The South Pole

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 228, 14 February 1913, Page 6

The South Pole

TilK AXTARt TiC TRAGEDY. nil: sT!n;-i mi- Tin-: expedition. HOW it WAS MOOTED. MUTT'S IVRSIMT UK THE I'OI.K. Captain Scott vi-i(ed Wellington during the last week of Dctober. 191(1. on his way to tin- Smith I'oli'. Sir Ernest iShm-kli'ton (then Li"ulenant) had in April. KIO'.I, al ;i luncheon tendered him :it the Crand Hotel by the Xew Zealand Ministry, paid a generous tribute to Scott in these words:

"Rut for the work of Captain Scott, of the Discovery. Ihey would not have been able to advance so far. All those who had worked with him had been actuated with but one desire- to help forward the success of the expedition, and hut for the co-operation of the whole of the fifteen of the >hore party ami the twenty-two men on the ship, they would not have been able to achieve as much a> they had done." START OF THE PROJECT. It was in September. 1800. that Captain Scoit announced his intention to lead an expedition which would have as its main object the planting of the I'nion Jack at the South Pole. He appealed for £+11,(100 to finance the venture. A meeting was called on October V2 at the Mansion House in support of the adventure, the Lord Mayor presiding, Lord. Strathcona. Sir Clement Markham, Sir Conan Doyle, the Agents-General for (he colonies, and other distinguished persons being present. A resolution was passed promising support to the expedition, one speaker adding that he would be glad to give , CIOOO. It was announced in January. I!) 10. that Captain Scott had been granted C 20.000 by the British Government in aid of his expedition, and this grant, together with the subscription... left only 118000 or £1)000 to be raised. The Xew Zealand Government contributed £IOOO. the Australian Government CSOO, and Mr. Samuel Mordern (Sydney) gave £-2.">00. FAREWELL TO SCOTT.

t>n May :>1 the Royal Geographical Society gave a luncheon to Captain Scott mill his officers. The captain referred with pride to the Australians, Xew Zealandcrs. and other colonials associated with the expedition, and claimed that he had tried to make it an Empire expedition. In June the Terra Nova, sailing under the White Ensign, left f'ardilT for Madeira and Capetown. Lieutenant Evans. R.X.. Viii£ in command. Many j si '; s in the river were dressed with Hags, j und steamer.-* sirens sounded a farewell j salute to the Terra Nova. Queen Alexandra, at Buckingham Palace, pre-enled Captain Scott with a flag to plant on j the furthest point south reached hy the • expedition. < in .Inly (i King George] granted an audience to the gallant cap- j tain, and eleven days later he sailed J from Southampton for Xew Zealand. > Sir Ernest Shackleton. Admiral Beau- j iiiont. Lieutenant Vihdmev and other? were at Waterloo to hid him farewell. IDS PLAN'S. Captain Scott, -peaking hefore the ltoyal Institution, described his plans.' At the outset he warned those who were interested in the subject that, circumstances might up-ci some, if not all. of his (ah illation-,.' and ihe result-, of the expedition might lie very different from those which he foreshadowed. He had arranged for a scientific stall' larger than that carried hy any preceding expedition and for the carriage of a very extensive outfit of scientific instruments. - PENETRATING TnE K'K. Hitherto Antarctic expeditions had sailed to the south in the hitter part, of December, but with a large ship like the Terra Xova. it was hoped to penetrate the pack ice at an earlier date than it J had been possible for previous cxpedi- ] (ions to do that, and accordingly they would leave Xew Zealand towards the,, end of November, and probably reach [ McMurdo Sound about the end of December. Immediately on arrival in Mc- , Mui'do Sound the hut, provisions and equipment of the western party would be landed. The party would consist of from 11 to '2.') persons, and as soon as the winter station had been thoroughly established, the greater number of these would proceed to the south to lay depots. I He hoped that it would be possible to | start this |, ;l rly nil" not later than the third week in January, when sixty or Seville daw would remain for travel- | ling. At the -amc time. Hie ship would leave McMurdo Sound and proceed to tii!' eastward to explore King Edward's Land. A small eastern party, if left, would be left with full supplies and some transport facilities. If this parly were s.ifelv landed, he would endeavor to give them some connection with the western party I'm miles to the west-ward-hy landing additional stores at one or two place- on Ihe barrier edge, is" Mich places could be found. After landing the eastern parly the ship would return to MaeMurdo Sound, and thru proceed to the uorthwaii',. He was hopeful that at the laslc-t (his would be in about the third week in February, and that a considerable supply of coal would stilJ remain in the ship. If that were so. she would be directed to investigate the pack in ihe region of the l!al-!,-nv Islands, -ml lo proceed to the westward or to the south of those islands. These objects would occupy the ship during the mouth of March, after which she would be directed to return to Xew Zealand. The western party, lie hoped, would by the month of April be safelv established in the hut. with suitable' depots laid well south of the . harrier. During the winter preparations would be made for a great effort to reach the South Pole in the following season. A CLEAR PATH. Ai the civic reception given to him in Wellington. Captain Scol I said Hint on approach;,;.; Ww Zealand he had had a feeling which he bad only experienced on approaching the shores ol England from former voyages. It was the feeling that he was coming to a home. It sprang from the time when he was here ten years ago. lie came a stranger, and left on his voyage south feeling that he had left behind friends in every part of the country. This feeling was no small thing to a man engaged in such a venture. Sir E. Shaekletoii hail performed one of the most, brilliant feats ;„ polar regions, and he received his |ivst welcome in New Zealand. After that expedition H,ere was ;, clear path left to the pole, and he iCaptain Scott 1 saw what a dainty morsel it would be for other nations;, lie saw that if Britain did not announce another expedition some other country would. lie had then set to work to organise a party, and one by one others had come forward to support him. For the knowledge required for the occasion, and, above all. for the spirit required, he believed the members of the present expedition had never been surpassed. JOCRNEY TO THE POLE. Tlie journey towards the Pole would, said Captain Scott, be in three sections; (ll Aero-.- ihe Lower Plateau: (2t up the I treat Beardmore Glacier: and (?,) across the I'pper Plateau. He hoped, with the aid of ponies, dogs and motor

sledges, to gel sixteen men over the I.i •.'."(-■ r Plateau mill up the glacier. At \ tiii' foot of tile glacier lie might possibly be in the same position as Shuekleton !>iul been—without motor sledge, dugs >r ponies -except that, lie would have .dxtcen men instead of ShaekletonV four. These sixteen men would thui be worked in relays, twelve men goir ; ahead, four would be sent hack. a 1 :he end of the first stage, and finally tiu' four fittest would be entrusted to earry the British flag-to the Pole, he hoped. They eared little for possible gold mines, and were making the trip for scientific .purposes and for the honor of the Empire. WHEN EVANS LEFT SCOTT ONLY' TEN DAYS 'MORE. POLK THEN IX SIGHT. It is now recent history how Commander E. 11. Evans, U.X., left Captain Scott on January 4, 1913, in latitude STmiu :if)ses.. 145 geographical miles from the Pole. He felt certain that Scott got to the Pole ten days after he left him. Amundsen, who reached the Pole first and surprised the world by his brilliant achievement, said on his return: 'T saw nothing of Captain Scott. If he did not got there sooner than myself, it is exceedingly likely that he reached the j Pole later.'' Amundsen camped nearer ] the Pole than Scott did, the hitter preIferring dry land for travel, whilst Amundsen, whose base was 400 miles from Scott's, elected to make his way I over the barrier.

Captain Scott deputed Commander Evans to take back the final party shorthanded to the base, the leader having taken one of the men to strengthen his own party in order to make the attainment of the Pole more certain. When about 300 miles from the expedition's base at Cape Evans, the young commander was found to he suffering from scurvy, and his condition rapidly became worse until he was quite unable to travel, and but for the gallanry of his two companions—Chief-sloker Lashley, R.K, and Petty-officer T. Crean —be could never have reached the base alive. These brave fellows dragged the officer for forty miles on the sledge, travelling at the rate of ten miles a day, which necessitated most strenuous efforts on their part. On February 18 they reached the depot known as Corner Camp, and owing to the heavy fall of snow during the night they were unable to move their sick companion on the sledge next day. The situation became desperate. There was only food for two or three days, and to remain much longer was to perish. Crean set out without food on a journey of thirty-four miles to the old Discovery hut. where telephonic communication had been established with Cape Evans. Crean had a most trying experience, and when eventually he reached his goal he was thoroughly exhausted. Luckily Surgeon E. L. Atkinson, R.N., was found at Hut. Point, together with the Russian dog-driver Dcmetri, and two dog teams. When Crean had sufficiently recovered he was nble to explain the plight of the party, but a blizzard having set in almost simultaneously the dogs were unable to, set out till. the weather had cleared. Commander Evans' camp was reached cm February 20. and after a short rest Surgeon Atkinson and Dcmetri, taking Commander Evans on one sledge and Lashley on the other, brought them safely back.to Hut Point. After ten days at Hut Point, the Terra Nova arrived, and Commander Evans was carried aboard. STAFF AND CREW THE SHIP'S ROLL. The. following is a complete list of the

officers, staff and men who accompanied the expedition: •Captain R. P. Scott. C.V.0., R.N.. commanding expedition, Western party. Lieutenant E. R. f!. R. Evans, R.N.. second in command. Western party. •Dr. K A. Wilson, cliief of scientific staff, zoologist and artist Western party. Lieutenant V. L. A. Campbell, R.X.. leader of the Eastern party. Lieutenant H. L. L. Penncll, R.X.. magnetic and meteorological work on the Terra Nova. Lieutenant 11. E. de I'. Rennick. R.N'.. Western party. ♦Lieutenant IT. R. Rowers (Royal Indian Marine). Terra Xova. Lieutenant W. Bruce. R.N.R., Terra Nova. Surgeon ('•. 11. Levick. doctor, zoologist, etc.. Eastern party. Siiigi'on E. L. Atkinson. R.N.. doctor, bacteriologist and parasitologist. Mr. F. R. 11. Drake,- R.N.. secretary, Terra Nova. Mr. ('. 11. Meares, in charge of ponies and dogs. Western party. •Captain L. E. 0. Oat.cs. Tnniskilling Dragoons, in charge of ponies and dogs. Western party. Dr. C. C. Simpson, physicist. Western part.v. Mr. T. Criflilh Taylor, geologist. Western party. Mr. Oeorge F. Wyatl. general manager. ' Mr. E. W. Velson. biologist. Western party. Mr. 1). (';. Lillie. biologist. Terra Nova. Mr. A. Cherry Oarrard. assistant zoologist. Weslein party. Mr. IL (!. Fouling, photographer. Western party. Mr. F>. C. Day. motor engineer. Western party. Mr. .(.'Allan Thomson, geologist. Western party. Mr. C. S. Wright, chemist. Western parfv. Boatswain. TI.X.. Mr. T. Feather. . in charge of sledging nut lit. Boatswain Mr.' A. Cheelhani. Terra Nova. Chief Engine-room Artificer. R.N.. Mr. W. Williams, second engineer. Terra Nova.

Enjrine-roem Artificer. 1!. X.. Mr. .1. IT. Wi'lil), third engineer. Terra Xova. Chief Moker. R.X.. MY. W. I.ashlcy. assistant In motor engineer. Western party. Chief Steward. Mr. V.'. Arelier. Terrs Nova. Petlv Ollieers. K.X.. *E. Evans. R. Forde, T. Crean. T. S. Williamson. V. Parson. P. Ceohanc. Arthur S. Bailey, C. P. Abbott. 0. V. Browning. J. TT. Mather, iill rating as seamen: able seamen. R.N.. TT. Diekason. W. 1,. ITcatd. J. I'aton, seamen. Sailmaker, W. Smythe. Shipwright. R.X., V. E. C. Davis, earpenter. Lea dim* stokers. R.N., XT. Brissemlen and E. A. McKensie: Stoker. R.X.. W. Burton, rating as firemen. Stewards: T. Clessold. eook. V. Hooper iukl W. H. Neall. *r)icd on rot urn from Pole. SQOTT'3 LAST MESSAGE THE ADVANCE PARTY. PREPARATIONS FOR FINAL DASH. Captain Scott's last message was: We. are now witliin 150 miles of tlic Pole. Tam j'ointr, forwatd with a party of five men. and am sending three back under Lieutenant Evans with ihis note. The names and descriptions of iho advance party are: .

Captain Scott. Royal Xavy. Doctor Wilson, chief of the Scientist Staff. Captain Oates. Jmmkilling Dragoons, in charge of ponies and mules of expedition. Lieutenant Bowers, Royal Indian Marine. Commissariat Officer. Petty Officer Evans, Royal Navy, in charge of sledges and equipment. The advance party goes forward with a month's provisions. The prospect of success seems good, providing the weather holds and no unforeseen obstacles arise. It lias been very difficult to choose the advance party, as everyone is fit and able to go forward. Those who return are naturally much disappointed. Everyone has worked his hardest. The weather on the plateau has been good on the whole. The sun has never deserted us. but (he temperatures are low (now about minus twenty degrees) and the wind pretty constant. However, we are excellently equipped for such conditions. The wind undoubtedly improves the surface. So far all arrangements have worked out most satis-, factorily. Tt is more than probable that no further news will be received from us this year, as our return must necessarily be late. (Signed) il. SCOTT. THE SOUTH POLAR RECORD. The South Pole record stands as follows:--Miles Date. Explorer. from Pole. 1774 Cook 1200 18-2.'! YVcddell IOJiO mi Huss son mini Rwrchgrevinek ... SITO 1 Of 1-2 Scott, 430 1110!) Shacklefon 11l lull Amundsen 0 101-2 Stott 0