South with Scott Part 9

At 5 a.m. we had alight breakfast of tea and biscuits. We were off again before six, and we continued marching until we came to the edge of the Great Ice Barrier shortly before 1 p.m. We did not stop for lunch, but marched straight to Hut Point, arriving at three o'clock at the Hut.

We cooked ourselves a tremendous meal, which we ate steadily from 4 to 5.30, and then we discussed marching on to our winter quarters at Cape Evans, fifteen miles farther.

Had we started we might have got in by 3 a.m., but not before. We had marched all through one night, and besides digging out Corner Camp, we had covered nearly thirty-five miles, which on top of a day's work we considered good enough. We therefore prepared the hut for the night; two of us turned in about seven and soon fell asleep. Gran remained sitting at the stove, as his bag was in such a shockingly iced-up condition that he could not yet get into it. He awoke us about 10 p.m. with more food, cocoa and porridge, both of which were excellent. I full well remember that he put about four ounces of b.u.t.ter into each bowl of porridge, which we mightily enjoyed. We then slept again till morning--a long, warm, dreamless sleep.

We had an easy march back to Cape Evans on the sea ice, and arrived in the evening at the Main Hut, which appeared to us like a palace after our cold spring journey.

CHAPTER XI

PREPARATIONS AND PLANS FOR THE SUMMER SEASON

Whilst the spring depot-laying party was absent, Scott, on September 15, took a small sledge party counting Bowers, Seaman Evans, and Simpson away westward. They covered over 150 geographical miles, and commenced by taking over to b.u.t.ter Point a quant.i.ty of stores for Griffith Taylor's forthcoming western summer journey.

The provisions deposited, Scott marched up the Ferrar Glacier to Cathedral Rocks and did some scientific work and surveying. He found that the Ferrar Glacier moved 32 feet in seven months. He then came back down the Glacier and continued his march on sea ice, following the coast into the five mile deep bay known as New Harbour, thence outward and North Eastward to Cape Bernacchi and on past Marble Point, where the broken-off portion of Glacier Tongue was found aground as stated already.

After an examination of this ice ma.s.s the party pressed on past Spike Point to Dunlop Island, sledging coastwise parallel to the Piedmont Glacier, named by Griffith Taylor after Dr. Wilson. A thorough examination was made of Dunlop Island, revealing many facts of extraordinary scientific interest.

On 24th September the sledge team retraced their steps from Dunlop Island to a camp near Marble Point, and, after spending a night close to the remnant of Glacier Tongue, they shaped course direct for Cape Evans, which was reached about 1 a.m. on 29th September.

Travelling mostly on sea ice, and well away from the frigidity of the Ice Barrier, Scott was not troubled with any particularly low temperatures, but he experienced a nasty blizzard on the two days preceding his return to headquarters.

Apart from the value of this journey in observations of a technical nature, Scott gleaned much information, which he was able to impart to Griffith Taylor concerning the very important journey to be undertaken by the latter.

Once back in the Hut, Scott set to work to put the final touches to his elaborate plans, drew up instructions, got his correspondence in order lest he should miss the "Terra Nova" through a late return from the Pole, and even wrote a special letter urging that special promotion to Commander's rank should be given to Pennell and myself.

About this time he called on us severally to relieve him if we could of the responsibility of paying us for the second season. Most of us signed the doc.u.ment, but not all could afford to do so.

The general outline plan for the Polar journey was now understood by all concerned in it to be as follows:

_The Motor Party._--Day, Lashly, Hooper, and myself to leave winter quarters about October 22, the two motors dragging fuel and forage.

_The Pony Party,_ consisting of Scott, Wilson, Oates, Bowers, Cherry-Garrard, Atkinson, Wright, Petty Officer Evans, Crean, and Keohane, to be independent of the success of the motors, to work light loads and easy distances out to Corner Camp, full loads and easy distances to One Ton Camp, and full distances beyond this point.

_The Dog Teams,_ starting later, to rejoin Scott at One Ton Camp.

The first object was to get twelve men with 43 weekly food units provision (four men per weekly unit) to the foot of Beardmore Glacier.

Thence, with 3 units of four men and 21 units of provision, it was hoped to extend the advance unit (Polar party of four men) the required distance. The route intended was the actual one taken, as shown on the accompanying map.

All our instructions were clear, and we knew what was expected of us long before the start for the Southern journey was made.

The plans and instructions complete, we had a full month for our own individual work.

I had plenty to do in conjunction largely with Debenham, and accordingly he, I, and Gran set out on September 23 with sledge, tent, and a week's food supply to complete and extend our surveys, and in Debenham's case to "geologise."

We had an interesting but somewhat chilly time. Theodolite and plane table work are not suited to very cold climates. We all three worked long hours, usually turning out between 5 and 6 a.m. and not wasting time over meals.

Whilst away surveying we mostly worked on the sea ice, and pitched our tent there. On October 2 at, midnight a terrific squall struck our tent.

We knew what Wilson's experience had been and consequently we were out of our bags in a moment. Being close to land we got Gran to collect rocks on the valance, while Debenham and I held on for our lives to it, otherwise the tent would have blown away via McMurdo Sound into the Ross Sea.

Eventually all was serene, the tent securely anch.o.r.ed by rocks piled close around, and we three were snoring in our bags.

We lay still until the following afternoon, by which time the blizzard had abated, and one could see a mile or two; accordingly we were up and about, so that when the visibility suited, Debenham and I were once more at work and Gran was away to Cape Evans for the purpose of replenis.h.i.+ng our food bag.

It is worthy of mention that Gran could easily carry sixty pounds weight in a "rygsaek," (Norwegian knapsack for ski running and towing) and hung about him whilst keeping up a speed on ski that made the best of us sweat.

Debenham whilst in the neighbourhood of the Turk's Head found much of interest to geologists, and was pleased at what we collected in the way of information. "Deb" was one of the best cooks in the expedition, so we fared well whilst he was with Gran and myself.

Gran kept us alive with his reminiscences, which were always amusing, and he certainly possessed the liveliest imagination in the Expedition. He ought to have been a brigand chief. Sometimes his imaginative foresight led him to commit slight breaches of discipline, as the following anecdote will show. On midwinter night when our table was gay and festive Gran noticed an unopened pint bottle of champagne towards the end of the feast, when "bubbley" was being superseded by port and liqueurs. Cleverly he coaxed the champagne bottle on to his lap, under his jersey, and finally into his bunk, where it remained hidden until such opportunity should arise for its consumption.

Gran was too generous to finish it himself, and too wise to divide it with many--a pint was for two and no more.

It so happened that whilst we two were working around Glacier Tongue this spring doing survey work we had to come in to Cape Evans for some purpose. We had a hard run out on ski to our camp, and my short legs found great effort necessary to keep pace with the swarthy ski-runner.

Once arrived at the survey camp I puffed and blew and sank nearly exhausted on my sleeping-bag in the tent. I told Gran we must have some tea before re-commencing work, and reached out to get the cooker ready.

Gran asked me what I fancied most in the world, and my reply was--a pint of champagne.

He laughed and asked me what I would give him for that same, to which I articulated, "FIVE POUNDS," and sank my tired head between my knees.

Noiselessly the Norwegian glided from the tent to reappear with the stolen champagne bottle. I smiled delightedly, and soon we were hard at work cooking the champagne into its liquid state once more, for it was of course hard frozen in the low temperature.

When we got the stuff melted it had lost its "fizz," but it tasted nectar-like even from our aluminium sledge mugs, and such was the stimulus from it that we worked until darkness had set in. I have never paid the five pounds, for the reason that Gran chose a dinner party at the Grand Hotel, Christiania instead: from a financial point of view I should have gained by paying--but that is another story and has no connection with the Frozen South.

On October 13 we finished the coast survey in McMurdo Sound: generally the weather was wretched, but this notwithstanding we got along fairly well with our work. Once back in the Hut there was plenty to be done preparing for the Southern Journey.

My particular work consisted of rating chronometers, sewing, packing, stowing, making sundials, calibrating instruments, and preparing little charts which could be rolled up on a bamboo stick and carried in the instrument boxes of the sledges.

Poor Clissold, our cook, fell off an iceberg while posing for Ponting, and was on account of his severe shaking unable to accompany the Motor party for which Scott had detailed him.

After dinner on October 17 Day started his motors, and amidst a perfect furore of excitement he got one motor sledge down on to the sea ice. At the ice foot, alas, one of the rear axle cases fractured badly and the car was out of action 30 yards from the garage. The other car wouldn't start.

From the 18th until the 24th October, Day and Lashly were at work repairing the disabled car, and they made an excellent job of it, so that there was no delay in the starting date for the pioneer party with the motors.

We got all news by telephone from Hut Point with reference to the state of the surface on the Great Ice Barrier, as Meares and Dimitri returned on October 15 from a flying journey to Corner Camp and back with depot stores. Meares's dogs on this trip covered the seventy statute miles, out and home, in thirty-six hours, including their resting time.

Scott handed me my instructions on October 20, which read as follows:

_Instructions for Motor Party._

Proceed at convenient speed to Corner Camp, thence to One Ton Camp, and thence due South to Lat.i.tude 80 1/2 degrees South. If motors successful

(i) Carry forward from Corner Camp 9 bags forage, 1 bag of oilcake; _but_ see that provision for ponies is intact, _viz._: 3 sacks oats, 1 bag oilcake, 4 bags of forage. If motors pulling very well you can also take 9 cases emergency biscuit.

(ii) In addition carry forward from One Ton Camp all man food and fuel in depot, _viz._: 7 units bagged provisions, 4 boxes biscuit, 8 gallons paraffin, but see that provision for ponies is intact, _viz._: 5 sacks oats; and deposit second bag of oil-cake brought from Corner Camp. If motors pulling very well you can also take 2 or 3 bales of compressed fodder.

It being important that I should have latest news of your success I am arranging for dog teams to follow your tracks for some distance.