New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-13
SCOTS LAST EXPEDITION:
HIS JOURNALS AND LETTERS
Story of the Defeat Of Courage Endurance Foresight and
Perfect Equipment by Mschance and Storm
A Picture Of a Man.

! ships OF the trip, apparently played a
fatal part In the expedition. In short,
whatever science. knowledge and ex-
perience could do 10 insure success aud
deserve II was done. but mischance and
weather brought disaster.
There are chapters OF polar explora-
ton that are never made public-chap-
tiers dealing with the animosities. the
bitter hatreds. quarrels and worse that
break out In every expedition cooped up
for many months in crowded quarters
without adequate exercise or amuse-
ment. through the long night at the
ends Of the worlds axis There is. 'of
course. no word OF this In the diaries
as here reprinted. but there is some
thing better-positiye evidence 10 the
contrary. The descriptions OF the life
Of the expedition in winter quarters
are pervsded by an atmosphere Of
more than forbearance. Of hearty
friendliness and good will, Of comfort
able living, also. and wholesome relaxa-
ton. Scott made a note on this sub
ject In his diary, Enthusiastically for fu.-
ure expansions Compare the inter-
ests OF a winter spent by the old Arctic
voyagers with our own. and look into
the causes And in one Of his letters
home he wrote. after paying tribute to
his officers.
The men are equally fine. have a good
set of people with me, and 1t viii 40 hard
If We don't achieve something The study
Of individual character Is pleasant
pastime Ia such mixed community OF
thoroughly nice people, and the study OF
relationships and interactons Is fasclnat-
ing-men OF the most diverse upbringings
and experience are really pals with one
another. ! have never seen
temper lost am very satisfied
with these things | think that it would
have been difficult TO better the OrganZa-
ton of the party. II is all that ! desired.
and the same might bee said Of the men
selected To do the work.
Constant references 10 the physical
appearance Of the men testify 10 the
commanders endless care OF them, his
thorough knowledge OF the measure Of
their endurance and strength To be re-
lied upon at any moment. Side by side
of the condition Of the ponies and dogs.
In this, also, as much as in any OF his
greater. stronger traits. Scott was u
true Anglo-SaXon-he loved his ami
mails. He admires the endurance, TIE
sturdy strength of the shaggy little
Siberian beasts, and leads his reader 10
like them as heartily. There are some
strange tales here. one of the ponies
was washed overheard in a storm and
cast aboard again by the next wave.
"One wonders" writes Scott, how far
the memory Of such fearful discomfort
Will remain with them-animas so
often remember places and conditions
where they have encountered difficult
ties. Do they only. recollect circum-
stances which are deeply impressed by
some shock or fear or sudden pain, and
does the remembrance OF prolonged
strain pass away? Who can tell? But
1t would seem strangely merciful If
nature should blot out these weeks Of
slow but inevitable torture"
AS for the dogs-well, they were
sledge dogs, and fighting was their ia
vorite pastlme. They would on occa
sion attack the ponies, and the PEN
gums drove them wild with excite
ment. The behavior OF these curious
Antarctic birds was, indeed, well cal
culated To rouse to frenzy the hunt
ing instinct of any sort OF dog. Their
daring curiosity led them To inspect
these strange animals from The Ear