Expeditioners to the South Pole, Robert Falcon Scott and his doctor companion, Edward Adrian Wilson, are quoted in the book, ‘Scott’s Last Expedition’, 1964 as follows (some of the information is from Scott’s diary, Wilson’s diary, or from their letters). These quotes struck a chord with me as they are some of the same sentiments I felt during my visit to Antarctica and the surrounding area.
Wednesday, January 4th, 1911: This work is full of surprises. After many frowns fortune has treated us to the kindest smile – - for twenty-four hours we have had a calm with brilliant sunshine. Such weather in such a place comes nearer to satisfying my ideal of perfection than any condition that I have ever experienced. The warm glow of the sun with the keen invigorating cold of the air forms a combination which is inexpressibly health-giving and satisfying to me, whilst the golden light on this wonderful scene of mountain and ice satisfies every claim of scenic magnificence. No words of mine can convey the impressiveness of the wonderful panorama displayed to our eyes.
Thursday, February 2, 1911: Scott writes of his impressions of the place, using just phrases (this is something I will try in another post):
The seductive folds of the sleeping bag. The whine of a dog and the neigh of our steeds. The driving cloud of powdered snow. The crunch of footsteps which break the surface crust. The wind-blown furrows. The blue arch beneath the smoky cloud. The crisp ring of the ponies’ hoofs and the swish of the following sledge. The droning conversation of the march as driver encourages or chides his horse. The patter of dog pads. The gentle flutter of our canvas shelter. its deep booming sound under the full force of a blizzard. The drift snow like finest flour penetrating every hole and corner – - flickering up beneath one’s head covering pricking sharply as a sand blast. The sun with blurred image peeping shyly through the wreathing drift giving pale shadowless light. The eternal silence of the great white desert. Cloudy columns of snow drive advancing from the south pole…
On the Vavilov we welcomed our nightly bar talks, as they were called. We also welcomed the lectures from various crew members onboard. This is clearly something of a tradition at sea, on famous expeditions of old.
Monday, May 29, 1911: Lecture: Japan. Tonight Ponting gave us a charming lecture on Japan with wonderful illustrations of his own. He is happiest in his descriptions of the artistic side of the people with which he is in fullest sympathy. So he took us to see the flower pageants: the joyful festivals of the cherry blossom, the wisteria, the iris and chrysanthemum, the sombre colours of the beech blossom and the paths about the lotus gardens…
Wednesday, May 31, 1911: Tonight Wilson has given us a very interesting lecture on sketching. He started by explaining his methods of rough sketch and written colour record, and explained its suitability to this climate as opposed to coloured chalks, etc. – - a very practical method for cold fingers and one that becomes more accurate with practice in observation…
