ANTARCTIC TRAGEDY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15915, 7 November 1913, Page 5

ANTARCTIC TRAGEDY

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S LAST MESSAGES,

CONCERN FOR HIS SON.

NO REGRETS,

DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE POLE,

TRIBUTE TO DR WILSON

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, November 5. Captain Scott's diary has been published.

Writing to his mother while tie tnd was approaching he said : "The great God has called me, but I lake comfort that I die in peace with the world and myself. I am not afraid."

There was a pathetic letter to his wife regarding his son Peter, in which he says: " Make him a strenuous maa." The entry on MaTch 11 narrates the discussion regarding Captain Oates. It concludes as follows:—"There is one tatisfactory result. I practically ordered Dr Wilson to hand over the means of ending our troubles, so that anyone of us would know what to do. Dr Wilson had no choice between doiijg so or our ransacking the medicine case. We have 30 opium tabloids apiece, and Dr Wilson has a tube of morphine." So much for the tragical side of the story. Writing later to Sir J. M. Barrie, the novelist, Captain Scott adds We did intend to perish ourselves when things proved like this, but wo are decided U> die naturally in the track." November 6. (Received Nov. 6, at 8.25 p.m.) Seeing that the end was inevitable, Captain Scott wrote letters of comfort to the wives of the members of the party and also to his friends, including the Right Hon. Sir Edgar Speyer, Mr William MacCartney, Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont, and Mr Reginald Smith. Writing to his wife, he said: " Make the boy interested in natural history if you can. It is bette;: than games. They encourage it in some schools. I know you will keep him in the open air. Above all, he must be guarded. You must guard him against indolence. I had t-o force myself into being strenuous. I always had an inclination to be idle." The letter concludes: "What lots and lots I could tell you of our journey; how much better it has been than lounging at too great comfort at home. What tales you would have for the boy, but what a price to pay. Tell Sir Clements Markham I never regretted his putting me in command of the Discovery."

(Received Nov. 6, at. 10.35 p.m.)

Writing to Sir J. M. Barrie, his son's godfather, he says: "We are pegging out a very comfortless sfiot. I am not afra : .d of the end but have had to miss many humble pleasures I had placed for the future on other long marches. I may not have proved a great explorer, but we have made the greatest march ever made and came very near a great success. As a dying man, my good friend, I ask you to be good to my wife and my child. Give the boy a chance in life if the State won't do it. He ought to have good stuff in him.

Writing to Mrs Wilson, he says: "If this Teaches you, Bill and I have gone out together. I should like you to know how splendid he was at the end, everlastingly cheerful, ready to sacrifice himself, never a word of blame to mo for leading him into this mess. His eyes have the comfortable blue look of hope. His mind is peaceful with the satisfaction of his faith in regarding himself as part of the great scheme of the Almighty. I can do no more than comfort you, than tell you he died as he lived, a brave, true man, the best of comrades, the staunchest of friends. My whole heart goes; out to you in pity.

Writing to Admiral Bridgman he said: "I want to tell you I was not too old for this job. The younger men went under first. We could have come through had we neglected the sick."

The entries after reaching the Pole occasionally suggest somsthing like resentment at being forestalled. On January 17 lie writes: "The Pole; yes, but under very different circumstances from those we expected. We have had a horrible day. Great God, this awful place was terrible enough for us to have laboured to it without the reward of priority. Well it is something to have got here," He concludes: "Now for the run home, if we

can do it."

Another entry is as follows: "We built a cairn, put up the poor slighted Union Jack, and photographed ourselves. It was mighty cold work, all of it. No doubt the Norweigans made thoroughly sure of their mark and fully carried out their programme. Well, we have turned our backs now upon the goal of our ambition, and must face the 800 miles of solid dragging, and godo-bye to moat of our day-dreams."

Writing on March 21 he says: "As a forlorn hope Dr Wilson and Lieutenant Bowers are going to One-Ton camp for fuel."

Entries on the 22nd and 23rd read: "The blizzard is as bad as ever. Dr Wilson and Lieutenant Bowers will not be able to start until to-morrow. As a last chance we have decided that our end shall natural. Wo shall march for the depot without our effects, and die in our tracks."

The next entry is on the 25th: "Since the 21st there has been a continuous south-west gale. We have fuel enough to make two cups of tea apiece, but have barely food for two days." On the 26th he wrote: "Every day we have been ready to start for the depot but outside the door of the tent there remains a scene of whirling drift. I don't think we can hope for any better things now. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker, and the end cannot be far off. It seems a pity, but I don't think I can write more." (Signature) R. Scott. Then fallows the last entry: "For God's sake look after our people."