Monday, 29 January 1912

Scott

After a march of nearly twenty miles, Wilson found that his leg was overstrained, and for several days he could only hobble alongside the sledge without pulling. "400 miles about to go," he wrote, "before meeting the dogs with ship's news." [1]


Amundsen

In the evening, Amundsen closed the door of the hut behind him and went down to the ship. "It was a heavy moment to leave Framheim," he wrote in his diary. "A more splendid or cosy winter quarters no one has had. When we departed, Lindstrøm had scoured it from top to bottom and it was shining like a new pin. We don't want to be accused of untidiness or dirt if anyone should happen to go there and look." [2]

"It was quite curious," he wrote later, "to see how several of the old veterans seemed at home again on the Fram’s deck. Wisting’s brave dog, the old Colonel, with his two adjutants, Suggen and Arne, at once took possession of the places where they had stood for so many a long day on the voyage south -- on the starboard side of the mainmast; the two twins, Mylius and Ring, Helmer Hanssen’s special favourites, began their games away in the corner of the fore-deck to port, as though nothing had happened. To look at those two merry rascals no one would have thought they had trotted at the head of the whole caravan both to and from the Pole. One solitary dog could be seen stalking about, lonely and reserved, in a continual uneasy search. This was the boss of Bjaaland’s team. He was unaffected by any advances; no one could take the place of his fallen comrade and friend, Frithjof, who had long ago found a grave in the stomachs of his companions many hundreds of miles across the Barrier." [3]

Fram cast off in a fog, leaving, as Bjaaland put it, "these regions and Framheim with all their splendour to anyone who wants them.... Farewell then, Framheim, your ice and snow and seal and crows and everything. You were temperamental and unpleasant and cold now and then but better than I expected." [4]

"The place that had been our residence for a year we left without a backwards glance," wrote Hassel. "The fog was too dense. But I doubt if any of us regretted that." [5]


Notes:

[1] E.A. Wilson, diary, 29 January, 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.521.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 30 January, 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.267.
[3] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.14.
[4] Olav Bjaaland, diary, [30 January, 1912?], quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.529.
[5] Sverre Hassel, diary, 31 January, 1912, quoted by Tor Bomann-Larsen in Roald Amundsen (Stroud, Gloucestershire : Sutton, c2006, c1995), p.110.

Thursday, 25 January 1912

Scott

"Thank God we found our Half Degree Depôt," Scott wrote with obvious relief. [1]

"Oates suffers from a very cold foot; Evans' fingers and nose are in a bad state, and to-night Wilson is suffering tortures from his eyes. Bowers and I are the only members of the party without troubles just at present. The weather still looks unsettled, and I fear a succession of blizzards at this time of year; the wind is strong from the south, and this afternoon has been very helpful with the full sail. Needless to say I shall sleep much better with our provision bag full again. The only real anxiety now is the finding of the Three Degree Depot. The tracks seem as good as ever so far, sometimes for 30 or 40 yards we lose them under drifts, but then they reappear quite clearly raised above the surface. If the light is good there is not the least difficulty in following. Blizzards are our bugbear, not only stopping our marches, but the cold damp air takes it out of us. Bowers got another rating sight to-night—it was wonderful how he managed to observe in such a horribly cold wind. He has been on ski to-day whilst Wilson walked by the sledge or pulled ahead of it."


Amundsen

Framheim, in an undated photograph. [2]

When they had set off at ten in the evening the night before, the weather, Amundsen wrote, was still "of the most unpleasant kind. Calm with thick snowfall and drift so that one could not see more than the tips of one's skis." [3] They lost the marked track, and when the weather cleared after an hour or so, there was not a flag in sight. Amundsen ordered a compass course.

"After 8 miles march, a large, dark object hove into sight -- 2 points off our course -- to the west. We struck out for it. It turned out to be one of our sledges, which we had left at the start on the 20th October 1911. Before we knew it, we had reached our point of departure. We saw nothing of Fram, but that was hardly to be wondered at because the whole inner part of the bay was covered with ice. Framheim, on the other hand, lay, as we had left it, bathed in the morning sun."

It was four o'clock in the morning, and the five men unhitched the dogs as quietly as they could and crept into the hut. "Good morning, my dear Lindstrøm," Amundsen said. "Have you any coffee for us?"

Wisting, who described this scene years later, said "It would be very difficult for me to describe the various phizzes that emerged from their respective bunks and stared at us -- they had to be seen." [4]

"Good God, is it you?" was all that Lindstrøm could say at first, for the polar party had not been expected for another ten days. "Get up boys," he called out to the others, "it's the first cuckoo of spring."

"Roald came up to me, and shook my hand," Stubberud recalled, "I didn't ask about anything." [5] Somebody, Wisting wrote, finally put the question: "'Have you been there?' 'Yes, we've been there,' answered Roald Amundsen, and then there was a hullabaloo. Soon after, we were all seated round the table and savoured Lindstrøm's hot cakes and heavenly coffee. How good a cup of coffee can really taste one only realises when, like us, one has had to go without so long." [6] (For three months, the polar party had had nothing but hot chocolate.)

Hanssen wrote later, "The gathering round the breakfast table at Framheim after the end of the trip belongs to the moments in one's life one never forgets." [7]

After a short speech from Amundsen -- "We haven't got much to tell in the way of privation. The whole thing went like a dream" -- they finished off, Bjaaland said, "[with] a really good schnapps." [8]


Notes:

[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 25 January, 1912, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition, v.1. This was the depot made at 88° 29' on 10th January.
[2] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 26 January 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.261.
[4] Oscar Wisting, 16 År med Roald Amundsen, p.38, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.526.
[5] Jørgen Stubberud, interview with Roland Huntford, quoted by Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.526.
[6] Oscar Wisting, 16 År med Roald Amundsen, p.29, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.526.
[7] Helmer Hanssen, Gjennem Isbaksen, p.101, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.526.
[8] Olav Bjaaland, source not given, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.527.

Thursday, 5 October 1911

Amundsen

Spring at Framheim, probably 1911. [1]

"The Chief is in a miserable humour," Bjaaland wrote. "But it isn't my fault. He can thank his wanderlust for that. Anyway, I think of the Pole just as much as he. God knows if I will ever get there." [2]

Temperatures were climbing slowly up to the minus-twenties.


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 6 October, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.414.

Wednesday, 21 June 1911

Amundsen

Bjaaland, Hassel, Wisting, Helmer Hanssen, Amundsen, Johansen, Prestrud, and Stubberud around the table at Framheim, probably on Midwinter's Day. [1]

At Framheim, Amundsen wrote later, "preparations for a feast were going on, and now one could really appreciate a good house. The change from the howling wind, the driving snow, the intense cold, and the absolute darkness, was great indeed when one came in. Everything was newly washed, and the table was gaily decorated. Small Norwegian flags were everywhere, on the table and walls. The festival began at six, and all the 'vikings' came merrily in. Lindström had done his best, and that is not saying a little. I specially admired his powers and his liberality -- and I think, even in the short time I have observed him, he has shown no sign of being stingy -- when he appeared with the "Napoleon" cakes. Now I must tell you that these cakes were served after every man had put away a quarter of a plum-pudding. The cakes were delightful to look at -- the finest puff-pastry, with layers of vanilla custard and cream. They made my mouth water. But the size of them! -- there could not be one of those mountains of cake to every man? One among them all, perhaps -- if they could be expected to eat Napoleon cakes at all after plum-pudding. But why had he brought in eight -- two enormous dishes with four on each? Good heavens! -- one of the vikings had just started, and was making short work of his mountain. And one after another they all walked into them, until the whole eight had disappeared. I should have nothing to say about hunger, misery, and cold, when I came home. My head was going round; the temperature must have been as many degrees above zero in here as it was below zero outside. I looked up at Wisting’s bunk, where a thermometer was hanging: +95° F. The vikings did not seem to take the slightest notice of this trifle; their work with the 'Napoleons' continued undisturbed." [2]

Cigars, coffee, and Benedictine came after that, and then the gramophone was brought out.

The concert, Amundsen related, "began with 'Tarara-boom-de-ay,' followed by the 'Apache' waltz.... Certain numbers were kept to the last; I could see that they were to the taste of all. First came an air from 'The Huguenots,' sung by Michalowa; this showed the vikings to be musical. It was beautifully sung. 'But look here,' cried an impatient voice: 'aren’t we going to have Borghild Bryhn to-night?' 'Yes,' was the answer; 'here she comes.' And Solveig’s Song followed. It was a pity Borghild Bryhn was not there; I believe the most rapturous applause would not have moved her so much as the way her song was received here that evening."


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.8.

Saturday, 27 May 1911

Stubberud's self-closing door into the snow-tunnels at Framheim. Placed at an angle, the door's own weight allowed it to fall shut behind whoever went in or out, keeping out not only the weather but curious dogs. Bjaaland made the spade; upon arrival at Framheim, they realised that they had forgotten to bring any, so Bjaaland improvised a dozen out of iron plate, with handles turned out by Stubberud. [1]

Winter duties, Amundsen wrote, were assigned as follows: "Prestrud, scientific observations; Johansen, packing of sledging provisions; Hassel had to keep Lindström supplied with coal, wood, and paraffin, and to make whip-lashes -- an occupation he was very familiar with from the Fram's second expedition; Stubberud was to reduce the weight of the sledge cases to a minimum, besides doing a lot of other things. There was nothing he could not turn his hand to, so the programme of his winter work was left rather vague. I knew he would manage a great deal more than the sledge cases, though it must be said that it was a tiresome job he had. Bjaaland was allotted the task which we all regarded with intense interest -- the alteration of the sledges. We knew that an enormous amount of weight could be saved, but how much? Hanssen and Wisting had to lash together the different parts as they were finished; this was to be done in the Clothing Store. These two had also a number of other things on their programme for the winter." [2]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.7.

Sunday, 21 May 1911

Amundsen

Aurora australis display, here at Wellington, New Zealand, in November 2001. [1]

"Good weather," Amundsen wrote. "Still and clear -46° .... Tomorrow we will have the door to the entrance installed, and thereby the whole of this huge snow complex will be finished.... It is difficult to describe the beautiful scene I saw when I came out of my dog tent this afternoon. Low down on the S.W. horizon was the moon -- shining yellow -- just over the rooftop of our hut -- or snow mound. In the S.W. sky the Southern Lights played in many forms and colours -- and high up there one sees the Southern Cross among an army of glittering, shining worlds. Like a fairy tale, the big, pointed ... tents rise up, all illuminated as if in celebration.... If only I could paint -- if only I could." [2]


Notes:

[1] Wikipedia.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 22 May, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs, (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.114.

Thursday, 18 May 1911

Amundsen

A plan of the hut and tunnels at Framheim. [1]

Work on the tunnels in the snowdrift was nearly complete. Surrounding the hut were now a carpenter's shop, petroleum stores as well as coal and wood, storage for the reindeer clothing and a small room for Wisting's sewing machine, an astronomical observatory, and a storage and work-room -- dubbed "The Crystal Palace" -- for the skis and sledging cases, as well as amenities such as a laundry, a sauna, and a W.C. "quite American as far as hygiene is concerned," Amundsen noted. "Admittedly we don't have water, but instead we have the dogs [who] in a quick and efficient manner remove the night soil." [2]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 19 May 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.381.

Wednesday, 19 April 1911

A snowed-under Framheim in the moonlight, April 1911. [1]

The sun set for the winter at Framheim.

Rather than dig out the hut from its accumulation of snow, wrote Amundsen, "we began to extend our premises. Along the axis of the house, facing west, a huge snowdrift had formed just in front of the entrance. It was our intention ... to remove it. At the last moment, it occurred to me that we could possibly use the drift and escape the work of shovelling and carting it away. We have now started to excavate it and arrange a direct connection with the house through an underground passage. By digging downwards, we can obtain all the space we need. Provisionally, we are digging out a carpenter's workshop for Bjaaland and Stubberud.... I think the idea is good!" [1]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket. This is one of the glass slides that was coloured in for use in Amundsen's lectures in 1912.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, [20 April, 1911], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.104.

Wednesday, 15 February 1911

Amundsen

On arrival back at Framheim, Amundsen found that they had missed the departure of the Fram by twelve hours. "It made a melancholy, forlorn impression on us all. But the time will come, I hope, when we meet again with work well done." [1]

While they had been away, Stubberud and Bjaaland had dug a passage in the snow around the hut and roofed it in by an extension to the eaves. "Besides its protective function, it will also have great use as a store for all kinds of things. For example, here [Lindstrøm] can cut out shelves and have his fresh meat. The snow he cuts out he can use for fresh water.... Two things are achieved thereby. I. Always having reliably clean snow for water available -- and that is particularly difficult here, with so many puppies loose and mucking up the place. II. Not to be compelled to go under open skies to fetch snow. If we have a lot of bad weather, this will be of considerable importance." [2]

Wisting, in charge during Amundsen's absence, had also hauled one of Fram's boats several miles inland, as a life-boat in case the Barrier calved and the ice-hut drifted out to sea.

Amundsen was already planning the next depot-laying journey for a week hence, with everyone except Lindstrøm, who would stay behind to look after Framheim and the remaining dogs.


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen, diary, 16 February, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.349.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 16 February, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.350.

Monday, 6 February 1911

Scott

The blizzard raged on. "The poor horses are having a hard time and are so frozen they can hardly eat," wrote Gran. [1]


Amundsen

Framheim, February 1911. [2]

"We have now pitched 14 of the 16-man tents here," wrote Amundsen in his diary. "It looks like a little town." [3] Half of the tents were for the dogs to sleep in, and the rest were for storage of dog food and other supplies.

"Now there is so little to fetch on board, that there is only work for a few sledges a day. I have therefore decided to go south with 3 men -- Johansen, Prestrud and Helmer Hanssen -- to put out depots. The other 4 will stay here at the base and continue working." [4]

In a letter to Leon that would go with the Fram, Amundsen wrote, "It is true, I have raised wages by 50% for everyone who will remain aboard the ship. I do not know whether the expedition coffers can stand this but it will have to stand the test. You best understand what must be done and just arrange everything in the way you think best." He outlined his plans for laying depots for the journey to the Pole -- Leon was going to reveal these to the press -- then added, "Assuming Nansen is interested, then let him know this. I thought I might write to him from here, but I am so uncertain what he makes of it all that I have refrained. Send him my regards.... It seems to me, as things, now stand, that this contest might interest the world."
[5]


Notes:

[1] Tryggve Gran, diary, 6 February, 1911, quoted in The Norwegian With Scott : Tryggve Gran's Antarctic Diary 1910-1913 ([London] : National Maritime Museum, c1984), p.55.
[2] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 6 February, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.85.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, [date not given], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.86.
[4] Roald Amundsen, letter to Leon Amundsen, 7 February, 1911, quoted by Tor Bomann-Larsen in Roald Amundsen (Stroud, Gloucestershire : Sutton, c2006, c1995), p.91.

Sunday, 5 February 1911

Scott

A blizzard kept the depot party in camp. The dogs could curl up and sleep in the snow, but the ponies suffered terribly. The wind, Cherry wrote later, "is raging chaos. It is blowing a full gale: the air is full of falling snow, and the wind drives this along and adds to it the loose snow which is lying on the surface of the Barrier. Fight your way a few steps away from the tent, and it will be gone. Lose your sense of direction and there is nothing to guide you back." [1]

Campbell directed the Terra Nova back to McMurdo Sound with the news of Amundsen, amongst "heavy arguments in wardroom about the rights and wrongs of Amundsen's party and the chances of our being able to beat them. Their experience and number of dogs seem to leave us very little." [2]

"Well!," Priestley wrote in his diary that night, "we have left the Norwegians and our thoughts are full, too full of them at present. The impression they have left me with is that of a set of men of distinctive personality, and evidently inured to hardship, good goers and pleasant and good-humoured. All these qualities combine to make them very dangerous rivals, but even did one not want to, one cannot help liking them individually in spite of the rivalry." [3]


Amundsen

The day after the Terra Nova's visit, wrote Amundsen, "our hut was baptised and given the name 'Framheim' ["Home of Fram"]. The idea was Prestrud's. We had the ship's party, or as they are called, the pirates, for a house warming." [4] They had to visit in shifts, four to lunch and six to supper, as they could not all leave the ship at the same time.


Notes:

[1] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.5.
[2] Wilfred Bruce, diary, 5 February, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.360.
[3] Raymond Priestley, diary, [5 February, 1911], quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.425.
[4] Roald Amundsen, diary, [date not given], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.85.

Friday, 27 January 1911

Amundsen

The Norwegians' camp, around February 1911. [1]

The landing party moved into the hut. "Very fine work has been done. Within 14 days of the site being chosen, the house had been completed, and virtually all provisions landed." [2]

"Here on the same barrier," Amundsen wrote in his diary, "where Shackleton praised his God that he had not landed -- here we have put up our house -- here we will have our home. That Ross did not want to come too close to this ice giant in his sailing ships -- that I understand. But that S. did not come here and take the great chance offered by an extra degree of Southern latitude; that I don't understand. Not one of us has given a thought to any danger in doing so. The future will show if we were right." [3]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 28 January, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.84.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 28 January, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.340.

Thursday, 26 January 1911

Scott

"Captain Scott and the Southern [depot-laying] Party .... Erebus in background. Photograph taken on the 26th of January 1911, by Herbert George Ponting." Standing, left to right, are Crean, Keohane, Gran, Scott, Forde, Meares, Cherry-Garrard, Oates, and Atkinson, and sitting on the sledge, Wilson and Bowers. [1]

As the pony teams made their way across land to Glacier Tongue, Scott and the dog teams came round on the Terra Nova to their rendezvous. "Pennell had the men aft and I thanked them for their splendid work," wrote Scott. "They have behaved like bricks and a finer lot of fellows never sailed in a ship." [2]

Pennell would later write, "From the first meeting with Captain Scott in London till saying good bye when he started on the Depot journey in January 1911, he never in any way showed me anything but the greatest kindness and forbearance, & I cannot say how truly grateful I have always been to him. "It seems almost a mockery to say that his example helps one now & will help in the future in getting over difficulties & despising one's own troubles & petty worries; but I do feel that to have been allowed to serve under such a man & to have been trusted by him in work that was his life's work is far & away the greatest reward the expedition could have given me." [3]

At the same time, Taylor, Debenham, and Wright, along with P.O. Evans to teach them sledging techniques, headed off for two months reconnoitering the glaciers west of Cape Evans, whilst Ponting, Nelson, Day, and Lashly set out on a short photographic trip to Cape Royds. Campbell and his Eastern Party were bound for a year in King Edward VII Land.


Amundsen

The hut was completed after ten days, while the men continued unloading and transporting supplies from the Fram, and hunting and flensing seals and penguins for the coming winter.

Amundsen wrote in his diary, "6 inches of snow fell during the night. The going was bad [but] we did 6 runs and tomorrow we will finish.... It was a brilliant piece of work, and I cannot but admire the patience and diligence of all concerned." [4]


Notes:

[1] Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
[2] R.F. Scott, diary, 26 January, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[3] Harry Pennell, letter to Kathleen Scott, 2 March, 1913, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.412.
[4] Roald Amundsen, diary, [27 January, 1911], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.83.

Tuesday, 24 January 1911

Scott

Bowers with Victor, photographed by Ponting, October 1911. [1]

The first depot-laying party set out in the morning, leading the ponies across land as far as Glacier Tongue. Scott and the dog teams went on the Terra Nova to meet them at the end of the Tongue. There were twelve men -- Scott, Wilson, Oates, Meares, Atkinson, Bowers, Gran, Cherry-Garrard, Crean, P.O. Evans, Forde, and Keohane -- with eight ponies and two dogs teams.

"My most vivid recollection of the day we started," Cherry wrote later, "is the sight of Bowers, out of breath, very hot, and in great pain from a bad knock which he had given his knee against a rock, being led forward by his big pony Uncle Bill, over whom temporarily he had but little control. He had been left behind in the camp, giving last instructions about the storage of cases and management of provisions, and had practically lost himself in trying to follow us over what was then unknown ground. He was wearing all the clothing which was not included in his personal gear, for he did not think it fair to give the pony the extra weight. He had bruised his leg in an ugly way, and for many days he came to me to bandage it. He was afraid that if he let the doctors see it they would forbid him to go forward. He had had no sleep for seventy-two hours." [2]

Each sledge weight 52 lbs., and each driver's sleeping bag, skis, and pony gear weighed 65 lbs. Personal gear added another 12 lbs. Cooker and primus, oil, tent and poles, biscuits, tools, and oats for the ponies were distributed amongst the sledges. Each pony sledge averaged 570 lbs. (258 kg), and the two dog sledges 490 lbs. (222 kg) each. The goal was 80°.

"Stareek", photographed by Ponting, 1911. [3]

Meares was in charge of one of the dog teams and Wilson the other. Stareek ("old man" in Russian), was, Wilson wrote, "quite the nicest, quietest cleverest old dog gentleman I have ever come across. He looks in face as though he knew all the wickedness of all the world and all its cares and as though he was bored to death by both of them." [4]

Scott, however, was already writing in his diary, "I withhold my opinion of the dogs in much doubt as to whether they are going to be a real success -- but the ponies are going to be real good. They work with such extraordinary steadiness, stepping out briskly and cheerfully, following in each other's tracks. The great drawback is the ease with which they sink in soft snow: they go through in lots of places where the men scarcely make an impression -- they struggle pluckily when they sink, but it is trying to watch them." [5]


Amundsen

"As usual," Amundsen calculated in his diary, "we drove a load up before breakfast. The first run brought the remaining things for the hut, like bunks, stoves, etc. Afterwards we began carrying provisions. It is a matter of 900 packing cases.... We have done 5 runs today, but hope to manage 6 tomorrow. [Since] each sledge load consists generally of 5 cases, [thus] 25 cases per run, [that] means 150 cases in the course of a day. In this way, we will get them all carried up quickly." [6]


Notes:

[1] Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
[2] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.5.
[3] Scott Polar Research Institute.
[4] E.A. Wilson, diary, 30 January, 1911, quoted in Diary of the Terra Nova Expedition to the Antarctic, 1910-1912 (London : Blandford, 1972), p.100.
[5] R.F. Scott, diary, 24 January, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[6] Roald Amundsen, diary, 23 January, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.83.

Monday, 23 January 1911

Scott

"Getting camp in order", photographed by Ponting, 23 January, 1911. [1]

Scott wrote out his orders for Campbell's Eastern Party: "Whilst I hope you may be able to land in King Edward's Land, I fully realise the possibility of the conditions being unfavourable and the difficulty of the task which has been set you.

"I do not think you should attempt a landing unless the Ship can remain in security near you for at least three days, unless all your stores can be placed in a position of safety in a shorter time.

"The Ship will give you all possible help in erecting your hut, &tc., but I hope you will not find it necessary to keep her by you for any length of time.

"Should you succeed in landing, the object you will hold in view is to discover the nature and extent of King Edward's Land. The possibilities of your situation are so various that it must be left to you entirely to determine how this object may be best achieved.

"In this connexion it remains only to say that you should be at your winter situation and ready to embark on February 1, 1912.

"Should you be unable to land in the region of King Edward's Land you will be at liberty to go to the region of Robertson Bay after communicating with Cape Evans." [2]


Amundsen

Five days after beginning the hut, Amundsen wrote, "The roof was on. All further work [of building] can thus take place inside and cannot be inhibited by the weather.... This afternoon, while they were working on the house, Bj. & Jørg. heard a violent noise in the ice, far away. Probably an iceberg calving, or formation of crevasses in the barrier." [3]


Notes:

[1] Scott Polar Research Institute.
[2] R.F. Scott, instructions to Victor Campbell, 23 January, 1911, quoted by Katherine Lambert in The Longest Winter (Washington DC : Smithsonian, c2004), pp.45-46, and by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.424. Crane gives a more brief version than Lambert, but includes the last paragraph.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, [22? January, 1911], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.84.

Friday, 20 January 1911

Scott

Cherry-Garrard's sketch of the hut's layout. [1]

On the officer's side of the bulkhead across the middle of the hut, space was allotted to Bowers, Atkinson, Oates, Meares, and Cherry-Garrard -- soon dubbed "The Tenements" -- with separate labs/dormitories for Simpson and Wright, Day and Nelson, Ponting's darkroom, and Debenham, Taylor, and Gran together. Scott shared his corner space with Wilson and Lt. Evans.
"It will make things uncomfortable ... if they start slinging plates at each other," Oates commented dryly. [2]

Oates wrote to one of his fellow officers back home to arrange for mules for the next season, which Oates had recommended be got from India, for "if Scott goes elsewhere he will get stuck as he did with this lot.... I shall look pretty foolish," he added, "if they all die of cold on landing but they should be better than the crocks we have here." [3]


Amundsen

Building the hut. [4]

Stubberud and Bjaaland had to make a windbreak to keep out the constant snow drift. "In that way," Stubberud remembered, "we managed to dig out the site and get down to solid ground, i.e., blue ice, hard as rock. Because of the sloping terrain, we had to hack down about 3 metres for a length of 8 metres along the upper part to get the site horizontal. It was naturally a hard job; severe cold ... delayed the work. But in the end we did it." [5]


Notes:

[1] Source unknown.
[2] L.E.G. Oates, [letter to his mother?], 22 January, 1911, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.406.
[3] L.E.G. Oates, letter to Maj. N. Haig, 20 January, 1911, quoted by Sue Limb and Patrick Cordingley in Captain Oates : Soldier and Explorer (London : Batsford, c1982), p.108.
[4] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[5] Jørgen Stubberud, "Den Siste av Sydpolens Erobrere", Vi Menn, No.5, 25 January, 1972, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.339.

Sunday, 15 January 1911

Scott

In Scott's initial plans, a group of scientists would remain at Cape Evans, while two other groups, an Eastern Party under Campbell, would explore the coastline of King Edward VII Land, and a Western Geological Party under Taylor, would work in the mountains. The Southern Party would be made of up a select group of those at Cape Evans.

Oates had marked down two of the better ponies for Campbell's use, but upon watching them in action during the unloading of the ship, Scott decided that the slower ones in the polar contingent would hinder the faster ones. "After Service," Scott noted in his diary, "I told Campbell that I should have to cancel his two ponies and give him two others. He took it like the gentleman he is, thoroughly appreciating the reason." [1]


Amundsen

Transporting equipment and supplies to Framheim. [2]

"[All] dogs were landed," wrote Amundsen in his diary. "At the same time we drove up all supplies and equipment we dared load on the sledges the first time.... We have had a lot of trouble with driving today. There have been hidings for the dogs, but it has been necessary to make them understand the gravity of the situation. Things will soon be better." [3]

Each sledge moved five or six loads a day, about two tons in all.

They established their first camp on the Barrier "as a temporary residence for the dogs. It lay 1.2 nautical miles from the ship. Here ... in a pleasant little valley, we pitched a 16-man tent for the dog minders J[ohansen] & H[assel], together with passing travellers. Round the tent we then ran a wire in the form of a triangle -- each side 50 m. -- where our animals will be placed. We then continued our march to the place we had selected for our house. It lay only 2.2 nautical miles from the ship. In this way, our landing will be much quicker than originally planned." [4]

Amundsen had intended to build the hut ten miles inland, in case the Barrier calved, but upon getting a look at the terrain, he decided that the much shorter distance was sufficient. "At the appointed place, we marked out the building plot -- in a SE-NW direction, and pitched [another] 16-man tent for the use of Bj[aaland] & Jørg. [Stubberud], who will be the builders."

"On our return journey, we marked the whole route with dark blue pennants," Amundsen added, "so that it will be impossible to lose one's way. These marks have been placed at intervals of 15 paces. We were on board again at 5 p.m. -- Took some photos of this first trip of ours."


Notes:

[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 15 January, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[2] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket. The glass plate has suffered considerable damage.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, [16 January, 1911], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.75.
[4] Roald Amundsen, diary, 15 January, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.82.

Friday, 13 January 1911

Amundsen

The Bay of Whales. Photograph by P. Bond, before 2007. [1]

The Fram pulled in to the Bay of Whales. As soon as she was moored, Amundsen, Nilsen, Prestrud, and Stubberud set off on ski. The men were all a bit out of shape from having been five months at sea, but the skiing was good in the loose new snow and brilliant sunshine. After half an hour, they came to the place where the sea-ice and the Barrier met, the Barrier there being a rather anticlimactic twenty feet (6 m) or so, and smoothed with drift into a gentle slope.

"[The] ice foot led onto the Barrier by a small, even slope; an ideal connection [to the ship] in other words. We continued in a south-easterly direction, and after about 15 minutes reached one of the [previously observed] ridge formations on the barrier. These formations looked like small morain ridges with certain irregularities on the top. These irregularities turned out to consist of huge ice blocks on edge. Something must have stopped the barrier in its regular progress and caused this. What else can it be but underlying land?" [2]

He was, in fact, wrong. Shackleton had in 1908 rejected the Bay as unstable due to the extensive calving in the inner bay. Amundsen, noting that Shackleton's observations had shown that the location and shape of the Bay had changed little since Ross' discovery of it in 1841, reasoned that the ice was grounded on land. Although the bay, like the entire Barrier, is now known to be afloat, it is in the lee of Roosevelt Island, which slows the advance of the ice and creates the ridges that Amundsen had studied.

"I selected a place -- in a little valley, on a fine, flat foundation, about 4 nautical miles from the ... sea, as our future residence. Here we will build our home, and from here our work will be carried out. Already tomorrow -- Sunday -- we start some preparatory work, so that we are ready to begin in earnest on Monday."

"Lt. N[ilsen] has worked out the distance sailed from Norway. it is 15,938 nautical miles, and had been estimated at 16,000. That was not bad. We had calculated on being at our field of work on the 15th January -- We lay to ... on the 14th."


Notes:

[1] Wikimedia Commons.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 14 January 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.315.

Friday, 3 June 1910

Scott

Debenham, Wright, Priestley, and Taylor (reading). Debenham and Priestley would meet the expedition in New Zealand and Australia, respectively. [1]

The Terra Nova arrived in Cardiff. Here they would be joined by more of the scientific staff.

T. Griffith Taylor, thirty, was an Australian geologist who received a Bachelor of Engineering in mining and metallurgy and had recently been elected a Fellow of the Geological Society. Encouraged by his Cambridge tutors and by his friend Douglas Mawson, recently returned from Shackleton's expedition, Taylor applied for the post of physiographer and geologist on Scott's expedition, and was accepted.

Charles S. Wright, nicknamed "Silas", was a twenty-three-year old Canadian physicist who had studied at the University of Toronto and won a postgraduate scholarship to Cambridge where he was now at the end of his two years research into cosmic rays. Impressed by Mawson, Wright had applied for Scott's expedition and been rejected.

Taylor then suggested to his friend that he should reapply to Scott in person; being academics and thus chronically short of funds, they decided to walk the fifty miles from Cambridge to London, with only a dozen hard-cooked eggs for sustenance. "Wright came through 'smiling'," Taylor later wrote of their ten-hour walk, "but my feet were so sore I could hardly stand the next day. My chief recollection is one of loathing for hard-boiled eggs, and of the relief with which I dropped three-quarters of our provisions in a secluded corner of King's Cross." [2]

After a brief interview, Scott changed his mind and Wright was engaged as expedition physicist, for the standard expedition rate of £4 per week for the first year. [3] It was still uncertain as to whether the expedition would remain for a second year.


Amundsen

The Fram off Uranienborg, June 1910. Amundsen stands in front with his dog. Photograph by Anders Beer Wilse. [4]

The Fram left Christiania and sailed down to anchor off Amundsen's home at Bundefjord. Verdens Gang, a Christiania newspaper, wrote that her "three yellow masts glistened in the sunlight, and ... the ship's black bulk stood out ... against the green ... forest-clad background.... Broad, sturdy and sober is she [and] a certain Sabbath peace hung over the vessel, as she lay there, at the edge of the gently rippled, slightly sombre fjord." [5]

Uranienborg, June 1910. Photograph by Anders Beer Wiltse. [6]

The "ice hut", June 1910. Photograph by Anders Beer Wiltse. [7]

The hut stood on the lawn at the water's edge for all to see, and was disassembled and stowed on board. "The more experienced among the members of the expedition," Amundsen wrote later, "were evidently absorbed in profound conjectures as to the meaning of this 'observation house,' as the newspapers had christened it. It may willingly be admitted that they had good reason for their speculations. By an observation house is usually meant a comparatively simple construction, sufficient to provide the necessary shelter from wind and weather. Our house, on the other hand, was a model of solidity, with three double walls, double roof and floor. Its arrangements included ten inviting bunks, a kitchen, and a table; the latter, moreover, had a brand-new American-cloth cover. 'I can understand that they want to keep themselves warm when they're making observations,' said Helmer Hanssen; 'but what they want with a cloth on the table I can’t make out.'" [8] Amundsen did not enlighten them.


Notes:

[1] "The TERRA NOVA Expedition 1910-13", south-pole.com.
[2] T. Griffith-Taylor, With Scott: the Silver Lining (London: Smith Elder, 1916), p.5, quoted by Adrian Raeside in Return to Antarctica: the Amazing Adventure of Sir Charles Wright on Robert Scott's Journey to the South Pole (Mississauga, Ont.: John Wiley, c2009), p.37-38.
[3] Wheeler, Sara, Cherry : a life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard (New York : Modern Library, 2003, c2001), p.66.
[4] GalleriNOR, Norsk Folkemuseum.
[5] Verdens Gang, 6 June 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.287.
[6] GalleriNOR, Norsk Folkemuseum.
[7] GalleriNOR, Norsk Folkemuseum.
[8] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.3.

May 1909

Amundsen

Stubberud in July 1910, just before the Fram sailed. Photograph by Anders Beer Wiltse. [1]

Amundsen had hired a young local carpenter, Jørgen Stubberud, to work on his house at Svartskog, and was impressed enough to ask Stubberud to build the expedition hut, capable of being built ahead of time and reassembled on site. "Roald said only, 'It should be winter quarters, five metres long, four metres wide, and five metres high. Figure out the rest yourself!'"

"So then I went to Skedsmo and got the right materials, three-inch plank. There should be four panels, two outside and two inside, with cardboard in-between. I finished 'Framheim'. Roald said he was pleased, and so I packed the whole thing up. Afterwards I asked respectfully, "Captain, is there also an opportunity for me to go with the expedition?' 'Yes,' answered Roald, 'as long as your wife agrees.' And she did right away. The same day I sat in Roald's dining room and signed a contract for seven years." [2]


Notes:

[1] Norsk Folkemuseum, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Jørgen Stubberud, quoted in "Sydpol-Stubberud: den Siste Gjenlevende av Roald Amundsens Atten Menn", Dagbladet, April 1978, reprinted at Polarlitteratur.com. A clip from 1961 of Stubberud recalling this is available at NRK Skole.