["Antarctic Tragedy", The West Australian, Wednesday 12 February 1913, page 7]
ANTARCTIC TRAGEDY.
DEATH AFTER SUCCESS.
HEROIC FORTITUDE.
SCOTT'S LAST WORDS.
London, Feb. 11.
Details of the discovery of Captain Scott and the party with which he made his gallant dash for the South Pole in December, 1911, have been telegraphed from New Zealand by Captain Atkinson. He says:--
After the Terra Nova left in 1912 to return to New Zealand I proceeded to Corner camp in readiness to assist the southern party. We experienced unusually severe weather, and having deposited a week's provision, I was forced to return to Hut Point.
Further effort was made in April. but the party was stopped at Butler Point by open water. and the return was nearly a disaster owing to the breaking up of the sea ice.
A search party left Cape Evans on October 30 with three months' provisions, and found One Ton camp all in order. Wright's party then proceeded along the eastern route and sighted Captain Scott's tent on November 10, with the dead bodies therein. The record showed that Evans died February 17 at the foot of Beardmore glazier from concussion of the brain sustained while traversing rough ice. Oates was the next to go. His feet and hands were badly frostbitten, but he struggled on heroically and bore intense suffering for weeks uncomplainingly.
LIEUT. OATES SACRIFICE.
The end was approaching. On March 17 Captain Scott writes: "Oates was a brave soul. He slept through the night hoping not to wake, but awoke in the morning. It was blowing a blizzard, and Oates said, "I'm just going outside. It may be for some time." He went out, and we have not seen him since. We knew that Oates was walking himself to death, but though we tried to dissuade him. We knew it was the action of a brave man and an English gentleman." It appears that on March 16 Oates was quite unable to travel, and the others would not leave him. After Oates's death Scott, Wilson, and Bower pushed northwards. The weather was abnormally bad, and forced them to camp on March 21 in latitude 79deg. 40min. south; longtitude 169deg. 23min. east. The party were then 11 miles south of One Ton camp, but did not reach it, owing to a blizzard lasting nine days. Their food and fuel were exhausted. In Scott's diary is the following entry headed "Message to the public."
CAUSES OF DISASTER.
"The cause of this disaster are not due to faulty organisation, but to misfortune in all the risks which had to be undertaken. Firstly, the loss of pony transport in March, 1911, obliged a later start than was intended, and obliged the limiting of the staff transported. Secondly, the weather throughout the outward journey, especially in a long gale at 83deg. south, stopped us. Thirdly, soft snow on the lower reaches of the glacier again reduced the pace. We fought these untoward events with a will, and conquered, but it ate into the provision reserves. Every detail of the food supplies and the clothing, and of the depots made on the interior icesheet, and on the 700 miles to the pole was worked out to perfection. The advance party would have returned to the glacier in fine form but for the astonishing failure of a man who was least expected to fail--Evans. He was the strong man of the party.
A COMRADE LOST.
"The Beardmore glacier is not difficult in fine weather but we had not a single fine day. This fact, with our sick companion, enormously increased our anxieties. We got into frightfully rough ice and Evans sustained concussion of the brain and died. Naturally, this left us a shaken party with the season unduly advanced. The above facts were, however, nothing to the surprise awaiting us at the Barrier. No one in the world would have expected the temperature of the surface there encountered at this time of year. On the summit in latitudes 85 to 86 south we had a minus temperature of 20 to 30 degrees. At 82 degrees, 10,000 feet lower, we had a minus temperature of 30 by day and 47 at night, with a continuous head wind.
THE LAST EXTREMITY.
"Our wreck is due to the sudden advent of severe weather. I do not think human beings ever came through such a month. We should have got through but for the sickening of our second companion Oates, the unaccountable shortage of fuel at the depots, and a storm when within eleven miles of One Ton camp, where we hoped to secure final supplies. When we were forced to camp we had fuel only for one hot meal, and food for two days. For four days we were unable to leave the tent owing to the gale blowing, we being weak. Writing is difficult, but for our own sake I do not regret the journey, which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardship, help one another, and meet death with as great fortitude as ever. We took the risk, and things came out against us. Therefore there is no cause for complaint, but we bow to the will of Providence, determined still to do our best to the last.
APPEAL TO ENGLAND.
"But if re are willing to give our lives for an enterprise for the honour of our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that our dependents are properly cared for. Had we lived I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance, and courage of my companions, which would have stirred the hearts of Englishmen. These rough notes, and our dead bodies will tell the tale; but surely a great rich country like ours will see our dependents properly provided for.
(Signed) R. Scott, March 21." .
