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Chapter 14 - PREPARATIONS: THE SPRING JOURNEY
Scott's Last Expedition
- The Journals of Captain R. F. Scott
Contents
and Preface Chapters:
Chapter 1
| Chapter
2 | Chapter
3 | Chapter
4 | Chapter
5 | Chapter
6 | Chapter
7 | Chapter
8 | Chapter
9 | Chapter
10 |
Chapter 11 |
Chapter 12
| Chapter
13 |
Chapter 14 |
Chapter 15
| Chapter
16 |
Chapter 17 |
Chapter 18
| Chapter
19 |
Chapter 20
| Appendix
Summary
(2 pages) of the Terra
Nova Expedition |
The Men of
the Expedition
Friday, September 1
A very windy night,
dropping to gusts in morning, preceding beautifully calm, bright
day. If September holds as good as August we shall not have
cause of complaint. Meares and Demetri started for Hut Point
just before noon. The dogs were in fine form. Demetri's team
came over the hummocky tide crack at full gallop, depositing
the driver on the snow. Luckily some of us were standing on
the floe. I made a dash at the bow of the sledge as it dashed
past and happily landed on top; Atkinson grasped at the same
object, but fell, and was dragged merrily over the ice. The
weight reduced the pace, and others soon came up and stopped
the team. Demetri was very crestfallen. He is extremely active
and it's the first time he's been unseated.
There is
no real reason for Meares' departure yet awhile, but he chose
to go and probably hopes to train the animals better when he
has them by themselves. As things are, this seems like throwing
out the advance guard for the summer campaign.
I have
been working very hard at sledging figures with Bowers' able
assistance. The scheme develops itself in the light of these
figures, and I feel that our organisation will not be found
wanting, yet there is an immense amount of detail, and every
arrangement has to be more than usually elastic to admit of
extreme possibilities of the full success or complete failure
of the motors.
I think our plan will carry us through
without the motors (though in that case nothing else must fail),
and will take full advantage of such help as the motors may
give. Our spring travelling is to be limited order. E. Evans,
Gran, and Forde will go out to find and re-mark 'Corner Camp.'
Meares will then carry out as much fodder as possible with the
dogs. Simpson, Bowers, and I are going to stretch our legs across
to the Western Mountains. There is no choice but to keep the
rest at home to exercise the ponies. It's not going to be a
light task to keep all these frisky little beasts in order,
as their food is increased. To-day the change in masters has
taken place: by the new arrangement
Wilson takes Nobby
Cherry-Garrard takes Michael Wright takes Chinaman Atkinson
takes Jehu.
The new comers seem very pleased with their
animals, though they are by no means the pick of the bunch.
Sunday, September 3
The weather still
remains fine, the temperature down in the minus thirties. All
going well and everyone in splendid spirits. Last night Bowers
lectured on Polar clothing. He had worked the subject up from
our Polar library with critical and humorous ability, and since
his recent journey he must be considered as entitled to an authoritative
opinion of his own. The points in our clothing problems are
too technical and too frequently discussed to need special notice
at present, but as a result of a new study of Arctic precedents
it is satisfactory to find it becomes more and more evident
that our equipment is the best that has been devised for the
purpose, always excepting the possible alternative of skins
for spring journeys, an alternative we have no power to adopt.
In spite of this we are making minor improvements all the time.
Sunday, September 10
A whole week since
the last entry in my diary. I feel very negligent of duty, but
my whole time has been occupied in making detailed plans for
the Southern journey. These are finished at last, I am glad
to say; every figure has been checked by Bowers, who has been
an enormous help to me. If the motors are successful, we shall
have no difficulty in getting to the Glacier, and if they fail,
we shall still get there with any ordinary degree of good fortune.
To work three units of four men from that point onwards requires
no small provision, but with the proper provision it should
take a good deal to stop the attainment of our object. I have
tried to take every reasonable possibility of misfortune into
consideration, and to so organise the parties as to be prepared
to meet them. I fear to be too sanguine, yet taking everything
into consideration I feel that our chances ought to be good.
The animals are in splendid form. Day by day the ponies get
fitter as their exercise increases, and the stronger, harder
food toughens their muscles. They are very different animals
from those which we took south last year, and with another month
of training I feel there is not one of them but will make light
of the loads we shall ask them to draw. But we cannot spare
any of the ten, and so there must always be anxiety of the disablement
of one or more before their work is done.
E. R. Evans,
Forde, and Gran left early on Saturday for Corner Camp. I hope
they will have no difficulty in finding it. Meares and Demetri
came back from Hut Point the same afternoon--the dogs are wonderfully
fit and strong, but Meares reports no seals up in the region,
and as he went to make seal pemmican, there was little object
in his staying. I leave him to come and go as he pleases, merely
setting out the work he has to do in the simplest form. I want
him to take fourteen bags of forage (130 lbs. each) to Corner
Camp before the end of October and to be ready to start for
his supporting work soon after the pony party--a light task
for his healthy teams. Of hopeful signs for the future none
are more remarkable than the health and spirit of our people.
It would be impossible to imagine a more vigorous community,
and there does not seem to be a single weak spot in the twelve
good men and true who are chosen for the Southern advance. All
are now experienced sledge travellers, knit together with a
bond of friendship that has never been equalled under such circumstances.
Thanks to these people, and more especially to Bowers and Petty
Officer Evans, there is not a single detail of our equipment
which is not arranged with the utmost care and in accordance
with the tests of experience.
It is good to have arrived
at a point where one can run over facts and figures again and
again without detecting a flaw or foreseeing a difficulty.
I do not count on the motors--that is a strong point in
our case--but should they work well our earlier task of reaching
the Glacier will be made quite easy. Apart from such help I
am anxious that these machines should enjoy some measure of
success and justify the time, money, and thought which have
been given to their construction. I am still very confident
of the possibility of motor traction, whilst realising that
reliance cannot be placed on it in its present untried evolutionary
state--it is satisfactory to add that my own view is the most
cautious one held in our party. Day is quite convinced he will
go a long way and is prepared to accept much heavier weights
than I have given him. Lashly's opinion is perhaps more doubtful,
but on the whole hopeful. Clissold is to make the fourth man
of the motor party. I have already mentioned his mechanical
capabilities. He has had a great deal of experience with motors,
and Day is delighted to have his assistance.
We had two
lectures last week--the first from Debenham dealing with General
Geology and having special reference to the structures of our
region. It cleared up a good many points in my mind concerning
the gneissic base rocks, the Beacon sand-stone, and the dolerite
intrusions. I think we shall be in a position to make fairly
good field observations when we reach the southern land.
The scientific people have taken keen interest in making
their lectures interesting, and the custom has grown of illustrating
them with lantern slides made from our own photographs, from
books, or from drawings of the lecturer. The custom adds to
the interest of the subject, but robs the reporter of notes.
The second weekly lecture was given by Ponting. His store of
pictures seems unending and has been an immense source of entertainment
to us during the winter. His lectures appeal to all and are
fully attended. This time we had pictures of the Great Wall
and other stupendous monuments of North China. Ponting always
manages to work in detail concerning the manners and customs
of the peoples in the countries of his travels; on Friday he
told us of Chinese farms and industries, of hawking and other
sports, most curious of all, of the pretty amusement of flying
pigeons with aeolian whistling pipes attached to their tail
feathers.
Ponting would have been a great asset to our
party if only on account of his lectures, but his value as pictorial
recorder of events becomes daily more apparent. No expedition
has ever been illustrated so extensively, and the only difficulty
will be to select from the countless subjects that have been
recorded by his camera--and yet not a single subject is treated
with haste; the first picture is rarely counted good enough,
and in some cases five or six plates are exposed before our
very critical artist is satisfied.
This way of going
to work would perhaps be more striking if it were not common
to all our workers here; a very demon of unrest seems to stir
them to effort and there is now not a single man who is not
striving his utmost to get good results in his own particular
department.
It is a really satisfactory state of affairs
all round. If the Southern journey comes off, nothing, not even
priority at the Pole, can prevent the Expedition ranking as
one of the most important that ever entered the polar regions.
On Friday Cherry-Garrard produced the second volume of the
S.P.T
on the whole an improvement on the first. Poor Cherry
perspired over the editorial, and it bears the signs of labour--the
letterpress otherwise is in the lighter strain: Taylor again
the most important contributor, but now at rather too great
a length; Nelson has supplied a very humorous trifle; the illustrations
are quite delightful, the highwater mark of Wilson's ability.
The humour is local, of course, but I've come to the conclusion
that there can be no other form of popular journal.
The
weather has not been good of late, but not sufficiently bad
to interfere with exercise, &c.
Thursday, September
14
Another interregnum. I have been exceedingly
busy finishing up the Southern plans, getting instruction in
photographing, and preparing for our jaunt to the west. I held
forth on the 'Southern Plans' yesterday; everyone was enthusiastic,
and the feeling is general that our arrangements are calculated
to make the best of our resources. Although people have given
a good deal of thought to various branches of the subject, there
was not a suggestion offered for improvement. The scheme seems
to have earned full confidence: it remains to play the game
out.
The last lectures of the season have been given.
On Monday Nelson gave us an interesting little resume of biological
questions, tracing the evolutionary development of forms from
the simplest single-cell animals.
To-night Wright tackled
'The Constitution of Matter' with the latest ideas from the
Cavendish Laboratory: it was a tough subject, yet one carries
away ideas of the trend of the work of the great physicists,
of the ends they achieve and the means they employ. Wright is
inclined to explain matter as velocity; Simpson claims to be
with J.J. Thomson in stressing the fact that gravity is not
explained.
These lectures have been a real amusement
and one would be sorry enough that they should end, were it
not for so good a reason.
I am determined to make some
better show of our photographic work on the Southern trip than
has yet been accomplished--with Ponting as a teacher it should
be easy. He is prepared to take any pains to ensure good results,
not only with his own work but with that of others--showing
indeed what a very good chap he is.
To-day I have been
trying a colour screen--it is an extraordinary addition to one's
powers.
To-morrow Bowers, Simpson, Petty Officer Evans,
and I are off to the west. I want to have another look at the
Ferrar Glacier, to measure the stakes put out by Wright last
year, to bring my sledging impressions up to date (one loses
details of technique very easily), and finally to see what we
can do with our cameras. I haven't decided how long we shall
stay away or precisely where we shall go; such vague arrangements
have an attractive side.
We have had a fine week, but
the temperature remains low in the twenties, and to-day has
dropped to -35°. I shouldn't wonder if we get a cold snap.
Sunday, October 1
Returned on Thursday
from a remarkably pleasant and instructive little spring journey,
after an absence of thirteen days from September 15. We covered
152 geographical miles by sledging (175 statute miles) in 10
marching days. It took us 2 1/2 days to reach Butter Point (28
1/2 miles geog.), carrying a part of the Western Party stores
which brought our load to 180 lbs. a man. Everything very comfortable;
double tent great asset. The 16th: a most glorious day till
4 P.M., then cold southerly wind. We captured many frost-bites.
Surface only fairly good; a good many heaps of loose snow which
brought sledge up standing. There seems a good deal more snow
this side of the Strait; query, less wind.
Bowers insists
on doing all camp work; he is a positive wonder. I never met
such a sledge traveller.
The sastrugi all across the
strait have been across, the main S. by E. and the other E.S.E.,
but these are a great study here; the hard snow is striated
with long wavy lines crossed with lighter wavy lines. It gives
a sort of herringbone effect.
After depositing this extra
load we proceeded up the Ferrar Glacier; curious low ice foot
on left, no tide crack, sea ice very thinly covered with snow.
We are getting delightfully fit. Bowers treasure all round,
Evans much the same. Simpson learning fast. Find the camp life
suits me well except the turning out at night! three times last
night. We were trying nose nips and face guards, marching head
to wind all day.
We reached Cathedral Rocks on the 19th.
Here we found the stakes placed by Wright across the glacier,
and spent the remainder of the day and the whole of the 20th
in plotting their position accurately. (Very cold wind down
glacier increasing. In spite of this Bowers wrestled with theodolite.
He is really wonderful. I have never seen anyone who could go
on so long with bare fingers. My own fingers went every few
moments.)We saw that there had been movement and roughly measured
it as about 30 feet. (The old Ferrar Glacier is more lively
than we thought.) After plotting the figures it turns out that
the movement varies from 24 to 32 feet at different stakes--this
is 7 1/2 months. This is an extremely important observation,
the first made on the movement of the coastal glaciers; it is
more than I expected to find, but small enough to show that
the idea of comparative stagnation was correct. Bowers and I
exposed a number of plates and films in the glacier which have
turned out very well, auguring well for the management of the
camera on the Southern journey.
On the 21st we came down
the glacier and camped at the northern end of the foot. (There
appeared to be a storm in the Strait; cumulus cloud over Erebus
and the whalebacks. Very stormy look over Lister occasionally
and drift from peaks; but all smiling in our Happy Valley. Evidently
this is a very favoured spot.) From thence we jogged up the
coast on the following days, dipping into New Harbour and climbing
the moraine, taking angles and collecting rock specimens. At
Cape Bernacchi we found a quantity of pure quartz in situ ,
and in it veins of copper ore. I got a specimen with two or
three large lumps of copper included. This is the first find
of minerals suggestive of the possibility of working.
The next day we sighted a long, low ice wall, and took it
at first for a long glacier tongue stretching seaward from the
land. As we approached we saw a dark mark on it. Suddenly it
dawned on us that the tongue was detached from the land, and
we turned towards it half recognising familiar features. As
we got close we saw similarity to our old Erebus Glacier Tongue,
and finally caught sight of a flag on it, and suddenly realised
that it might be the piece broken off our old Erebus Glacier
Tongue. Sure enough it was; we camped near the outer end, and
climbing on to it soon found the depot of fodder left by Campbell
and the line of stakes planted to guide our ponies in the autumn.
So here firmly anchored was the huge piece broken from the Glacier
Tongue in March, a huge tract about 2 miles long, which has
turned through half a circle, so that the old western end is
now towards the east. Considering the many cracks in the ice
mass it is most astonishing that it should have remained intact
throughout its sea voyage.
At one time it was suggested
that the hut should be placed on this Tongue. What an adventurous
voyage the occupants would have had! The Tongue which was 5
miles south of C. Evans is now 40 miles W.N.W. of it.
From the Glacier Tongue we still pushed north. We reached
Dunlop Island on the 24th just before the fog descended on us,
and got a view along the stretch of coast to the north which
turns at this point.
Dunlop Island has undoubtedly been
under the sea. We found regular terrace beaches with rounded
waterworn stones all over it; its height is 65 feet. After visiting
the island it was easy for us to trace the same terrace formation
on the coast; in one place we found waterworn stones over 100
feet above sea-level. Nearly all these stones are erratic and,
unlike ordinary beach pebbles, the under sides which lie buried
have remained angular.
Unlike the region of the Ferrar
Glacier and New Harbour, the coast to the north of C. Bernacchi
runs on in a succession of rounded bays fringed with low ice
walls. At the headlands and in irregular spots the gneissic
base rock and portions of moraines lie exposed, offering a succession
of interesting spots for a visit in search of geological specimens.
Behind this fringe there is a long undulating plateau of snow
rounding down to the coast; behind this again are a succession
of mountain ranges with deep-cut valleys between. As far as
we went, these valleys seem to radiate from the region of the
summit reached at the head of the Ferrar Glacier.
As
one approaches the coast, the 'tablecloth' of snow in the foreground
cuts off more and more of the inland peaks, and even at a distance
it is impossible to get a good view of the inland valleys. To
explore these over the ice cap is one of the objects of the
Western Party.
So far, I never imagined a spring journey
could be so pleasant.
On the afternoon of the 24th we
turned back, and covering nearly eleven miles, camped inside
the Glacier Tongue. After noon on the 25th we made a direct
course for C. Evans, and in the evening camped well out in the
Sound. Bowers got angles from our lunch camp and I took a photographic
panorama, which is a good deal over exposed.
We only
got 2 1/2 miles on the 26th when a heavy blizzard descended
on us. We went on against it, the first time I have ever attempted
to march into a blizzard; it was quite possible, but progress
very slow owing to wind resistance. Decided to camp after we
had done two miles. Quite a job getting up the tent, but we
managed to do so, and get everything inside clear of snow with
the help of much sweeping.
With care and extra fuel we
have managed to get through the snowy part of the blizzard with
less accumulation of snow than I ever remember, and so everywhere
all round experience is helping us. It continued to blow hard
throughout the 27th, and the 28th proved the most unpleasant
day of the trip. We started facing a very keen, frostbiting
wind. Although this slowly increased in force, we pushed doggedly
on, halting now and again to bring our frozen features round.
It was 2 o'clock before we could find a decent site for a lunch
camp under a pressure ridge. The fatigue of the prolonged march
told on Simpson, whose whole face was frostbitten at one time--it
is still much blistered. It came on to drift as we sat in our
tent, and again we were weather-bound. At 3 the drift ceased,
and we marched on, wind as bad as ever; then I saw an ominous
yellow fuzzy appearance on the southern ridges of Erebus, and
knew that another snowstorm approached. Foolishly hoping it
would pass us by I kept on until Inaccessible Island was suddenly
blotted out. Then we rushed for a camp site, but the blizzard
was on us. In the driving snow we found it impossible to set
up the inner tent, and were obliged to unbend it. It was a long
job getting the outer tent set, but thanks to Evans and Bowers
it was done at last. We had to risk frostbitten fingers and
hang on to the tent with all our energy: got it secured inch
by inch, and not such a bad speed all things considered. We
had some cocoa and waited. At 9 P.M. the snow drift again took
off, and we were now so snowed up, we decided to push on in
spite of the wind.
We arrived in at 1.15 A.M., pretty
well done. The wind never let up for an instant; the temperature
remained about -16°, and the 21 statute miles which we marched
in the day must be remembered amongst the most strenuous in
my memory.
Except for the last few days, we enjoyed a
degree of comfort which I had not imagined impossible on a spring
journey. The temperature was not particularly high, at the mouth
of the Ferrar it was -40°, and it varied between -15° and -40°
throughout. Of course this is much higher than it would be on
the Barrier, but it does not in itself promise much comfort.
The amelioration of such conditions we owe to experience. We
used one-third more than the summer allowance of fuel. This,
with our double tent, allowed a cosy hour after breakfast and
supper in which we could dry our socks, &c., and put them on
in comfort. We shifted our footgear immediately after the camp
was pitched, and by this means kept our feet glowingly warm
throughout the night. Nearly all the time we carried our sleeping-bags
open on the sledges. Although the sun does not appear to have
much effect, I believe this device is of great benefit even
in the coldest weather--certainly by this means our bags were
kept much freer of moisture than they would have been had they
been rolled up in the daytime. The inner tent gets a good deal
of ice on it, and I don't see any easy way to prevent this.
The journey enables me to advise the Geological Party on
their best route to Granite Harbour: this is along the shore,
where for the main part the protection of a chain of grounded
bergs has preserved the ice from all pressure. Outside these,
and occasionally reaching to the headlands, there is a good
deal of pressed up ice of this season, together with the latest
of the old broken pack. Travelling through this is difficult,
as we found on our return journey. Beyond this belt we passed
through irregular patches where the ice, freezing at later intervals
in the season, has been much screwed. The whole shows the general
tendency of the ice to pack along the coast.
The objects
of our little journey were satisfactorily accomplished, but
the greatest source of pleasure to me is to realise that I have
such men as Bowers and P.O. Evans for the Southern journey.
I do not think that harder men or better sledge travellers ever
took the trail. Bowers is a little wonder. I realised all that
he must have done for the C. Crozier Party in their far severer
experience.
In spite of the late hour of our return everyone
was soon afoot, and I learned the news at once. E.R. Evans,
Gran, and Forde had returned from the Corner Camp journey the
day after we left. They were away six nights, four spent on
the Barrier under very severe conditions--the minimum for one
night registered -73°.
I am glad to find that Corner
Camp showed up well; in fact, in more than one place remains
of last year's pony walls were seen. This removes all anxiety
as to the chance of finding the One Ton Camp.
On this
journey Forde got his hand badly frostbitten. I am annoyed at
this, as it argues want of care; moreover there is a good chance
that the tip of one of the fingers will be lost, and if this
happens or if the hand is slow in recovery, Forde cannot take
part in the Western Party. I have no one to replace him.
E.R. Evans looks remarkably well, as also Gran.
The
ponies look very well and all are reported to be very buckish.
Wednesday, October 3
We have had a very
bad weather spell. Friday, the day after we returned, was gloriously
fine--it might have been a December day, and an inexperienced
visitor might have wondered why on earth we had not started
to the South, Saturday supplied a reason; the wind blew cold
and cheerless; on Sunday it grew worse, with very thick snow,
which continued to fall and drift throughout the whole of Monday.
The hut is more drifted up than it has ever been, huge piles
of snow behind every heap of boxes, &c., all our paths a foot
higher; yet in spite of this the rocks are rather freer of snow.
This is due to melting, which is now quite considerable. Wilson
tells me the first signs of thaw were seen on the 17th.
Yesterday the weather gradually improved, and to-day has
been fine and warm again. One fine day in eight is the record
immediately previous to this morning.
E.R. Evans, Debenham,
and Gran set off to the Turk's Head on Friday morning, Evans
to take angles and Debenham to geologise; they have been in
their tent pretty well all the time since, but have managed
to get through some work. Gran returned last night for more
provisions and set off again this morning, Taylor going with
him for the day. Debenham has just returned for food. He is
immensely pleased at having discovered a huge slicken-sided
fault in the lavas of the Turk's Head. This appears to be an
unusual occurrence in volcanic rocks, and argues that they are
of considerable age. He has taken a heap of photographs and
is greatly pleased with all his geological observations. He
is building up much evidence to show volcanic disturbance independent
of Erebus and perhaps prior to its first upheaval.
Meares
has been at Hut Point for more than a week; seals seem to be
plentiful there now. Demetri was back with letters on Friday
and left on Sunday. He is an excellent boy, full of intelligence.
Ponting has been doing some wonderfully fine cinematograph
work. My incursion into photography has brought me in close
touch with him and I realise what a very good fellow he is;
no pains are too great for him to take to help and instruct
others, whilst his enthusiasm for his own work is unlimited.
His results are wonderfully good, and if he is able to carry
out the whole of his programme, we shall have a cinematograph
and photographic record which will be absolutely new in expeditionary
work.
A very serious bit of news to-day. Atkinson says
that Jehu is still too weak to pull a load. The pony was bad
on the ship and almost died after swimming ashore from the ship--he
was one of the ponies returned by Campbell. He has been improving
the whole of the winter and Oates has been surprised at the
apparent recovery; he looks well and feeds well, though a very
weedily built animal compared with the others. I had not expected
him to last long, but it will be a bad blow if he fails at the
start. I'm afraid there is much pony trouble in store for us.
Oates is having great trouble with Christopher, who didn't
at all appreciate being harnessed on Sunday, and again to-day
he broke away and galloped off over the floe.
On such
occasions Oates trudges manfully after him, rounds him up to
within a few hundred yards of the stable and approaches cautiously;
the animal looks at him for a minute or two and canters off
over the floe again. When Christopher and indeed both of them
have had enough of the game, the pony calmly stops at the stable
door. If not too late he is then put into the sledge, but this
can only be done by tying up one of his forelegs; when harnessed
and after he has hopped along on three legs for a few paces,
he is again allowed to use the fourth. He is going to be a trial,
but he is a good strong pony and should do yeoman service.
Day is increasingly hopeful about the motors. He is an ingenious
person and has been turning up new rollers out of a baulk of
oak supplied by Meares, and with Simpson's small motor as a
lathe. The motors may save the situation. I have been busy drawing
up instructions and making arrangements for the ship, shore
station, and sledge parties in the coming season. There is still
much work to be done and much, far too much, writing before
me.
Time simply flies and the sun steadily climbs the
heavens. Breakfast, lunch, and supper are now all enjoyed by
sunlight, whilst the night is no longer dark.
Notes at
End of Volume
'When they after their headstrong manner,
conclude that it is their duty to rush on their journey all
weathers; ... '--'Pilgrim's Progress.'
'Has any grasped
the low grey mist which stands Ghostlike at eve above the sheeted
lands.'
A bad attack of integrity!!
'Who is man
and what his place, Anxious asks the heart perplext, In the
recklessness of space, Worlds with worlds thus intermixt, What
has he, this atom creature, In the infinitude of nature?'
F.T. PALGRAVE.
It is a good lesson--though it may
be a hard one--for a man who had dreamed of a special (literary)
fame and of making for himself a rank among the world's dignitaries
by such means, to slip aside out of the narrow circle in which
his claims are recognised, and to find how utterly devoid of
significance beyond that circle is all he achieves and all he
aims at.
He might fail from want of skill or strength,
but deep in his sombre soul he vowed that it should never be
from want of heart.
'Every durable bond between human
beings is founded in or heightened by some element of competition.'--R.L.
STEVENSON.
'All natural talk is a festival of ostentation.'--R.L.
STEVENSON.
'No human being ever spoke of scenery for
two minutes together, which makes me suspect we have too much
of it in literature. The weather is regarded as the very nadir
and scoff of conversational topics.'--R.L. STEVENSON.
CHAPTER XV
- THE LAST WEEKS AT CAPE EVANS