nth's provisions, and the prospect of
success seems good, provided that the weather holds and no unforeseen
obstacles arise."

Scott and his companions successfully attained the object of their
journey. They reached the South Pole on 17th January only to find that
they had been forestalled by others! And it is remarkable to note that
so correct were their observations, the two parties located the Pole
within half a mile of one another.

Scott's return journey ended disastrously. Blinding blizzards
prevented rapid progress; food and fuel ran short; still the weakened
men struggled bravely forward till, within a few miles of a depot of
supplies, death overtook them.

Scott's last message can never be forgotten. "I do not regret this
journey which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardship, help one
another, and meet death with as great fortitude as ever in the past....
Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood,
endurance, and courage of my companions which would have stirred the
heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must
tell the tale; but surely, surely, a great, rich country like ours
will see that those who are dependent upon us are properly provided
for."

It was on 14th December 1911 that Captain Amundsen had reached the
Pole. A Norwegian, fired by the example of his fellow-countryman,
Nansen, Amundsen had long been interested in both Arctic and Antarctic
exploration. In a ship of only forty-eight tons, he had, with six others,
made a survey of the North Magnetic Pole, sailed through the Behring
Strait, and accomplished the North-West Passage, for which he was
awarded the Royal Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. On his
return he planned an expedition to the North Pole. He had made known
his scheme, and, duly equipped for North Polar expedition in Nansen's
little _Fram_, Amundsen started. Suddenly the world rang with the news
that Peary had discovered the North Pole, and that Amundsen had turned
his prow southwards and was determined to make a dash for the South
Pole. Landing in Whales Bay some four hundred miles to the east of
Scott's winter quarters, his first visitors were the Englishmen on
board the _Terra Nova_, who were taking their ship to New Zealand for
the winter.

Making a hut on the shore, Amundsen had actually started on his journey
to the Pole before Scott heard of his arrival.

"I am fully alive to the complication in the situation arisin