Scott
"Stick of chocolate to celebrate the New Year," wrote Scott. "The supporting party not in very high spirits, they have not managed matters well for themselves. Prospects seem to get brighter -- only 170 miles to go and plenty of food left." [1]
That evening, with an extra cup of tea in the newly-double-lined tent, the five officers sat up until two in the morning, writing and talking. Oates, Lt. Evans recalled, "talked on and on, and his big, kind, brown eyes sparkled as he recalled little boyish escapades at Eton. ... [He] talked for some hours. At length Captain Scott reached out and affectionately seized him in the way that was itself characteristic of our leader, and said, 'You funny old thing, you have quite come out of your shell, Soldier. Do you know, we have all sat here talking for nearly four hours?'... [That night,] we warmed to each other in a way that we had never thought of, quite oblivious to cold, hardship, scant rations, or the great monotony of sledge hauling." [2]
Amundsen
The Norwegians reached the Devil's Glacier, but having arrived back at a different spot had hit a path between the chasms and avoided the Devil's Ballroom completely. "We were bloody lucky," Amundsen wrote with obvious relief. "In a few hours the whole glacier was conquered." [3]
They still were not completely certain where they were, and thus of the location of their next depot at the edge of the glacier. "The Captain thinks we are East of the depot," Bjaaland wrote, "so do the others. I, on the other hand, believe just as firmly that were are a little to the West. Tomorrow we shall see." [4]
Notes:
[1] R.F. Scott, 1 January, 1912, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1. This is apparently a bowdlerized version, as Roland Huntford gives the phrase as "they have mismanaged matters for themselves" (Race for the South Pole, p.216).
[2] E.R.G.R. Evans, "My Recollections of a Gallant Comrade", Strand Magazine, December 1913, quoted by Sue Limb and Patrick Cordingly in Captain Oates, Soldier and Explorer (London : Batsford, 1982), p.152.
[3] Roald Amundsen, diary, 2 January 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.500.
[4] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 2 January 1912, quoted by Roland Huntford in Scott and Amundsen (New York : Putnam, 1980, c1979), p.500.
Showing posts with label Devil's Glacier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devil's Glacier. Show all posts
January 1, 2012
November 30, 2011
Thursday, 30 November 1911
Scott
"A very pleasant day for marching," wrote Scott, "but a very tiring march for the poor animals, which, with the exception of Nobby, are showing signs of failure all round. We were slower by half an hour or more than yesterday. Except that the loads are light now and there are still eight animals left, things don't look too pleasant, but we should be less than 60 miles from our first point of aim. The surface was much worse to-day, the ponies sinking to their knees very often." [1]
"The dogs are reported as doing very well. They are going to be a great standby, no doubt."
Amundsen
Although Amundsen had planned on a rest day for the dogs, a lull in the gale prompted them to start off anyway, eager see the last of the Devil's Glacier. "It was grim to start with," wrote Amundsen in his diary, "and it went agonizingly slowly." The previous night's wind had swept the ice bare of drift. "It looked really gruesome." [2]
They had left their crampons behind at the Butcher's Shop. "Without them, climbing on sheer ice is supposed to be practically an impossibility. A thousand thoughts raced through my brain. The pole lost, perhaps, because of such an idiotic blunder?"
They pressed on, "inch by inch, foot by foot, sledge length by sledge length," over huge chasms and dangerous crevasses and ridges. At last reaching the point to where Amundsen and Helmer Hanssen had climbed the day before, the climb evened out gently, on and on, until they reached the plateau. "Thank God for that," wrote Bjaaland, "it was an everlasting grind to get the load up all the hummocks and ridges that we had to cross." [3]
Up on the plateau, the pressure that had caused such crevassing on the slopes had had a different effect on the ice, forming it into big haycock-like mounds. "Hassel raised his axe and gave a good sound blow; the axe met with no resistance, and went in up to the haft. The haycock was hollow. As the axe was pulled out the surrounding part gave way, and one could hear the pieces of ice falling down through the dark hole. It appeared, then, that two feet from our door we had a most convenient way down into the cellar. Hassel looked as if he enjoyed the situation. 'Black as a sack,' he smiled; 'couldn't see any bottom.' Hanssen was beaming; no doubt he would have liked the tent a little nearer." [4]
"We have not yet been able to see the immediate surroundings," added Amundsen, "but we know with certainty that we are past the glacier, and therefore we are in a party mood."
Notes:
[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 30 November, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 1 December, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.155-156.
[3] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 1 December, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.156.
[4] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.11.
"A very pleasant day for marching," wrote Scott, "but a very tiring march for the poor animals, which, with the exception of Nobby, are showing signs of failure all round. We were slower by half an hour or more than yesterday. Except that the loads are light now and there are still eight animals left, things don't look too pleasant, but we should be less than 60 miles from our first point of aim. The surface was much worse to-day, the ponies sinking to their knees very often." [1]
"The dogs are reported as doing very well. They are going to be a great standby, no doubt."
Amundsen
Although Amundsen had planned on a rest day for the dogs, a lull in the gale prompted them to start off anyway, eager see the last of the Devil's Glacier. "It was grim to start with," wrote Amundsen in his diary, "and it went agonizingly slowly." The previous night's wind had swept the ice bare of drift. "It looked really gruesome." [2]
They had left their crampons behind at the Butcher's Shop. "Without them, climbing on sheer ice is supposed to be practically an impossibility. A thousand thoughts raced through my brain. The pole lost, perhaps, because of such an idiotic blunder?"
They pressed on, "inch by inch, foot by foot, sledge length by sledge length," over huge chasms and dangerous crevasses and ridges. At last reaching the point to where Amundsen and Helmer Hanssen had climbed the day before, the climb evened out gently, on and on, until they reached the plateau. "Thank God for that," wrote Bjaaland, "it was an everlasting grind to get the load up all the hummocks and ridges that we had to cross." [3]
Up on the plateau, the pressure that had caused such crevassing on the slopes had had a different effect on the ice, forming it into big haycock-like mounds. "Hassel raised his axe and gave a good sound blow; the axe met with no resistance, and went in up to the haft. The haycock was hollow. As the axe was pulled out the surrounding part gave way, and one could hear the pieces of ice falling down through the dark hole. It appeared, then, that two feet from our door we had a most convenient way down into the cellar. Hassel looked as if he enjoyed the situation. 'Black as a sack,' he smiled; 'couldn't see any bottom.' Hanssen was beaming; no doubt he would have liked the tent a little nearer." [4]
"We have not yet been able to see the immediate surroundings," added Amundsen, "but we know with certainty that we are past the glacier, and therefore we are in a party mood."
Notes:
[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 30 November, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[2] Roald Amundsen, diary, 1 December, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.155-156.
[3] Olav Bjaaland, diary, 1 December, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in Race for the South Pole : the expedition diaries of Scott and Amundsen (London : Continuum, c2010), p.156.
[4] Roald Amundsen, The South Pole, ch.11.
November 29, 2011
Wednesday, 29 November 1911
Scott
"Camp 25. Lat. 82° 21'. Things much better," wrote Scott. "The land showed up late yesterday; Mount Markham, a magnificent triple peak, appearing wonderfully close, Cape Lyttelton and Cape Goldie. We did our march in good time, leaving about 4.20, and getting into this camp at 1.15. About 7 1/2 hours on the march. I suppose our speed throughout averages 2 stat. miles an hour." [1]
"It is curious," Cherry wrote later, "to see how depressed all our diaries become when this bad weather obtained, and how quickly we must have cheered up whenever the sun came out." [2]
Chinaman made "four feeds for the dogs", Scott noted. "We could really get though now with their help and without much delay, yet every consideration makes it desirable to save the men from heavy hauling as long as possible."
Amundsen
Sledges going through the Devil's Glacier. Bjaaland (the photographer) has gone ahead on ski, stamping sideways to test the strength of the snow bridge, but Amundsen and Hassel, in the distance, have decided not to risk the sledges and turned them around to try another way. [3]
Picking their way across an icy surface covered with huge crevasses provoked a heartfelt baptism. "The Devil's Glacier was worthy of its name," wrote Amundsen that evening. "One has to move 2 miles to advance 1. Chasm after chasm, abyss after abyss has to be circumvented. Treacherous crevasses and much other unpleasantness make progress extremely hard. The dogs are struggling and the drivers not less." [4]
Notes:
[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 29 November, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[2] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.IX.
[3] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket. See also The South Pole, ch.11. This image may be reversed from the original, as Amundsen points out that the figures of himself and Hassel are "on the right".
[4] Roald Amundsen, diary, 30 November, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.126.
"Camp 25. Lat. 82° 21'. Things much better," wrote Scott. "The land showed up late yesterday; Mount Markham, a magnificent triple peak, appearing wonderfully close, Cape Lyttelton and Cape Goldie. We did our march in good time, leaving about 4.20, and getting into this camp at 1.15. About 7 1/2 hours on the march. I suppose our speed throughout averages 2 stat. miles an hour." [1]
"It is curious," Cherry wrote later, "to see how depressed all our diaries become when this bad weather obtained, and how quickly we must have cheered up whenever the sun came out." [2]
Chinaman made "four feeds for the dogs", Scott noted. "We could really get though now with their help and without much delay, yet every consideration makes it desirable to save the men from heavy hauling as long as possible."
Amundsen
Sledges going through the Devil's Glacier. Bjaaland (the photographer) has gone ahead on ski, stamping sideways to test the strength of the snow bridge, but Amundsen and Hassel, in the distance, have decided not to risk the sledges and turned them around to try another way. [3]Picking their way across an icy surface covered with huge crevasses provoked a heartfelt baptism. "The Devil's Glacier was worthy of its name," wrote Amundsen that evening. "One has to move 2 miles to advance 1. Chasm after chasm, abyss after abyss has to be circumvented. Treacherous crevasses and much other unpleasantness make progress extremely hard. The dogs are struggling and the drivers not less." [4]
Notes:
[1] R.F. Scott, diary, 29 November, 1911, quoted in Scott's Last Expedition : the Journals, v.1.
[2] Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World, ch.IX.
[3] Roald Amundsen Bildearkiv, Nasjonalbiblioteket. See also The South Pole, ch.11. This image may be reversed from the original, as Amundsen points out that the figures of himself and Hassel are "on the right".
[4] Roald Amundsen, diary, 30 November, 1911, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.126.
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