RECOVERED HISTORY

ANTARCTIC EXPLORER SCOTT'S FINAL LETTERS

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY - Robert Falcon Scott's last letters have been
given to the University by the descendants of the famous explorer. The
collection also includes messages sent by his wife and his young son,
who was just learning to write at the time of his father's doomed
expedition to the South Pole.

Three-year-old Peter sent two messages to his father as he and his
mother, Kathleen, anxiously awaited news of Scott's return in 1912. One
says: "Dear Daddy I am going to be a drummer" and the other simply "I
love you". Tragically the little boy's letters never reached his father
- Scott and his fellow-explorers had already succumbed to extreme
frostbite, malnutrition and exhaustion as they fought their way across
the Antarctic.

For the first time, scholars and members of the public will also be able
to examine Scott's own, deeply moving final letter home. Dated March
1912 and addressed "To my widow", the document was found in his tent
when the team's bodies were recovered in 1913.

Scott wrote it on scraps of his journal over a period of days as he and
his companions tried to battle their way back from the Pole in blizzard
conditions and unimaginable cold. At the start of 1912 they had arrived
at the Pole only to discover that the Norwegian explorer, Roald
Amundsen, had beaten them to it by a month.

As they began the long and demoralizing journey back, the weather set
in. . . Scott and his remaining two companions were just 11 miles short
of their supply depot when they finally perished. . .

THE LETTERS

To my widow:

Dearest Darling - we are in a very tight corner and I have doubts of
pulling through - In our short lunch hours I take advantage of a very
small measure of warmth to write letters preparatory to a possible end -
the first is naturally to you on whom my thought mostly dwell waking or
sleeping - if anything happens to me I shall like you to know how much
you have meant to me and that pleasant recollections are with me as I
depart - I should like you to take what comfort you can from these facts
also - I shall not have suffered any pain but leave the world fresh from
harness and full of good health and vigour - this is dictated already,
when provisions come to an end we simply stop where we are within easy
distance of another depot. Therefore you must not imagine a great
tragedy - we are very anxious of course and have been for weeks but on
splendid physical condition and our appetites compensate for all
discomfort. The cold is biting and sometimes angering but here again the
hot food which drives it forth is so wonderfully enjoyable that we would
scarcely be without it.

We have gone down hill a good deal since I wrote the above. Poor Titus
Oates has gone - he was in a bad state - the rest of us keep going and
imagine we have a chance to get through but the cold weather doesn't let
up at all - we are now only 20 miles from a depot but we have very
little food or fuel

Well dear heart I want you to take the whole thing very sensibly as I am
sure you will - the boy will be your comfort I had looked forward to
helping you to bring him up but it is a satisfaction to feel that he is
safe with you. I think both he and you ought to be specially looked
after by the country for which after all we have given our lives with
something of spirit which makes for example - I am writing letters on
this point in the end of this book after this. Will you send them to
their various destinations?

I must write a little letter for the boy if time can be found to be read
when he grows up - dearest that you know cherish no sentimental rubbish
about re marriage - when the right man comes to help you in life you
ought to be your happy self again - I hope I shall be a good memory
certainly the end is nothing for you to be ashamed of and I like to
think that the boy will have a good start in parentage of which he may
be proud.

Dear it is not easy to write because of the cold - 70 degrees below zero
and nothing but the shelter of our tent - you know I have loved you, you
know my thoughts must have constantly dwelt on you and oh dear me you
must know that quite the worst aspect of this situation is the thought
that I shall not see you again - The inevitable must be faced - you
urged me to be leader of this party and I know you felt it would be
dangerous - I've taken my place throughout, haven't I? God bless you my
own darling I shall try and write more later - I go on across the back
pages

Since writing the above we have got to within 11 miles of our depot with
one hot meal and two days cold food and we should have got through but
have been held for four days by a frightful storm - I think the best
chance has gone we have decided not to kill ourselves but to fight it to
the last for that depot but in the fighting there is a painless end so
don't worry. I have written letters on odd pages of this book - will you
manage to get them sent? You see I am anxious for you and the boy's
future - make the boy interested in natural history if you can, it is
better than games - they encourage it at some schools - I know you will
keep him out in the open air - try and make him believe in a God, it is
comforting. Oh my dear my dear what dreams I have had of his future and
yet oh my girl I know you will face it stoically - your portrait and the
boy's will be found in my breast and the one in the little red Morocco
case given by Lady Baxter - There is a piece of the Union flag I put up
at the South Pole in my private kit bag together with Amundsen's black
flag and other trifles - give a small piece of the Union flag to the
King and a small piece to Queen Alexandra and keep the rest a poor
trophy for you! - What lots and lots I could tell you of this journey.
How much better it has been than lounging in comfort at home - what
tales you would have for the boy but oh what a price to pay - to forfeit
the sight of your dear dear face - Dear you will be good to the old
mother. I write her a little line in this book. Also keep in with Ettie
and the others- oh but you'll put on a strong face for the world - only
don't be too proud to accept help for the boys sake - he ought to have a
fine career and do something in the world. I haven't time to write to
Sir Clements - tell him I thought much of him and never regretted him
putting me in command of the Discovery.

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2007010902

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