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Scott |
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Scott first went to the Antarctic as commander of "the Discovery" in 1901. He was on secondment from the navy and was considered to be an amateur, as opposed to Amundsen, who had been interested in polar exploration since boyhood. The expedition was scientific in purpose and included Shackleton and Dr E.A. Wilson who would accompany him to the pole. They spent two winters there although Shackleton had to be sent home suffering from scurvey. The two men became rivals from then on. The expedition journeyed southwards pulling their own sleds rather than using dogs.
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| Mount Erebus - photo by Ponting |
When Shackleton had recovered he fitted out his own expedition and attempted to reach the South Pole. It did not succeed, but came within 97 nautical miles of it. Scott, jealous of his rival, raised the money for his own expedition. It was however, to be on a tight budget. As he journeyed there he received a telegram from Amundsen informing him that he too was trying for the pole.
Scott's 1911 expedition was pyramidal. At different stages support teams would head back, leaving a final team of five to strike for the pole. Supply dumps would also be established along the way. It was also intended to use ponies, but by the time they reached the Beardmore Glacier these were exhausted and had to be slaughtered so the loads were divided between three sledges, four men to each. Once the glacier was ascended the final support team turned back.
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| L-R, Wilson,Evans, Scott, Oates, Bowers |
On 17th January 1912 they reached the pole, only to discover that Amundsen had beaten them to it. They then faced a 900 mile journey back, hauling their sleds. At first the going was good but then the weather worsened and Evans slipped on some blue ice and hit the back of his head. This gave him severe concussion. It also slowed down the party. By the time they once more reached the Beardmore Glacier the party were in a poor state. Weak and exhausted, both Oates and Wilson had severe frostbite. Then Evans fell again, sustaining brain damage. He died on 17th February. He was buried near to where they had slaughtered the ponies.
Captain Oates' condition got worse but he managed 300 miles before, on the 17th March, his birthday and suffering from gangrene, he announced "I am just going outside and may be some time" - whereupon he walked to his death in a blizzard. It was to no avail. Scott knew they didn't have a chance. They got within 11 miles of a supply depot but had to pitch tent to sit out a blizzard on 19th March. Their bodies were found the following November.
