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'A worthy memorial of one of the great achievements of our time' WINSTON CHURCHILL 'A battle cry to the youth and manhood of England' DAILY MIRROR
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Book Description
A world of words has been written about this book, and none of them got it completely right! For while this is certainly the true story of how Captain Scott and his team of British explorers died trying to reach the South Pole, it is also the hitherto overlooked story of amazing equine courage in the face of certain death.
When Captain Perry of America reached the North Pole in 1909, all eyes, especially English eyes, turned to the South Pole. The British Empire was at its zenith and national expectations were high that an Englishman should be the one to claim the other ice-bound crown. Captain Robert Scott was elected to carry British honour to that forbidden spot known as the South Pole. Yet not only did Scott enlist men, in an unlikely move he also recruited nineteen Siberian ponies raised by the Yakute tribesmen in Russia’s frozen forests. These little equine heroes had no idea where they were heading when Scott’s brother-in-law loaded them on a ship and sailed them away from Russia to the far off shores of Antarctica.
What followed is an under-reported and over-looked example of supreme equestrian sacrifice. First the ponies survived howling gales on the sea. Upon arrival, they donned special snow shoes and pulled their guts out to get Scott’s sleds through. Some of them were lost on a break-away iceberg and eaten by killer whales. The others starved. They suffered. In short, these 19 little heroes gave their all, and all for naught, for as we know Scott and his men died as well in their attempt to claim the Southern Crown.
Thus “Scott’s Last Expedition” is not only a story of men. It is but another example of that link between mankind and equine-kind that has stretched back 30,000 years. It is a remarkable and heart-moving story of men and horses who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
When Captain Perry of America reached the North Pole in 1909, all eyes, especially English eyes, turned to the South Pole. The British Empire was at its zenith and national expectations were high that an Englishman should be the one to claim the other ice-bound crown. Captain Robert Scott was elected to carry British honour to that forbidden spot known as the South Pole. Yet not only did Scott enlist men, in an unlikely move he also recruited nineteen Siberian ponies raised by the Yakute tribesmen in Russia’s frozen forests. These little equine heroes had no idea where they were heading when Scott’s brother-in-law loaded them on a ship and sailed them away from Russia to the far off shores of Antarctica.
What followed is an under-reported and over-looked example of supreme equestrian sacrifice. First the ponies survived howling gales on the sea. Upon arrival, they donned special snow shoes and pulled their guts out to get Scott’s sleds through. Some of them were lost on a break-away iceberg and eaten by killer whales. The others starved. They suffered. In short, these 19 little heroes gave their all, and all for naught, for as we know Scott and his men died as well in their attempt to claim the Southern Crown.
Thus “Scott’s Last Expedition” is not only a story of men. It is but another example of that link between mankind and equine-kind that has stretched back 30,000 years. It is a remarkable and heart-moving story of men and horses who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tale to stir the heart!,
By
This review is from: SCOTT\'S LAST EXPEDITION (Hardcover)
This is a fascinating book, telling the story of Scott's expedition to the South Pole, 1910-1912. The book comprises extracts from Scott's journals and therefore sets out the narrative as it happened, as each event was encountered. The book provides an annotated map inside front and back covers that plots each day's journey and lists all the men on the expedition with their rank and nickname where applicable. This detail draws the reader further into the narrative and Scott's writing is concise, factual and never boring. His descriptions of life on Antartica and how well it was borne by his party exactly one hundred years ago are of great interest for us who are used to travel being so easy in the modern world, and it is hard to think of the planning and provisioning that had to be made for such a journey at the turn of the last century. The fact that nature has not changed with time can be seen in the book and Scott's description and surprise at the intelligence of the killer whales they encountered on the ice floe could be a voiceover for a natural history programme. The struggle of the daily marches is equally well described and the reader is carried along on that journey, willing the men to succeed. We share the disappointment of those who were retired from the party that eventually reached the Pole on January 18th 1912 and we share in the disappointment of their discovery that they had been beaten by the Norwegian party of Amundsen by a whole month. Most of all though, we feel the pain and final disappointment as it becomes clear in Scott's journal that the party of five is not going to make it back due to the horrendous weather, low food and fuel supplies and the unwillingness to abandon any members of the party. The loss of Petty Officer Evans shows how quickly a strong man can be brought down by the conditions while Lieutenant Oates' demise is heroically tragic. The last words of Scott himself show the shock and resignation that death was the reward for the ambition of the party and the short chapter detailing how the bodies of the last three men were found brings a fitting closure. Scott's message to the public is reproduced at the end of the book and this, together with the helpful Glossary and photographs scattered throughout, provides a good end to a tremendous story. Scott may not have lived, but he certainly told a tale of `the hardihood, endurance, and courage' of his companions that would stir anyone's heart.
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