EPIC OF THE POLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1916, Page 3

EPIC OF THE POLE.

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S DASH. DEATH WHILE RETURNING. Tim most moving episode in the history of Antarctic exploration is the death of Captain Scott and four compan- . ion 6 after they had reached the South Pole. ,Scott reached the South Pole | on January 18, 1912, and found he had been forestalled by the Norwegian. Amundsen. On the return journey the . whole of the southern party perished. ; Their bodies were found by a search , party from the base, and from the records the following information was gleaned:—The first death was that of Petty-officer Edgar Evans, who died on February 17 at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier. His death was accelerated by' concussion of the brain, sustained while travelling over rough ice some time previously. Captain L. E. G. Oates, (!th Timiskilling Dragoons, was the next to hp lost. l!is feci, and. 'hands were badly frost-bii tcii. and, although he struggled heroically,' his comrades knew on March Hi that liis end was approaching. He had borne intense suffering [or weeks without complaint. Captain Scott wrote: "He was a brave soul. He slept through flip night hoping not to wake, but he awoke in the morning. It was blowing a blizzard. Dates said: 'J am just going outside, and T may be some time.' He went out into the'blizzard, and we have not seen him since." Captain Scott added: "We knew that Oates was walking to his death, tut, though we tried to dissuade him, we knew that it was the act of a bran man and an English gentleman." "it would appear that on March IB Oates was really quite unable to travel. Tut others could not leave him. After Captain Oates' death, Captain Scott, Dr. Wilson and Lieutenant Bowtva pushed northwards as fast as the weather, which was abnormally bad, would let them, but they were forced to cam)) on March 21 in lat. 79deg. 40min south long. HlUdeg. 2,1 m. east. They were then 11 miles south of the big depot at One-toll Camp, but this they never reached owing to a blizzard which is known from the records to have lasted nine days. When the blizzard overtook them their food and their fuel gave out. Captain Scott left a pathot'i mea--snge, which was found with Ms dead body and the dead bodies of his comrades, of which the following is an extract: "We took risks. We know we took l.liem. Tilings have come out against us, and therefore we have no ( cause for complaint, but bow to the j will of Providence, determined still to do our heat to the last. But if we have be en willing to give our lives to this enterprise, which is for the honor of our countrymen, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who, depend on' us are properly cared for. Had we lived I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale. But surely a great, rich .fountrv like ours will sec that those who are dependent ou us are properly provided for."

The last words were not penned in vain. Britain has cared for the dependents of the heroes.

The Mavvson expedition was also marked by the loss of those who accompanied the leader on his sledge trip. The first disaster was the sudden death "f Lieut. Ninnis, who fell into a erevapparently falling through the snov,-bridge which supported the rest of the party. With him fell the bulk of the provisions, and the consequent privations caused the Heath of Dr. Mertz. the Swiss ski-runner, who was unable to draw nourishment from the flesh of starving dogs.

THE ANTARCTIC PLATEAU. In view of the criticisms of Sir Ernest Shaekleton'* expedition by those who consider the enterprise too daring and hazardous, it is interesting to know that its chance of success have been the subject, of an insurance transaction at Lloyd's. The rate quoted to cover the risk of failure in the attempt to cross the Antarctic Continent was 10 per cent. The optimistic view of the perils of the expedition which this quotation seems to imply suggested the possibility of it? being rather a sporting operation than s serious business transaction. Even though the expedition has the official countenance of the Royal Geographic' Society, there are probably few, if any. ."ompetent authorities oil polar exploration who would venture to rate tin difficulties and dangers of the undertnk ing so lightly. Much of the criticisn. is based on the assumption that the ■Antarctic Plateau, which Scott and Shaekleton traversed from tile Beardmore Glacier to the South Pole, is continued onwards from that point to- , wards the Weddell Sea. A great deal of this plateau i s 10,000 ft above sea level .and travelling on it is far more t'angerous than on the fringe of Antarctica. In regard to this point Professor David is of opinion that it will probably be found that there is a gent-ly-inclined surface of engw extending from the Weddell Sea on the American side up to the South Pole. Sir Ernest Shaekleton has stated that lie is almost certain that the first 300 miles of travelling from the base would be safe. If these anticipations were verified progress in the first part of the .journey should have been rapid, though it must be remembered that, as this part of the route is a terra incognita, the opinions held on the nature of the surface are chiefly based on geographical inferences, i