Second Edition Scott's Narrative.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 September 1913, Page 3

Second Edition Scott's Narrative.

« AT THE ANTARCTIC POLE. TERRIBLE DISAPPOINTMENT. [ELECTRIC TELEGKAI'II, COl'YKlCillT.] [PBR PRESS ASSOCIATION.] London, Sept. 2-3. The Strand Magazine lias published a further instalment of Captain Scott's story. Captain Scott states that when he had travelled beyond Shackleton's most southern point, on January 9th, he encountered a. blizzard. Two days later they were within eighty-live miles of the Pole. It was heavy pulling at the sledges, and rasping- and creaking they covered six miles. None ever had such hard work before. ''With foin- more marches of double figures," he wrote, "we might to get through. It is going- to be a close thing." On the fifteenth they made their last depot of four days' food, twenty-seven miles from the Pole, and had nine days' provisions on the IGtli. Bowers sharp eyes detected what seemed a cairn, then a black speck. AMUNDSEN'S WORKS. "Before long we found a, black flag tied to a sledge bearer. Sledge trucks, ski tracks, and many traces of dogs' paws were seen. "This told the whole story that the Norwegians had arrived first. It is a terrible disappointment, and I am very sorry for my loyal companions: but they are determined to carry out their compact, to next day march to the actual Pole, and then hasten home with all speed. "Certainly the Norwegians found, an easier way up than we did. "On the 17th we made our sixty-ninth camp at tho Pole. There was a high head wind, and the temperature was 22. "There was a curious damp I feeling which sent a. chill to the bone. "Meanwhile the unfatiguable Bowers was laying himself out to gel sights under the difficult circumstances." AT AMUNDSEN'S CAMP. On the 18th Bowers saw a little tent two miles from the Norwegian camp. In it he found the records and names of the live Norwegians who were there on December iGth, 1911. Mitts and warm things were left in the tent as though they had been warmer than expected, also a note from Amundsen asking Scott" to send u letter to King Haakon. The party then built a cairn at the Pole and hoisted a Union Jack and photographed themselves. They found an old under runner of a sledge, and commandeered it as a yard for their sail. Finally they tied the Union Jack to a stick as near the true position of the Pole as they could fix it. On the 19th they started homewards. COMING HOMEWARDS. It was heavy dragging. The surface was bad, and drifting ice clung to the ski. The pulling was really awful. "There was heavy pulling before us for a hundred miles where it had been difficult enough dragging down hill. "Four days later we encountered blizzards, and for three days the guiding cairns were only visable half a mile away. Repeat edly Ave lost the track. Evans was badly frost-bitten in the hand, and Oates was suffering from the cold. All were getting pretty thin, though none were • falling out. .We were resting in wet sleeping bags. On February 4th Scott and Evans fell into a crevasse. The latter had another fall, Avlien lie must have struck his head and received a concussion. On February Bth, missing their return to the summit, they ended by being caught in a maze of crevasses" and huge chasms unbridged. Food was running low, but at length they discovered the long-looked-for depot. From the summit to the Pole occupied twenty-seven days, and the return journey twenty-one — nearly seven weeks of low temperatures and almost incessant wind. The descent of the glacier took eleven days. Being out of the wind they devoted part of a day to geologizing, and found veritable coal seams. February 11th was the worst day of the trip. Turning east out of the area of ice pressure they became entangled in a regular trap of irregular crevasses. The horrible light make everything look fantastic. They went short of supper, only one meal remaining in the bag. "Pray. God," wrote Scott, "we may have fine weather to-morrow. On the thirteenth they slept well and after some tea and one biscuit they pushed ahead. LATER DETAILS. (Received This Day, 8.55 a.m.) London, Sept. 23. Scott's narrative continues:— We reached another depot on March 9th. On March 10th we were five miles from One-Ton Camp, with seven days' food. Doubt whether we can do it.

Scott then describes Ihow, on the morning of March I.6th, Oates walked out into the blmarcl to his death. On the 19th March the party reached a point eleven miles from One-ton Camp, in which there was plenty of food. Scott and his companions had only two days' food and one day's fuel when a raging- blizzard held them prisoners for two days. The last entry is on March 20th. It states that a blizzard still is raging. In the qiiiet of their shelter Scoft wrote, without faltering or erasure, his well-remembered last message.