The Washington herald., 1914-03-22

own diary-a diary kept with unfiagginc
patience and care up to mis- very last day
probably on earth, Aside from the stu
! pendous work accomplished and recorded
the most striking, the most interesting
portions OF this journal Of everyday oc-
currences are those dealing with the de-
tails. the trivialities. OF the days on ship
board, the evenings spent around the
| cabin table. the jokes perpetratsd and the
good cheer that dominated the entire
| tragic journey.
Scott deplores the fact that they have
no better place for the dogs. but are
obliged To- keep them where they must
sit with their tails in the invading water,
their coats wet and dripping and their
whole pathetic attitude deeply significant
minutenness the jollty that pervaded the
first Christmas Eve on tho Pack" the
very, very trying time that followed
when the snow came in such quantities
and the wind blew with such force as l."
almost carry them away from everything
that was human and cover them with
their final mantle-a shroud of snow. =
The Adele penguins were a constant
source of interest. whether sleepIns.
quarreling or playing. whether curious,
frightened or angry. their interest is cUn e
tinuOusly humorous The winter quar-
ters at Cape Evans brought out all the
reserve energy. all the light and shade
in the entire company. Drudgery and
death were mixed with mirth and merry
making; every means were devised To
vary the monOtony of the days and weeks
that followed.
Scott writes in his diary: "A night
watchman was instituted, mainly for the
purpose of observing the aurora: Simpson
has been practicing with the balloons.
Wilson is very busy making sketches;
Pointing is taken taking colored photos:
Atkinson is unpacking and setting up his
steriliZers and incubators: Wright Is
wrestling with the electrical Instruments;
Evans is busy surveying the cape: Gates
is reOrganiZing the stables: Cherry-Gar-
rad is building a stone house for taxi
dermy, Debenham and Taylor are eX-
amining and measuring the topography of
the peninsula-in fact, every one Is eN-
traordinary busy"
The men Of the expedition were crafts
men born: they had the genius of their
material. The faculty of sounds, colOrs,
situations was mate in them; their use
of it was exemplary and sound. They
were often misled. however. by the
freaks of nature'-as Scott called them;
as when DIR. Atkinson got lost close to
the hut at Cape Evans on July IAN
event that would have been made more
of had the wanderer been an American
and had lost his way on his country $
II was very stormy day,
with high wind and a temperature of
y or more below zero The wind mod
Grated slightly in the afternoon and a !
visit was paid to the upper thermometer
screen. Then, ''in adventurous mood.
says Scott, Atkinson resolved to con-
tinUe and visit the thermometer in the
North Bay. This was at $50 p. m. After
more than six hours of absence, he was
brought I'm from the promontory nearby |
badly frost-bitten on hand and face and
much dazed. The searching party that
went after him did not return until
after two in the morning. These dangers
Of bewildering wind and binding, chok-
ng snow drift, with cold that numbed
body and brain, were greatly enhanced
by the suddenness and absence of WARM
ng with which they sprang up"
LAS to the powers OF endurance in
.hese latitudes, individuals differ greatly.
Bowers and Wilson were peculiarly toler-
mt of cold. They excited the mingled
ldmiration and frank envy of their COM
,anions for being able to sally forth in
light headgear when any one else re-
luired muffiling up. But he laughs best
who laughs last; one day they pre-
umed too far on this immunity and came
Is
whether these members tingled more
With the cold or with the unsparing chaff
4 their friends"
The activities of the expedition spread
n many ramifications. So ample was the
taft that 1t could furnish and send forth
eyeral exploring parties and scientific
utposts While Scott and his party were
epot-laying. or away on the great South
rn journey, geological parties went into
he Western mountains. Back at camp
here were many other events continually
ding on. and one hears of photos made
Y flashlights in a temperature of 40
egrees below; football on the ice and
hess indoors: the regular Sunday serv-
,es and last birthday party given to the ,
aptain: the telephones built and used :
DR. both work and pleasure; the erratic /. /.
now sledges and the sedateness and
aim of osman, the leader Of the dogs :
As spring drew on, Scott and a small
arty went into the Western mountains