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Chapter 15 - THE LAST WEEKS AT CAPE EVANS
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, October 6
With the rise of temperature
there has been a slight thaw in the hut; the drips
come down the walls and one has found my diary,
as its pages show. The drips are already decreasing,
and if they represent the whole accumulation of
winter moisture it is extraordinarily little, and
speaks highly for the design of the hut. There cannot
be very much more or the stains would be more significant.
Yesterday I had a good look at Jehu and became convinced
that he is useless; he is much too weak to pull
a load, and three weeks can make no difference.
It is necessary to face the facts and I've decided
to leave him behind--we must do with nine ponies.
Chinaman is rather a doubtful quantity and James
Pigg is not a tower of strength, but the other seven
are in fine form and must bear the brunt of the
work somehow.
If we suffer more loss we shall depend on the motor,
and then! ... well, one must face the bad as well
as the good.
It is some comfort to know that six of the animals
at least are in splendid condition--Victor, Snippets,
Christopher, Nobby, Bones are as fit as ponies could
well be and are naturally strong, well-shaped beasts,
whilst little Michael, though not so shapely, is
as strong as he will ever be.
To-day Wilson, Oates, Cherry-Garrard, and Crean
have gone to Hut Point with their ponies, Oates
getting off with Christopher after some difficulty.
At 5 o'clock the Hut Point telephone bell suddenly
rang (the line was laid by Meares some time ago,
but hitherto there has been no communication). In
a minute or two we heard a voice, and behold! communication
was established. I had quite a talk with Meares
and afterwards with Oates. Not a very wonderful
fact, perhaps, but it seems wonderful in this primitive
land to be talking to one's fellow beings 15 miles
away. Oates told me that the ponies had arrived
in fine order, Christopher a little done, but carrying
the heaviest load.
If we can keep the telephone going it will be a
great boon, especially to Meares later in the season.
The weather is extraordinarily unsettled; the last
two days have been fairly fine, but every now and
again we get a burst of wind with drift, and to-night
it is overcast and very gloomy in appearance.
The photography craze is in full swing. Ponting's
mastery is ever more impressive, and his pupils
improve day by day; nearly all of us have produced
good negatives. Debenham and Wright are the most
promising, but Taylor, Bowers and I are also getting
the hang of the tricky exposures.
Saturday, October 7
As though to contradict the
suggestion of incompetence, friend 'Jehu' pulled
with a will this morning--he covered 3 1/2 miles
without a stop, the surface being much worse than
it was two days ago. He was not at all distressed
when he stopped. If he goes on like this he comes
into practical politics again, and I am arranging
to give 10-feet sledges to him and Chinaman instead
of 12-feet. Probably they will not do much, but
if they go on as at present we shall get something
out of them.
Long and cheerful conversations with Hut Point and
of course an opportunity for the exchange of witticisms.
We are told it was blowing and drifting at Hut Point
last night, whereas here it was calm and snowing;
the wind only reached us this afternoon.
Sunday, October 8
A very beautiful day. Everyone
out and about after Service, all ponies going well.
Went to Pressure Ridge with Ponting and took a number
of photographs.
So far good, but the afternoon has brought much
worry. About five a telephone message from Nelson's
igloo reported that Clissold had fallen from a berg
and hurt his back. Bowers organised a sledge party
in three minutes, and fortunately Atkinson was on
the spot and able to join it. I posted out over
the land and found Ponting much distressed and Clissold
practically insensible. At this moment the Hut Point
ponies were approaching and I ran over to intercept
one in case of necessity. But the man# party was
on the spot first, and after putting the patient
in a sleeping-bag, quickly brought him home to the
hut. It appears that Clissold was acting as Ponting's
'model' and that the two had been climbing about
the berg to get pictures. As far as I can make out
Ponting did his best to keep Clissold in safety
by lending him his crampons and ice axe, but the
latter seems to have missed his footing after one
of his 'poses'; he slid over a rounded surface of
ice for some 12 feet, then dropped 6 feet on to
a sharp angle in the wall of the berg.
He must have struck his back and head; the latter
is contused and he is certainly suffering from slight
concussion. He complained of his back before he
grew unconscious and groaned a good deal when moved
in the hut. He came to about an hour after getting
to the hut, and was evidently in a good deal of
pain; neither Atkinson nor Wilson thinks there is
anything very serious, but he has not yet been properly
examined and has had a fearful shock at the least.
I still feel very anxious. To-night Atkinson has
injected morphia and will watch by his patient.
Troubles rarely come singly, and it occurred to
me after Clissold had been brought in that Taylor,
who had been bicycling to the Turk's Head, was overdue.
We were relieved to hear that with glasses two figures
could be seen approaching in South Bay, but at supper
Wright appeared very hot and said that Taylor was
exhausted in South Bay--he wanted brandy and hot
drink. I thought it best to despatch another relief
party, but before they were well round the point
Taylor was seen coming over the land. He was fearfully
done. He must have pressed on towards his objective
long after his reason should have warned him that
it was time to turn; with this and a good deal of
anxiety about Clissold, the day terminates very
unpleasantly.
Tuesday, October 10
Still anxious about Clissold.
He has passed two fairly good nights but is barely
able to move. He is unnaturally irritable, but I
am told this is a symptom of concussion. This morning
he asked for food, which is a good sign, and he
was anxious to know if his sledging gear was being
got ready. In order not to disappoint him he was
assured that all would be ready, but there is scarce
a slender chance that he can fill his place in the
programme.
Meares came from Hut Point yesterday at the front
end of a blizzard. Half an hour after his arrival
it was as thick as a hedge. He reports another loss--Deek,
one of the best pulling dogs, developed the same
symptoms which have so unaccountably robbed us before,
spent a night in pain, and died in the morning.
Wilson thinks the cause is a worm which gets into
the blood and thence to the brain. It is trying,
but I am past despondency. Things must take their
course.
Forde's fingers improve, but not very rapidly; it
is hard to have two sick men after all the care
which has been taken.
The weather is very poor--I had hoped for better
things this month. So far we have had more days
with wind and drift than without. It interferes
badly with the ponies' exercise.
Friday, October 13
The past three days have seen
a marked improvement in both our invalids. Clissold's
inside has been got into working order after a good
deal of difficulty; he improves rapidly in spirits
as well as towards immunity from pain. The fiction
of his preparation to join the motor sledge party
is still kept up, but Atkinson says there is not
the smallest chance of his being ready. I shall
have to be satisfied if he practically recovers
by the time we leave with the ponies.
Forde's hand took a turn for the better two days
ago and he maintains this progress. Atkinson thinks
he will be ready to start in ten days' time, but
the hand must be carefully nursed till the weather
becomes really summery.
The weather has continued bad till to-day, which
has been perfectly beautiful. A fine warm sun all
day--so warm that one could sit about outside in
the afternoon, and photographic work was a real
pleasure.
The ponies have been behaving well, with exceptions.
Victor is now quite easy to manage, thanks to Bowers'
patience. Chinaman goes along very steadily and
is not going to be the crock we expected. He has
a slow pace which may be troublesome, but when the
weather is fine that won't matter if he can get
along steadily.
The most troublesome animal is Christopher. He is
only a source of amusement as long as there is no
accident, but I am always a little anxious that
he will kick or bite someone. The curious thing
is that he is quiet enough to handle for walking
or riding exercise or in the stable, but as soon
as a sledge comes into the programme he is seized
with a very demon of viciousness, and bites and
kicks with every intent to do injury. It seems to
be getting harder rather than easier to get him
into the traces; the last two turns, he has had
to be thrown, as he is unmanageable even on three
legs. Oates, Bowers, and Anton gather round the
beast and lash up one foreleg, then with his head
held on both sides Oates gathers back the traces;
quick as lightning the little beast flashes round
with heels flying aloft. This goes on till some
degree of exhaustion gives the men a better chance.
But, as I have mentioned, during the last two days
the period has been so prolonged that Oates has
had to hasten matters by tying a short line to the
other foreleg and throwing the beast when he lashes
out. Even when on his knees he continues to struggle,
and one of those nimble hind legs may fly out at
any time. Once in the sledge and started on three
legs all is well and the fourth leg can be released.
At least, all has been well until to-day, when quite
a comedy was enacted. He was going along quietly
with Oates when a dog frightened him: he flung up
his head, twitched the rope out of Oates' hands
and dashed away. It was not a question of blind
fright, as immediately after gaining freedom he
set about most systematically to get rid of his
load. At first he gave sudden twists, and in this
manner succeeded in dislodging two bales of hay;
then he caught sight of other sledges and dashed
for them. They could scarcely get out of his way
in time; the fell intention was evident all through,
to dash his load against some other pony and sledge
and so free himself of it. He ran for Bowers two
or three times with this design, then made for Keohane,
never going off far and dashing inward with teeth
bared and heels flying all over the place. By this
time people were gathering round, and first one
and then another succeeded in clambering on to the
sledge as it flew by, till Oates, Bowers, Nelson,
and Atkinson were all sitting on it. He tried to
rid himself of this human burden as he had of the
hay bales, and succeeded in dislodging Atkinson
with violence, but the remainder dug their heels
into the snow and finally the little brute was tired
out. Even then he tried to savage anyone approaching
his leading line, and it was some time before Oates
could get hold of it. Such is the tale of Christopher.
I am exceedingly glad there are not other ponies
like him. These capers promise trouble, but I think
a little soft snow on the Barrier may effectually
cure them.
E.R. Evans and Gran return to-night. We received
notice of their departure from Hut Point through
the telephone, which also informed us that Meares
had departed for his first trip to Corner Camp.
Evans says he carried eight bags of forage and that
the dogs went away at a great pace.
In spite of the weather Evans has managed to complete
his survey to Hut Point. He has evidently been very
careful with it and has therefore done a very useful
bit of work.
Sunday, October 15
Both of our invalids progress
favourably. Clissold has had two good nights without
the aid of drugs and has recovered his good spirits;
pains have departed from his back.
The weather is very decidedly warmer and for the
past three days has been fine. The thermometer stands
but a degree or two below zero and the air feels
delightfully mild. Everything of importance is now
ready for our start and the ponies improve daily.
Clissold's work of cooking has fallen on Hooper
and Lashly, and it is satisfactory to find that
the various dishes and bread bakings maintain their
excellence. It is splendid to have people who refuse
to recognise difficulties.
Tuesday, October 17
Things not going very well;
with ponies all pretty well. Animals are improving
in form rapidly, even Jehu, though I have ceased
to count on that animal. To-night the motors were
to be taken on to the floe. The drifts make the
road very uneven, and the first and best motor overrode
its chain; the chain was replaced and the machine
proceeded, but just short of the floe was thrust
to a steep inclination by a ridge, and the chain
again overrode the sprockets; this time by ill fortune
Day slipped at the critical moment and without intention
jammed the throttle full on. The engine brought
up, but there was an ominous trickle of oil under
the back axle, and investigation showed that the
axle casing (aluminium) had split. The casing has
been stripped and brought into the hut; we may be
able to do something to it, but time presses. It
all goes to show that we want more experience and
workshops.
I am secretly convinced that we shall not get much
help from the motors, yet nothing has ever happened
to them that was unavoidable. A little more care
and foresight would make them splendid allies. The
trouble is that if they fail, no one will ever believe
this.
Meares got back from Corner Camp at 8 A.M. Sunday
morning--he got through on the telephone to report
in the afternoon. He must have made the pace, which
is promising for the dogs. Sixty geographical miles
in two days and a night is good going--about as
good as can be.
I have had to tell Clissold that he cannot go out
with the Motor Party, to his great disappointment.
He improves very steadily, however, and I trust
will be fit before we leave with the ponies. Hooper
replaces him with the motors. I am kept very busy
writing and preparing details.
We have had two days of northerly wind, a very unusual
occurrence; yesterday it was blowing S.E., force
8, temp. -16‚°, whilst here the wind was north, force
4, temp. -6‚°. This continued for some hours--a curious
meteorological combination. We are pretty certain
of a southerly blizzard to follow, I should think.
Wednesday, October 18
The southerly blizzard has
burst on us. The air is thick with snow.
A close investigation of the motor axle case shows
that repair is possible. It looks as though a good
strong job could be made of it. Yesterday Taylor
and Debenham went to Cape Royds with the object
of staying a night or two.
Sunday, October 22
The motor axle case was completed
by Thursday morning, and, as far as one can see,
Day made a very excellent job of it. Since that
the Motor Party has been steadily preparing for
its departure. To-day everything is ready. The loads
are ranged on the sea ice, the motors are having
a trial run, and, all remaining well with the weather,
the party will get away to-morrow.
Meares and Demetri came down on Thursday through
the last of the blizzard. At one time they were
running without sight of the leading dogs--they
did not see Tent Island at all, but burst into sunshine
and comparative calm a mile from the station. Another
of the best of the dogs, 'Czigane,' was smitten
with the unaccountable sickness; he was given laxative
medicine and appears to be a little better, but
we are still anxious. If he really has the disease,
whatever it may be, the rally is probably only temporary
and the end will be swift.
The teams left on Friday afternoon, Czigane included;
to-day Meares telephones that he is setting out
for his second journey to Corner Camp without him.
On the whole the weather continues wretchedly bad;
the ponies could not be exercised either on Thursday
or Friday; they were very fresh yesterday and to-day
in consequence. When unexercised, their allowance
of oats has to be cut down. This is annoying, as
just at present they ought to be doing a moderate
amount of work and getting into condition on full
rations.
The temperature is up to zero about; this probably
means about -20‚° on the Barrier. I wonder how the
motors will face the drop if and when they encounter
it. Day and Lashly are both hopeful of the machines,
and they really ought to do something after all
the trouble that has been taken.
The wretched state of the weather has prevented
the transport of emergency stores to Hut Point.
These stores are for the returning depots and to
provision the Discovery hut in case the Terra Nova
does not arrive. The most important stores have
been taken to the Glacier Tongue by the ponies to-day.
In the transport department, in spite of all the
care I have taken to make the details of my plan
clear by lucid explanation, I find that Bowers is
the only man on whom I can thoroughly rely to carry
out the work without mistake, with its arrays of
figures. For the practical consistent work of pony
training Oates is especially capable, and his heart
is very much in the business.
23 October, 1911
I don't know what to
think of Amundsen's chances. If he gets to the Pole,
it must be before we do, as he is bound to travel
fast with dogs and pretty certain to start early.
On this account I decided at a very early date to
act exactly as I should have done had he not existed.
Any attempt to race must have wrecked my plan, besides
which it doesn't appear the sort of thing one is
out for.
'Possibly you will have heard something before this
reaches you. Oh! and there are all sorts of possibilities.
In any case you can rely on my not doing or saying
anything foolish--only I'm afraid you must be prepared
for the chance of finding our venture much belittled.
'After all, it is the work that counts, not the
applause that follows.
'Words must always fail me when I talk of Bill Wilson.
I believe he really is the finest character I ever
met--the closer one gets to him the more there is
to admire. Every quality is so solid and dependable;
cannot you imagine how that counts down here? Whatever
the matter, one knows Bill will be sound, shrewdly
practical, intensely loyal and quite unselfish.
Add to this a wider knowledge of persons and things
than is at first guessable, a quiet vein of humour
and really consummate tact, and you have some idea
of his values. I think he is the most popular member
of the party, and that is saying much.
'Bowers is all and more than I ever expected of
him. He is a positive treasure, absolutely trustworthy
and prodigiously energetic. He is about the hardest
man amongst us, and that is saying a good deal--nothing
seems to hurt his tough little body and certainly
no hardship daunts his spirit. I shall have a hundred
little tales to tell you of his indefatigable zeal,
his unselfishness, and his inextinguishable good
humour. He surprises always, for his intelligence
is of quite a high order and his memory for details
most exceptional. You can imagine him, as he is,
an indispensable assistant to me in every detail
concerning the management and organisation of our
sledging work and a delightful companion on the
march.
'One of the greatest successes is Wright. He is
very thorough and absolutely ready for anything.
Like Bowers he has taken to sledging like a duck
to water, and although he hasn't had such severe
testing, I believe he would stand it pretty nearly
as well. Nothing ever seems to worry him, and I
can't imagine he ever complained of anything in
his life.
'I don't think I will give such long descriptions
of the others, though most of them deserve equally
high praise. Taken all round they are a perfectly
excellent lot.'
The Soldier is very popular with all--a delightfully
humorous cheery old pessimist--striving with the
ponies night and day and bringing woeful accounts
of their small ailments into the hut.
X.... has a positive passion for helping others--it
is extraordinary what pains he will take to do a
kind thing unobtrusively.
'One sees the need of having one's heart in one's
work. Results can only be got down here by a man
desperately eager to get them.
'Y.... works hard at his own work, taking extraordinary
pains with it, but with an astonishing lack of initiative
he makes not the smallest effort to grasp the work
of others; it is a sort of character which plants
itself in a corner and will stop there.
'The men are equally fine. Edgar Evans has proved
a useful member of our party; he looks after our
sledges and sledge equipment with a care of management
and a fertility of resource which is truly astonishing--on
'trek' he is just as sound and hard as ever and
has an inexhaustible store of anecdote.
'Crean is perfectly happy, ready to do anything
and go anywhere, the harder the work, the better.
Evans and Crean are great friends. Lashly is his
old self in every respect, hard working to the limit,
quiet, abstemious, and determined. You see altogether
I have a good set of people with me, and it will
go hard if we don't achieve something.
'The study of individual character is a pleasant
pastime in such a mixed community of thoroughly
nice people, and the study of relationships and
interactions is fascinating--men of the most diverse
upbringings and experience are really pals with
one another, and the subjects which would be delicate
ground of discussion between acquaintances are just
those which are most freely used for jests. For
instance the Soldier is never tired of girding at
Australia, its people and institutions, and the
Australians retaliate by attacking the hide-bound
prejudices of the British army. I have never seen
a temper lost in these discussions. So as I sit
here I am very satisfied with these things. I think
that it would have been difficult to better the
organisation of the party--every man has his work
and is especially adapted for it; there is no gap
and no overlap--it is all that I desired, and the
same might be said of the men selected to do the
work.'
It promised to be very fine to-day, but the wind
has already sprung up and clouds are gathering again.
There was a very beautiful curved 'banner' cloud
south of Erebus this morning, perhaps a warning
of what is to come.
Another accident! At one o'clock 'Snatcher,' one
of the three ponies laying the depot, arrived with
single trace and dangling sledge in a welter of
sweat. Forty minutes after P.O. Evans, his driver,
came in almost as hot; simultaneously Wilson arrived
with Nobby and a tale of events not complete. He
said that after the loads were removed Bowers had
been holding the three ponies, who appeared to be
quiet; suddenly one had tossed his head and all
three had stampeded--Snatcher making for home, Nobby
for the Western Mountains, Victor, with Bowers still
hanging to him, in an indefinite direction. Running
for two miles, he eventually rounded up Nobby west
of Tent Island and brought him in. 20 Half an hour
after Wilson's return, Bowers came in with Victor
distressed, bleeding at the nose, from which a considerable
fragment hung semi-detached. Bowers himself was
covered with blood and supplied the missing link--the
cause of the incident. It appears that the ponies
were fairly quiet when Victor tossed his head and
caught his nostril in the trace hook on the hame
of Snatcher's harness. The hook tore skin and flesh
and of course the animal got out of hand. Bowers
hung to him, but couldn't possibly keep hold of
the other two as well. Victor had bled a good deal,
and the blood congealing on the detached skin not
only gave the wound a dismal appearance but greatly
increased its irritation. I don't know how Bowers
managed to hang on to the frightened animal; I don't
believe anyone else would have done so. On the way
back the dangling weight on the poor creature's
nose would get on the swing and make him increasingly
restive; it was necessary to stop him repeatedly.
Since his return the piece of skin has been snipped
off and proves the wound not so serious as it looked.
The animal is still trembling, but quite on his
feed, which is a good sign. I don't know why our
Sundays should always bring these excitements.
Two lessons arise. Firstly, however quiet the animals
appear, they must not be left by their drivers;
no chance must be taken; secondly, the hooks on
the hames of the harness must be altered in shape.
I suppose such incidents as this were to be expected,
one cannot have ponies very fresh and vigorous and
expect them to behave like lambs, but I shall be
glad when we are off and can know more definitely
what resources we can count on.
Another trying incident has occurred. We have avoided
football this season especially to keep clear of
accidents, but on Friday afternoon a match was got
up for the cinematograph and Debenham developed
a football knee (an old hurt, I have since learnt,
or he should not have played). Wilson thinks it
will be a week before he is fit to travel, so here
we have the Western Party on our hands and wasting
the precious hours for that period. The only single
compensation is that it gives Forde's hand a better
chance. If this waiting were to continue it looks
as though we should become a regular party of 'crocks.'
Clissold was out of the hut for the first time to-day;
he is better but still suffers in his back.
The Start of the Motor Sledges
Tuesday, October 24
Two fine days for a wonder.
Yesterday the motors seemed ready to start and we
all went out on the floe to give them a 'send off.'
But the inevitable little defects cropped up, and
the machines only got as far as the Cape. A change
made by Day in the exhaust arrangements had neglected
the heating jackets of the carburetters; one float
valve was bent and one clutch troublesome. Day and
Lashly spent the afternoon making good these defects
in a satisfactory manner.
This morning the engines were set going again, and
shortly after 10 A.M. a fresh start was made. At
first there were a good many stops, but on the whole
the engines seemed to be improving all the time.
They are not by any means working up to full power
yet, and so the pace is very slow. The weights seem
to me a good deal heavier than we bargained for.
Day sets his motor going, climbs off the car, and
walks alongside with an occasional finger on the
throttle. Lashly hasn't yet quite got hold of the
nice adjustments of his control levers, but I hope
will have done so after a day's practice.
The only alarming incident was the slipping of the
chains when Day tried to start on some ice very
thinly covered with snow. The starting effort on
such heavily laden sledges is very heavy, but I
thought the grip of the pattens and studs would
have been good enough on any surface. Looking at
the place afterwards I found that the studs had
grooved the ice.
Now as I write at 12.30 the machines are about a
mile out in the South Bay; both can be seen still
under weigh, progressing steadily if slowly.
I find myself immensely eager that these tractors
should succeed, even though they may not be of great
help to our southern advance. A small measure of
success will be enough to show their possibilities,
their ability to revolutionise Polar transport.
Seeing the machines at work to-day, and remembering
that every defect so far shown is purely mechanical,
it is impossible not to be convinced of their value.
But the trifling mechanical defects and lack of
experience show the risk of cutting out trials.
A season of experiment with a small workshop at
hand may be all that stands between success and
failure.
At any rate before we start we shall certainly know
if the worst has happened, or if some measure of
success attends this unique effort.
The ponies are in fine form. Victor, practically
recovered from his wound, has been rushing round
with a sledge at a great rate. Even Jehu has been
buckish, kicking up his heels and gambolling awkwardly.
The invalids progress, Clissold a little alarmed
about his back, but without cause.
Atkinson and Keohane have turned cooks, and do the
job splendidly.
This morning Meares announced his return from Corner
Camp, so that all stores are now out there. The
run occupied the same time as the first, when the
routine was: first day 17 miles out; second day
13 out, and 13 home; early third day run in. If
only one could trust the dogs to keep going like
this it would be splendid. On the whole things look
hopeful.
1 P.M. motors reported off Razor Back Island, nearly
3 miles out--come, come!
Thursday, October 26
Couldn't see the motors yesterday
till I walked well out on the South Bay, when I
discovered them with glasses off the Glacier Tongue.
There had been a strong wind in the forenoon, but
it seemed to me they ought to have got further--annoyingly
the telephone gave no news from Hut Point, evidently
something was wrong. After dinner Simpson and Gran
started for Hut Point.
This morning Simpson has just rung up. He says the
motors are in difficulties with the surface. The
trouble is just that which I noted as alarming on
Monday--the chains slip on the very light snow covering
of hard ice. The engines are working well, and all
goes well when the machines get on to snow.
I have organised a party of eight men including
myself, and we are just off to see what can be done
to help.
Friday, October 27
We were away by 10.30 yesterday.
Walked to the Glacier Tongue with gloomy forebodings;
but for one gust a beautifully bright inspiriting
day. Seals were about and were frequently mistaken
for the motors. As we approached the Glacier Tongue,
however, and became more alive to such mistakes,
we realised that the motors were not in sight. At
first I thought they must have sought better surface
on the other side of the Tongue, but this theory
was soon demolished and we were puzzled to know
what had happened. At length walking onward they
were descried far away over the floe towards Hut
Point; soon after we saw good firm tracks over a
snow surface, a pleasant change from the double
tracks and slipper places we had seen on the bare
ice. Our spirits went up at once, for it was not
only evident that the machines were going, but that
they were negotiating a very rough surface without
difficulty. We marched on and overtook them about
2 1/2 miles from Hut Point, passing Simpson and
Gran returning to Cape Evans. From the motors we
learnt that things were going pretty well. The engines
were working well when once in tune, but the cylinders,
especially the two after ones, tended to get too
hot, whilst the fan or wind playing on the carburetter
tended to make it too cold. The trouble was to get
a balance between the two, and this is effected
by starting up the engines, then stopping and covering
them and allowing the heat to spread by conductivity--of
course, a rather clumsy device. We camped ahead
of the motors as they camped for lunch. Directly
after, Lashly brought his machine along on low gear
and without difficulty ran it on to Cape Armitage.
Meanwhile Day was having trouble with some bad surface;
we had offered help and been refused, and with Evans
alone his difficulties grew, whilst the wind sprang
up and the snow started to drift. We had walked
into the hut and found Meares, but now we all came
out again. I sent for Lashly and Hooper and went
back to help Day along. We had exasperating delays
and false starts for an hour and then suddenly the
machine tuned up, and off she went faster than one
could walk, reaching Cape Armitage without further
hitch. It was blizzing by this time; the snow flew
by. We all went back to the hut; Meares and Demetri
have been busy, the hut is tidy and comfortable
and a splendid brick fireplace had just been built
with a brand new stove-pipe leading from it directly
upward through the roof. This is really a most creditable
bit of work. Instead of the ramshackle temporary
structures of last season we have now a solid permanent
fireplace which should last for many a year. We
spent a most comfortable night.
This morning we were away over the floe about 9
A.M. I was anxious to see how the motors started
up and agreeably surprised to find that neither
driver took more than 20 to 30 minutes to get his
machine going, in spite of the difficulties of working
a blow lamp in a keen cold wind.
Lashly got away very soon, made a short run of about
1/2 mile, and then after a short halt to cool, a
long non-stop for quite 3 miles. The Barrier, five
geographical miles from Cape Armitage, now looked
very close, but Lashly had overdone matters a bit,
run out of lubricant and got his engine too hot.
The next run yielded a little over a mile, and he
was forced to stop within a few hundred yards of
the snow slope leading to the Barrier and wait for
more lubricant, as well as for the heat balance
in his engine to be restored.
This motor was going on second gear, and this gives
a nice easy walking speed, 2 1/2 to 3 miles an hour;
it would be a splendid rate of progress if it was
not necessary to halt for cooling. This is the old
motor which was used in Norway; the other machine
has modified gears. [30]
Meanwhile Day had had the usual balancing trouble
and had dropped to a speck, but towards the end
of our second run it was evident he had overcome
these and was coming along at a fine speed. One
soon saw that the men beside the sledges were running.
To make a long story short, he stopped to hand over
lubricating oil, started at a gallop again, and
dashed up the slope without a hitch on his top speed--the
first man to run a motor on the Great Barrier! There
was great cheering from all assembled, but the motor
party was not wasting time on jubilation. On dashed
the motor, and it and the running men beside it
soon grew small in the distance. We went back to
help Lashly, who had restarted his engine. If not
so dashingly, on account of his slower speed, he
also now took the slope without hitch and got a
last handshake as he clattered forward. His engine
was not working so well as the other, but I think
mainly owing to the first overheating and a want
of adjustment resulting therefrom.
Thus the motors left us, travelling on the best
surface they have yet encountered--hard windswept
snow without sastrugi--a surface which Meares reports
to extend to Corner Camp at least.
Providing there is no serious accident, the engine
troubles will gradually be got over; of that I feel
pretty confident. Every day will see improvement
as it has done to date, every day the men will get
greater confidence with larger experience of the
machines and the conditions. But it is not easy
to foretell the extent of the result of older and
earlier troubles with the rollers. The new rollers
turned up by Day are already splitting, and one
of Lashly's chains is in a bad way; it may be possible
to make temporary repairs good enough to cope with
the improved surface, but it seems probable that
Lashly's car will not get very far.
It is already evident that had the rollers been
metal cased and the runners metal covered, they
would now be as good as new. I cannot think why
we had not the sense to have this done. As things
are I am satisfied we have the right men to deal
with the difficulties of the situation.
The motor programme is not of vital importance to
our plan and it is possible the machines will do
little to help us, but already they have vindicated
themselves. Even the seamen, who have remained very
sceptical of them, have been profoundly impressed.
Evans said, 'Lord, sir, I reckon if them things
can go on like that you wouldn't want nothing else'--but
like everything else of a novel nature, it is the
actual sight of them at work that is impressive,
and nothing short of a hundred miles over the Barrier
will carry conviction to outsiders.
Parting with the motors, we made haste back to Hut
Point and had tea there. My feet had got very sore
with the unaccustomed soft foot-gear and crinkly
surface, but we decided to get back to Cape Evans.
We came along in splendid weather, and after stopping
for a cup of tea at Razor Back, reached the hut
at 9 P.M., averaging 3 1/2 stat. miles an hour.
During the day we walked 26 1/2 stat. miles, not
a bad day's work considering condition, but I'm
afraid my feet are going to suffer for it.
Saturday, October 28
My feet sore and one 'tendon
Achillis' strained (synovitis); shall be right in
a day or so, however. Last night tremendous row
in the stables. Christopher and Chinaman discovered
fighting. Gran nearly got kicked. These ponies are
getting above themselves with their high feeding.
Oates says that Snippets is still lame and has one
leg a little 'heated'; not a pleasant item of news.
Debenham is progressing but not very fast; the Western
Party will leave after us, of that there is no doubt
now. It is trying that they should be wasting the
season in this way. All things considered, I shall
be glad to get away and put our fortune to the test.
Monday, October 30
We had another beautiful day
yesterday, and one began to feel that the summer
really had come; but to-day, after a fine morning,
we have a return to blizzard conditions. It is blowing
a howling gale as I write. Yesterday Wilson, Crean,
P.O. Evans, and I donned our sledging kit and camped
by the bergs for the benefit of Ponting and his
cinematograph; he got a series of films which should
be about the most interesting of all his collection.
I imagine nothing will take so well as these scenes
of camp life.
On our return we found Meares had returned; he and
the dogs well. He told us that (Lieut.) Evans had
come into Hut Point on Saturday to fetch a personal
bag left behind there. Evans reported that Lashly's
motor had broken down near Safety Camp; they found
the big end smashed up in one cylinder and traced
it to a faulty casting; they luckily had spare parts,
and Day and Lashly worked all night on repairs in
a temperature of -25‚°. By the morning repairs were
completed and they had a satisfactory trial run,
dragging on loads with both motors. Then Evans found
out his loss and returned on ski, whilst, as I gather,
the motors proceeded; I don't quite know how, but
I suppose they ran one on at a time.
On account of this accident and because some of
our hardest worked people were badly hit by the
two days' absence helping the machines, I have decided
to start on Wednesday instead of to-morrow. If the
blizzard should blow out, Atkinson and Keohane will
set off to-morrow for Hut Point, so that we may
see how far Jehu is to be counted on.
Tuesday, October 31
The blizzard has blown itself
out this morning, and this afternoon it has cleared;
the sun is shining and the wind dropping. Meares
and Ponting are just off to Hut Point. Atkinson
and Keohane will probably leave in an hour or so
as arranged, and if the weather holds, we shall
all get off to-morrow. So here end the entries in
this diary with the first chapter of our History.
The future is in the lap of the gods; I can think
of nothing left undone to deserve success.
CHAPTER
XVI - SOUTHERN JOURNEY: THE BARRIER STAGE