SOUTH POLE DISASTER

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 38, 13 February 1913, Page 5

SOUTH POLE DISASTER

TALES OF THE JOURNEY. ON THE TERRA NOVA, (Per Press Association.) Christchurch, February 13. A committee of the officers of the Terra Nova made a statement to the press this afternoon. Commander Evans states that after the ship left Lyttelton in December they did not encounter the pack ice at latitude 60 as anticipated. y This was not met till 69.20. A stowaway was discovered and transferred to a Norwegian barque, the captain of which promised to land the man. Hummocky ice was met at 71.35 deg. and the engines were stopped. The -ice was rapidly melting, and the ship was successfully worked through, and made the passage to Cape Evans, which was reached on January 18. A large party was seen on the beach. Lieutenant Campbell was distinguished, and was asked by Captain Evans if all were well. Lieutenant Campbell replied that the southern party had reached the Pole and perished on the return journey. When the boats were lowered the shore party communicated to the ship’s crew what had transpired during the past year. The .rest of the day was given up to reading correspondence, etc. LITTLE INFORMATION AVAILABLE. Captain Evans was not inclined to give any information with regard to the tragic portion of the expedition, nor would he allow his fellow officers any latitude in this direction. The press had to-be content with pieces of what had occurred on the original trip such, in which Captain Evans took part for a portion of the journey. He spoke feelingly of the gallantry oi those members who had lost their lives. Referring to the journey south, Captain Evans said that sixteen men were employed. Four went ahead to pioneer the way. These were Day, Lashly, Creen and Commander Evans. The motor sledges did not come up to the expectations of the party. They frequently broke down, and became overheated, much to the discomfiture of the men. When the last motor broke down the party were really pleased. Fifteen geographical miles were made per day after this. Captain Scott arrived at their camp on November 21, 1911, and relieved them of their weights. The total distance to the Pole and back by Scott’s route was 1842 statute miles. Scott should have reached it by March 10. Lieutenant Rennick, who had charge of the oceanographic work, took a great number of soundings, the greatest being 3003 fathoms. Lieutenant Pennell will command the ship on the homeward voyage. DIARIES NOT TO BE PUBLISHED NOW. The diaries of those who perished will not be published, but will be sent by the officers of the expedition to the relatives of the deceased. Captain Scott’s story will be completed by Commander Evans, and published by Smith, Elder and Co., but will not come out for some time yet, as sixty men were employed, and their memoirs, together with the work performed on the New Zealand coast, will be embodied. terrible experiences. Very Nearly Another Tragedy. Christchurch, February 13. The story of a journey which was brimful of hardships and privations, and which very nearly ended in inother tragedy, was told by Lieutenant Campbell, who led the northern party. The party consisted of Lieutenant Campbell, Surgeon Levick, Mr Priestly (geologist) and Seamen Abbott, Browning and Dickison. Returning from their journey, the party reached Terra Nova Bay on February 16. They anticipated that the Terra Nova would be there to. meet them, the vessel being expected there about the tenth. On reaching Terra Nova Bay, however, they found that the vessel was not there, and while they were keenly disappointed thfey thought that the Terra Nova must have encountered bad weather. It transpired, however, that it was not bad weather but unfavourable conditions that had prevented the vessel reaching Terra Nova Bay. Lieutenant Campbell and his party were now faced with a journey over the ice of 200 miles to Cape Evans. But it was impossible to undertake the journey at this time, as the sea was not properly frozen over. “There were six of us in the party, and we had to make up our minds to winter there in the snow drift,” continued Lieutenant Campbell. “into the snowdrift we cut rin igloo, which had to be our home for six months. We only had about a month’s provisions, and we were not suitably clothed to spend the winter in an igloo. But there was nothing for it, and we proceeded to make the best of the position.” Continuing, Lieutenant Campbell said that they decided to kill as many seals as possible, and duiing their stay there the party secured 17 3eals . , , , n Was that all the seals you caught, asked the pressman. “Well,” answered Lieutenat Campbell, with a smile, “you can get a lot of meat off seventeen seals if you oat it carefully.”

LIFE IN AN IGLOO. The party were in absolute darkness in their igloo, but they succeeded in making some lamps with the aid of seal blubber, and so obtained light to brighten their surroundings. Then i a small blubber stove was arranged, j and this added to the comfort of thoj men. At the commencement of their [ six months’ confinement in the igloo | the members of the party were supplied with one biscuit a day each, but the small supply of biscuits scon ran, out, and for the greater portion of I the time their daily meals consisted of the unchanging meal obtained from] the seals. The company also ran) out of their supply of tobacco, and this served to add to their discomfort

Asked how they managed to pass the months in their igloo in the snowdrift, Lieutenant Campbell smilingly remarked, “By sleep and an occasional sing-song.” He also said that some members of the party gave interesting lectures on various subjects, and served to while away the long dark hours.

Eventually the winter came to an end, and they were able to leave their camp on September 3. Two of their men, Browning and Dickison, were ill. For tho first few days they were able to make only a few miles a day. After three days Browning improved, but Dickison suffered longer, and during the journey to Capo Evans he had occasionally to be placed upon a sledge.

On their way to tho base the members of tho party made a collection of geological specimens. At one spot they found a small depot of specimens Ifeft by Professor David, who was with Shackleton’s expedition. The remainder of the journey was carried out without further incident, and Cape Evans camp was gained on November 7. PUTTING ON WEIGHT. There better food, of which they had been so long deprived, effected a speedy restoration of their condition. Lieutenant Campbell mentioned that in his own case he put on two stone and seven pounds in a week, jumping from 10 to 12st 71b. The other members also improved. Then Lieutenant Campbell paused for a while, and Commander Evans observed that one could have no conception of the hardships which Lieutenant Campbell and his companions had gone through. ‘‘lt was extraordinary,” he said, “that they survived'.” * >- v'; THE SCIENTIFIC WORK DONE. Christchurch, February 13. At Cape Evans scientific work was continued throughout the winter. In this report it would be out of place to expand into a detailed description of the' special work carried out, bubin fairness to those concerned it can be said that the results at least equal those of last year. While awaiting tho arrival of the Terra Nova, the ascent of Mt. Erebus was made by Priestley, Debenham, Gran, Abbott, Dickison and Hooper, for geological and surveying purposes, the party being away a fortnight. When the ship arrived tho records, collections and specimens were packed, and with the best part of the expeditionary equipment, placed on board. The records include a letter from Amundsen to the King of Norway, brought back from the Polo by the southern party. The shore party embarked with the dogs, and sufficiency of food stuffs and clothing was left at Cape Evans. Forty-eight hours later the Terra Nova left her winter quarters. She proceeded towards Hut Point and landed eight men, who erected a large cross on Observation Hill, overlooking the great ice barrier, where our gallant leader and brave comrades sacrificed their lives to tho honour of their country after the achievement of the great object of this exp dition. Before leaving the Antarctic the ship called at Cape Royds, Granite Harbour and Terra Nova Bay, to pick up the depots of geological specimens. Wo have established provision depots at Cape Evans, Hutt Point and Terra Nova Bay. “THE LONG MARCH BACK.” A GLORIOUS DEED. Copenhagen, February 12. Mr C. E. Borchgraevink says that Scott’s reaching the Pole was a glorious deed, but more glorious still was the long march back. Christiana, February 12. Nansen says that the blizzard was not the real cause of the disaster—it was only tho last straw. He is satisfied that it was due to the party being weakened by terrible hardships, and probably the ravages of scurvy, to which Captain Oates’s desperate action is explainable. Another important cause was not using the dogs and ponies to drag stores. King Haakon and Queen Maud have telegraphed to King George their condolences. New York, February 12. Amundsen, interviewed, said that Scott’s companions must have been exhausted and starving. Probably scurvy was rife when the blizzard came. The mistake was in not taking dogs. Tho men were in a weakened condition, added to their sufferings during sledging over tho ice, unprotected from the mercilessly sweeping winds. “I cannot,” he said, “read Scott's last message without emotion. I never met him personally, but he was a brave man. Shackleton turned homeward just in time to save Ids life.” Amundsen denied that the objects of his own expedition to the North Pole were purely scientific, if close to tho Pole ho might go there.

j “NO SURRENDER OATES.” j (Received 9.10 a.in.) London, February 12. Newspapers are making prominent | the details of Captain Oates’s brav- ) ery in South Africa when Ids patI roi was surrounded by a Boer comI mander who demanded his surrender, j Captain Oates replied, “We are hero Ito fight.” He was afterwards known i as “No-surrender Oates.” | THE COST OF THE EXPEDITION. There is £14,000 owing on the cost of the expedition. Captain Scott expected to repay this by the proceeds of Jus book and lectures. LEARNING THE SAD NEWS. Mrs Scott received a wireless message on the Aorangi. Romo, February 12. Bower’s mothers learnt of tho disaster on reading the English telegrams posted in the public library. SCURVY THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER. PROFESSOR DAVID INTERVIEWED. (Received 9.20 a.m.) f Sydney, February 13. j Professor David, interviewed, said tho idea that Captain Scott left the party and himself on too reduced rations was quite disproved by the di-] rect statement of Captain Scott’s [ diary regarding the details of the, dash to the Pole, which worked to perfection. That scurvy was the, prime cause of the disaster was ob-| vious from the following facts: Evans and Atkinson, members of the supporting party of four, were despatch-J ed back to winter quarters. When Captain Scott was within 170 miles j of the Pole he contracted scurvy. The! whole party, previous to this separa-J tion, had been subsisting on exactly similar rations, and Scott’s party ex-J isted on like rations from January j 3rd until their death. Scurvy, said the professor, was still j imperfectly understood. It was con-j nected either with the food, which was actively deleterious to the human system as in the case of tainted bacon, which caused scurvy among the southern party of Captain Scott’s first ex-' pedition in 1902-1903, or with food that was deficient in some ingredients absolutely essential to keeping the body in health. That scurvy ac- i tually attacked the Polar party seems clear from Captain Scott’s diary. j

Although the word scurvy is not expressly used, Professor David, in support, says: “With reference re-j garding the sickness of Seaman Evans] and Captain Oates, it is not clear whether Wilson, Bowers, and Scott were affected hyj scurvy. | More than _ probably they had then, or just previously, had light attacks. Even it | they had not had scurvy, their health undoubtedly would have been weak-j ened by the fact that in the long continuous gales, with very low temperatures, they would have been unable to perspire. We found on Shackleton’s expedition that perspir-j ing very materially helped to keep, us in good health. Had the* party | not been weakened by some kind of | sickness they would surely have won! through in spite of all the low tern- j peratures and all the blizzards.” j ' Referring to the shortage at tho fuel depots, Professor David states that Bernard Day, who assisted in the laying of some of the depots, assures him that fuel allowance and oil fuel were left at all the depots, but that the allowance, which is officially fixed at one gallon for ten hours, only barely suffices for cooking in warm weather. No doubt, in the very severe weather encountered by Cap- { tain Scott on the great ice harrier in March, this allowance would be somewhat insufficient. IN MEMORIAM. (Received 10.35 a.m.) London, February 12. A memorial service will be held at Devonport Dockyard on Friday. The King will attend a service at St. Paul’s. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool has of the Terra Nova his sympathy. The French Minister of Marine and Prince Monaco sent messages of condolence to the Admiralty, (Received 10.45 a.m.) Melbourne, February 13. The Speaker of the Federal House sent a wireless to Mr Massey expressing sympathy on behalf of the Commonwealth, and also cabled the president .of tho Geographical Society asking him to convey a message of condolence to the relatives. Mr Fisher has received a cable i that the Telegraph has opened a National Scott Memorial Fund for the bereaved. Lord Denman, Governor-General, replied, cordially approving of the Government sending sympathy to those in distress. Lord Denman cabled tho Geographical Society, expressing regret on behalf of the Australian people. Flags are half-masted at many places and there are visible signs of mourning. Adelaide, February 13. The Governor has cabled tho officers’ of the Teffirra Nova his sympathy. (Received 11.20 a.m.) London, February 12. Tho Evening News, with the support of Sir Geo. Reid and others, lias arranged with the authorities for the reading, in all the elementary schools in the country at noon on Fri-] day, of a simple account of the heroism of Captain Scott and his companions. | Messages from Lords Denman and Liverpool and other Australian sources will also he given prominence to Mansion House fund been opened to erect a memorial. i

A committee of Lloyds passed a re- ' i solution expresisng their admiration ] and sympathy. The Duke of Connaught has sent a , message of condolence. . The Norwegian Storthing cabled a - ! message of sympathy to tho House • j of Commons. | General Botha, in tho Assembly at ii Capetown, paid a tribute to the ' heroes whose memory, he said, would j bo honoured, firstly by Ids countryj men and secondly by the rest of the world. I WORLD-Wmi SYSVS5 3 ATHY a i THE APPEAL FOR FUNDS. A READY RESPONSE. rßy Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) London, February 12. The Admiralty has issued a minute regretting the loss of Captain Scott and. his comrades. 1c says that their lives proved the constancy and resolution with which they carried out their duty. Tne Lords of the Admiralty consider that’ their loss should bo regarded as if they had been killed in action. Their story would long be remembered with honor by the navy. The Geographical Society has received a cable from Peary expressing j his sympathy at the heroic deaths. He adds that their names will ho the 1 Southern Cross'of Antactic explortion. 1 The committee of the Antarctic ex- ! pedition has issued a national appeal. The Daily Chronicle has given £2OOO to the Scott fund, Sir James Caird ! £SOO, Mr Rothschild £250, and Peary £2O. SYDNEY’S RELIEF FUND. , Sydney, February 12. Before any publicity was given tc i the movement the Lord Mayor sponj taneously received nearly £6OO to- [ wards the Scott fund, including £lO5 i from Anthony Hordern and £IOO each j from Mrs Walter Hall and the Sydney Morning Herald. A NATIONAL MEMORIAL. Dannevirke, February 13. i The Evening News has opened a fund for tho benefit of the relatives of the Antarctic heroes. Subscrip | tion lists on the show grounds met l with a very ready response, Mr Jas. i Armstrong heading it with £2O. Hie News suggests that the funds collected from various parts be amalgamated and regarded as r. national memorial i to the sacredness of home ties. '' PUBLIC MEETING IN WELLINGTON! i Wellington, February 13. I A public meeting passed the following resolution:—“This meeting ex- , presses profound sorrow’ at the disaster that has befallen the Antarctic I expedition under Commander Scott, , in the death of its brave leader and I four companions, and desires to convey to Mrs Scott and tho wives and , relatives of the others who so heroiically laid down their lives in the interests of science, its sincere symi pathy at the irreparable loss they j have sustained.” I A MESSAGE TO THE PRIME MINISTER. Marton, February 13. The Prime Minister has received the following from the editor of the Telegraph, London:—“Responding to Captain Scott’s appeal, the Telegraph will open to-day a national Scott Memorial Fund, and the editor would welcome a message commending the fund to public support.” The Prime Minister replied;—“l feel confident that Captain'Scott’s dying appeal will mee t with a generous response from the citizens of the Empire, and that adequate provision will be forthcoming for the wives and families of the brave men who have lost their lives for the glory of the British flag, and who have gone to their deaths in a manner worthy of the best traditions of our race.,New Zealand shares in the universal re j gret.” Mr Massey also requested the Governor to send a cable to the Sec- | retary of State, expressing the sympathy of the Government and the people.” PERSONNEL OF THE EXPEDITION. The following is a complete list of the officers, staff, and men of the expedition : Captain R. F. Scott, C.V.0., 8.N., commanding expedition, Western party; Lieutenant E. R. G. R. Evans, R.N., second in command, Western party; Dr. E. A. i Wilson, chief of scientific staff, zoo- | legist, and artist, Western party; | Lieutenant V. A. Campbell, 11. N., leaI der of the Eastern party; Lieutenant H. L. L. Pennell, R.N., magnetic and meteorological work on the Terra Nova; Lieutenant H. E. de P. liennick, 11. N., Western party; Lieutenant H. 11. Bowers (Royal Indian Marine), Terra Nova; Lieutenant IV. Bruce, R.N.R., Terra Nova; Surgeon G. M. Levick, doctor, zoologist, etc., Eastern party; Surgeon E. L. Atkinson, R.N., doctor, bacteriologist and parasitologist; Mr F. 11. H. Drake, R.N., secretary, Terra Nova; Mr C. H. Meat s, in charge of the ponies and dogs, Western party; Captain L. E. G. Oates, Irmiskillen Dragoons, in charge of ponies and dogs, Western party; Dr. G. C. Simpson, physicist, Western party; Mr T. Griffith Taylor, geologist, Western party; Mr George F. Wyatt, general man--1 ager; Mr E. W. Nelson, bio--1 logist, Western party; Mr D. ’ G. Lillie, biologist; Terra Nova; Mr A. Cherry Garrard, asj sistant zoologist, Western party; Mr H. G. Pouting, photographer, Western party; Mr B. C. Day, motor engineer, Western party; Mr J. Allan Thompson, geologist, Western party ; M’’ C. Wright, chemist, Western

party; boatswain, R.N., Mr T. Feather, charge of sledging outfit; boatswain, Mr A. Cheetham, Terra A ova; chief engine-room artificer, R.N., Mr W. Williams, second engineer, Mr J. H. Web I), third engineer, Terra A ova; chief stoker, R.N., Mr W. Lashley, assistant to motor engineer, Western party; chief steward, Mr \V. Archer, Terra Nova; petty officers, k,N.—E. Evans, R. Forde, T. Crean, T. S. Williamson, F. Parson ,P. Gco-j hane, Arthur S. Bailey, G. P. Abbott, 0. V. Browning, J. H. Mather,j .all rating as seamen); able seamen, tI.N.—H. Diekason, W. L. Heald, J.j Baton (seamen); sailmaker, W. Sym-j the; shipwright, R.N., F. E. C. Davis, (carpenter); leading stokers, BN—X. Brissenden and E. A. M’Kenzie, stoker, 8.N., W. Burton (rating as firemen); stewards —T. Clessokl(cook), F. Hooper, and W. H. Neall. AMUNDSEN AND SCOTT. THE SCENE OF THE POLE. Captain Amundsen, in his recent work on “The South Pole,” makes this reference to the scene of the Pole, where the cables relate Captain Scott found Amundsen’s record ; | At three in the afternoon a simultaneous “Halt!” rang out from the drivers. They had carefully examined their sledge-meters, and they all showed the full distance—our Pole by reckoning. The goal was reached, the journey ended. I cannot say—though 1 know it would sound much more effective—that the object of my life was attained. That would be romancing rather too barefacedly. I had better bo honest and admit straight out that I had never known any man to be placed in such a diametrically opposite position to the goal in his desires as I was at that moment. The regions around the North-Pole—well, yes, the North Polue itsei—had attracted me from my childhood and here I was at the South Pole. Can anything more topsy-turvy be imagined? . . . It was not for one man to do this, it was for all who had staked their lives in the struggle and held together through thick and thin. . . | Five weather-beaten, frost bitten fists they were that grasped the pole, raised the waving flag in the I air, and planted it as the first at the geographical South Pole. “Thus we plant thee, beloved flag, at the South Pole, and give to the plain j on which it lies the name of Kijig Haakon the Seventh’s Plateau.” That moment will certainly be remembered by all of us who stood ihere. PREVIOUS POLAR DISASTERS, LOST LEADERS AND EXPEDITIONS. The exploration of the Antactic in the past has been remarkably free from disaster, and in no previous expedition has the leader or any number of the members perished. In the North Pole regions the loss of life has been much heavier, and the following is a list of the expeditions, the leaders of which died in the Arctic:

1553.—Sir Hugh Willoughby and the crews of his two ships perish off the Kola Peninsula, near the White Sea. 1581.—Charles Jackman and the crew of his ship are lost in returning from Nova Zemhla. 1610.—Henry Hudson, after discovering Hudson Bay, is set adrift ' by mutineers on his ship in an open boat with his little son and some sick men, and is never heard of again. 1619.—Sixty-one of the 64 men of Jens Munk’s Danish expeditioii| in search of the North-West Passage die while wintering near the Churchill river, and Munk, one other man, and a boy sail home in the smallest of the expedition’s two ships. 1741. —Captain Vitus Bering is wrecked on the Alentian Islands, and dies of scurvy with most of his crew. 1847-B.—Sir John Franklin and the members of his expedition, comprising 129 souls, perish after three years in the Arctic in search of the North-West Passage. During the many subsequent searches for this expedition, up to 1853, some 7000 miles of coast-line was discovered. 1881.—Lieut. Do Long (United States) and all but three members of Ins expedition perished near the mouth of the Lena. 1897. —The Swedish aeronaut, S. A. Andree, with two companions, leaves Spitsbergen in a balloon for the North Pole, and is never afterwards heard of. 1902.—Baron Toll and his expedition in the Zarya disappear after exploring the New Siberia, Islands. 1905.—L. Mylius-Ericksen, head of a t)anish expedition, with his companions, Hagen and Broulund, perish in a sledge journey 500 miles in Greenland. CONQUEST OF THE POLE. The history of the conquest of the South Pole is summarised in the following table:— : 773—Antarctic iCrcle crossed by Captain Cook. 1820—Bellingshausen (Russian) reached 69 deg. 52 min. south. 1823—Captain Weddell (British) reached 74 deg. 15 min. south (Weddell Sea). 1842—Captain Ross (British) reached Mount Erebus, 78 deg. south ('Russ Sea, Victoria Land, MeMurdo Sound. 1898—De Gerlache Expedition (in which Amundsen took part). 1900—Southern Cross Expedition. Magnetic South Pole discovered. Furthest south 78 deg. 50 min. reached. 1903—Dr. Bruce’s Scottish Expedition

■ . f 1901-01—Captain Scott’s Discovery Expedition. Important geological discoveries. 1909—January 9: Lieut. Shackleton planted the Union Jack at 88deg. 23min., only 97 miles from the South Pole.