Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-14
DEPICTS PER|LS
|NDASH TOPOLE
Commander Evans Tells Geo.
graphic Society Of Scott's
Antarctic Expedition.
SPEAKER WAS WITHIN
Jas MILES OF THE GOAL
Saved From Death by Heroism Of
Petty 0ficers-Calls Motor
Sledges Useless.

SledgeS Useless.
Commander r. r. G. r. Evans. British
royal navy second in command of the
Scott Antarctic expedition of 1910. yes
terday afternoon and last night told
for the first time in America how Capt.
Scott attained the pole and persisted
with his companions on the return
journey The two lectures were de-
Iivered at New Masonic Temple before
members of the National Geographic
Society
Commander Evans himself got to
within las miles of the south pole, lead
ing the last supporting party that
turned back there when Scott began
his final dash He also would have
persisted had it not been for the stead
fastness and heroism of the two petty
officers with him. Cream and LASTLY,
who dragged him to safety after he
was found to be almost dying with
scurvy. and after he had weakened the
possibility of his safe return to his
base by giving up one of his men to
Scott on the final dash, so that the lat
ter might have still better chance of
reaching the pole.
introduced by Gen. Greedy.
Commander Evans was introduced to
L. S. a.. retired, whose expedition at
tanned the farthest north of his day, and
who was at that time himself saved by
what explorers regard as a miracle as
great as the rescue of Evans. The latter
took occasion to note the achievements
of Gen. Greedy in the frozen north, in
nf Mt Of
panions on the final dash. who walked
forth to die alone when he became a
handicap on the principal polar party.
Oates. Commander Evans said,
proved in the south, as Gen. Greedy did
i'm the north. that so diers are able to
compete with sailors in exploring.
Scotts letter to the public had said
he and his polar party if they had lived
could have told "a tale to stir the blood
Of Englishmen. and in allusion to this,
Gen. GREEDY said in introducing Com
mander Evans:
las long as English literature shall en-
dure, that wondrous letter of Scott's to
the public. when he found he was to
die, and the still more wonderful self
sacrifice of Oates. will stand forth to
stir others Of all nations to emulation"
Calls Scot my Leader"
Commander Evans adopted the use of
the phrases, my leader and ''our leader
in speaking Of Scott. He made it a point
to be exact in giving credit to the va
r1ous members of the expedition for the
work they had done, speaking of all of
them by name repeatedly, and devoted
but little time to the recital of his own
narrow escape.
ION January the last supporting party
marched south to latitude 81 degrees and
"a minutes with the polar party, and
seeing that they were travelling rapidly
yet easily, We halted, shook hands all
around. and said goodbye Up to this
time no traces Of the successful Nor
wegians had been seen. and we all fondly
imagined that our flag would be the first
to fly at the south pole. We gave three
huge cheers for the southern party as
they stepped OF. and then turned our
sledge and commenced our homeward
march of nearly 800 miles. We frequent
ly looked back until we saw the last
of Capt Scott and his four companions.
tiny black specks on the horizon, and
little did We think that we were the last
to see them alive. that our three cheers
were the last appreciation they would
ever know
Not Uncharitable to Amundsen.
Lady Scott has remarked on the mag
niticent spirit shown by her husband and
his four especially selected terminates,
when they knew that Queen Alexandra's
little silk Union Jack had been anticipat-
ed by the flag of another nation" con-
tinGed Commander Evans.
Scott and his companions had done
tdeIr best, and never from one Of them
an uncharitable remark. January
~ tne ho:neward march was commenced;
t.e party had before them a distance of
O.er AZ miles. Seaman Evans died Feb
rualy Il. and then the bereaved little
severance. although they must have
known by their gradually shortening
marches that little hope Of reaching their
winter quarters remained In their later
stases their marches dropped to three
miles day. The temperature fell as they
advanced. and we find them recording a
temperature of 49, below zero one night
Poor Oates feet and hands were badly
frostbitten-he constantly appealed TO
Wilson for advice. What should he do,
what could he do? Wilson could only an
swer. 'S.og on--just slog on March II,
which waSa Oates birthday. he walked
out to his death in a noble endeavor to
save his three comrades beset with hard
ships. and as their dead leader wrote,
1t was the act of a brave man and an
English gentleman
But for the gallantry of Cream and
LASTLY" he said. Il should not have
When 1t was fond that I had been
stricken with scurvy I wanted to get on
bit to be able to show them Mt.
Erebus. as l was the only one Of the
three who knew navigation. and / felt
that IL we could locate that landmark
they might win It, II was at this point
that the only disobedience known In the
whole expedition was found, / was
paralyzed from the waist down. and I
ordered Cream and LASTLY to leave me
and push on ahead and endeavor to
send back or bring rescue party. They
refused and strapped me on a sledge and
pulled me for four days. Then Cream
pushed ahead. and LASTLY stayed be-
hind to be with me until the end came.
Cream got to Hut Point. almost done.
and he brought the relief that enables
me to be here tonight"
Motor Sledges Useless.
Commander Evans paid his compli
ments to the celebrated motor sledges
which caused so much comment in the
exploring world. He said they were
horribly useless He showed pictures
OF them, taken by cnematograph, which
proved. he said. that there was much
more stopping than going"
The audience showed by its applause
that it regarded all the pictures exhibited
as splendid. One striking view was of
New Year eve at midnight showing a