CHAPTER XX

THE LAST MARCH

Snow Like Desert Sand--A Gloomy Prospect--No Help from the Wind--The Grip of Cold--Three Blows of Misfortune--From Bad to Worse--A Sick Comrade--Oates' Case Hopeless--The Death of Oates--Scott Frostbitten--The Last Camp--Farewell Letters--The Last Message. ... 396

APPENDIX ... 419

ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE FIRST VOLUME

Photogravure Plates

Portrait of Captain Robert F. Scott, R.N., C.V.O. _Frontispiece_ From a Painting by Harrington Mann

From Sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson

A Lead in the Pack 26 On the Way to the Pole 364 'Black Flag Camp'--Amundsen's Black Flag within a Few Miles of the South Pole 367 Amundsen's Tent at the South Pole 371 Cairn left by the Norwegians S.S.W. from Black Flag Camp and Amundsen's South Pole Mark 376 Mount Buckley, One of the Last of Many Pencil Sketches made on the Return Journey from the Pole 386

Coloured Plates

From Water-colour Drawings by Dr. Edward A. Wilson

The Great Ice Barrier, looking east from Cape Crozier _Facing p_. 51 Hut Point, Midnight, March 27, 1911 138 A Sunset from Hut Point, April 2, 1911 150 Mount Erebus 169 Lunar Corona 176 Paraselene, June 15, 1911 178 'Birdie' Bowers reading the Thermometer on the Ramp, June 6, 1911 214 Iridescent Clouds. Looking North from Cape Evans 257 Exercising the Ponies 288 Mr. Ponting Lecturing on Japan 202

Panoramas

From Photographs by Herbert G. Ponting

The Western Mountains as seen from Captain Scott's Winter Quarters at Cape Evans _Facing p._ 126 Mount Terror and its Glaciers 126 The Royal Society Mountains of Victoria Land--Telephoto Study from Cape Evans 284 Mount Erebus and Glaciers to the Turk's Head 284

Full Page Plates

The Full Page Plates are from photographs by Herbert G. Ponting, except where otherwise stated

The Crew of the 'Terra Nova' _Facing p._ 2 Captain Oates and Ponies on the 'Terra Nova' 6 'Vaida' 8 'Krisravitsa' 8 'Stareek' Malingering 8 Manning the Pumps 10 The First Iceberg 10 Albatross Soaring 12 Albatrosses Foraging in the Wake of the 'Terra Nova' 12 Dr. Wilson and Dr. Atkinson loading the Harpoon Gun 14 A. B. Cheetham--the Boatswain of the 'Terra Nova' 14 Evening Scene in the Pack 17 Lieut. Evans in the Crow's Nest 20 Furling Sail in the Pack 20 A Berg breaking up in the Pack 23 Moonlight in the Pack 29 Christmas Eve (1910) in the Pack 36 'I don't care what becomes of Me' 44 An Adelie about to Dive 44 Open Water in the Ross Sea 46 In the Pack--a Lead opening up 48 Cape Crozier: the End of the Great Ice Barrier 54 Ice-Blink over the Barrier 56 The Barrier and Mount Terror 56 The Midnight Sun in McMurdo Sound 58 Entering McMurdo Sound--Cape Bird and Mount Erebus 60 Surf breaking against Stranded Ice at Cape Evans 60 The 'Terra Nova' in McMurdo Sound 62 Disembarking the Ponies 64 Ponies tethered out on the Sea Ice Facing p. 64 Lieut. H. E. de P. Rennick 66 Lieut. Rennick and a Friendly Penguin 66 The Arch Berg from Within 68 Something of a Phenomenon--A Fresh Water Cascade 71 The Arch Berg from Without 74 Ponting Cinematographs the Bow of the 'Terra Nova' Breaking through the Ice-floes 76 Landing a Motor-Sledge 76 Lieut. Evans and Nelson Cutting a Cave for Cold Storage 78 The Condition of Affairs a Week after Landing 78 Killer Whales Rising to Blow 82 Hut Point and Observation Hill 82 The Tenements 84 Plan of Hut Page 85 The Point of the Barne Glacier Facing p. 90 Winter Quarters at Cape Evans 94 Lillie and Dr. Levick Sorting a Trawl Catch 101 Seals Basking on Newly-formed Pancake Ice off Cape Evans 106 Lieut. Tryggve Gran 112 Captain Scott on Skis 118 Summer Time: the Ice opening up 133 Spray Ridges of Ice after a Blizzard 145 A Berg Drifting in McMurdo Sound 155 Pancake Ice Forming into Floes off Cape Evans 155 Ponting Developing a Plate in the Dark Room 160 The Falling of the Long Polar Night 164 Depot Laying and Western Parties on their Return to Cape Evans 166 A Blizzard Approaching across the Sea Ice 171 The Barne Glacier: a Crevasse with a Thin Snow Bridge 174 Dr. Wilson Working up the Sketch which is given at p. 178 180 Dr. Simpson at the Unifilar Magnetometer 182 Dr. Atkinson in his Laboratory 182 Winter Work 184 Dr. Atkinson and Clissold hauling up the Fish Trap 186 The Freezing up of the Sea 188 Whale-back Clouds over Mount Erebus 190 (Photo by F. Debenham) The Hut and the Western Mountains from the Top of the Ramp 194 Cape Royds, looking North 199 The Castle Berg Facing p. 205 Captain Scott's Last Birthday Dinner 210 Captain Scott in his 'Den' 218 Dr. Wilson and Lieut Bowers reading the Ramp Thermometer in the Winter Night, -40° Fahrenheit--a Flashlight Photograph 221 Finnesko 228 Ski-shoes for use with Finnesko 228 Finnesko fitted with the Ski-shoes 228 Finnesko with Crampons 228 Dr. Atkinson's Frostbitten Hand 232 Petty Officer Evans Binding up Dr. Atkinson's Hand 232 Pony takes Whisky 234 The Stables in Winter 234 Oates and Meares at the Blubber Stove in the Stables 238 Petty Officers Crean and Evans Exercising their Ponies in the Winter 240 Oates and Meares out Skiing in the Night 240 Remarkable Cirrus Clouds over the Barne Glacier 244 Lieut. Evans Observing an Occultation of Jupiter 247 Dr. Simpson in the Hut at the Other End of the Telephone Timing the Observation 247 'Birdie' (Lieut. H. R. Bowers) 252 The Summit of Mount Erebus 254 Capt. L. E. G. Oates by the Stable Door 260 Debenham, Gran, and Taylor in their Cubicle 264 Nelson and his Gear 264 Dr. Simpson sending up a Balloon 266 The Polar Party's Sledging Ration 266 An Ice Grotto--Tent Island in Distance 269 Dr. Wilson Watching the First Rays of Sunlight being Recorded after the long Winter Night 271 The Return of the Sun 271 C. H. Meares and 'Osman,' the Leader of the Dogs 274 Meares and Demetri at 'Discovery' Hut 277 The Main Party at Cape Evans after the Winter, 1911 280 The Castle Berg at the End of the Winter 282 Mount Erebus over a Water-worn Iceberg 290 On the Summit of an Iceberg 290 Dr. Wilson and Pony 'Nobby' 292 Cherry-Garrard giving his Pony 'Michael' a roll in the Snow 292 Surveying Party's Tent after a Blizzard Facing p 294 (Photo by Lieut T Gran) Dogs with Stores about to leave Hut Point 296 Dogs Galloping towards the Barrier 296 Meares and Demetri with their Dog-teams leaving Hut Point 296 Dr. Wilson 298 Preparing Sledges for Polar Journey 300 Day's Motor under Way 302 One of the Motor Sledges 302 Meares and Demetri at the Blubber Stove in the 'Discovery' Hut 305 The Motor Party 308 H. G. Ponting and one of his Cinematograph Cameras 311 Members of the Polar Party having a Meal in Camp 316 (Enlarged from a cinematograph film) Members of the Polar Party getting into their Sleeping-bags 322 (Enlarged from a cinematograph film) Ponies behind their Shelter in Camp on the Barrier 328 (Photo by Capt. R. F. Scott) Ponies on the March 334 (Photo by F. Debenham) Captain Scott wearing the Wallet in which he carried his Sledging Journals 338 Pressure on the Beardmore below the Cloudmaker Mountain 340 (Photo by C. S. Wright) Mount Kyffin 342 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) Camp under the Wild Range 345 (Photo by Capt. R. F. Scott) Dr. Wilson Sketching on the Beardmore 348 (Photo by Capt. R. F. Scott) Some Members of the Supporting Parties as they appeared on their Return from the Polar Journey 350 Camp at Three Degree Depot 352 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) Chief Stoker Lashly 355 Petty Officer Crean 355 Pitching the Double Tent on the Summit 358 (Photo by Lieut H R Bowers) The Polar Party on the Trail 360 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) At the South Pole 374 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) Amundsen's Tent at the South Pole Facing p. 380 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) Sastrugi 382 The Cloudmaker Mountain 390 (Photo by Lieut. H. R. Bowers) Petty Officer Edgar Evans, R.N. 392 Facsimile of the Last Words of the Journal 403 Facsimile of Message to the Public 414

Map

British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913--Track Chart of Main Southern Journey At end of text

British Antarctic Expedition, 1910

Shore Parties

Officers

Name. Rank, &c. Robert Falcon Scott Captain, R.N., C.V.O. Edward R. G. R. Evans Commander, R.N. Victor L. A. Campbell Lieutenant, R.N. (Emergency List). Henry R. Bowers Lieutenant, R.N. Lawrence E. G. Oates Captain 6th Inniskilling Dragoons. G. Murray Levick Surgeon, R.N. Edward L. Atkinson Surgeon, R.N., Parasitologist.

Scientific Staff

Edward Adrian Wilson M.A., M.B., Chief of the Scientific Staff, and Zoologist. George C. Simpson D.Sc., Meteorologist. T. Griffith Taylor B.A., B.Sc., B.E., Geologist. Edward W. Nelson Biologist. Frank Debenham B.A., B.Sc., Geologist. Charles S. Wright B.A., Physicist. Raymond E. Priestley Geologist. Herbert G. Ponting F.R.G.S., Camera Artist. Cecil H. Meares In Charge of Dogs. Bernard C. Day Motor Engineer. Apsley Cherry-Garrard B.A., Asst. Zoologist. Tryggve Gran Sub-Lieutenant, Norwegian N.R., Ski Expert.

Men

W. Lashly Chief Stoker. W. W. Archer Chief Steward. Thomas Clissold Cook, late R.N. Edgar Evans Petty Officer, R.N. Robert Forde Petty Officer, R.N. Thomas Crean Petty Officer, R.N. Thomas S. Williamson Petty Officer, R.N. Patrick Keohane Petty Officer, R.N. George P. Abbott Petty Officer, R.N. Frank V. Browning Petty Officer, 2nd Class, R.N. Harry Dickason Able Seaman, R.N. F. J. Hooper Steward, late R.N. Anton Omelchenko Groom. Demetri Gerof Dog Driver.

Ship's Party

Officers, &c.

Harry L. L. Pennell Lieutenant, R.N. Henry E. de P. Rennick Lieutenant, R.N. Wilfred M. Bruce Lieutenant, R.N.R. Francis R. H. Drake Asst. Paymaster, R.N. (Retired), Secretary & Meteorologist in Ship. Dennis G. Lillie M.A., Biologist in Ship. James R. Denniston In Charge of Mules in Ship. Alfred B. Cheetham R.N.R., Boatswain. William Williams, O.N. Chief Engine-room Artificer, R.N., Engineer. William A. Horton, O.N. Eng. Rm. Art., 3rd Cl., R.N., 2nd Engr. Francis E. C. Davies, O.N. Shipwright, R.N., Carpenter. Frederick Parsons Petty Officer, R.N. William L. Heald Late P.O., R.N. Arthur S. Bailey Petty Officer, 2nd Class, R.N. Albert Balson Leading Seaman, R.N. Joseph Leese, O.N. Able Seaman, R.N. John Hugh Mather, O.N. Petty Officer, R.N.V.R. Robert Oliphant Able Seaman. Thomas F. McLeon ,, ,, Mortimer McCarthy ,, ,, William Knowles ,, ,, Charles Williams ,, ,, James Skelton ,, ,, William McDonald ,, ,, James Paton ,, ,, Robert Brissenden Leading Stoker, R.N. Edward A. McKenzie ,, ,, ,, William Burton Leading Stoker, R.N. Bernard J. Stone ,, ,, ,, Angus McDonald Fireman. Thomas McGillon ,, Charles Lammas ,, W. H. Neale Steward.

GLOSSARY

_Barrier_. The immense sheet of ice, over 400 miles wide and of still greater length, which lies south of Ross Island to the west of Victoria Land. _Brash_. Small ice fragments from a floe that is breaking up. _Drift_. Snow swept from the ground like dust and driven before the wind. _Finnesko_. Fur boots. _Flense, flence_. To cut the blubber from a skin or carcase. _Frost_ _smoke_. A mist of water vapour above the open leads, condensed by the severe cold. _Hoosh_. A thick camp soup with a basis of pemmican. _Ice-foot_. Properly the low fringe of ice formed about Polar lands by the sea spray. More widely, the banks of ice of varying height which skirt many parts of the Antarctic shores. _Piedmont_. Coastwise stretches of the ancient ice sheet which once covered the Antarctic Continent, remaining either on the land, or wholly or partially afloat. _Pram_. A Norwegian skiff, with a spoon bow. _Primus_. A portable stove for cooking. _Ramp_. A great embankment of morainic material with ice beneath, once part of the glacier, on the lowest slopes of Erebus at the landward end of C. Evans. _Saennegras_. A kind of fine Norwegian hay, used as packing in the finnesko to keep the feet warm and to make the fur boot fit firmly. _Sastrugus_. An irregularity formed by the wind on a snowplain. 'Snow wave' is not completely descriptive, as the sastrugus has often a fantastic shape unlike the ordinary conception of a wave. _Skua_. A large gull. _Working_ _crack_. An open crack which leaves the ice free to move with the movement of the water beneath.

NOTE.

Passages enclosed in inverted commas are taken from home letters of Captain Scott.

A number following a word in the text refers to a corresponding note in the Appendix to this volume.

SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION