The Worst Journey in the World (53 page)

But now Scott became worried and unhappy. We were running things on a
fine margin of transport, and during the month before we were due to
start mishap followed mishap in the most disgusting way. Three men were
more or less incapacitated: Forde with his frozen hand, Clissold who
concussed himself by a fall from a berg, and Debenham who hurt his knee
seriously when playing foot-ball. One of the ponies, Jehu, was such a
crock that at one time it was decided not to take him out at all: and
very bad opinions were also held of Chinaman. Another dog died of a
mysterious disease. "It is trying," writes Scott, "but I am past
despondency. Things must take their course."
^[169]
And "if this waiting
were to continue it looks as though we should become a regular party of
'crocks.'"
^[170]

Then on the top of all this came a bad accident to one of the motor axles
on the eve of departure. "To-night the motors were to be taken on to the
floe. The drifts made the road very uneven, and the first and best motor
overrode its chain; the chain was replaced and the machine proceeded, but
just short of the floe was thrust to a steep inclination by a ridge, and
the chain again overrode the sprockets; this time by ill fortune Day
slipped at the critical moment and without intention jammed the throttle
full on. The engine brought up, but there was an ominous trickle of oil
under the back axle, and investigation showed that the axle casing
(aluminium) had split. The casing had been stripped and brought into the
hut: we may be able to do something to it, but time presses. It all goes
to show that we want more experience and workshops. I am secretly
convinced that we shall not get much help from the motors, yet nothing
has ever happened to them that was unavoidable. A little more care and
foresight would make them splendid allies. The trouble is that if they
fail, no one will ever believe this."
^[171]

In the meantime Meares and Dimitri ran out to Corner Camp from Hut Point
twice with the two dog-teams. The first time they journeyed out and back
in two days and a night, returning on October 15; and another very
similar run was made before the end of the month.

The motor party was to start first, but was delayed until October 24.
They were to wait for us in latitude 80° 30', man-hauling certain loads
on if the motors broke down. The two engineers were Day and Lashly, and
their two helpers, who steered by pulling on a rope in front, were
Lieutenant Evans and Hooper. Scott was "immensely eager that these
tractors should succeed, even though they may not be of great help to our
Southern advance. A small measure of success will be enough to show their
possibilities, their ability to revolutionize polar transport."
^[172]

Lashly, as the reader may know by now, was a chief stoker in the Navy,
and accompanied Scott on his Plateau Journey in the Discovery days. The
following account of the motors' chequered career is from his diary, and
for permission to include here both it and the story of the adventures of
the Second Return Party, an extraordinarily vivid and simple narrative, I
cannot be too grateful.

After the motors had been two days on the sea-ice on their way to Hut
Point Lashly writes on 26th October 1911:

"Kicked off at 9.30; engine going well, surface much better, dropped one
can of petrol each and lubricating oil, lunched about two miles from Hut
Point. Captain Scott and supporting party came from Cape Evans to help us
over blue ice, but they were not required. Got away again after lunch but
was delayed by the other sledge not being able to get along, it is
beginning to dawn on me the sledges are not powerful enough for the work
as it is one continual drag over this sea-ice, perhaps it will improve on
the barrier, it seems we are going to be troubled with engine
overheating; after we have run about three-quarters to a mile it is
necessary to stop at least half an hour to cool the engine down, then we
have to close up for a few minutes to allow the carbrutta to warm up or
we can't get the petrol to vaporize; we are getting new experiences every
day. We arrived at Hut Point and proceeded to Cape Armitage it having
come on to snow pretty thickly, so we pitched our tent and waited for the
other car to come up, she has been delayed all the afternoon and not made
much headway. At 6.30 Mr. Bowers and Mr. Garrard came out to us and told
us to come back to Hut Point for the night, where we all enjoyed
ourselves with a good hoosh and a nice night with all hands.

"
27th October 1911.

"This morning being fine made our way out to the cars and got them going
after a bit of trouble, the temperature being a bit low. I got away in
good style, the surface seems to be improving, it is better for running
on but very rough and the overheating is not overcome nor likely to be as
far as I can see. Just before arriving at the Barrier my car began to
develop some strange knocking in the engine, but with the help of the
party with us I managed to get on the Barrier, the other car got up the
slope in fine style and waited for me to come up; as my engine is giving
trouble we decided to camp, have lunch and see what is the matter. On
opening the crank chamber we found the crank brasses broke into little
pieces, so there is nothing left to do but replace them with the spare
ones; of course this meant a cold job for Mr. Day and myself, as handling
metal on the Barrier is not a thing one looks forward to with pleasure.
Anyhow we set about it after Lieutenant Evans and Hooper had rigged up a
screen to shelter us a bit, and by 10 P.M. we were finished and ready to
proceed, but owing to a very low temperature we found it difficult to get
the engines to go, so we decided to camp for the night.

"
28th October 1911.

"Turned out and had another go at starting which took some little time
owing again to the low temperature. We got away but again the trouble is
always staring us in the face, overheating, and the surface is so bad and
the pull so heavy and constant that it looks we are in for a rough time.
We are continually waiting for one another to come up, and every time we
stop something has to be done, my fan got jammed and delayed us some
time, but have got it right again. Mr. Evans had to go back for his spare
gear owing to some one
(not)
bringing it out in mistake; he had a good
tramp as we were about 15 miles out from Hut Point.

"
29th October 1911.

"Again we got away, but did not get far before the other car began to
give trouble. I went back to see what was the matter, it seems the petrol
is dirty due perhaps to putting in a new drum, anyhow got her up and
camped for lunch. After lunch made a move, and all seemed to be going
well when Mr. Day's car gave out at the crank brasses the same as mine,
so we shall have to see what is the next best thing to do.

"
30th October 1911.

"This morning before getting the car on the way had to reconstruct our
loads as Mr. Day's car is finished and no more use for further service.
We have got all four of us with one car now, things seems to be going
fairly well, but we are still troubled with the overheating which means
to say half our time is wasted. We can see dawning on us the harness
before long. We covered seven miles and camped for the night. We are now
about six miles from Corner Camp.

"
31st October 1911.

"Got away with difficulty, and nearly reached Corner Camp, but the
weather was unkind and forced us to camp early. One thing we have been
able to bring along a good supply of pony food and most of the man food,
but so far the motor sledges have proved a failure.

"
1st November 1911.

"Started away with the usual amount of agony, and soon arrived at Corner
Camp where we left a note to Captain Scott explaining the cause of our
breakdown. I told Mr. Evans to say this sledge won't go much farther.
After getting about a mile past Corner Camp my engine gave out finally,
so here is an end to the motor sledges. I can't say I am sorry because I
am not, and the others are, I think, of the same opinion as myself. We
have had a heavy task pulling the heavy sledges up every time we stopped,
which was pretty frequent, even now we have to start man-hauling we shall
not be much more tired than we have already been at night when we had
finished. Now comes the man-hauling part of the show, after reorganizing
our sledge and taking aboard all the man food we can pull, we started
with 190 lbs. per man, a strong head wind made it a bit uncomfortable for
getting along, anyhow we made good about three miles and camped for the
night. The surface not being very good made the travelling a bit heavy.

"After three days' man-hauling.

"
5th November 1911.

"Made good about 14½ miles, if the surface would only remain as it is
now we could get along pretty well. We are now thinking of the ponies
being on their way, hope they will get better luck than we had with the
motor sledges, but by what I can see they will have a tough time of it.

"
6th November 1911.

"To-day we have worked hard and covered a good distance 12 miles, surface
rough but slippery, all seems to be going pretty well, but we have
generally had enough by the time comes for us to camp.

"
7th November 1911.

"We have again made good progress, but the light was very trying,
sometimes we could not see at all where we were going. I tried to find
some of the Cairns that were built by the Depôt Party last year, came
upon one this afternoon which is about 20 miles from One Ton Depôt, so at
the rate we have been travelling we ought to reach there some time
to-morrow night. Temperature to-day was pretty low, but we are beginning
to get hardened into it now.

"
8th November 1911.

"Made a good start, but the surface is getting softer every day and makes
our legs ache; we arrived at One Ton Depôt and camped. Then proceeded to
dig out some of the provisions, we have to take on all the man food we
can, this is a wild-looking place no doubt, have not seen anything of the
ponies.

"
9th November 1911.

"To-day we have started on the second stage of our journey. Our orders
are to proceed one degree south of One Ton Depôt and wait for the ponies
and dogs to come up with us; as we have been making good distances each
day, the party will hardly overtake us, but we have found to-day the load
is much heavier to drag. We have just over 200 lbs. per man, and we have
been brought up on several occasions, and to start again required a
pretty good strain on the rope, anyhow we done 10½ miles, a pretty good
show considering all things.

"
10th November 1911.

"Again we started off with plenty of vim, but it was jolly tough work,
and it begins to tell on all of us; the surface to-day is covered with
soft crystals which don't improve things. To-night Hooper is pretty well
done up, but he have stuck it well and I hope he will, although he could
not tackle the food in the best of spirits, we know he wanted it. Mr.
Evans, Mr. Day and myself could eat more, as we are just beginning to
feel the tightening of the belt. Made good 11¼ miles and we are now
building cairns all the way, one about three miles: then again at lunch
and one in the afternoon and one at night. This will keep us employed.

"
11th November 1911.

"To-day it has been very heavy work. The surface is very bad and we are
pretty well full up, but not with food; man-hauling is no doubt the
hardest work one can do, no wonder the motor sledges could not stand it.
I have been thinking of the trials I witnessed of the motor engines in
Wolseley's works in Birmingham, they were pretty stiff but nothing
compared to the drag of a heavy load on the Barrier surface.

"
12th November 1911.

"To-day have been similar to the two previous days, but the light have
been bad and snow have been falling which do not improve the surface; we
have been doing 10 miles a day Geographical and quite enough too as we
have all had enough by time it goes Camp.

"
13th November 1911.

"The weather seems to be on the change. Should not be surprised if we
don't get a blizzard before long, but of course we don't want that.
Hooper seems a bit fagged but he sticks it pretty well. Mr. Day keeps on
plodding, his only complaint is should like a little more to eat.

"
14th November 1911.

"When we started this morning Mr. Evans said we had about 15 miles to go
to reach the required distance. The hauling have been about the same,
but the weather is somewhat finer and the blizzard gone off. We did 10
miles and camped; have not seen anything of the main party yet but shall
not be surprised to see them at any time.

"
15th November 1911.

"We are camped after doing five miles where we are supposed to be
(lat.
80° 32')
; now we have to wait the others coming up. Mr. Evans is quite
proud to think we have arrived before the others caught us, but we don't
expect they will be long although we have nothing to be ashamed of as our
daily distance have been good. We have built a large cairn this afternoon
before turning in. The weather is cold but excellent."

They waited there six days before the pony party arrived, when the Upper
Barrier Depôt (Mount Hooper) was left in the cairn.

Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
TENNYSON,
Ulysses.