Friday, 17 November 1911

Scott

"Atkinson started about 8.30," Scott noted in his diary. "We came on about 11, the whole of the remainder. The lunch camp was 7 1/2 miles. Atkinson left as we came in. He was an hour before us at the final [evening] camp 13 1/2 geo. miles." [1]

Atkinson was in charge of the slowest pony party, consisting of Jehu, Chinaman, and James Pigg, led by himself, Wright, and Keohane respectively. "This party was known as the Baltic Fleet," noted Cherry drily. [2]

"It is early days to wonder whether the little beasts will last; one can only hope they will, but the weakness of breeding and age is showing itself already," Scott added. "The crocks have done wonderfully, so there is really no saying how long or well the fitter animals may go. We had a horribly cold wind on the march. Temp. -18°, force 3. The sun was shining but seemed to make little difference."


Amundsen

The lower part of the Axel Heiberg Glacier, on a 1966 USGS map drawn from aerial photographs taken 1960-64. [3]

"The terrible climb has begun at last," wrote Bjaaland. "The snowfield where we went was fine and smooth, but the climb was so steep that we had to have 16-17 dogs for the load." [4]

"The dogs have done work today that has surpassed my greatest expectations," Amundsen wrote. [5] The weather remained "pure summer" and they put up their tent in what he called "the loveliest camp site in the world."

Bjaaland, Wisting, and Helmer Hanssen went on up to reconnoitre, reporting back of a navigable pass and a clear way to the summit. "On condition that behind those mountains there is no awkward obstacle of parallel mountains!" Bjaaland added. "Hanssen says he thinks we can reach the Plateau in 2 days. If we do so, well --"


Notes:

[1] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 18 November, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.441.
[2] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.IX.
[3] US Geological Survey, "Mount Goodale" map.
[4] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 18 November, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.442.
[5] Roald Amundsen, diary, 18 November, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.441.