The Worst Journey in the World Part 31

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS

A Halo round the Moon, showing vertical and horizontal shafts and mock Moons. _Frontispiece_ _From a water-colour drawing by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

FACING PAGE

Camp on the Barrier. November 22, 1911. A rough sketch for future use. 322 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Parhelia. For description, see text. November 14, 1911. A rough sketch for future use. 332 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

PLATE III. The Mountains which lie between the Barrier and the Plateau as seen on December 1, 1911. 338 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

A Pony Camp on the Barrier. 346

The Dog Teams leaving the Beardmore Glacier. Mount Hope and the Gateway before them. 346 _From photographs by C. S. Wright._

PLATE IV. Transit sketch for the Lower Glacier Depot.

December 11, 1911. Showing the Pillar Rock, mainland mountains, the Gateway or Gap, and the beginning of the main Beardmore Glacier outlet on to the Barrier. 352 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

PLATE V. Mount F. L. Smith and the land to the North-West.

December 12, 1911. 354 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

PLATE VI. Mount Elizabeth, Mount Anne and Socks Glacier.

December 13, 1911. 356 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Mount Patrick. December 16, 1911. 358 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

PLATE VII. From Mount Deakin to Mount Kinsey, showing the outlet of the Keltie Glacier, and Mount Usher in the distance. December 19, 1911. 362 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Our night Camp at the foot of the Buckley Island ice-falls.

December 20, 1911. Buckley Island in the background.

Note ablation pits in the snow. 364 _From a photograph by C. S. Wright._

The Adams Mountains. 382

The First Return Party on the Beardmore Glacier. 382 _From photographs by C. S. Wright._

Camp below the Cloudmaker. Note pressure ridges in the middle distance. 390 _From a photograph by C. S. Wright._

PLATE VIII. From Mount Kyffin to Mount Patrick. December 14, 1911. 392 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

View from Arrival Heights northwards to Cape Evans and the Dellbridge Islands. 428

Cape Royds from Cape Barne, with the frozen McMurdo Sound. 428 _From photographs by F. Debenham._

Cape Evans in Winter. This view is drawn when looking northwards from under the Ramp. 440 _From a water-colour drawing by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

North Bay and the snout of the Barne Glacier from Cape Evans. 448 _From a photograph by F. Debenham._

The Mule Party leaves Cape Evans. October 29, 1912. 472 _From a photograph by F. Debenham._

The Dog Party leaves Hut Point. November 1, 1912. 478 _From a photograph by F. Debenham._

"Atch": E. L. Atkinson, commanding the Main Landing Party after the death of Scott. 492

"t.i.tus" Oates. 492 _From photographs by C. S. Wright._

The Tent left by Amundsen at the South Pole (Polheim). 506 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Buckley Island, where the fossils were found. 518 _From a photograph by C. S. Wright._

PLATE IX. Buckley Island, sketched during the evening of December 21, 1911. 522 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Mount Kyffin, sketched on December 13, 1911. 524 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Where Evans died, showing the Pillar Rock near which the Lower Glacier Depot was made. Sketched on December 11, 1911. 526 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

Sledging in a high wind: the floor-cloth of the tent is the sail. 530 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

PLATE X. Mount Longstaff, sketched on December 1, 1911.

See also PLATE III., p. 338 532 _From sketches by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

A Blizzard Camp: the half-buried sledge is in the foreground. 536 _From a sketch by Dr. Edward A. Wilson._

MAP

The Polar Journey 542

CHAPTER VIII

SPRING

Inside was pandemonium. Most men had gone to bed, and I have a blurred memory of men in pyjamas and dressing-gowns getting hold of me and trying to get the chunks of armour which were my clothes to leave my body.

Finally they cut them off and threw them into an angular heap at the foot of my bunk. Next morning they were a sodden ma.s.s weighing 24 lbs. Bread and jam, and cocoa; showers of questions; "You know this is the hardest journey ever made," from Scott; a broken record of George Robey on the gramophone which started us laughing until in our weak state we found it difficult to stop. I have no doubt that I had not stood the journey as well as Wilson: my jaw had dropped when I came in, so they tell me. Then into my warm blanket bag, and I managed to keep awake just long enough to think that Paradise must feel something like this.

We slept ten thousand thousand years, were wakened to find everybody at breakfast, and pa.s.sed a wonderful day, lazying about, half asleep and wholly happy, listening to the news and answering questions. "We are looked upon as beings who have come from another world. This afternoon I had a shave after soaking my face in a hot sponge, and then a bath.

Lashly had already cut my hair. Bill looks very thin and we are all very blear-eyed from want of sleep. I have not much appet.i.te, my mouth is very dry and throat sore with a troublesome hacking cough which I have had all the journey. My taste is gone. We are getting badly spoiled, but our beds are the height of all our pleasures."[168]

But this did not last long:

"Another very happy day doing nothing. After falling asleep two or three times I went to bed, read Kim, and slept. About two hours after each meal we all want another, and after a tremendous supper last night we had another meal before turning in. I have my taste back but all our fingers are impossible, they might be so many pieces of lead except for the pins and needles feeling in them which we have also got in our feet. My toes are very bulbous and some toe-nails are coming off. My left heel is one big burst blister. Going straight out of a warm bed into a strong wind outside nearly bowled me over. I felt quite faint, and pulled myself together thinking it was all nerves: but it began to come on again and I had to make for the hut as quickly as possible. Birdie is now full of schemes for doing the trip again next year. Bill says it is too great a risk in the darkness, and he will not consider it, though he thinks that to go in August might be possible."[169]

And again a day or two later: