The Worst Journey in the World eBook

Apsley Cherry-Garrard
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 876 pages of information about The Worst Journey in the World.

The Worst Journey in the World eBook

Apsley Cherry-Garrard
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 876 pages of information about The Worst Journey in the World.
Oates over and got away altogether.  Fortunately the lashing on his fourth leg held fast, and we were able to secure him when he rejoined the other animals.  Finally he lay down, and thought he had defeated us, but we had the sledge connected up by that time, and as he got up we rushed him forward before he had time to kick over the traces....  Dimitri came and gave us a hand with Chris. Three of us hung on to him while the other two connected up the sledge.  We had a struggle for over twenty minutes, and he managed to tread on me, but no damage done....  Got Chris in by a dodge.  Titus did away with his back strap, and nearly had him away unaided before he realized that the hated sledge was fast to him.  Unfortunately he started off just too soon, and bolted with only one trace fast.  This pivoted him to starboard, and he charged the line.  I expected a mix-up, but he stopped at the wall between Bones and Snatcher, and we cast off and cleared sledge before trying again.  By laying the traces down the side of the sledge instead of ahead we got him off his guard again, and he was away before he knew what had occurred....  We had a bad time with Chris again.  He remembered having been bluffed before, and could not be got near the sledge at all.  Three times he broke away, but fortunately he always ran back among the other ponies, and not out on to the Barrier.  Finally we had to down him, and he was so tired with his recent struggles that after one abortive attempt we got him fast and away.”

Meanwhile it was not so much the difficulties of sledging as the depressing blank conditions in which our march was so often made, that gave us such troubles as we had.  The routine of a tent makes a lot of difference.  Scott’s tent was a comfortable one to live in, and I was always glad when I was told to join it, and sorry to leave.  He was himself extraordinarily quick, and no time was ever lost by his party in camping or breaking camp.  He was most careful, some said over-careful but I do not think so, that everything should be neat and shipshape, and there was a recognized place for everything.  On the Depot Journey we were bidden to see that every particle of snow was beaten off our clothing and finnesko before entering the tent:  if it was drifting we had to do this after entering and the snow was carefully cleared off the floor-cloth.  Afterwards each tent was supplied with a small brush with which to perform this office.  In addition to other obvious advantages this materially helped to keep clothing, finnesko, and sleeping-bags dry, and thus prolong the life of furs.  “After all is said and done,” said Wilson one day after supper, “the best sledger is the man who sees what has to be done, and does it—­and says nothing about it.”  Scott agreed.  And if you were “sledging with the Owner” you had to keep your eyes wide open for the little things which cropped up, and do them quickly, and say nothing about them.  There is nothing so irritating as the man who is always coming in and informing all and sundry that he has repaired his sledge, or built a wall, or filled the cooker, or mended his socks.

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The Worst Journey in the World from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.