Difference between revisions of "Commentary on Could Captain Scott have been Saved? Revisiting Scott's Last Expedition - Polar Record 49(2013)72-90 by Karen May"
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An interesting secondary account provides a possible source of the phrase “the dogs are not to be risked”. At the foot of the Glacier, the man-hauling parties were struggling to make progress in calf-deep soft snow but the Dog Party had no difficulty in keeping up with the men. Gran wrote: | An interesting secondary account provides a possible source of the phrase “the dogs are not to be risked”. At the foot of the Glacier, the man-hauling parties were struggling to make progress in calf-deep soft snow but the Dog Party had no difficulty in keeping up with the men. Gran wrote: | ||
| − | ::::''Next day [11 December 1911] continued up the glacier. The dogs followed. At lunch break, Dimitri and Meares were ordered to return to base. Meares raised objections by saying, “Considering what the terrain here looks like today, the dogs have the very best of chances [to succeed]. It is crazy not to take advantage of them”. These were harsh words. However, Cecil Meares was a civilian, and Captain Scott answered, “Today yes, but maybe not tomorrow. I stick with [take the word of] Shackleton, and you know, my dear Meares, what he thinks of Beardmore. The dogs shall meet me, time and place for this I will let be known through the returning support party. As a result, I do not wish to expose the dogs to needless risk. Thank you for your help, Meares. [Emphasis added]” (1961, p. 156)'' | + | ::::''Next day [11 December 1911] continued up the glacier. The dogs followed. At lunch break, Dimitri and Meares were ordered to return to base. Meares raised objections by saying, “Considering what the terrain here looks like today, the dogs have the very best of chances [to succeed]. It is crazy not to take advantage of them”. These were harsh words. However, Cecil Meares was a civilian, and Captain Scott answered, “Today yes, but maybe not tomorrow. I stick with [take the word of] Shackleton, and you know, my dear Meares, what he thinks of Beardmore. The dogs shall meet me, time and place for this I will let be known through the returning support party. As a result, '''I do not wish to expose the dogs to needless risk'''. Thank you for your help, Meares. [Emphasis added]” (1961, p. 156)'' |
Gran’s account appears plausible, as Scott needed to preserve the dog teams for their journey to meet the returning Polar Party. It arose during the first dog journey and makes perfect sense when viewed as protecting dogs final journey of the 1911/12 season. Having dealt with Meares’ objections on the spot, there was no need for Scott to issue any written orders. | Gran’s account appears plausible, as Scott needed to preserve the dog teams for their journey to meet the returning Polar Party. It arose during the first dog journey and makes perfect sense when viewed as protecting dogs final journey of the 1911/12 season. Having dealt with Meares’ objections on the spot, there was no need for Scott to issue any written orders. | ||
In this context, Scott’s reference to “needless risk” is about the hazards presented by crevasses in the lower Beardmore region – which had caused the demise of Shackleton’s last pony, a fact that was probably on his mind, along with his own experience of dogs falling into a crevasse during the return from the Depot Journey. Readers may be more comfortable with this interpretation of “risk the dogs” than Cherry-Garrard’s stance upon returning to England, when he seemed believed that Scott required him to preserve the life of every single dog. | In this context, Scott’s reference to “needless risk” is about the hazards presented by crevasses in the lower Beardmore region – which had caused the demise of Shackleton’s last pony, a fact that was probably on his mind, along with his own experience of dogs falling into a crevasse during the return from the Depot Journey. Readers may be more comfortable with this interpretation of “risk the dogs” than Cherry-Garrard’s stance upon returning to England, when he seemed believed that Scott required him to preserve the life of every single dog. | ||
| − | Gran’s account is also consistent with Scott’s written instructions to Meares, “I should like you to give such assistance as you can without tiring the dogs [prior to their journey to meet the returning Polar Party] [Emphasis added]” (Evans, 1961, p. 162). It also covers the objections raised by May on pages 82-83. However, Gran’s account does not come from a primary expedition record and it would be useful if independent verification could be found. None-the-less, it presents an interesting and plausible alternative to May’s flawed hypothesis. Regardless of whether the reader believes Gran’s account or not, the hypothesis about Atkinson misrepresenting Scott is wrong. | + | Gran’s account is also consistent with Scott’s written instructions to Meares, “I should like you to give such assistance as you can '''without tiring the dogs''' [prior to their journey to meet the returning Polar Party] [Emphasis added]” (Evans, 1961, p. 162). It also covers the objections raised by May on pages 82-83. However, Gran’s account does not come from a primary expedition record and it would be useful if independent verification could be found. None-the-less, it presents an interesting and plausible alternative to May’s flawed hypothesis. Regardless of whether the reader believes Gran’s account or not, the hypothesis about Atkinson misrepresenting Scott is wrong. |
Atkinson was presumably present at the time of Scott’s conversation with Meares on the Glacier. In 1913 he wrote, “Strict injunctions had been given by Captain Scott that the dogs should not be risked in any way” (2011, p. 669), based upon what he had presumably overheard on the Glacier. Nothing in Atkinson’s 1913 narrative appears to contradict Gran’s account. The idea of saving the dogs for the following season was not mentioned by Atkinson at that time, or later. | Atkinson was presumably present at the time of Scott’s conversation with Meares on the Glacier. In 1913 he wrote, “Strict injunctions had been given by Captain Scott that the dogs should not be risked in any way” (2011, p. 669), based upon what he had presumably overheard on the Glacier. Nothing in Atkinson’s 1913 narrative appears to contradict Gran’s account. The idea of saving the dogs for the following season was not mentioned by Atkinson at that time, or later. | ||
Revision as of 14:15, 2 December 2018
by William J. Alp, Wellington, New Zealand.
