programme.
Meares came from Hut Point yesterday at the front end of a
blizzard. Half an hour after his arrival it was as thick as a hedge. He
reports another loss--Deek, one of the best pulling dogs, developed
the same symptoms which have so unaccountably robbed us before, spent
a night in pain, and died in the morning. Wilson thinks the cause is a
worm which gets into the blood and thence to the brain. It is trying,
but I am past despondency. Things must take their course.
Forde's fingers improve, but not very rapidly; it is hard to have
two sick men after all the care which has been taken.
The weather is very poor--I had hoped for better things this month. So
far we have had more days with wind and drift than without. It
interferes badly with the ponies' exercise.
_Friday, October_ 13.--The past three days have seen a marked
improvement in both our invalids. Clissold's inside has been got into
working order after a good deal of difficulty; he improves rapidly
in spirits as well as towards immunity from pain. The fiction of
his preparation to join the motor sledge party is still kept up, but
Atkinson says there is not the smallest chance of his being ready. I
shall have to be satisfied if he practically recovers by the time we
leave with the ponies.
Forde's hand took a turn for the better two days ago and he maintains
this progress. Atkinson thinks he will be ready to start in ten days'
time, but the hand must be carefully nursed till the weather becomes
really summery.
The weather has continued bad till to-day, which has been perfectly
beautiful. A fine warm sun all day--so warm that one could sit about
outside in the afternoon, and photographic work was a real pleasure.
The ponies have been behaving well, with exceptions. Victor is now
quite easy to manage, thanks to Bowers' patience. Chinaman goes along
very steadily and is not going to be the crock we expected. He has
a slow pace which may be troublesome, but when the weather is fine
that won't matter if he can get along steadily.
The most troublesome animal is Christopher. He is only a source of
amusement as long as there is no accident, but I am always a little
anxious that he will kick or bite someone. The curious thing is that
he is quiet enough to handle for walking or riding exercise or in the
stable, but as soon as a sledge comes into the programme he is seized
with a very demon of viciousness, and bites and kicks with every intent
to do injury. It seems to be getting harder rather than easier to get
him into the traces; the last two turns, he has had to be thrown,
as he is unmanageable even on three legs. Oates, Bowers, and Anton
gather round the beast and lash up one foreleg, then with his head
held on both sides Oates gathers back the traces; quick as lightning
the little beast flashes round with heels flying aloft. This goes on
till some degree of exhaustion gives the men a better chance. But,
as I have mentioned, during the last two days the period has been so
prolonged that Oates has had to hasten matters by tying a short line
to the other foreleg and throwing the beast when he lashes out. Even
when on his knees he continues to struggle, and one of those nimble
hind legs may fly out at any time. Once in the sledge and started on
three legs all is well and the fourth leg can be released. At least,
all has been well until to-day, when quite a comedy was enacted. He
was going along quietly with Oates when a dog frightened him: he
flung up his head, twitched the rope out of Oates' hands and dashed
away. It was not a question of blind fright, as immediately after
gaining freedom he set about most systematically to get rid of his
load. At first he gave sudden twists, and in this manner succeeded
in dislodging two bales of hay; then he caught sight of other sledges
and dashed for them. They could scarcely get out of his way in time;
the fell intention was evident all through, to dash his load against
some other pony and sledge and so free himself of it. He ran for Bowers
two or three times with this design, then made for Keohane, never going
off far and dashing inward with teeth bared and heels flying all over
the place. By this time people were gathering round, and first one and
then another succeeded in clambering on to the sledge as it flew by,
till Oates, Bowers, Nelson, and Atkinson were all sitting on it. He
tried to rid himself of this human burden as he had of the hay bales,
and succeeded in dislodging Atkinson with violence, but the remainder
dug their heels into the snow and finally the little brute was tired
out. Even then he tried to savage anyone approaching his leading line,
and it was some time before Oates could get hold of it. Such is the
tale of Christopher. I am exceedingly glad there are not other ponies
like him. These capers promise trouble, but I think a little soft
snow on the Barrier may effectually cure them.
E.R. Evans and Gran return to-night. We received notice of their
departure from Hut Point through the telephone, which also informed
us that Meares had departed for his first trip to Corner Camp. Evans
says he carried eight bags of forage and that the dogs went away at
a great pace.
In spite of the weather Evans has managed to complete his survey
to Hut Point. He has evidently been very careful with it and has
therefore done a very useful bit of work.
_Sunday, October_ 15.--Both of our invalids progress
favourably. Clissold has had two good nights without the aid of drugs
and has recovered his good spirits; pains have departed from his back.
The weather is very decidedly warmer and for the past three days
has been fine. The thermometer stands but a degree or two below zero
and the air feels delightfully mild. Everything of importance is now
ready for our start and the ponies improve daily.
Clissold's work of cooking has fallen on Hooper and Lashly, and it
is satisfactory to find that the various dishes and bread bakings
maintain their excellence. It is splendid to have people who refuse
to recognise difficulties.
_Tuesday, October_ 17.--Things not going very well; with ponies
all pretty well. Animals are improving in form rapidly, even Jehu,
though I have ceased to count on that animal. To-night the motors
were to be taken on to the floe. The drifts make the road very
uneven, and the first and best motor overrode its chain; the chain
was replaced and the machine proceeded, but just short of the floe
was thrust to a steep inclination by a ridge, and the chain again
overrode the sprockets; this time by ill fortune Day slipped at the
critical moment and without intention jammed the throttle full on. The
engine brought up, but there was an ominous trickle of oil under the
back axle, and investigation showed that the axle casing (aluminium)
had split. The casing has been stripped and brought into the hut;
we may be able to do something to it, but time presses. It all goes
to show that we want more experience and workshops.
I am secretly convinced that we shall not get much help from the
motors, yet nothing has ever happened to them that was unavoidable. A
little more care and foresight would make them splendid allies. The
trouble is that if they fail, no one will ever believe this.
Meares got back from Corner Camp at 8 A.M. Sunday morning--he got
through on the telephone to report in the afternoon. He must have
made the pace, which is promising for the dogs. Sixty geographical
miles in two days and a night is good going--about as good as can be.
I have had to tell Clissold that he cannot go out with the Motor Party,
to his great disappointment. He improves very steadily, however, and
I trust will be fit before we leave with the ponies. Hooper replaces
him with the motors. I am kept very busy writing and preparing details.
We have had two days of northerly wind, a very unusual occurrence;
yesterday it was blowing S.E., force 8, temp. -16°, whilst here
the wind was north, force 4, temp. -6°. This continued for some
hours--a curious meteorological combination. We are pretty certain
of a southerly blizzard to follow, I should think.
_Wednesday, October_ 18.--The southerly blizzard has burst on us. The
air is thick with snow.
A close investigation of the motor axle case shows that repair is
possible. It looks as though a good strong job could be made of
it. Yesterday Taylor and Debenham went to Cape Royds with the object
of staying a night or two.
_Sunday, October_ 22.--The motor axle case was completed by Thursday
morning, and, as far as one can see, Day made a very excellent job
of it. Since that the Motor Party has been steadily preparing for
its departure. To-day everything is ready. The loads are ranged on
the sea ice, the motors are having a trial run, and, all remaining
well with the weather, the party will get away to-morrow.
Meares and Demetri came down on Thursday through the last of the
blizzard. At one time they were running without sight of the leading
dogs--they did not see Tent Island at all, but burst into sunshine
and comparative calm a mile from the station. Another of the best of
the dogs, 'Czigane,' was smitten with the unaccountable sickness;
he was given laxative medicine and appears to be a little better,
but we are still anxious. If he really has the disease, whatever it
may be, the rally is probably only temporary and the end will be swift.
The teams left on Friday afternoon, Czigane included; to-day Meares
telephones that he is setting out for his second journey to Corner
Camp without him. On the whole the weather continues wretchedly bad;
the ponies could not be exercised either on Thursday or Friday; they
were very fresh yesterday and to-day in consequence. When unexercised,
their allowance of oats has to be cut down. This is annoying, as
just at present they ought to be doing a moderate amount of work and
getting into condition on full rations.
The temperature is up to zero about; this probably means about -20°
on the Barrier. I wonder how the motors will face the drop if and when
they encounter it. Day and Lashly are both hopeful of the machines,
and they really ought to do something after all the trouble that has
been taken.
The wretched state of the weather has prevented the transport of
emergency stores to Hut Point. These stores are for the returning
depots and to provision the _Discovery_ hut in case the _Terra Nova_
does not arrive. The most important stores have been taken to the
Glacier Tongue by the ponies to-day.
In the transport department, in spite of all the care I have taken to
make the details of my plan clear by lucid explanation, I find that
Bowers is the only man on whom I can thoroughly rely to carry out the
work without mistake, with its arrays of figures. For the practical
consistent work of pony training Oates is especially capable, and
his heart is very much in the business.
'_October,_ 1911.--I don't know what to think of Amundsen's chances. If
he gets to the Pole, it must be before we do, as he is bound to travel
fast with dogs and pretty certain to start early. On this account
I decided at a very early date to act exactly as I should have done
had he not existed. Any attempt to race must have wrecked my plan,
besides which it doesn't appear the sort of thing one is out for.
'Possibly you will have heard something before this reaches
you. Oh! and there are all sorts of possibilities. In any case you can
rely on my not doing or saying anything foolish--only I'm afraid you
must be prepared for the chance of finding our venture much belittled.
'After all, it is the work that counts, not the applause that follows.
'Words must always fail me when I talk of Bill Wilson. I believe he
really is the finest character I ever met--the closer one gets to him
the more there is to admire. Every quality is so solid and dependable;
cannot you imagine how that counts down here? Whatever the matter,
one knows Bill will be sound, shrewdly practical, intensely loyal
and quite unselfish. Add to this a wider knowledge of persons and
things than is at first guessable, a quiet vein of humour and really
consummate tact, and you have some idea of his values. I think he is
the most popular member of the party, and that is saying much.
'Bowers is all and more than I ever expected of him. He is a positive
treasure, absolutely trustworthy and prodigiously energetic. He
is about the hardest man amongst us, and that is saying a good
deal--nothing seems to hurt his tough little body and certainly
no hardship daunts his spirit. I shall have a hundred little
tales to tell you of his indefatigable zeal, his unselfishness,
and his inextinguishable good humour. He surprises always, for his
intelligence is of quite a high order and his memory for details most
exceptional. You can imagine him, as he is, an indispensable assistant
to me in every detail concerning the management and organisation of
our sledging work and a delightful companion on the march.
'One of the greatest successes is Wright. He is very thorough and
absolutely ready for anything. Like Bowers he has taken to sledging
like a duck to water, and although he hasn't had such severe testing,
I believe he would stand it pretty nearly as well. Nothing ever seems
to worry him, and I can't imagine he ever complained of anything in
his life.
'I don't think I will give such long descriptions of the others,
though most of them deserve equally high praise. Taken all round
they are a perfectly excellent lot.'
The Soldier is very popular with all--a delightfully humorous cheery
old pessimist--striving with the ponies night and day and bringing
woeful accounts of their small ailments into the hut.
X.... has a positive passion for helping others--it is extraordinary
what pains he will take to do a kind thing unobtrusively.
'One sees the need of having one's heart in one's work. Results can
only be got down here by a man desperately eager to get them.
'Y.... works hard at his own work, taking extraordinary pains with it,
but with an astonishing lack of initiative he makes not the smallest
effort to grasp the work of others; it is a sort of character which
plants itself in a corner and will stop there.
'The men are equally fine. Edgar Evans has proved a useful member
of our party; he looks after our sledges and sledge equipment with
a care of management and a fertility of resource which is truly
astonishing--on 'trek' he is just as sound and hard as ever and has
an inexhaustible store of anecdote.
'Crean is perfectly happy, ready to do anything and go anywhere, the
harder the work, the better. Evans and Crean are great friends. Lashly
is his old self in every respect, hard working to the limit, quiet,
abstemious, and determined. You see altogether I have a good set of
people with me, and it will go hard if we don't achieve something.
'The study of individual character is a pleasant pastime in such
a mixed community of thoroughly nice people, and the study of
relationships and interactions is fascinating--men of the most
diverse upbringings and experience are really pals with one another,
and the subjects which would be delicate ground of discussion between
acquaintances are just those which are most freely used for jests. For
instance the Soldier is never tired of girding at Australia, its
people and institutions, and the Australians retaliate by attacking
the hide-bound prejudices of the British army. I have never seen a
temper lost in these discussions. So as I sit here I am very satisfied
with these things. I think that it would have been difficult to
better the organisation of the party--every man has his work and is
especially adapted for it; there is no gap and no overlap--it is all
that I desired, and the same might be said of the men selected to do
the work.'
It promised to be very fine to-day, but the wind has already sprung
up and clouds are gathering again. There was a very beautiful curved
'banner' cloud south of Erebus this morning, perhaps a warning of
what is to come.
Another accident! At one o'clock 'Snatcher,' one of the three ponies
laying the depot, arrived with single trace and dangling sledge in a
welter of sweat. Forty minutes after P.O. Evans, his driver, came in
almost as hot; simultaneously Wilson arrived with Nobby and a tale of
events not complete. He said that after the loads were removed Bowers
had been holding the three ponies, who appeared to be quiet; suddenly
one had tossed his head and all three had stampeded--Snatcher making
for home, Nobby for the Western Mountains, Victor, with Bowers still
hanging to him, in an indefinite direction. Running for two miles,
he eventually rounded up Nobby west of Tent Island and brought him
in._20_ Half an hour after Wilson's return, Bowers came in with Victor
distressed, bleeding at the nose, from which a considerable fragment
hung semi-detached. Bowers himself was covered with blood and supplied
the missing link--the cause of the incident. It appears that the
ponies were fairly quiet when Victor tossed his head and caught his
nostril in the trace hook on the hame of Snatcher's harness. The hook
tore skin and flesh and of course the animal got out of hand. Bowers
hung to him, but couldn't possibly keep hold of the other two as
well. Victor had bled a good deal, and the blood congealing on the
detached skin not only gave the wound a dismal appearance but greatly
increased its irritation. I don't know how Bowers managed to hang
on to the frightened animal; I don't believe anyone else would have
done so. On the way back the dangling weight on the poor creature's
nose would get on the swing and make him increasingly restive; it
was necessary to stop him repeatedly. Since his return the piece of
skin has been snipped off and proves the wound not so serious as
it looked. The animal is still trembling, but quite on his feed,
which is a good sign. I don't know why our Sundays should always
bring these excitements.
Two lessons arise. Firstly, however quiet the animals appear, they
must not be left by their drivers; no chance must be taken; secondly,
the hooks on the hames of the harness must be altered in shape.
I suppose such incidents as this were to be expected, one cannot have
ponies very fresh and vigorous and expect them to behave like lambs,
but I shall be glad when we are off and can know more definitely what
resources we can count on.
Another trying incident has occurred. We have avoided football this
season especially to keep clear of accidents, but on Friday afternoon
a match was got up for the cinematograph and Debenham developed a
football knee (an old hurt, I have since learnt, or he should not
have played). Wilson thinks it will be a week before he is fit to
travel, so here we have the Western Party on our hands and wasting
the precious hours for that period. The only single compensation
is that it gives Forde's hand a better chance. If this waiting were
to continue it looks as though we should become a regular party of
'crocks.' Clissold was out of the hut for the first time to-day;
he is better but still suffers in his back.
The Start of the Motor Sledges
_Tuesday, October_ 24.--Two fine days for a wonder. Yesterday the
motors seemed ready to start and we all went out on the floe to give
them a 'send off.' But the inevitable little defects cropped up,
and the machines only got as far as the Cape. A change made by Day
in the exhaust arrangements had neglected the heating jackets of the
carburetters; one float valve was bent and one clutch troublesome. Day
and Lashly spent the afternoon making good these defects in a
satisfactory manner.
This morning the engines were set going again, and shortly after 10
A.M. a fresh start was made. At first there were a good many stops,
but on the whole the engines seemed to be improving all the time. They
are not by any means working up to full power yet, and so the pace
is very slow. The weights seem to me a good deal heavier than we
bargained for. Day sets his motor going, climbs off the car, and walks
alongside with an occasional finger on the throttle. Lashly hasn't
yet quite got hold of the nice adjustments of his control levers,
but I hope will have done so after a day's practice.
The only alarming incident was the slipping of the chains when Day
tried to start on some ice very thinly covered with snow. The starting
effort on such heavily laden sledges is very heavy, but I thought
the grip of the pattens and studs would have been good enough on any
surface. Looking at the place afterwards I found that the studs had
grooved the ice.
Now as I write at 12.30 the machines are about a mile out in the
South Bay; both can be seen still under weigh, progressing steadily
if slowly.
I find myself immensely eager that these tractors should succeed,
even though they may not be of great help to our southern advance. A
small measure of success will be enough to show their possibilities,
their ability to revolutionise Polar transport. Seeing the machines at
work to-day, and remembering that every defect so far shown is purely
mechanical, it is impossible not to be convinced of their value. But
the trifling mechanical defects and lack of experience show the risk
of cutting out trials. A season of experiment with a small workshop
at hand may be all that stands between success and failure.
At any rate before we start we shall certainly know if the worst has
happened, or if some measure of success attends this unique effort.
The ponies are in fine form. Victor, practically recovered from his
wound, has been rushing round with a sledge at a great rate. Even Jehu
has been buckish, kicking up his heels and gambolling awkwardly. The
invalids progress, Clissold a little alarmed about his back, but
without cause.
Atkinson and Keohane have turned cooks, and do the job splendidly.
This morning Meares announced his return from Corner Camp, so that all
stores are now out there. The run occupied the same time as the first,
when the routine was: first day 17 miles out; second day 13 out, and 13
home; early third day run in. If only one could trust the dogs to keep
going like this it would be splendid. On the whole things look hopeful.
1 P.M. motors reported off Razor Back Island, nearly 3 miles out--come,
come!
_Thursday, October_ 26.--Couldn't see the motors yesterday till I
walked well out on the South Bay, when I discovered them with glasses
off the Glacier Tongue. There had been a strong wind in the forenoon,
but it seemed to me they ought to have got further--annoyingly
the telephone gave no news from Hut Point, evidently something was
wrong. After dinner Simpson and Gran started for Hut Point.
This morning Simpson has just rung up. He says the motors are in
difficulties with the surface. The trouble is just that which I
noted as alarming on Monday--the chains slip on the very light snow
covering of hard ice. The engines are working well, and all goes well
when the machines get on to snow.
I have organised a party of eight men including myself, and we are
just off to see what can be done to help.
_Friday, October_ 27.--We were away by 10.30 yesterday. Walked to the
Glacier Tongue with gloomy forebodings; but for one gust a beautifully
bright inspiriting day. Seals were about and were frequently mistaken
for the motors. As we approached the Glacier Tongue, however, and
became more alive to such mistakes, we realised that the motors were
not in sight. At first I thought they must have sought better surface
on the other side of the Tongue, but this theory was soon demolished
and we were puzzled to know what had happened. At length walking
onward they were descried far away over the floe towards Hut Point;
soon after we saw good firm tracks over a snow surface, a pleasant
change from the double tracks and slipper places we had seen on the
bare ice. Our spirits went up at once, for it was not only evident
that the machines were going, but that they were negotiating a very
rough surface without difficulty. We marched on and overtook them
about 2 1/2 miles from Hut Point, passing Simpson and Gran returning
to Cape Evans. From the motors we learnt that things were going
pretty well. The engines were working well when once in tune, but
the cylinders, especially the two after ones, tended to get too hot,
whilst the fan or wind playing on the carburetter tended to make it
too cold. The trouble was to get a balance between the two, and this
is effected by starting up the engines, then stopping and covering
them and allowing the heat to spread by conductivity--of course,
a rather clumsy device. We camped ahead of the motors as they camped
for lunch. Directly after, Lashly brought his machine along on low
gear and without difficulty ran it on to Cape Armitage. Meanwhile
Day was having trouble with some bad surface; we had offered help and
been refused, and with Evans alone his difficulties grew, whilst the
wind sprang up and the snow started to drift. We had walked into the
hut and found Meares, but now we all came out again. I sent for Lashly
and Hooper and went back to help Day along. We had exasperating delays
and false starts for an hour and then suddenly the machine tuned up,
and off she went faster than one could walk, reaching Cape Armitage
without further hitch. It was blizzing by this time; the snow flew
by. We all went back to the hut; Meares and Demetri have been busy,
the hut is tidy and comfortable and a splendid brick fireplace had
just been built with a brand new stove-pipe leading from it directly
upward through the roof. This is really a most creditable bit of
work. Instead of the ramshackle temporary structures of last season
we have now a solid permanent fireplace which should last for many
a year. We spent a most comfortable night.
This morning we were away over the floe about 9 A.M. I was anxious to
see how the motors started up and agreeably surprised to find that
neither driver took more than 20 to 30 minutes to get his machine
going, in spite of the difficulties of working a blow lamp in a keen
cold wind.
Lashly got away very soon, made a short run of about 1/2 mile,
and then after a short halt to cool, a long non-stop for quite 3
miles. The Barrier, five geographical miles from Cape Armitage, now
looked very close, but Lashly had overdone matters a bit, run out of
lubricant and got his engine too hot. The next run yielded a little
over a mile, and he was forced to stop within a few hundred yards of
the snow slope leading to the Barrier and wait for more lubricant,
as well as for the heat balance in his engine to be restored.
This motor was going on second gear, and this gives a nice easy
walking speed, 2 1/2 to 3 miles an hour; it would be a splendid rate
of progress if it was not necessary to halt for cooling. This is the
old motor which was used in Norway; the other machine has modified
gears. [30]
Meanwhile Day had had the usual balancing trouble and had dropped to
a speck, but towards the end of our second run it was evident he had
overcome these and was coming along at a fine speed. One soon saw that
the men beside the sledges were running. To make a long story short,
he stopped to hand over lubricating oil, started at a gallop again,
and dashed up the slope without a hitch on his top speed--the first
man to run a motor on the Great Barrier! There was great cheering
from all assembled, but the motor party was not wasting time on
jubilation. On dashed the motor, and it and the running men beside
it soon grew small in the distance. We went back to help Lashly,
who had restarted his engine. If not so dashingly, on account of his
slower speed, he also now took the slope without hitch and got a last
handshake as he clattered forward. His engine was not working so well
as the other, but I think mainly owing to the first overheating and
a want of adjustment resulting therefrom.
Thus the motors left us, travelling on the best surface they have yet
encountered--hard windswept snow without sastrugi--a surface which
Meares reports to extend to Corner Camp at least.
Providing there is no serious accident, the engine troubles will
gradually be got over; of that I feel pretty confident. Every day
will see improvement as it has done to date, every day the men will
get greater confidence with larger experience of the machines and the
conditions. But it is not easy to foretell the extent of the result of
older and earlier troubles with the rollers. The new rollers turned
up by Day are already splitting, and one of Lashly's chains is in a
bad way; it may be possible to make temporary repairs good enough to
cope with the improved surface, but it seems probable that Lashly's
car will not get very far.
It is already evident that had the rollers been metal cased and the
runners metal covered, they would now be as good as new. I cannot
think why we had not the sense to have this done. As things are I
am satisfied we have the right men to deal with the difficulties of
the situation.
The motor programme is not of vital importance to our plan and it
is possible the machines will do little to help us, but already they
have vindicated themselves. Even the seamen, who have remained very
sceptical of them, have been profoundly impressed. Evans said, 'Lord,
sir, I reckon if them things can go on like that you wouldn't want
nothing else'--but like everything else of a novel nature, it is the
actual sight of them at work that is impressive, and nothing short
of a hundred miles over the Barrier will carry conviction to outsiders.
Parting with the motors, we made haste back to Hut Point and had
tea there. My feet had got very sore with the unaccustomed soft
foot-gear and crinkly surface, but we decided to get back to Cape
Evans. We came along in splendid weather, and after stopping for a
cup of tea at Razor Back, reached the hut at 9 P.M., averaging 3 1/2
stat. miles an hour. During the day we walked 26 1/2 stat. miles,
not a bad day's work considering condition, but I'm afraid my feet
are going to suffer for it.
_Saturday, October_ 28.--My feet sore and one 'tendon Achillis'
strained (synovitis); shall be right in a day or so, however. Last
night tremendous row in the stables. Christopher and Chinaman
discovered fighting. Gran nearly got kicked. These ponies are getting
above themselves with their high feeding. Oates says that Snippets
is still lame and has one leg a little 'heated'; not a pleasant item
of news. Debenham is progressing but not very fast; the Western Party
will leave after us, of that there is no doubt now. It is trying that
they should be wasting the season in this way. All things considered,
I shall be glad to get away and put our fortune to the test.
_Monday, October_ 30.--We had another beautiful day yesterday, and
one began to feel that the summer really had come; but to-day, after a
fine morning, we have a return to blizzard conditions. It is blowing
a howling gale as I write. Yesterday Wilson, Crean, P.O. Evans, and
I donned our sledging kit and camped by the bergs for the benefit of
Ponting and his cinematograph; he got a series of films which should
be about the most interesting of all his collection. I imagine nothing
will take so well as these scenes of camp life.
On our return we found Meares had returned; he and the dogs well. He
told us that (Lieut.) Evans had come into Hut Point on Saturday
to fetch a personal bag left behind there. Evans reported that
Lashly's motor had broken down near Safety Camp; they found the big
end smashed up in one cylinder and traced it to a faulty casting;
they luckily had spare parts, and Day and Lashly worked all night
on repairs in a temperature of -25°. By the morning repairs were
completed and they had a satisfactory trial run, dragging on loads
with both motors. Then Evans found out his loss and returned on ski,
whilst, as I gather, the motors proceeded; I don't quite know how,
but I suppose they ran one on at a time.
On account of this accident and because some of our hardest worked
people were badly hit by the two days' absence helping the machines,
I have decided to start on Wednesday instead of to-morrow. If the
blizzard should blow out, Atkinson and Keohane will set off to-morrow
for Hut Point, so that we may see how far Jehu is to be counted on.
_Tuesday, October_ 31.--The blizzard has blown itself out this morning,
and this afternoon it has cleared; the sun is shining and the wind
dropping. Meares and Ponting are just off to Hut Point. Atkinson
and Keohane will probably leave in an hour or so as arranged, and
if the weather holds, we shall all get off to-morrow. So here end
the entries in this diary with the first chapter of our History. The
future is in the lap of the gods; I can think of nothing left undone
to deserve success.