THE EPIC OF CAPTAIN SCOTT BY MARTIN LINDSAY AUTHOR OF THOSE GREENLAND DAYS ILLUSTRATED G. P. PUTNAMS SONS NEW YORK MCMXXXIV CAPTAIN R F SCOTT, C V. O, R N ACKNOWLEDGMENT MY grateful thanks are due to Lady Hilton Young, not only for allowing me to quote certain passages from Captain Scotts diary and letters and to reproduce some of his own photographs, but also for reading through the proofs. Without her assistance this book, in its present form, would not have been possible, and I only hope that her influence and the charm of her personality is in some measure reflected in the story. A debt of gratitude is also owing to Mr. Apsley Cherry-Garrard for permitting me to quote from The Worst Journey in the World, from which most of the other diary passages are taken, and to Professor Debenham, Director of the Scott Polar Research Institute and a member of Captain Scotts last expedition, for much helpful advice. To Mrs. E. A. Wilson, Lady Maxwell, Sir James Barrie, Mr. Herbert G. Ponting, and Messrs. John Murray, all of whom placed copyright material at my disposal, I also say thank y u MARTIN LINDSAY. October ist, 1933. CONTENTS PAGE PROLOGUE .... . . 17 I INTRODUCTION i. The Romantic Voyages . 19 ii. The Discovery . . .28 iii. Shackleton . .... 34 iv. The Terra Nova ..... 38 II THE MIGHTY EPIC I. THE BARRIER ... 46 II. THE BEARDMORE GLACIER 74 III. THE PLATEAU . .90 IV. THE POLE . . . . .112 V. RETURN OF THE SUPPORTING PARTIES . 119 VI. DEATH OF PETTY OFFICER EVANS . . 132 VII. DEATH OF OATES . . . . .147 VIII. THE END . . . 158 IX. EPILOGUE ... . . 169 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE . . 173 INDEX 174 II ILLUSTRATIONS 1. CAPTAIN SCOTT Frontispiece By courtesy of Lady Hilton Young PAGE 2. ICE-BOUND...... 36 By courtesy of Messrs. Hcinemann 3. THE PONY PARTY ..... 57 By courtesy of Professor Debenham 4. A DOG-TEAM 57 By courtesy of Mr. H. G. Ponting 5. A BARRIER DEPOT ..... 68 By courtesy of Messrs. Heinemann 6. GAMP UNDER THE WILD RANGE ... 80 By courtesy of Lady Hilton Young 7. THE POLAR PARTY ON THE TRAIL . . 93 By courtesy of Lady Maxwell 8. AT THE SOUTH POLE . . . . .116 By courtesy of Lady Maxwell 9. MOUNT EREBUS . . . . . .128 By courtesy of Mr. H. G. Ponting 0. A BLIZZARD GAMP ..... 152 By courtesy of Mrs. E. A. Wilson 1. FACSIMILE OF THE LAST WORDS OF THE JOURNAL ....... 160 MAPS ANTARCTICA . . . ... .21 THE POLAR JOURNEY At end of book 13