Tuesday, 29 November 1910

Scott

"Departure of the Terra Nova from Port Chalmers, 29 November 1910. Photograph taken by David Alexander De Maus." [1]

Despite a huge row between Kathleen and Hilda Evans the day before, their differences were forgotten in the moment of departure, and Kathleen wrote, "On the bridge of the brig Mrs Evans looked ghastly white & said she wanted to have hysterics, but instead we both took photos of the departing ship." [2]

Wright noted in his diary, "Have just finished setting sail for a slight breeze which can hardly last, and it was by no means an easy job to dodge about between motor sledges and ponies and coal bags and dogs -- chiefly the latter as the price for stepping on a dog is a bite; besides the fact they are not the tidiest of animals at any time." [3]


Notes:

[1] De Maus Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
[2] Kathleen Scott, diary, 29 November, 1910, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.393.
[3] Charles S. Wright, diary, 29 November, 1910, 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.71.

Monday, 28 November 1910

Scott

Arriving in Port Chalmers, Scott "found all well, excepting [Teddy] Evans -- he much excited with very vague & wild grievances ... the cause of all this not difficult to guess -- smoothed him down." [1]

Scott was probably referring to his reinstatement of Edgar Evans, whom Lt. Evans had wanted dismissed for being drunk at Lyttelton, but there seems to have been more to it than that, a clash of personalities between Kathleen Scott and Lt. Evans’ wife Hilda.

Ponting wrote, very diplomatically, "It was as interesting as it was delightful to note that our leader's wife spent many days checking packages as they were unloaded and then re-stowed." [2] Bowers, in letters home, was more forthcoming. "Captain Scott has left everything to me in the most extraordinary manner," he began cheerfully, and a few days later, "Mrs Wilson has not been about much owing to the strained relations between Mrs Scott & Mrs Evans. I don't know who to blame but somehow don't like Mrs S. I don't trust her -- though I have always been prepared to give her her due. Nobody likes her in the expedition & the painful silence when she arrives is the only jarring note in the whole thing. There is no secret that she runs us all now & what she says is done -- through the Owner. Now nobody likes a schemer & yet she is undoubtedly one. Her brother Lt. Bruce is a nice chap in himself but again one does not like to trust to family. We all feel that the sooner we are away the better. She will go home to her small son & will sow no more discord. I am sorry for her as she has tried hard to be one of us & always does anything she can for any of us. She actually brought our initials & came down & sewed them on our winter clothes for us. Very nice of her, was it not -- I wish I could like her but I am suspicious." [3]


Amundsen

Land was sighted, and determined to be Bligh's Cap, a few miles north of Kerguelen Island. Amundsen was tempted to call in at Kerguelen, but in the event heavy weather prevented them from stopping.


Notes:

[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 28 November, 1910, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.390.
[2] Herbert Ponting, source unknown, quoted by Diana Preston in A First Rate Tragedy (Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1998, c1997), p.129.
[3] H.R. Bowers, letters, 24 and 28 November, 1910, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.389.

Saturday, 26 November 1910

Scott

"Probably the deck of the ship Terra Nova, Christchurch, 1910 ... Christchurch Press photograph. Photographer unidentified." [1]

The Terra Nova sailed from Lyttelton, heading down to Port Chalmers to wait for Scott.

"[The] scene on the morning of Saturday, November 26, baffles description. There is no deck visible: in addition to 30 tons of coal in sacks on deck there are 2 1/2 tons of petrol, stowed in drums which in turn are cased in wood. On the top of sacks and cases, and on the roof of the ice-house are thirty-three dogs, chained far enough apart to keep them from following their first instinct -- to fight the nearest animal they can see: the ship is a hubbub of howls. In the forecastle and in the four stalls on deck are the nineteen ponies, wedged tightly in their wooden stalls, and dwarfing everything are the three motor sledges in their huge crates, 16' x 5' x 4', two of them on either side of the main hatch, the third across the break of the poop. They are covered with tarpaulins and secured in every possible way, but it is clear that in a big sea their weight will throw a great strain upon the deck. It is not altogether a cheerful sight. But all that care and skill can do has been done to ensure that the deck cargo will not shift, and that the animals may be as sheltered as possible from wind and seas. And it's no good worrying about what can't be helped." [2]


Notes:

[1] Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand.
[2] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.2.

Wednesday, 23 November 1910

Scott

"What do you think about Amundsen's expedition?" Oates wrote home from Quail Island. "If he gets to the Pole first we shall come home with our tails between our legs and no mistake. I must say we have made far too much noise about ourselves all that photographing, cheering, steaming through the fleet etc. etc. is rot and if we fail it will only make us look more foolish. They say Amundsen has been underhand in the way he has gone about it but I personally don't see it is underhand to keep your mouth shut -- I myself think these Norskies are a very tough lot they have 200 dogs and Yohandsen [sic] is with them and he is not exactly a child, also they are very good ski-runners while we can only walk, if Scott does anything silly such as underfeeding his ponies he will be beaten as sure as death." [1]

Still worried about the ponies, Oates smuggled in another five tons of feed at his own expense. "I have dodged in a little more forage, I have now ordered just a little more which I shall try to get in on the quiet this afternoon, and my ambitions will be attained, ie to go south with 50 good tons." [2]

"Mrs Scott and Mrs Evans had a magnificent battle," he added drily, "they tell me it was a draw after 15 rounds. Mrs Wilson flung herself into the fight after the 10th round and there was more blood and hair flying about the hotel than you see in a Chicargo [sic] slaughter-house in a month." [3]


Notes:

[1] L.E.G. Oates, letter to Caroline Oates, 23 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.323.
[2] L.E.G. Oates, [letter to Caroline Oates?], 23 November, 1910, quoted by Sue Limb and Patrick Cordingley in Captain Oates : Soldier and Explorer (London : Batsford, c1982), p.109.
[3] L.E.G. Oates, letter to Caroline Oates, 23 November, 1910, quoted by Diana Preston in A First Rate Tragedy (Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1998, c1997), p.131.

Friday, 19 November 1910

Scott

Scott wrote to Keltie, "Amundsen seems to be acting very mysteriously, but I can't believe he is going to McMurdo Sound -- I wired to Nansen, his reply was 'unknown' from which I conclude that he has not thought fit to even inform his supporters in Norway in respect to his intentions -- Well we shall know in due course I suppose." [1]


Notes:

[1] R.F. Scott, letter to Scott Keltie, 19 November, 1910, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.383.

Thursday, 17 November 1910

Scott

"I don't know how long it is since I have been so anxious about anything as I am about these ponies," Oates wrote in a letter to his mother. "Scott has left everything to me in connection with them. When I look at the stalls sometimes I think they are too small and the ponies wont go in and sometimes I think they are too big, next minute I think we shall never get them out again if we do get them in until I feel positively sick with anxiety.... I have had a great struggle with Scott about the horse forage he said, 'not one oz over 30 so its no use arguing' however we argued for one hour and he has given way which shows he is open to reason ... he told me I was a something nuisance." [1]


Notes:

[1] L.E.G. Oates, letter to Caroline Oates, 17 November, 1910, quoted by David Crane in Scott of the Antarctic (New York : Knopf, c2005), p.388-389.

Monday, 14 November 1910

Scott

A month after receiving Amundsen's cable, Scott cabled Nansen about Amundsen's destination. Confusion, half-information, and passivity had led to rumours that Amundsen was heading for McMurdo Sound. Nansen's reply was simply, "Unknown." [1]

Amundsen had in fact told Nansen that he was going to South Victoria Land, but Nansen, in full support of Amundsen, did not reveal this to Scott.

In reply, Scott wrote, "My telegram to ask Amundsen's intentions may need some explanation. As you can imagine it is very difficult to get information in this part of the world and having no information ... I thought it best to communicate with you.... I do not believe the report that he is going to McMurdo Sound -- the idea seems to me preposterous in view of his record -- but the fact that he departs with so much mystery leaves one with an uncomfortable feeling that he contemplates something which he imagines we should not approve." [2]

"We may have made a mistake in having such an extensive organization but I am most anxious to get really good scientific results and for that one ought to have a number of experts -- as to the travelling we might have improved matters by having more dogs and fewer ponies -- it is difficult to say -- the animals we have are splendid and all in good condition." [3]


Notes:

[1] Fridtjof Nansen, cable to R.F. Scott, [14 November, 1910], quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.322.
[2] R.F. Scott, letter to Fridtjof Nansen, 14 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.322-323.
[2] R.F. Scott, letter to Fridtjof Nansen, 14 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.329-330.

Saturday, 12 November 1910

Amundsen

Stubberud with Kamilla and her pups on the deck of the Fram, 1910. [1]

The dogs were rapidly becoming a source of constant fascination for the men on the Fram. "The most attractive place," Amundsen wrote in his diary, "is the bridge. In a storm they pack themselves together [there] -- up to 50 at a time -- for mutual support. Nonetheless there are many battles after every big lurch.... Poor devils ... they take the shock as a personal affront." The Eskimo dog, he noted, was "extraordinarily intelligent. I have recently started chasing my dogs off the bridge at 6 a.m., in order to clean up.... At eight bells, I allow them back. Once was enough for them to associate these 8 strokes of the bell with permission to return. Next morning they rushed up as one man at 8 bells." [2]

By this time the dogs were "also allowed to use the chart-house. At night, up to 20 will pack themselves in. Inside, they are mostly peaceful. Last night, however, a battle took place because there were two rivals for the desk." [3]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen, diary, [date(s) not given], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.69.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 12 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.69.

Friday, 11 November 1910

Amundsen

The Fram under sail, undated. [1]

The round-bottomed Fram, built for the pack ice, was notorious for rolling in the slightest swells. "[She] rolls day and night without respite," Johansen wrote in his diary. "At every meal, we have to lash our chairs to the deck ... not a moment's peace since we left Norway except for the 2-3 days at Madeira." [1]

Amundsen, though, was more phlegmatic. During a southwesterly storm, he wrote, "the sea rose up to a fairly noticeable height. Some [waves] reached the maximum on the scale -- 10 metres high. But -- how wonderfully [the Fram] takes them. As long as one is careful to keep her stern towards these bouncers, one would not know that one was at sea.... She lurches all right, but not a drop of water does she take on board." [2]


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket.
[2] Hjalmar Johansen, diary [date not given], quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.66.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 10 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.66.

Tuesday, 1 November 1910

Amundsen

"Work on polar equipment is carried on with determination," Amundsen wrote in his diary, "despite violent rolling and difficult conditions. Today Rønne has cut out a sledging tent in the chart-house, and tacked it together.... [Ludvig] Hansen does the finest tinsmith's work and Nødvedt forges the strangest things up on deck in the midst of this confusion. They are sheer acrobats, all three. I really do admire them." [1]

Seaman Ludvig Hansen, recruited for his skill as a tinsmith, was making paraffin tins for the sledging journeys. Amundsen had noticed that at low temperatures paraffin has a tendency to "creep", to become inexplicably depleted after a few weeks. On the Northwest Passage voyage, this was little more than an annoyance, but in the Antarctic, far away from other sources of fuel, the loss would be serious. He decided therefore to have tanks made from galvanized iron sheets with brazed seams and soldered spouts. Hansen made ten tanks that held fifteen litres each.

Second engineer Nødvedt made among other things patent shackles for the dog harnesses.


Notes:

[1] Roald Amundsen, diary, 1 November, 1910, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.62.