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.

[Illustration: 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.

[Illustration: 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 5_s._, 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.

[Illustration: 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.

[Illustration: A Tilted Berg, showing the old surface inclined to the

left]

[Illustration: 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.

[Illustration: 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:--

Scott Commander Evans Atkinson

Wilson Bowers Wright

Oates Crean Cherry Garrard

E. Evans Lashly Keohane

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.

[Illustration: 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.

CHRONOLOGY OF POLAR VOYAGES AND EXPLORATIONS

I. _Arctic_

YEAR | EXPLORER | SHIP |NATIONALITY| LOCALITY[213]

| | | |

1553 | Willoughby | Bona | British |Sea N. of Europe

|and Chancellor| Esperanza | |

| | and others | |

| | | |

1556 | Stephen |Searchthrift | „ | Kara Strait

| Burrough | | |

| | | |

1576–78 | Frobisher | Gabriel and | „ | _Baffin Land_

(3 voyages)| | others | |

| | | |

1580 | Pett and | George and | „ | Novaya Zemlya

| Jackman | William | |

| | | |

1584 | Brunel | | Dutch | „

| | | |

1585–87 | Davis | Sunshine, | British |_Davis Straits_

(3 voyages)| | Moonshine, | |

| | etc. | |

| | | |

1594–95 | Nai, | (1) Swan, | Dutch | Novaya Zemlya

(2 voyages)| Tetgales, |Mercury; (2) | |

| Barents | Griffin, | |

| | Hope, | |

1596–97 | Heemskerck, | Greyhound | „ | _Spitsbergen_

|Rijp, Barents | | | and Novaya

| | | | Zemlya

| | | |

1606 | Knight | Hopewell | British | Greenland

| | | |

1607–08 | Hudson | „ | „ | Greenland,

| | | | Spitsbergen,

| | | | _Jan Mayen_

| | | |

1609 | „ | Half-moon | Dutch | Novaya Zemlya,

| | | | _Hudson River_

| | | |

1610 | „ | Discovery | British | _Hudson Bay_

| | | |

1610–14 | Poole, Edge, | Various | „ | Spitsbergen

(various | Joseph, | | |

voyages) | Marmaduke, | | |

| Baffin | | |

| | | |

1612 | Button | Resolution | „ | Hudson Bay

| |and Discovery| |

| | | |

1615–16 | Bylot and | Discovery | „ | _Baffin Bay_,

(2 voyages)| Baffin | | | etc

| | | |

1617 | Edge | | „ | Spitsbergen

| | | |

1619–20 | Munk | | Danish | Hudson Bay

| | | |

1631–32 |Foxe and James| Charles and | British | „

| | Maria | |

| | | |

1644–48 | Stadukhin, | | |

| Alexeief, | | Russian | N. Siberian

| Deshnef, | | | coast

| Ankudinof | | |

| | | |

1664 | Vlamingh | | Dutch | Novaya Zemlya

| | | |

1676–77 | Wood | Speedwell | British | „

| | and | |

| | Prosperous | |

1707 | Gillis | | Dutch |N.E. Spitsbergen

| | | |

1710 | Permakof | | Russian | N. Siberian

| | | | coast

| | | |

1734–42 | Paulof, | | „ | „

| Mlyagin, | | |

|Owzin, Minin, | | |

| Sterlegof, | | |

| Laptef, | | |

| Chelyuskin | | |

| | | |

1742 | Middleton | Furnace and | British | Hudson Bay

| | Discovery | |

| | | |

1746–47 | Moore and | Dobbs and | „ | „

| Smith | California | |

| | | |

1770 | Liakhof | | Russian | New Siberia

| | | | Islands

| | | |

1773 | Phipps | Racehorse | British | Greenland Sea

| | and Carcass | |

| | | |

1776–7 | Pickersgill, | Lion | „ | Baffin Bay

| Young | | |

| | | |

1805–10 | Hedenström, | | Russian | New Siberia

|Sannikof, etc.| | | Islands

| | | |

1815–18 | Kotzebue | Rurik | „ | Bering Sea

| | | |

1818 | Ross (John) |Isabella and | British | N.W. Passage

| | Alexander | |

| | | |

1818 | Buchan and |Dorothea and | „ | Greenland Sea

| Franklin | Trent | |

| | | |

1819–20 | Parry | Hecla and | „ |Melville Island

| | Griper | |

| | | |

1819–22 | Franklin and | (land) | „ | Arctic Canada

| others | | |

| | | |

1820–23 | Wrangel and | | Russian | Siberian Polar

| Anjou | | | Sea

| | | |

1821–23 | Parry | Fury and | British | American

| | Hecla | | Archipelago

| | | |

1821–24 | Lütke Novaya | | Russian | Novaya Zemlya

| Zemlya | | |

| | | |

1822 | Scoresby | Baffin | British | E. Greenland

| | | |

1824–25 | Parry | Hecla and | „ | American

| | Fury | | Archipelago

| | | |

1825–28 | Beechey | Blossom | „ | Point Barrow,

| | | | etc.

| | | |

1827 | Parry | Hecla | „ | Sea N. of

| | | | Spitsbergen

| | | |

1829–33 | Ross (John | Victory | „ | N.W. Passage

|and James C.) | | | and Magnetic

| | | | Pole

| | | |

1833–34 | Back | (land) | „ |Great Fish River

| | | |

1837–38 | Dease and | „ | |Baffin Bay, etc.

| Simpson | | |

| | | |

1845–51 | Franklin | Erebus and | „ | N.W. Passage

| | Terror | |

| | | |

1848–51 | Kellett | Herald and | „ |Franklin Search

| | Plover | |

| | | |

1848–49 | Ross (James | Enterprise | „ | „

| C.) with | and | |

| M’Clure and |Investigator | |

| M’Clintock | | |

| | | |

1850–51 | De Haven | Advance and | American | „

| (Grinnell | Rescue | |

| Exp.), | | |

| | | |

1850–51 | Austin, | | |

| Osborn, | Assistance, | British | „

|Ommanney etc. | Intrepid, | |

| | Pioneer, | |

| | Resolute | |

| | | |

1850–54 | M’Clure and |Investigator | |

| Collinson | and | „ | „

| | Enterprise | |

| | | |

1852–53 | Inglefield | Phoenix | „ | Beechey Island

| | | |

1852–54 | Belcher, | Resolute, | |

| Osborn, | Pioneer, | „ |Franklin Search

| M’Clintock, | Intrepid, | |

| Richards, | Assistance, | |

| Pullen | North Star | |

| | | |

1853–54 | Rae | | „ | „

| | | |

1853–55 | Kane (2nd | Advance | American | Smith Sound

|Grinnell Exp.)| | |

| | | |

1857–59 | M’Clintock | Fox | British |Franklin Search

| | | |

1858–62 | Torell, | Various | Swedish |Spitsbergen and

|Nordenskiöld, | | | Greenland

| etc. | | |

| | | |

1860–61 | Hayes |United States| American | Grinnell Land

| | | |and N. Greenland

| | | |

1864–69 | Hall | Monticello | „ | American

| | | | Archipelago

| | | |

1868 | Nordenskiöld | Sofia | Swedish |Bear Island and

| (A. E.) | | | Spitsbergen

| | | |

1868 | Koldewey | Germania | German | E. Greenland

| | | |

1869 | Palliser | Laurel | Anglo- | Kara Sea

| | | Norwegian |

| | | |

1869–70 | Koldewey and |Germania and | German E. | Greenland

| Hegemann | Hansa | |

| | | |

1871–73 | Hall | Polaris | American |Smith Sound and

| | | |Robeson Channel

| | | |

1872–74 |Weyprecht and | Tegetthoff | Austrian | _Franz Josef

| Payer | | | Land_

| | | |

1874–95 | Wiggins | Various | British | Sea route to

| | | | Siberia

| | | |

1875–77 | Nares and | Alert and | „ | Grant Land and

| others | Discovery | | N. Greenland

| | | |

1875–76 | Allen Young | Pandora | „ | Lancaster and

| | | | Smith Sounds

| | | |

1878–80 | Nordenskiöld | Vega | Swedish | _N.E. Passage_

| (A. E.) | | |

| | | |

1879–82 | De Long | Jeannette | American | New Siberia

| | | | Islands, etc.

| | | |

1880–82 | Leigh Smith | Eira | British |Franz Josef Land

| | | |

1881–84 | Greely | Proteus | American | Lady Franklin

| | | | Bay, etc.

| | | |

1885–86 |Bunge and Toll| | Russian | New Siberia

| | | | Islands

| | | |

1888 | Nansen | (land) | Norwegian | S. Greenland

| | | |

1891–92 | Peary | Kite | American | N. Greenland

| | | |

1893 | Toll | | Russian | New Siberia

| | | | Islands, etc.

| | | |

1893–95 | Peary | Falcon | American | N. Greenland

| | | |

1893–96 | Nansen | Fram | Norwegian | _Across Polar

| | | | Basin_

| | | |

1894–97 | Jackson | Windward | British |Franz Josef Land

| | | |

1896–97 | Conway | Express | „ | Spitsbergen

| | | |

1897 | Peary | Hope | American | Cape York

| | | | Meteorite

| | | |

1898–99 | Amdrup | | Danish | E. Greenland

| | | |

1898–1902 | Peary | Windward | American | Sea N. of

| | | | Greenland

| | | |

1898–1902 | Sverdrup | Fram | Norwegian | American

| | | | Archipelago

| | | |

1899 | Makarof | Yermak | Russian | Kara Sea, etc.

| | | |

1899 | Nathorst | Antarctic | Swedish | Jan Mayen and

| | | | E. Greenland

| | | |

1899–1900 | Duke of |Stella Polare| Italian | Franz Josef

| Abruzzi | | |Land and Sea to

| | | | North

| | | |

1900 | Amdrup | Antarctic | Danish | E. Greenland

| | | |

1900–1901 | Baldwin (1st | America | American |Franz Josef Land

|Ziegler Exp.) | | |

| | | |

1900–1902 | Toll | Sarya | Russian | New Siberia

| | | | Islands

| | | |

1903–1905 | Amundsen | Gjöa | Norwegian | N. Magnetic

| | | | Pole and N.W.

| | | | Passage

| | | |

1903–1905 | Fiala (2nd | America | American |Franz Josef Land

|Ziegler Exp.) | | |

| | | |

1905–1906 | Peary | Roosevelt | „ | Ocean N. of

| | | | Greenland

| | | |

1906–1907 | Bernier | Arctic | Canadian | American

| | | | Archipelago

| | | |

1906–1908 | Mikkelsen | Duchess of | Anglo- | Beaufort Sea

| | Bedford | American- |

| | | Danish |

| | | |

1906–1908 | Mylius | Danmark | Danish | N.E. Greenland

| Erichsen | | |

| | | |

1908–1909 | Peary | Roosevelt | American | N. Pole

| | | |

1908–12 | Stefansson | (land) | Icelandic | Arctic Canada

| and Anderson | | Canadian |

| | | |

1909–12 | Mikkelsen | Alabama | Danish | N.E. Greenland

| | | |

1912 | Rasmussen | (land) | „ | N. Greenland

| | | |

1912 | De Quervain | „ | Swiss | S. Greenland

| | | |

1913 | Koch | „ | Danish | Central

| | | | Greenland

| | | |

1913 | Vilkitski | Taimuir and | Russian |Siberian Arctic

| | Vaigach | | Ocean

| | | |

1913–17 | Macmillan | Erik | American | Greenland,

| | | | Ellesmere

| | | | Island and Sea

| | | | to north

| | | |

1913–17 | Stefansson, |Karluk, Mary | Canadian | American

|Anderson, and |Sachs, Polar | |Archipelago and

| Bartlett | Bear, etc. | | Beaufort Sea

| | | |

1914–15 | Vilkitski | Taimuir and | Russian | N.E. Passage

| | Vaigach | | (E. to W.)

| | | |

1917 | Rasmussen | (land) | Danish | N. Greenland

| | | |

1918 | Storkersen | (ice) | Canadian | Beaufort Sea

II. _Antarctic (including near approaches to Antarctic Circle)_

YEAR | EXPLORER | SHIP |NATIONALITY| LOCALITY[214]

| | | |

1772–75 | Cook | Resolution | British | Southern Ocean

| |and Adventure| |

| | | |

1819–21 |Bellingshausen| Vostok and | Russian | „

| | Mirnyi | |

| | | |

1819–20 | Smith | Williams | British |South Shetlands

| | | |

1820 | Bransfield | Andromache | „ | „

| | | |

1820–22 | Pendleton, | Frederick, | American | South

(2 voyages)| Palmer, etc. | Hero, etc. | | Shetlands,

| | | | Palmer Land,

| | | | Powell Islands

| | | |

1821–22 | Powell | Dove | British | South Orkneys

| | | |

1822–23 | Weddell | Jane and | „ | Weddell Sea,

| | Beaufoy | | etc.

| | | |

1822–23 | Morrell | Wasp | American | Southern Ocean

| | | |

1837–40 | D’Urville | Astrolabe | French | Southern Ocean

| | and Zelée | | and lands to

| | | | South

| | | |

1838–39 | Balleny | Eliza Scott | British | _Balleny

| | | | Islands_, etc.

| | | |

1839–40 | Wilkes | Vincennes | American | _Wilkes Land_,

| | and others | | etc.

| | | |

1839–43 | Ross (James | Erebus and | British | Ross Sea and

| C.) | Terror | |_Victoria Land_

| | | |

1873–74 | Dallmann | Grönland | German | Graham Land,

| | | | etc.

| | | |

1874 | Nares | Challenger | British | Southern Ocean

| | | |

1892–93 | Fairweather, | Balaena, | „ | Graham Land,

| Bruce, etc. | Active and | | etc.

| | others | |

| | | |

1893–94 | Larsen and | Jason, etc. | Norwegian | „

| others | | -German |

| | | |

1894–95 | Kristensen | Antarctic | Norwegian | Victoria Land

| and Bull | | |

| | | |

1897–99 | Gerlache and | Belgica | Belgian | Graham and

| others | | | _Alexander_

| | | | Lands

| | | |

1898–1900 | Borchgrevink | Southern | British | Victoria Land

| | Cross | |

| | | |

1901–03 | Drygalski | Gauss | German | _William II

| | | | Land_

| | | |

1901–03 | Nordenskjöld | Antarctic | Swedish | Graham Land,

| | | | etc.

| | | |

1901–04 | Scott | Discovery | British | Victoria Land

| | | |

1902–04 | Bruce | Scotia | „ |Weddell Sea and

| | | | _Coats Land_

| | | |

1902–04 | Charcot | Français | French | Graham Land,

| | | | etc.

| | | |

1907–09 | Shackleton | Nimrod | British | Towards South

| | | | Pole

| | | |

1908–10 | Charcot |Pourquoi-pas?| French | Graham Land,

| | | | etc.

| | | |

1910–12 | Amundsen | Fram | Norwegian | _South Pole_

| | | |

1910–13 | Scott | Terra Nova | British | South Pole

| | | |

1911–12 | Filchner | Deutschland | German |Weddell Sea and

| | | |_Luitpold Land_

| | | |

1911–13 | Mawson and | Aurora |Australian | Lands south of

| Davis | | | Indian Ocean

| | | |

1914–16 | Shackleton | Endurance | British | Weddell Sea

| | and Aurora | |

BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY OF POLAR VOYAGES AND TRAVELS

[_Limited to narratives of general interest, no attempt being made to

include special reports and memoirs on scientific results._]

ABRUZZI, DUKE OF THE. Farther North than Nansen; being the voyage of

the _Polar Star_. _Illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1901.

AMUNDSEN, ROALD. The North-West Passage; being the record of a voyage

of exploration of the Ship _Gjöa_, 1903–1907. 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1908.

BACK, SIR G. Narrative of the Arctic Land Expedition to the mouth of

the Great Fish River ... in 1833–35. _Map and illustrations._

8^o. 1836.

BAFFIN, WILLIAM. The Voyages of W. B., 1612–22. Ed. by Sir Clements

R. Markham. (Hakluyt Society Publication, No. 63.) _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1881.

BARENTS, WILLEM. The Three Voyages of W. B. to the Arctic Regions

in 1594–96. By Gerrit de Veer. Ed. by Lieut. Koolemans Beynen.

(Hakluyt Society Publication, No. 54.) 2nd ed. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1876.

---- Reizen van W. B., Jacob van Heemskerck, Jan Corneliz Rijp, en

Anderen ... verhaald door Gerrit de Veer, uitgeg. door S.P.

L’Honoré Naber. (Werken uitgeg. door De Linschoten Vereeniging,

XIV, XV.) 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. The Hague,

1917.

BARROW, SIR JOHN. Chronological History of Voyages into the Arctic

Regions.... _Map._ 8^o. 1818.

---- Voyages of Discovery and Research within the Arctic Regions,

from the year 1818 to the Present Time.... _Maps and portraits._

8^o. 1846.

BEECHEY, CAPT. F. W. Voyage of Discovery towards the North Pole,

performed in H.M.SS. _Dorothea_ and _Trent_, 1818. _Map and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1843.

BELCHER, SIR EDWARD. The Last of the Arctic Voyages; being a

narrative of the Expedition in H.M.S. _Assistance_ ... 1852–54. 2

vols. _Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1855.

BERNIER, CAPT. J. E. Report on the Dominion Government Expedition to

Arctic Lands ... on board the C.G.S. _Arctic_, 1906–1907. _Map

and illustrations._ La. 8^o, Ottawa, 1909.

CHRISTY, MILLER. _See_ FOXE, LUKE.

COLLINSON, SIR RICHARD. Journal of H.M.S. _Enterprise_, on the

Expedition in search of Sir John Franklin’s Ships by Behring

Strait, 1850–55.... _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1889.

CONWAY, SIR W. M. and others. The First Crossing of Spitsbergen.

_Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1897.

---- No Man’s Land: a History of Spitsbergen.... _Maps and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. Cambridge, 1906.

DAVIS, JOHN. The Voyages and Works of J. D. the Navigator. Ed. by Sir

A. H. Markham. (Hakluyt Society Publication, No. 59.) _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1880.

DE LONG, GEORGE W. The Voyage of the _Jeannette_.... Ed. by Emma De

Long. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 1883.

ELLIS, HENRY. Voyage to Hudson’s Bay ... in 1746–47. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1748.

FIALA, A. Fighting the Polar Ice. _Map and illustrations._ La. 8^o.

1907.

FOX, CAPT. LUKE. North-west Fox; or, Fox from the North-west

Passage.... _Maps and diagram_, sm. 4^o. 1635.

---- The Voyages of Capt. Luke Fox and Capt. Thomas James in search

of a N.W. Passage. With narratives of the earlier North-west

voyages of Frobisher, Davis, Weymouth, Hall, Knight, Hudson,

Button, Gibbons, Bylot, Baffin, Hawkridge, and others. Ed. by

Miller Christy. (Hakluyt Society Publications, Nos. 88, 89.) 2

vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1894.

FRANKLIN, SIR JOHN. Narrative of a Journey to the Shores of the Polar

Sea, in 1819–22. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1823.

---- Narrative of a Second Expedition ... 1825, 1826 and 1827. _Maps

and illustrations._ 4^o. 1828.

FROBISHER, SIR MARTIN. The Three Voyages of Sir M. F.... By George

Best. Ed. by Sir R. Collinson. (Hakluyt Society Publication, No.

38.) _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1867.

GREELY, GEN. ADOLPHUS W. Three Years of Arctic Service; an account of

the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition of 1881–84. 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1886.

---- Handbook of Polar Discoveries. 4th ed. _Maps._ 8^o. 1910.

HAKLUYT, RICHARD. The Principal Navigations ... of the English

Nation.... 3 vols. Sm. Folio. 1599–1600.

[Also reprint in 12 vols. 8^o. Glasgow, 1903–1905.]

HALL, CHARLES, F. Narrative of the Second Arctic Expedition ... to

Repulse Bay, etc., etc., 1864–69. Ed. by J. E. Nourse. _Maps and

illustrations._ 4^o. Washington, 1879.

---- Narrative of the North Polar Expedition, U.S. Ship _Polaris_....

Ed. by Rear-Adm. C. F. Davis. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o.

Washington, 1876.

HAYES, ISAAC I. The Open Polar Sea:... Voyage of Discovery towards

the North Pole in the Schooner _United States_. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1867.

HEEMSKERCK. _See_ BARENTS.

HUDSON, HENRY. H. H. the Navigator. Original Documents.... Collected

... by G. M. Aster. (Hakluyt Society Publication, No. 27.)

_Maps._ 8^o. 1860.

JACKSON, FREDERICK GEORGE. A Thousand Days in the Arctic. 2 vols.

_Maps._ La. 8^o. 1899.

JAMES, CAPT. THOMAS. The Strange and dangerous Voyage of, in his

intended discovery of the North-west Passage into the South

Sea.... _Map._ Sm. 4^o. 1633.

---- _See_ FOX, LUKE.

JOHNSON, HENRY. The Life and Voyages of Joseph Wiggins. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1907.

KANE, ELISHA KENT. The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in search of Sir John

Franklin. _Map and illustrations._ New York, 1853.

---- Arctic Explorations: The Second Grinnell Expedition ... 1853–55.

2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. Philadelphia, 1856.

KOLDEWEY, KARL. The German Arctic Expedition of 1869–70. [Translated

from the German.] _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1874.

KOTZEBUE, OTTO VON. A Voyage of Discovery into the South Sea and

Beering’s Straits. 3 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1821.

LÜTKE, FRIEDRICH. Viermalige Reise durch das nördl. Eismeer ...

1821–24. [From the Russian.] 2 vols. _Map (separate)._ 8^o.

Berlin, 1835.

M’CLINTOCK, SIR LEOPOLD. The Voyage of the _Fox_ in the Arctic Seas.

[Various eds.] _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1859, etc.

M’CLURE, CAPT. ROBERT C. M. _See_ OSBORN, SHERARD.

MARKHAM, ADM. SIR ALBERT H. The Great Frozen Sea.... Voyage of the

_Alert_. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1878.

MARKHAM, SIR CLEMENTS R. _See_ BAFFIN.

MIDDLETON, CHRISTOPHER. Attempts made for the Discovery of a passage

into the South Seas by the North-west.... (In Harris’s Collection

of Voyages, vol. 2, 1748.)

MIKKELSEN, EINAR. Conquering the Arctic Ice. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1909.

---- Lost in the Arctic.... Alabama Expedition, 1909–12. _Maps and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1913.

MULGRAVE, LORD. _See_ PHIPPS.

MÜLLER, G. F. Voyages et Découvertes faites par les Russes le long

des Côtes de la Mer Glaciale. 2 vols. _Map._ Sm. 8^o. Amsterdam,

1766.

MUNK, JENS, and others. Danish Arctic Expeditions, 1605–20. Ed.

by C. C. A. Gosch. 2 vols. (Vol. 2: The Expedition of Capt.

Jens Munk to Hudson’s Bay ... in 1619–20.) (Hakluyt Society

Publications, Nos. 96, 97.) _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1897.

NANSEN, FRIDTJOF. The First Crossing of Greenland. 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1890.

---- Farthest North.... Voyage of Exploration of the Ship _Fram_,

1893–96. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1897.

---- In Northern Mists: Arctic Exploration in early times. 2 vols.

_Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1911.

NARES, SIR GEORGE. Narrative of a voyage to the Polar Sea during

1875–76.... 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 1878.

NATHORST, A. G. Två Somrar i Norra Ishafvet. 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ Stockholm, 1900.

NORDENSKIÖLD, BARON A. E. The Voyage of the _Vega_ round Asia and

Europe. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1881.

OSBORN, CAPT. SHERARD. The Discovery of the North-west Passage by

H.M.S. _Investigator_, by Capt. R. M’Clure, 1850–54. Ed. by Comm.

S. Osborn. _Map and illustrations._ 8^o. 1856.

PARRY, ADM. SIR W. E. Journal of a voyage for the Discovery of a N.W.

Passage ... in 1819–20. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1821.

---- Journal of a Second Voyage ... in 1821–23. _Maps and

illustrations._ Appendix to same. _Illustrations._ 4^o. 1824.

---- Journal of a Third Voyage ... in 1824–25. _Maps and

illustrations._ 4^o. 1826.

---- Narrative of an Attempt to reach the North Pole ... in 1827.

_Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1828.

PAYER, JULIUS VON. New Lands within the Arctic Circle.... Discoveries

of the _Tegetthoff_, 1872–74. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._

8^o. 1876.

PEARY, ROBERT EDWIN. Northward over the ‘Great Ice.’ 2 vols. _Maps

and illustrations._ 8^o. 1898.

---- Nearest the Pole. _Maps and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1907.

---- The North Pole. _Map and illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1910.

PHIPPS, CAPT. CONSTANTINE JOHN (Afterwards LORD MULGRAVE). A Voyage

towards the North Pole ... 1773. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o.

1774.

PURCHAS, SAMUEL. Purchas his Pilgrimes. 4 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ Folio. 1625.

RAE, DR JOHN. Narrative of an Expedition to the Shores of the Arctic

Sea in 1846 and 1847. _Maps._ 8^o. 1850.

ROSS, SIR JOHN. Voyage of Discovery in H.M. Ships _Isabella_ and

_Alexander_. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1819.

---- Narrative of a Second Voyage in search of a N.W. Passage

... including the reports of Capt. J. C. Ross. _Maps and

illustrations._ 4^o. Appendix to same. _Illustrations._ 4^o. 1835.

SVERDRUP, OTTO. New Land. Four Years in the Arctic Regions.

(Translated from the Norwegian.) 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1904.

VEER, GERRIT DE. _See_ BARENTS.

WIGGINS, JOSEPH. _See_ JOHNSON, HENRY.

WOOD, CAPT. J. Attempt to discover a North-east Passage to China and

Japan (_in_ ‘Account of several late Voyages and discoveries,’

8^o. 1711).

WRANGEL, FERDINAND VON. Narrative of an Expedition to the Polar Sea

in 1820–23. Ed. by Major E. Sabine. [From the German.] _Map._

8^o. 1840.

YOUNG, SIR ALLEN. Cruise of the _Pandora_. _Map and illustrations._

8^o. 1876.

II. ANTARCTIC

AMUNDSEN, ROALD. The South Pole.... Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in

the _Fram_, 1910–12. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1912.

ANDERSSON, J. GUNNAR. _See_ NORDENSKJÖLD, O.

BALCH, EDWIN SWIFT. Antarctica. La. 8^o. Philadelphia, 1902.

BELLINGSHAUSEN, F. G. Two Voyages of Exploration in the Antarctic

Ocean ... in the Corvettes _Vostok_ and _Mirnyi_. 2 vols, and

Atlas. [In Russian.] 4^o, Atlas, folio. St Petersburg, 1831.

[Also abridged German translation by Gravelius, Leipzig, 1902.]

BERNACCHI, LOUIS. To the South Polar Regions. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1901.

BORCHGREVINK, CARSTENS EGEBERG. First on the Antarctic Continent....

British Antarctic Expedition, 1898–1900. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1901.

[BROWN, R. N. RUDMOSE, R. C. MOSSMAN, and J. H. HARVIE PIRIE.] The

Voyage of the _Scotia_. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1906.

BULL, H. J. The Cruise of the _Antarctic_ to the South Polar Regions.

_Illustrated._ 8^o. 1896.

BURN MURDOCH, W. G. From Edinburgh to the Antarctic. An Artist’s

Notes and Sketches during the Dundee Antarctic Expedition of

1892–93. Chapter by W. S. Bruce. _Map and illustrations._ 8^o.

1894.

CHARCOT, JEAN B. Journal de l’Expédition Antarctique Française,

1903–05. Le _Français_ au Pôle Sud. _Map and illustrations._ La.

8^o. Paris [1906.]

---- _Le Pourquoi Pas?_ dans l’Antarctique ... 1908–10. _Map and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. Paris, 1910.

COOK, JAMES. A Voyage towards the South Pole and Round the World. 3

vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1777.

DRYGALSKI, ERICH VON. Zum Kontinent des eisigen Südens. Deutsche

Südpolarexpedition ... 1901–1903. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o.

Berlin, 1904.

FANNING, EDMUND. Voyages round the World, with.... Voyages to the

South Seas, etc., etc. _Illustrated._ 8^o. 1834.

GERLACHE, ADRIEN DE. Voyage de la _Belgica_. Quinze Mois dans

Antarctique. _Map and illustrations._ La. 8^o. Paris and

Brussels, 1902.

MAWSON, SIR DOUGLAS. The Home of the Blizzard. Story of the

Australasian Expedition, 1911–14. 2 vols. _Maps and

illustrations._ La. 8^o. 1915.

MILL, HUGH ROBERT. The Siege of the South Pole. _Maps and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1905.

---- _See_ SHACKLETON.

MORRELL, BENJAMIN. A Narrative of Four Voyages to the South Sea ...

1822–31. _Portrait._ 8^o. New York, 1832.

MOSSMAN, R. C. _See_ BROWN, R. N. R.

MURRAY, JOHN, and others. Narrative of the Cruise of H.M.S.

_Challenger_, Vol. I. _Maps and illustrations._ 4^o. 1885.

[And other narratives by Spry, Moseley, and Lord George Campbell.]

NORDENSKJÖLD, OTTO, and J. GUNNAR ANDERSSON. Antarctica, or Two Years

amongst the Ice of the South Pole. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o.

1905.

PIRIE, J. H. H. See BROWN, R. N. R.

ROSS, SIR JAMES CLARK. A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the

Southern and Antarctic Regions during the years 1839–43. 2 vols.

_Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1847.

SCOTT, ROBERT FALCON. The Voyage of the _Discovery_. 2 vols. _Map and

illustrations._ 8^o. 1905.

---- Scott’s Last Expedition. Vol. 1. Journals of Capt. Scott. Vol.

2. Reports of the Journeys and Scientific work undertaken by Dr

E. A. Wilson, etc. Arranged by Leonard Huxley, with a Preface by

Sir Clements R. Markham. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ La.

8^o. 1913.

SHACKLETON, SIR ERNEST. The Heart of the Antarctic: being the story

of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907–09. Introduction by

Hugh Robert Mill. Account of Journey to South Magnetic Pole, by

Prof. T. W. Edgeworth David. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._

La. 8^o. 1909.

---- South. The Story of Shackleton’s Last Expedition, 1914–17.

_Illustrated._ 8^o. 1919.

URVILLE, J. S. C. DUMONT D’. Voyage au Pôle Sud et dans l’Océanie ...

pendant ... 1837–40. 22 vols. La. 8^o and Atlas 7 vols, folio.

Paris, 1842–54.

[Vols. 1–10 = Histoire du Voyage.]

WEBSTER, W. H. B. Narrative of a Voyage to the South Atlantic Ocean

in 1828–30, in H.M. Sloop _Chanticleer_ under the command of

Capt. Henry Foster. 2 vols. _Maps and illustrations._ 8^o. 1834.