Part 23 (2/2)
”We have now a much better method for cutting up the meat for the hoosh.
Until now we had to take the frozen joints and hack them in pieces with an ice-axe. We have now fixed up an empty biscuit tin on a bamboo tripod over the blubber fire. The small pieces of meat we put in this to thaw: the larger joints hang from the bamboo. In this way they thaw sufficiently in the twenty-four hours to cut up with a knife, and we find this cleaner and more economical.
”We celebrated two special occasions on this month, my wedding day on the 10th, and the anniversary, to use a paradox, of the commissioning of the hut on the 17th, and each time the commissariat officer relaxed his hold to the extent of ten raisons each.
”Levick is saving his biscuit to see how it feels to go without cereals for a week. He also wants to have one real good feed at the end of the week. His idea is that by eating more blubber he will not feel the want of the biscuit very much.”
”July 4.--Southerly wind, with snow, noise of pressure at sea and the ice in the Bay breaking up. Evidently there is wind coming, and the sea ice which has recently formed will go out again like the rest. It is getting rather a serious question as to whether there will be any sea ice for us to get down the coast on. I only hope that to the South of the Drygalski ice tongue, where the south-easterlies are the prevailing winds, we shall find the ice has held. Otherwise it will mean that we shall have to go over the plateau, climbing up by Mount La.r.s.en, and coming down the Ferrar Glacier, and if so we cannot start until November, and the food will be a problem.
”We made a terrible discovery in a hoosh tonight: a penguin's flipper.
Abbott and I prepared the hoosh. I can remember using a flipper to clean the pot with, and in the dark Abbott cannot have seen it when he filled the pot. However, I a.s.sured every one it was a fairly clean flipper, and certainly the hoosh was a good one.”
In this diary are some remarkable entries. Attempts were made to vary the flavour of the ”Hooshes”--one entry is very queer reading: it related how after trying one or two other expedients Levick used a mustard plaster in the pemmican and seal stew. The unanimous decision was that it must have been a linseed poultice, for mustard could not be tasted at all, yet the flavour of linseed was most distinct.
Campbell says that Midwinter Day gave them seasonable weather, pitch dark, with wind and a smothering drift outside. The men awoke early and were so eager and impatient for their full ration on this special occasion that they could not remain in their sleeping-bags, but turned out to cook a ”full hoosh breakfast” for the first time for many weeks--that evening they repeated the hoosh and augmented it by cocoa with sugar in it, then four citric acid and two ginger tabloids. The day concluded with a smoke and a sing-song, a little tobacco having been put by for the event.
Soon after Midwinter Day a heavy snowstorm blocked the igloo entrance completely; in consequence the air became so bad that the primus stove went out and the lights would not burn. The inmates had to dig their way out to avoid being suffocated. This impoverishment of air had already happened through the same cause on other occasions, so the flickering and going out of the lamps warned immediately of danger, and a watch was set.
Normally the chimney would have served, but this itself was buried under the snow until built up afresh.
The winter pa.s.sed in dismal hards.h.i.+p, and even when the rare spells of fine weather occurred the party dare not venture far afield in their meagre, oil-saturated clothing--severe frostbite would have spelt disaster.
What the place must have looked like by moonlight I hate to think; by daylight with suns.h.i.+ne it looked bad enough, but from Levick's description it looked, when the moon was s.h.i.+ning through storm cloud, like an inferno, with its lugubrious ridges, its inky shadows, and wicked ice-gleams. The odd figures of the blubber-smeared, grimy men added the Dante touch.
The sun came back at last, and with it the party's spirits rose considerably; they indulged in bets and jokes at one another's expense.
Browning and d.i.c.kason were undoubtedly the wittiest, and ”the fish supper bet” is worth inclusion. Short said these two started an argument on the name of a certain public-house situate on Portsmouth Hard. One said one name, one argued another, until Dr. Levick was invited to settle the dispute by arbitration, the loser to stand the winner a fish supper.
Eventually Browning was adjudged to be correct, and d.i.c.kason in a fit of generosity shouted, ”All right, old man, and for every fish you eat I'll stand you a quart of beer.” ”Right-o, the only fish I cares for is whitebait,” replied Browning.
Towards the end of the winter, owing to the unusual diet, sickness set in in the shape of enteritis. Browning suffered dreadfully, but always remained cheerful. The ravages of the illness weakened the party sadly, and details are too horrible to write about--suffice it that the party lost control of their organs, a circ.u.mstance that rendered existence in their wintering place a nightmare of privations.
Preparations were made for the party's departure in the spring and the sledges overhauled. A depot of geological specimens was established and marked by a bamboo.
A curious ailment developed itself, which was named ”Igloo Back,” from constant bending in the low-roofed igloo. It was due to the stretching of the ligaments around the spine and was a painful thing for the ”cave-dwellers.”
Campbell and his companions started for Cape Evans on September 30.
Progress was slow and the party weak, but thanks to their grit and to Campbell's splendid leaders.h.i.+p, the Northern Party all got through to the winter quarters alive. Browning had to be carried on the sledge part of the way, but fortunately they picked up one of Griffith-Taylor's depots, and the biscuit found here quite altered Browning's condition.
Poor Campbell was glad to get his party out of the dirt and dark of the igloo, but they were so weak that they could only march a mile from the first day, however the sledging ration contained good foodstuff compared to what they had eaten for weeks previously; and, oh, wise precaution!
Campbell had deposited a small store of spare wind clothing and woollen underclothes against the journey over the sea to Cape Evans. This he issued on leaving that awful ”igloo,” and the luxury of getting into dry, clean clothing after the greasy rags they discarded was indescribable.
For nine months had they worn those dirty garments without change.
The second day homeward at most gave five miles, but although tired out the party were in good spirits ”at leaving the dirt and squalor of the hut behind.” They were making their way south along the coast, sledging over the ”Piedmont.” Shortly after starting, the company were faced with an enormous creva.s.se, but this was safely negotiated by means of a snow bridge ”175 paces across.” Pace gradually lengthened and strengthened, and on 12th October 11 miles was covered, and on camping Erebus and Mount Melbourne were both in sight.
I do not propose to write a description of this journey back, it was not so dangerous as others had been, because seals and Emperor penguins were met with along the route, and so they ran no risk of starving; but they ran a great risk of losing Browning, who caused the doctor the gravest concern. They laboured home, however, and the leader's diary for one Red Letter, and Two Black Letter days must be included here, for they explain themselves:
”October 29.--Turned out at 4.30 a.m. A fine day, but a bank of cloud to the south and a cold westerly wind. A two hours' march brought us to Cape Roberts, where I saw through my gla.s.ses a bamboo stuck on the top of the cape. Leaving the sledges, Priestley and I climbed the cape, when we found a record left by the Western Party last year before they were picked up, and giving their movements, while near by was a depot of provisions they had left behind. We gave such a yell the others ran up the slope at once. It seemed almost too good to be true.
”We found two tins of biscuits, one slightly broached, and a small bag each of raisins, tea, cocoa, b.u.t.ter, and lard.
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