The Last Secrets: The Final Mysteries of ExplorationBuchan, John
History
The Last Secrets: The Final Mysteries of Exploration
Buchan, John
Discoveries in geography; Explorers
During the winter Wilson, Bowers, and Cherry-Garrard started on June
27, 1911, upon their famous journey to Cape Crozier to visit the
Emperor penguin rookery, and they did not return to Cape Evans until
1st August. During these weeks they had to fight against appallingly
low temperatures. When, for instance, they started from Cape Evans,
their three sleeping-bags weighed 52 lbs., but owing to the ice that
had collected upon them these three bags weighed 118 lbs. when the
travellers returned. Scott considered that no praise was too high
for men who would face such weather during the Polar winter.
With the beginning of August preparations for the great march went on
apace, but it was not until 1st November that a start could be made
from Cape Evans. Night-marching was decided upon, and the order of
marching was at first settled by the speed of the ponies, for some of
them were slow, some fairly fast, and some were "fliers." The
motors, with E. R. Evans, Day, Lashley, and Hooper with them, had
already started, and the dogs, under the control of Meares and
Demetri, were to follow behind the last detachment of men and ponies.
Very soon, however, the motor-party were in trouble, and this party
had to abandon their machines and push on as a man-hauling party.
By 15th November Scott reached One Ton Camp, and fears about the
ponies began to take shape. At Camp 19 the explorers were within 150
miles of the Beardmore Glacier, but some of the ponies were beginning
to fail, and at the next camp the first of them ("the gallant Jehu")
had to be shot. From this camp it was arranged that Day and Hooper
should turn back.
At Camp 22 the Middle Barrier depot was made in latitude 81° 35', and
then for some days the march was impeded by extraordinarily foul
weather. Scott's desire was to take the ponies as far as the
entrance to the Beardmore Glacier; but although, on 29th November, at
Camp 5, they were only 70 miles from what he calls his "pony-goal,"
some of the willing animals were very tired.
At Camp 29 six ponies were still left out of the ten which had
started, but although the chances of getting through successfully to
the glacier were good, the weather still remained as obstructive as
possible.
On 5th December a terrific fall of snow added to the anxieties of the
explorers, who found themselves within 12 miles of the glacier, but
hopelessly held up by such a violent and unexpected storm. It was
natural enough for Scott to be anxious, for on 7th December the food
that he had hoped only to use after the glacier was reached had to be
begun on. Two days later, however, by marching under terrible
conditions, the entrance to the glacier was gained, and then at Camp
31, which was called Shambles Camp, the last of the ponies were
killed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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