ࡱ > U@ bjbj 8 # B# D# D# D# D# D# D# $ u% R ' B h# 4 ^ @ h# $ }# B# B# Z! h " ؗH ! B# # 0 # ! ( . ( " ( " t h# h# x $ x Due South The early recorded voyages south of the Antarctic circle were undertaken by James Cook from 1772-1775. During the later part of the 19th century, government sponsored journeys took place. These were motivated by national interests in claiming new territory, scientific research and commercial profit. The years 1895 and 1915 have been described as the heroic age of Antarctic discovery. Between 1901 and 1915, the scene was dominated by Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen. Reaching the South Pole had gripped the popular imagination. Science played an important part in these early expeditions as well as personal ambition and patriotism. The race to the South Pole The British Antarctic Expedition in 1910 had the attainment of the South Pole as a major and public objective. It was also part of an extensive programme of scientific experiments and explorations. The expedition was led by Captain Scott and included a scientific staff of twelve. From the base camp hut set up at Cape Evans on Ross Island, the scientific staff carried out investigations in a wide range of fields, including meteorology. The men used green-tinted goggles to combat snow-blindness, skis and a mixture of ponies, dogs, motor sledges and man-hauling to reach the Pole. At the same time, the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsens expedition was camped on the Ross Ice Shelf at the Bay of Whales, about 100km closer to the South Pole than Scotts team. Amundsens method of transport was dog sledge and, with loads becoming lighter as supplies were consumed, the spare dogs became food for others. Amundsen and four companions reached the Pole in 14 December 1911. They left two letters, one for the King of Norway and the other for Scott. They returned to camp with 11 dogs having started with over 50. The expedition reached Tasmania on 7 March 1912 from where news of the triumph reached the outside world. Scotts route across the ice shelf was shorter than Amundsens after which the Polar plateau was reached by climbing the Beardmore Glacier. The party had to man-haul the sledges, reaching the South Pole on 17 January 1912, 33 days after Amundsens party. The return from the Pole became increasingly difficult for the party and Scott and his party died frozen to death, only 18 km from a supply camp which might have saved them. Maps, geological specimens, photographs and diaries were collected from the camp by a search party in the following spring. Amundsen himself later distinguished between the aims of the Norwegian and British expeditions; the British expedition was designed entirely for scientific researchthe Pole was only a side-issue, whereas in my extended plan it was the main object. Although scientific research was a key objective for Scott, a fund-raising leaflet had opened by declaring that the main object of this Expedition is to reach the South Pole, and to secure for the British Empire the honour of that achievement. The first official report of Scotts expedition emphasised both the scientific and patriotic aims of the expedition and the courage shown by the explorers. Two complete passages from Scotts journal were reproduced in the report, Scotts account of Captain Oates death and a Message to the Public written at the end of his journal. Concerning the death of Captain Oates, the report stated: He was a brave soul. He slept through the night hoping not to wake, but he awoke in the morning. It was blowing a blizzard. Oates said, I am just going outside and I may be some time. He went out into the blizzard and we have not seen him since. The Message to the Public listed the causes of the disaster, singling out the failure of the expeditions ponies, and the unusually bad weather and poor sledging conditions. It concluded: We are weak, writing is difficult, but for my own sake, I do not regret this journey, which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardship, help one another and meet death with as great a fortitude as ever in the past. We took risks we know we took them. Things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint, but bow to the will of Providence, determined still to do our best till the last. But if we have been willing to give our lives to this enterprise, which is for the honour of our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who depend on us are properly provided for. Had we lived I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishmen. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale; but surely, surely, a great rich country like ours will see that those who are dependent on us are properly provided for. (Signed) R. Scott. 25th March 1912 Source: The Last Great Quest, Max Jones, OUP, 2003 r ªwkw^QE9 h CJ OJ QJ aJ h CJ OJ QJ aJ hsS 5CJ OJ QJ aJ hIB 5CJ OJ QJ aJ h~f CJ OJ QJ aJ hsS CJ OJ QJ aJ hW hW CJ H*OJ QJ aJ hW CJ OJ QJ aJ hP h~f OJ QJ .j hS CJ OJ QJ UaJ mH nH sH u h~f h~f 5CJ OJ QJ aJ hW 5CJ OJ QJ aJ hfe 5CJ OJ QJ aJ hS j hS UmH nH sH u u v 2 3 ! G gd~f $a$gd~f $a$gdS d t u v w 8 x & 1 2 3 7 A c } ¶yymaamUm hAU CJ OJ QJ aJ hm CJ OJ QJ aJ h?6 CJ OJ QJ aJ hEt# 6CJ OJ QJ aJ hfe CJ OJ QJ aJ hp CJ OJ QJ aJ hb CJ OJ QJ aJ hEt# CJ OJ QJ aJ h CJ OJ QJ aJ j hp UmH nH u hsS CJ OJ QJ aJ hjc CJ OJ QJ aJ h CJ OJ QJ aJ h CJ OJ QJ aJ ! ! soso hO j hO UmH nH sH u h9 hfe OJ QJ h9 h9 6OJ QJ h9 h9 OJ QJ h9 h9 CJ H*OJ QJ aJ h9 CJ OJ QJ aJ h9 6CJ OJ QJ aJ hAU CJ OJ QJ aJ hAU 6CJ OJ QJ aJ h?6 6CJ OJ QJ aJ h?6 CJ OJ QJ aJ G H $a$gd9 gd~f . A!"#$% n GyIm*PNG IHDR . ) sRGB pHYs ~ |IDATx^e]p@C;}n/uq欮NILF#'HD 'ܥ[7=Oy"$@"'tح8#?HD Hڂ@בFءCǞu4:@"$͌@F;EGt>jqfCf#Ǟ$@";U>#c$@"дgiz5mS6-"9D HV{>[NaÆaO_%@"$T}&c.QwE?}4lD-HD eI{;kQ-kg/cB$@"дt<(cL. B6G<2~o2x@ӢOD9`at5^ϱҽw#Q߾囷3:/G$@!С{~7fz_raQ$M`7HfA=[ϱjIsDC