Chapter 11 - TO MIDWINTER DAY
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
Thursday, June 1
The wind blew hard all
night, gusts arising to 72 m.p.h.; the anemometer choked five
times--temperature +9°. It is still blowing this morning.
Incidentally we have found that these heavy winds react very
conveniently on our ventilating system. A fire is always a good
ventilator, ensuring the circulation of inside air and the indraught
of fresh air; its defect as a ventilator lies in the low level
at which it extracts inside air. Our ventilating system utilises
the normal fire draught, but also by suitable holes in the funnelling
causes the same draught to extract foul air at higher levels.
I think this is the first time such a system has been used.
It is a bold step to make holes in the funnelling as obviously
any uncertainty of draught might fill the hut with smoke. Since
this does not happen with us it follows that there is always
strong suction through our stovepipes, and this is achieved
by their exceptionally large dimensions and by the length of
the outer chimney pipe.
With wind this draught is greatly
increased and with high winds the draught would be too great
for the stoves if it were not for the relief of the ventilating
holes.
In these circumstances, therefore, the rate of
extraction of air automatically rises, and since high wind is
usually accompanied with marked rise of temperature, the rise
occurs at the most convenient season, when the interior of the
hut would otherwise tend to become oppressively warm. The practical
result of the system is that in spite of the numbers of people
living in the hut, the cooking, and the smoking, the inside
air is nearly always warm, sweet, and fresh.
There is
usually a drawback to the best of arrangements, and I have said
'nearly' always. The exceptions in this connection occur when
the outside air is calm and warm and the galley fire, as in
the early morning, needs to be worked up; it is necessary under
these conditions to temporarily close the ventilating holes,
and if at this time the cook is intent on preparing our breakfast
with a frying-pan we are quickly made aware of his intentions.
A combination of this sort is rare and lasts only for a very
short time, for directly the fire is aglow the ventilator can
be opened again and the relief is almost instantaneous.
This very satisfactory condition of inside air must be a
highly important factor in the preservation of health.
I have to-day regularised the pony 'nicknames'; I must leave
it to Drake to pull out the relation to the 'proper' names according
to our school contracts! [24]
The nicknames are as follows:
James Pigg - Keohane
Bones - Crean
Michael - Clissold
Snatcher - Evans (P.O.)
Jehu
China
Christopher - Hooper
Victor - Bowers
Snippets (windsucker)
Nobby - Lashly
Friday, June 2
The wind still high.
The drift ceased at an early hour yesterday; it is difficult
to account for the fact. At night the sky cleared; then and
this morning we had a fair display of aurora streamers to the
N. and a faint arch east. Curiously enough the temperature still
remains high, about +7°.
The meteorological conditions
are very puzzling.
Saturday, June 3
The wind dropped last night, but at 4 A.M. suddenly sprang up
from a dead calm to 30 miles an hour. Almost instantaneously,
certainly within the space of one minute, there was a temperature
rise of nine degrees. It is the most extraordinary and interesting
example of a rise of temperature with a southerly wind that
I can remember. It is certainly difficult to account for unless
we imagine that during the calm the surface layer of cold air
is extremely thin and that there is a steep inverted gradient.
When the wind arose the sky overhead was clearer than I ever
remember to have seen it, the constellations brilliant, and
the Milky Way like a bright auroral streamer.
The wind
has continued all day, making it unpleasant out of doors. I
went for a walk over the land; it was dark, the rock very black,
very little snow lying; old footprints in the soft, sandy soil
were filled with snow, showing quite white on a black ground.
Have been digging away at food statistics.
Simpson has
just given us a discourse, in the ordinary lecture series, on
his instruments. Having already described these instruments,
there is little to comment upon; he is excellently lucid in
his explanations.
As an analogy to the attempt to make
a scientific observation when the condition under consideration
is affected by the means employed, he rather quaintly cited
the impossibility of discovering the length of trousers by bending
over to see!
The following are the instruments described:
Features
The outside (bimetallic) thermograph.
The inside thermograph (alcohol) Alcohol in spiral, small
lead pipe--float vessel.
The electrically recording anemometer
Cam device with contact on wheel; slowing arrangement, inertia
of wheel.
The Dynes anemometer Parabola on immersed float.
The recording wind vane Metallic pen.
The magnetometer
Horizontal force measured in two directions--vertical force
in one--timing arrangement.
The high and low potential
apparatus of the balloon thermograph Spotting arrangement and
difference, see ante .
Simpson is admirable as a worker,
admirable as a scientist, and admirable as a lecturer.
Sunday, June 4
A calm and beautiful
day. The account of this, a typical Sunday, would run as follows:
Breakfast. A half-hour or so selecting hymns and preparing for
Service whilst the hut is being cleared up. The Service: a hymn;
Morning prayer to the Psalms; another hymn; prayers from Communion
Service and Litany; a final hymn and our special prayer. Wilson
strikes the note on which the hymn is to start and I try to
hit it after with doubtful success! After church the men go
out with their ponies.
To-day Wilson, Bowers, Cherry-Garrard,
Lashly, and I went to start the building of our first 'igloo.'
There is a good deal of difference of opinion as to the best
implement with which to cut snow blocks. Cherry-Garrard had
a knife which I designed and Lashly made, Wilson a saw, and
Bowers a large trowel. I'm inclined to think the knife will
prove most effective, but the others don't acknowledge it yet
. As far as one can see at present this knife should have a
longer handle and much coarser teeth in the saw edge--perhaps
also the blade should be thinner.
We must go on with
this hut building till we get good at it. I'm sure it's going
to be a useful art.
We only did three courses of blocks
when tea-time arrived, and light was not good enough to proceed
after tea.
Sunday afternoon for the men means a 'stretch
of the land.'
I went over the floe on ski. The best possible
surface after the late winds as far as Inaccessible Island.
Here, and doubtless in most places along the shore, this, the
first week of June, may be noted as the date by which the wet,
sticky salt crystals become covered and the surface possible
for wood runners. Beyond the island the snow is still very thin,
barely covering the ice flowers, and the surface is still bad.
There has been quite a small landslide on the S. side of
the Island; seven or eight blocks of rock, one or two tons in
weight, have dropped on to the floe, an interesting instance
of the possibility of transport by sea ice.
Ponting has
been out to the bergs photographing by flashlight. As I passed
south of the Island with its whole mass between myself and the
photographer I saw the flashes of magnesium light, having all
the appearance of lightning. The light illuminated the sky and
apparently objects at a great distance from the camera. It is
evident that there may be very great possibilities in the use
of this light for signalling purposes and I propose to have
some experiments.
N.B
Magnesium flashlight as signalling
apparatus in the summer.
Another crab-eater seal was
secured to-day; he had come up by the bergs.
Monday, June 5
The wind has been S. all day, sky
overcast and air misty with snow crystals. The temperature has
gone steadily up and to-night rose to + 16°. Everything
seems to threaten a blizzard which cometh not. But what is to
be made of this extraordinary high temperature heaven only knows.
Went for a walk over the rocks and found it very warm and muggy.
Taylor gave us a paper on the Beardmore Glacier. He has
taken pains to work up available information; on the ice side
he showed the very gradual gradient as compared with the Ferrar.
If crevasses are as plentiful as reported, the motion of glacier
must be very considerable. There seem to be three badly crevassed
parts where the glacier is constricted and the fall is heavier.
Geologically he explained the rocks found and the problems
unsolved. The basement rocks, as to the north, appear to be
reddish and grey granites and altered slate (possibly bearing
fossils). The Cloudmaker appears to be diorite; Mt. Buckley
sedimentary. The suggested formation is of several layers of
coal with sandstone above and below; interesting to find if
it is so and investigate coal. Wood fossil conifer appears to
have come from this--better to get leaves--wrap fossils up for
protection.
Mt. Dawson described as pinkish limestone,
with a wedge of dark rock; this very doubtful! Limestone is
of great interest owing to chance of finding Cambrian fossils
(Archeocyathus).
He mentioned the interest of finding
here, as in Dry Valley, volcanic cones of recent date (later
than the recession of the ice). As points to be looked to in
Geology and Physiography:
1. Hope Island shape.
2. Character of wall facets.
3. Type of tributary
glaciers, cliff or curtain, broken.
4. Do tributaries
enter 'at grade'?
5. Lateral gullies pinnacled, &c.,
shape and size of slope.
6. Do tributaries cut out gullies--empty
unoccupied cirques, hangers, &c.
7. Do upland moraines
show tesselation?
8. Arrangement of strata, inclusion
of.
9. Types of moraines, distance of blocks.
10. Weathering of glaciers. Types of surface. (Thrust mark?
Rippled, snow stool, glass house, coral reef, honeycomb, ploughshare,
bastions, piecrust.)
11. Amount of water silt bands,
stratified, or irregular folded or broken.
12. Cross
section, of valleys 35° slopes?
13. Weather slopes
debris covered, height to which.
14. Nunataks, height
of rounded, height of any angle in profile, erratics.
15. Evidence of order in glacier delta.
Debenham
in discussion mentioned usefulness of small chips of rock--many
chips from several places are more valuable than few larger
specimens.
We had an interesting little discussion.
I must enter a protest against the use made of the word
'glaciated' by Geologists and Physiographers.
To them
a 'glaciated land' is one which appears to have been shaped
by former ice action.
The meaning I attach to the phrase,
and one which I believe is more commonly current, is that it
describes a land at present wholly or partly covered with ice
and snow.
I hold the latter is the obvious meaning and
the former results from a piracy committed in very recent times.
The alternative terms descriptive of the different meanings
are ice covered and ice eroded.
To-day I have been helping
the Soldier to design pony rugs; the great thing, I think, is
to get something which will completely cover the hindquarters.
Tuesday, June 6
The temperature has
been as high as +19° to-day; the south wind persisted until
the evening with clear sky except for fine effects of torn cloud
round about the mountain. To-night the moon has emerged from
behind the mountain and sails across the cloudless northern
sky; the wind has fallen and the scene is glorious.
It
is my birthday, a fact I might easily have forgotten, but my
kind people did not. At lunch an immense birthday cake made
its appearance and we were photographed assembled about it.
Clissold had decorated its sugared top with various devices
in chocolate and crystallised fruit, flags and photographs of
myself.
After my walk I discovered that great preparations
were in progress for a special dinner, and when the hour for
that meal arrived we sat down to a sumptuous spread with our
sledge banners hung about us. Clissold's especially excellent
seal soup, roast mutton and red currant jelly, fruit salad,
asparagus and chocolate--such was our menu. For drink we had
cider cup, a mystery not yet fathomed, some sherry and a liqueur.
After this luxurious meal everyone was very festive and
amiably argumentative. As I write there is a group in the dark
room discussing political progress with discussions--another
at one corner of the dinner table airing its views on the origin
of matter and the probability of its ultimate discovery, and
yet another debating military problems. The scraps that reach
me from the various groups sometimes piece together in ludicrous
fashion. Perhaps these arguments are practically unprofitable,
but they give a great deal of pleasure to the participants.
It's delightful to hear the ring of triumph in some voice when
the owner imagines he has delivered himself of a well-rounded
period or a clinching statement concerning the point under discussion.
They are boys, all of them, but such excellent good-natured
ones; there has been no sign of sharpness or anger, no jarring
note, in all these wordy contests! all end with a laugh.
Nelson has offered Taylor a pair of socks to teach him some
geology! This lulls me to sleep!
Wednesday, June
7
A very beautiful day. In the afternoon went well
out over the floe to the south, looking up Nelson at his icehole
and picking up Bowers at his thermometer. The surface was polished
and beautifully smooth for ski, the scene brightly illuminated
with moonlight, the air still and crisp, and the thermometer
at -10°. Perfect conditions for a winter walk.
In
the evening I read a paper on 'The Ice Barrier and Inland Ice.'
I have strung together a good many new points and the interest
taken in the discussion was very genuine--so keen, in fact,
that we did not break up till close on midnight. I am keeping
this paper, which makes a very good basis for all future work
on these subjects. (See Vol. II.)
Shelters to Iceholes
Time out of number one is coming across rediscoveries. Of
such a nature is the building of shelters for iceholes. We knew
a good deal about it in the Discovery , but unfortunately did
not make notes of our experiences. I sketched the above figures
for Nelson, and found on going to the hole that the drift accorded
with my sketch. The sketches explain themselves. I think wall
'b' should be higher than wall 'a.'
My night on duty.
The silent hours passed rapidly and comfortably. To bed 7 A.M.
Thursday, June 8
Did not turn out till
1 P.M., then with a bad head, an inevitable sequel to a night
of vigil. Walked out to and around the bergs, bright moonlight,
but clouds rapidly spreading up from south.
Tried the
snow knife, which is developing. Debenham and Gran went off
to Hut Point this morning; they should return to-morrow.
Friday, June 9
No wind came with the
clouds of yesterday, but the sky has not been clear since they
spread over it except for about two hours in the middle of the
night when the moonlight was so bright that one might have imagined
the day returned.
Otherwise the web of stratus which
hangs over us thickens and thins, rises and falls with very
bewildering uncertainty. We want theories for these mysterious
weather conditions; meanwhile it is annoying to lose the advantages
of the moonlight.
This morning had some discussion with
Nelson and Wright regarding the action of sea water in melting
barrier and sea ice. The discussion was useful to me in drawing
attention to the equilibrium of layers of sea water.
In the afternoon I went round the Razor Back Islands on ski,
a run of 5 or 6 miles; the surface was good but in places still
irregular with the pressures formed when the ice was 'young.'
The snow is astonishingly soft on the south side of both
islands. It is clear that in the heaviest blizzard one could
escape the wind altogether by camping to windward of the larger
island. One sees more and more clearly what shelter is afforded
on the weather side of steep-sided objects.
Passed three
seals asleep on the ice. Two others were killed near the bergs.
Saturday, June 10
The impending blizzard
has come; the wind came with a burst at 9.30 this morning.
Simpson spent the night turning over a theory to account
for the phenomenon, and delivered himself of it this morning.
It seems a good basis for the reference of future observations.
He imagines the atmosphere A C in potential equilibrium with
large margin of stability, i.e. the difference of temperature
between A and C being much less than the adiabatic gradient.
In this condition there is a tendency to cool by radiation
until some critical layer, B, reaches its due point. A stratus
cloud is thus formed at B; from this moment A B continues to
cool, but B C is protected from radiating, whilst heated by
radiation from snow and possibly by release of latent heat due
to cloud formation.
The condition now rapidly approaches
unstable equilibrium, B C tending to rise, A B to descend.
Owing to lack of sun heat the effect will be more rapid
in south than north and therefore the upset will commence first
in the south. After the first start the upset will rapidly spread
north, bringing the blizzard. The facts supporting the theory
are the actual formation of a stratus cloud before a blizzard,
the snow and warm temperature of the blizzard and its gusty
nature.
It is a pretty starting-point, but, of course,
there are weak spots.
Atkinson has found a trypanosome
in the fish--it has been stained, photographed and drawn--an
interesting discovery having regard to the few species that
have been found. A trypanosome is the cause of 'sleeping sickness.'
The blizzard has continued all day with a good deal of drift.
I went for a walk, but the conditions were not inviting.
We have begun to consider details of next season's travelling
equipment. The crampons, repair of finnesko with sealskin, and
an idea for a double tent have been discussed to-day. P.O. Evans
and Lashly are delightfully intelligent in carrying out instructions.
Sunday, June 11
A fine clear morning,
the moon now revolving well aloft and with full face.
For exercise a run on ski to the South Bay in the morning
and a dash up the Ramp before dinner. Wind and drift arose in
the middle of the day, but it is now nearly calm again.
At our morning service Cherry-Garrard, good fellow, vamped
the accompaniment of two hymns; he received encouraging thanks
and will cope with all three hymns next Sunday.
Day by
day news grows scant in this midwinter season; all events seem
to compress into a small record, yet a little reflection shows
that this is not the case. For instance I have had at least
three important discussions on weather and ice conditions to-day,
concerning which many notes might be made, and quite a number
of small arrangements have been made.
If a diary can
be so inadequate here how difficult must be the task of making
a faithful record of a day's events in ordinary civilised life!
I think this is why I have found it so difficult to keep a diary
at home.
Monday, June 12
The weather
is not kind to us. There has not been much wind to-day, but
the moon has been hid behind stratus cloud. One feels horribly
cheated in losing the pleasure of its light. I scarcely know
what the Crozier party can do if they don't get better luck
next month.
Debenham and Gran have not yet returned;
this is their fifth day of absence.
Bowers and Cherry-Garrard
went to Cape Royds this afternoon to stay the night. Taylor
and Wright walked there and back after breakfast this morning.
They returned shortly after lunch.
Went for a short spin
on ski this morning and again this afternoon. This evening Evans
has given us a lecture on surveying. He was shy and slow, but
very painstaking, taking a deal of trouble in preparing pictures, &c.
I took the opportunity to note hurriedly the few points
to which I want attention especially directed. No doubt others
will occur to me presently. I think I now understand very well
how and why the old surveyors (like Belcher) failed in the early
Arctic work.
1. Every officer who takes part in the Southern
Journey ought to have in his memory the approximate variation
of the compass at various stages of the journey and to know
how to apply it to obtain a true course from the compass. The
variation changes very slowly so that no great effort of memory
is required.
2. He ought to know what the true course
is to reach one depot from another.
3. He should be able
to take an observation with the theodolite.
4. He should
be able to work out a meridian altitude observation.
5. He could advantageously add to his knowledge the ability
to work out a longitude observation or an ex-meridian altitude.
6. He should know how to read the sledgemeter.
7.
He should note and remember the error of the watch he carries
and the rate which is ascertained for it from time to time.
8. He should assist the surveyor by noting the coincidences
of objects, the opening out of valleys, the observation of new
peaks, &c. 19
Tuesday, June 13
A very beautiful day. We revelled in the calm clear moonlight;
the temperature has fallen to -26°. The surface of the floe
perfect for ski--had a run to South Bay in forenoon and was
away on a long circuit around Inaccessible Island in the afternoon.
In such weather the cold splendour of the scene is beyond description;
everything is satisfying, from the deep purple of the starry
sky to the gleaming bergs and the sparkle of the crystals under
foot.
Some very brilliant patches of aurora over the
southern shoulder of the mountain. Observed an exceedingly bright
meteor shoot across the sky to the northward.
On my return
found Debenham and Gran back from Cape Armitage. They had intended
to start back on Sunday, but were prevented by bad weather;
they seemed to have had stronger winds than we.
On arrival
at the hut they found poor little 'Mukaka' coiled up outside
the door, looking pitifully thin and weak, but with enough energy
to bark at them.
This dog was run over and dragged for
a long way under the sledge runners whilst we were landing stores
in January (the 7th). He has never been worth much since, but
remained lively in spite of all the hardships of sledging work.
At Hut Point he looked a miserable object, as the hair refused
to grow on his hindquarters. It seemed as though he could scarcely
continue in such a condition, and when the party came back to
Cape Evans he was allowed to run free alongside the sledge.
On the arrival of the party I especially asked after the
little animal and was told by Demetri that he had returned,
but later it transpired that this was a mistake--that he had
been missed on the journey and had not turned up again later
as was supposed.
I learned this fact only a few days
ago and had quite given up the hope of ever seeing the poor
little beast again. It is extraordinary to realise that this
poor, lame, half-clad animal has lived for a whole month by
himself. He had blood on his mouth when found, implying the
capture of a seal, but how he managed to kill it and then get
through its skin is beyond comprehension. Hunger drives hard.
Wednesday, June 14
Storms are giving
us little rest. We found a thin stratus over the sky this morning,
foreboding ill. The wind came, as usual with a rush, just after
lunch. At first there was much drift--now the drift has gone
but the gusts run up to 65 m.p.h.
Had a comfortless stroll
around the hut; how rapidly things change when one thinks of
the delights of yesterday! Paid a visit to Wright's ice cave;
the pendulum is installed and will soon be ready for observation.
Wright anticipates the possibility of difficulty with ice crystals
on the agate planes.
He tells me that he has seen some
remarkably interesting examples of the growth of ice crystals
on the walls of the cave and has observed the same unaccountable
confusion of the size of grains in the ice, showing how little
history can be gathered from the structure of ice.
This
evening Nelson gave us his second biological lecture, starting
with a brief reference to the scientific classification of the
organism into Kingdom, Phylum, Group, Class, Order, Genus, Species;
he stated the justification of a biologist in such an expedition,
as being 'To determine the condition under which organic substances
exist in the sea.'
He proceeded to draw divisions between
the bottom organisms without power of motion, benthon, the nekton
motile life in mid-water, and the plankton or floating life.
Then he led very prettily on to the importance of the tiny vegetable
organisms as the basis of all life.
In the killer whale
may be found a seal, in the seal a fish, in the fish a smaller
fish, in the smaller fish a copepod, and in the copepod a diatom.
If this be regular feeding throughout, the diatom or vegetable
is essentially the base of all.
Light is the essential
of vegetable growth or metabolism, and light quickly vanishes
in depth of water, so that all ocean life must ultimately depend
on the phyto-plankton. To discover the conditions of this life
is therefore to go to the root of matters.
At this point
came an interlude--descriptive of the various biological implements
in use in the ship and on shore. The otter trawl, the Agassiz
trawl, the 'D' net, and the ordinary dredger.
A word
or two on the using of 'D' nets and then explanation of sieves
for classifying the bottom, its nature causing variation in
the organisms living on it.
From this he took us amongst
the tow-nets with their beautiful silk fabrics, meshes running
180 to the inch and materials costing 2 guineas the yard--to
the German tow-nets for quantitative measurements, the object
of the latter and its doubtful accuracy, young fish trawls.
From this to the chemical composition of sea water, the
total salt about 3.5 per cent, but variable: the proportions
of the various salts do not appear to differ, thus the chlorine
test detects the salinity quantitatively. Physically plankton
life must depend on this salinity and also on temperature, pressure,
light, and movement.
(If plankton only inhabits surface
waters, then density, temperatures, &c., of surface waters
must be the important factors. Why should biologists strive
for deeper layers? Why should not deep sea life be maintained
by dead vegetable matter?)
Here again the lecturer branched
off into descriptions of water bottles, deep sea thermometers,
and current-meters, the which I think have already received
some notice in this diary. To what depth light may extend is
the difficult problem and we had some speculation, especially
in the debate on this question. Simpson suggested that laboratory
experiment should easily determine. Atkinson suggested growth
of bacteria on a scratched plate. The idea seems to be that
vegetable life cannot exist without red rays, which probably
do not extend beyond 7 feet or so. Against this is an extraordinary
recovery of Holosphera Firidis by German expedition from 2000
fathoms; this seems to have been confirmed. Bowers caused much
amusement by demanding to know 'If the pycnogs (pycnogonids)
were more nearly related to the arachnids (spiders) or crustaceans.'
As a matter of fact a very sensible question, but it caused
amusement because of its sudden display of long names. Nelson
is an exceedingly capable lecturer; he makes his subject very
clear and is never too technical.
Thursday, June
15
Keen cold wind overcast sky till 5.30 P.M. Spent
an idle day.
Jimmy Pigg had an attack of colic in the
stable this afternoon. He was taken out and doctored on the
floe, which seemed to improve matters, but on return to the
stable he was off his feed.
This evening the Soldier
tells me he has eaten his food, so I hope all be well again.
Friday, June 16
Overcast again--little
wind but also little moonlight. Jimmy Pigg quite recovered.
Went round the bergs in the afternoon. A great deal of ice
has fallen from the irregular ones, showing that a great deal
of weathering of bergs goes on during the winter and hence that
the life of a berg is very limited, even if it remains in the
high latitudes.
To-night Debenham lectured on volcanoes.
His matter is very good, but his voice a little monotonous,
so that there were signs of slumber in the audience, but all
woke up for a warm and amusing discussion succeeding the lecture.
The lecturer first showed a world chart showing distribution
of volcanoes, showing general tendency of eruptive explosions
to occur in lines. After following these lines in other parts
of the world he showed difficulty of finding symmetrical linear
distribution near McMurdo Sound. He pointed out incidentally
the important inference which could be drawn from the discovery
of altered sandstones in the Erebus region. He went to the shapes
of volcanoes:
The massive type formed by very fluid lavas--Mauna
Loa (Hawaii), Vesuvius, examples.
The more perfect cones
formed by ash talus--Fujiama, Discovery.
The explosive
type with parasitic cones--Erebus, Morning, Etna.
Fissure
eruption--historic only in Iceland, but best prehistoric examples
Deccan (India) and Oregon (U.S.).
There is small ground
for supposing relation between adjacent volcanoes--activity
in one is rarely accompanied by activity in the other. It seems
most likely that vent tubes are entirely separate.
Products
of volcanoes
The lecturer mentioned the escape of quantities
of free hydrogen--there was some discussion on this point afterwards;
that water is broken up is easily understood, but what becomes
of the oxygen? Simpson suggests the presence of much oxidizable
material.
CO 2 as a noxious gas also mentioned and discussed--causes
mythical 'upas' tree--sulphurous fumes attend final stages.
Practically little or no heat escapes through sides of a
volcano.
There was argument over physical conditions
influencing explosions--especially as to barometric influence.
There was a good deal of disjointed information on lavas, ropy
or rapid flowing and viscous--also on spatter cones and caverns.
In all cases lavas cool slowly--heat has been found close
to the surface after 87 years. On Etna there is lava over ice.
The lecturer finally reviewed the volcanicity of our own neighbourhood.
He described various vents of Erebus, thinks Castle Rock a 'plug'--here
some discussion--Observation Hill part of old volcano, nothing
in common with Crater Hill. Inaccessible Island seems to have
no connection with Erebus.
Finally we had a few words
on the origin of volcanicity and afterwards some discussion
on an old point--the relation to the sea. Why are volcanoes
close to sea? Debenham thinks not cause and effect, but two
effects resulting from same cause.
Great argument as
to whether effect of barometric changes on Erebus vapour can
be observed. Not much was said about the theory of volcanoes,
but Debenham touched on American theories--the melting out from
internal magma.
There was nothing much to catch hold
of throughout, but discussion of such a subject sorts one's
ideas.
Saturday, June 17
Northerly
wind, temperature changeable, dropping to -16°.
Wind
doubtful in the afternoon. Moon still obscured--it is very trying.
Feeling dull in spirit to-day.
Sunday, June 18
Another blizzard--the weather is distressing. It ought to settle
down soon, but unfortunately the moon is passing.
Held
the usual Morning Service. Hymns not quite successful to-day.
To-night Atkinson has taken the usual monthly measurement.
I don't think there has been much change.
Monday,
June 19
A pleasant change to find the air calm and
the sky clear--temperature down to -28°. At 1.30 the moon
vanished behind the western mountains, after which, in spite
of the clear sky, it was very dark on the floe. Went out on
ski across the bay, then round about the cape, and so home,
facing a keen northerly wind on return.
Atkinson is making
a new fish trap hole; from one cause and another, the breaking
of the trap, and the freezing of the hole, no catch has been
made for some time. I don't think we shall get good catches
during the dark season, but Atkinson's own requirements are
small, and the fish, though nice enough, are not such a luxury
as to be greatly missed from our 'menu.'
Our daily routine
has possessed a settled regularity for a long time. Clissold
is up about 7 A.M. to start the breakfast. At 7.30 Hooper starts
sweeping the floor and setting the table. Between 8 and 8.30
the men are out and about, fetching ice for melting, &c.
Anton is off to feed the ponies, Demetri to see the dogs; Hooper
bursts on the slumberers with repeated announcements of the
time, usually a quarter of an hour ahead of the clock. There
is a stretching of limbs and an interchange of morning greetings,
garnished with sleepy humour. Wilson and Bowers meet in a state
of nature beside a washing basin filled with snow and proceed
to rub glistening limbs with this chilling substance. A little
later with less hardihood some others may be seen making the
most of a meagre allowance of water. Soon after 8.30 I manage
to drag myself from a very comfortable bed and make my toilet
with a bare pint of water. By about ten minutes to 9 my clothes
are on, my bed is made, and I sit down to my bowl of porridge;
most of the others are gathered about the table by this time,
but there are a few laggards who run the nine o'clock rule very
close. The rule is instituted to prevent delay in the day's
work, and it has needed a little pressure to keep one or two
up to its observance. By 9.20 breakfast is finished, and before
the half-hour has struck the table has been cleared. From 9.30
to 1.30 the men are steadily employed on a programme of preparation
for sledging, which seems likely to occupy the greater part
of the winter. The repair of sleeping-bags and the alteration
of tents have already been done, but there are many other tasks
uncompleted or not yet begun, such as the manufacture of provision
bags, crampons, sealskin soles, pony clothes, &c.
Hooper has another good sweep up the hut after breakfast,
washes the mess traps, and generally tidies things. I think
it a good thing that in these matters the officers need not
wait on themselves; it gives long unbroken days of scientific
work and must, therefore, be an economy of brain in the long
run.
We meet for our mid-day meal at 1.30 or 1.45, and
spend a very cheerful half-hour over it. Afterwards the ponies
are exercised, weather permitting; this employs all the men
and a few of the officers for an hour or more--the rest of us
generally take exercise in some form at the same time. After
this the officers go on steadily with their work, whilst the
men do odd jobs to while away the time. The evening meal, our
dinner, comes at 6.30, and is finished within the hour. Afterwards
people read, write, or play games, or occasionally finish some
piece of work. The gramophone is usually started by some kindly
disposed person, and on three nights of the week the lectures
to which I have referred are given. These lectures still command
full audiences and lively discussions.
At 11 P.M. the
acetylene lights are put out, and those who wish to remain up
or to read in bed must depend on candle-light. The majority
of candles are extinguished by midnight, and the night watchman
alone remains awake to keep his vigil by the light of an oil
lamp.
Day after day passes in this fashion. It is not
a very active life perhaps, but certainly not an idle one. Few
of us sleep more than eight hours out of the twenty-four.
On Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning some extra bathing
takes place; chins are shaven, and perhaps clean garments donned.
Such signs, with the regular Service on Sunday, mark the passage
of the weeks.
To-night Day has given us a lecture on
his motor sledge. He seems very hopeful of success, but I fear
is rather more sanguine in temperament than his sledge is reliable
in action. I wish I could have more confidence in his preparations,
as he is certainly a delightful companion.
Tuesday,
June 20
Last night the temperature fell to -36°,
the lowest we have had this year. On the Ramp the minimum was
-31°, not the first indication of a reversed temperature
gradient. We have had a calm day, as is usual with a low thermometer.
It was very beautiful out of doors this morning; as the
crescent moon was sinking in the west, Erebus showed a heavy
vapour cloud, showing that the quantity is affected by temperature
rather than pressure.
I'm glad to have had a good run
on ski.
The Cape Crozier party are preparing for departure,
and heads have been put together to provide as much comfort
as the strenuous circumstances will permit. I came across a
hint as to the value of a double tent in Sverdrup's book, 'New
Land,' and (P.O.) Evans has made a lining for one of the tents;
it is secured on the inner side of the poles and provides an
air space inside the tent. I think it is going to be a great
success, and that it will go far to obviate the necessity of
considering the question of snow huts--though we shall continue
our efforts in this direction also.
Another new departure
is the decision to carry eiderdown sleeping-bags inside the
reindeer ones.
With such an arrangement the early part
of the journey is bound to be comfortable, but when the bags
get iced difficulties are pretty certain to arise.
Day
has been devoting his energies to the creation of a blubber
stove, much assisted of course by the experience gained at Hut
Point.
The blubber is placed in an annular vessel, A.
The oil from it passes through a pipe, B, and spreads out on
the surface of a plate, C, with a containing flange; d d are
raised points which serve as heat conductors; e e is a tin chimney
for flame with air holes at its base.
To start the stove
the plate C must be warmed with spirit lamp or primus, but when
the blubber oil is well alight its heat is quite sufficient
to melt the blubber in And keep up the oil supply--the heat
gradually rises until the oil issues from B in a vaporised condition,
when, of course, the heat given off by the stove is intense.
This stove was got going this morning in five minutes in
the outer temperature with the blubber hard frozen. It will
make a great difference to the Crozier Party if they can manage
to build a hut, and the experience gained will be everything
for the Western Party in the summer. With a satisfactory blubber
stove it would never be necessary to carry fuel on a coast journey,
and we shall deserve well of posterity if we can perfect one.
The Crozier journey is to be made to serve a good many trial
ends. As I have already mentioned, each man is to go on a different
food scale, with a view to determining the desirable proportion
of fats and carbohydrates. Wilson is also to try the effect
of a double wind-proof suit instead of extra woollen clothing.
If two suits of wind-proof will keep one as warm in the
spring as a single suit does in the summer, it is evident that
we can face the summit of Victoria Land with a very slight increase
of weight.
I think the new crampons, which will also
be tried on this journey, are going to be a great success. We
have returned to the last Discovery type with improvements;
the magnalium sole plates of our own crampons are retained but
shod with 1/2-inch steel spikes; these plates are rivetted through
canvas to an inner leather sole, and the canvas is brought up
on all sides to form a covering to the 'finnesko' over which
it is laced--they are less than half the weight of an ordinary
ski boot, go on very easily, and secure very neatly.
Midwinter Day, the turn of the season, is very close; it will
be good to have light for the more active preparations for the
coming year.
Wednesday, June 21
The
temperature low again, falling to -36°. A curious hazy look
in the sky, very little wind. The cold is bringing some minor
troubles with the clockwork instruments in the open and with
the acetylene gas plant--no insuperable difficulties. Went for
a ski run round the bergs; found it very dark and uninteresting.
The temperature remained low during night and Taylor reported
a very fine display of Aurora.
Thursday, June
22
MIDWINTER. The sun reached
its maximum depression at about 2.30 P.M. on the 22nd, Greenwich
Mean Time: this is 2.30 A.M. on the 23rd according to the local
time of the 180th meridian which we are keeping. Dinner to-night
is therefore the meal which is nearest the sun's critical change
of course, and has been observed with all the festivity customary
at Xmas at home.
At tea we broached an enormous Buzzard
cake, with much gratitude to its provider, Cherry-Garrard. In
preparation for the evening our 'Union Jacks' and sledge flags
were hung about the large table, which itself was laid with
glass and a plentiful supply of champagne bottles instead of
the customary mugs and enamel lime juice jugs. At seven o'clock
we sat down to an extravagant bill of fare as compared with
our usual simple diet.
Beginning on seal soup, by common
consent the best decoction that our cook produces, we went on
to roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, fried potatoes and Brussels
sprouts. Then followed a flaming plum-pudding and excellent
mince pies, and thereafter a dainty savoury of anchovy and cod's
roe. A wondrous attractive meal even in so far as judged by
our simple lights, but with its garnishments a positive feast,
for withal the table was strewn with dishes of burnt almonds,
crystallised fruits, chocolates and such toothsome kickshaws,
whilst the unstinted supply of champagne which accompanied the
courses was succeeded by a noble array of liqueur bottles from
which choice could be made in the drinking of toasts.
I screwed myself up to a little speech which drew attention
to the nature of the celebration as a half-way mark not only
in our winter but in the plans of the Expedition as originally
published. (I fear there are some who don't realise how rapidly
time passes and who have barely begun work which by this time
ought to be in full swing.)
We had come through a summer
season and half a winter, and had before us half a winter and
a second summer. We ought to know how we stood in every respect;
we did know how we stood in regard to stores and transport,
and I especially thanked the officer in charge of stores and
the custodians of the animals. I said that as regards the future,
chance must play a part, but that experience showed me that
it would have been impossible to have chosen people more fitted
to support me in the enterprise to the South than those who
were to start in that direction in the spring. I thanked them
all for having put their shoulders to the wheel and given me
this confidence.
We drank to the Success of the Expedition.
Then everyone was called on to speak, starting on my left
and working round the table; the result was very characteristic
of the various individuals--one seemed to know so well the style
of utterance to which each would commit himself.
Needless
to say, all were entirely modest and brief; unexpectedly, all
had exceedingly kind things to say of me--in fact I was obliged
to request the omission of compliments at an early stage. Nevertheless
it was gratifying to have a really genuine recognition of my
attitude towards the scientific workers of the Expedition, and
I felt very warmly towards all these kind, good fellows for
expressing it.
If good will and happy fellowship count
towards success, very surely shall we deserve to succeed. It
was matter for comment, much applauded, that there had not been
a single disagreement between any two members of our party from
the beginning. By the end of dinner a very cheerful spirit prevailed,
and the room was cleared for Ponting and his lantern, whilst
the gramophone gave forth its most lively airs.
When
the table was upended, its legs removed, and chairs arranged
in rows, we had quite a roomy lecture hall. Ponting had cleverly
chosen this opportunity to display a series of slides made from
his own local negatives. I have never so fully realised his
work as on seeing these beautiful pictures; they so easily outclass
anything of their kind previously taken in these regions. Our
audience cheered vociferously.
After this show the table
was restored for snapdragon, and a brew of milk punch was prepared
in which we drank the health of Campbell's party and of our
good friends in the Terra Nova . Then the table was again removed
and a set of lancers formed.
By this time the effect
of stimulating liquid refreshment on men so long accustomed
to a simple life became apparent. Our biologist had retired
to bed, the silent Soldier bubbled with humour and insisted
on dancing with Anton. Evans, P.O., was imparting confidences
in heavy whispers. Pat' Keohane had grown intensely Irish and
desirous of political argument, whilst Clissold sat with a constant
expansive smile and punctuated the babble of conversation with
an occasional 'Whoop' of delight or disjointed witticism. Other
bright-eyed individuals merely reached the capacity to enjoy
that which under ordinary circumstances might have passed without
evoking a smile.
In the midst of the revelry Bowers suddenly
appeared, followed by some satellites bearing an enormous Christmas
Tree whose branches bore flaming candles, gaudy crackers, and
little presents for all. The presents, I learnt, had been prepared
with kindly thought by Miss Souper (Mrs. Wilson's sister) and
the tree had been made by Bowers of pieces of stick and string
with coloured paper to clothe its branches; the whole erection
was remarkably creditable and the distribution of the presents
caused much amusement.
Whilst revelry was the order of
the day within our hut, the elements without seemed desirous
of celebrating the occasion with equal emphasis and greater
decorum. The eastern sky was massed with swaying auroral light,
the most vivid and beautiful display that I had ever seen--fold
on fold the arches and curtains of vibrating luminosity rose
and spread across the sky, to slowly fade and yet again spring
to glowing life.
The brighter light seemed to flow, now
to mass itself in wreathing folds in one quarter, from which
lustrous streamers shot upward, and anon to run in waves through
the system of some dimmer figure as if to infuse new life within
it.
It is impossible to witness such a beautiful phenomenon
without a sense of awe, and yet this sentiment is not inspired
by its brilliancy but rather by its delicacy in light and colour,
its transparency, and above all by its tremulous evanescence
of form. There is no glittering splendour to dazzle the eye,
as has been too often described; rather the appeal is to the
imagination by the suggestion of something wholly spiritual,
something instinct with a fluttering ethereal life, serenely
confident yet restlessly mobile.
One wonders why history
does not tell us of 'aurora' worshippers, so easily could the
phenomenon be considered the manifestation of 'god' or 'demon.'
To the little silent group which stood at gaze before such enchantment
it seemed profane to return to the mental and physical atmosphere
of our house. Finally when I stepped within, I was glad to find
that there had been a general movement bedwards, and in the
next half-hour the last of the roysterers had succumbed to slumber.
Thus, except for a few bad heads in the morning, ended the
High Festival of Midwinter.
There is little to be said
for the artificial uplifting of animal spirits, yet few could
take great exception to so rare an outburst in a long run of
quiet days.
After all we celebrated the birth of a season
which for weal or woe must be numbered amongst the greatest
in our lives.
CHAPTER XII -
AWAITING THE CROZIER PARTY