Antarctic Adventure ¹

Abstract

THIS full account of the life and work of Scott's northern party is a welcome addition to the longer story of their work by Commander Victor Campbell in “Scott's Last Expedition.” It was originally intended by Captain Scott that this party, of six men all told, should make their base on King Edward Land. When ice conditions prevented this they searched in vain along the coast of Victoria Land for a suitable landing until they had no alternative but to make use of Cape Adare,. Borchgrevink's old winter quarters. Commander Campbell was well aware of the drawbacks to this place,. from which it is impossible to sledge overland in any direction, but he had no choice in the matter. Either the party must land there or return to New Zealand in the Terra Nova. The winter at Cape Adare was spent in comparative comfort and the account reads like that of any other antarctic winter under modern conditions of equipment. A well-equipped party, in good health, need suffer no particular inconvenience nowadays in a polar winter. Sledging in spring along the sea-ice to the north proved impracticable, and in this respect Commander Campbell and his men had the same experience that almost all explorers have had in the south. No travelling can be more precarious than that over sea-ice in the vicinity of open water.