Antarctic Scott And Roald Amundsen In Their Attempts Essay Example

the party.

Scott deposited fuel along his route to the Pole for his team to retrieve on their way back, a crucial resource since they had to melt ice to obtain drinkable water. The British used leather washers in their fuel cans, but the cold weather caused the leather to deteriorate and the fuel to evaporate. This issue had already occurred during the 1901 Discovery expedition, but Scott did not learn from it. Therefore, when he tried to collect the fuel on his return journey, the cans were only partially filled.” (Barrett, 2000, p3)

Amundsen opted for watertight bungs instead of inefficient leather washers to prevent fuel evaporation. Additionally, he prepared for the expedition by conditioning his body to extreme cold since his childhood dreams of an adventurous life. Even in the harshest Norwegian winters, Amundsen would sleep with open windows. Conversely, Scott, who was born and raised in Britain, never experienced the severe weather conditions of Norway. As a result, his body was less adapted to polar temperatures compared to Amundsen (Booth, 2007, p.136).

During his expedition to Antarctica, it can be said that Scott turned to religion for guidance. Coming from a poor family, Scott was introduced to the Christian faith by his deeply devout mother Hannah. Throughout his voyage, he dedicated time each day to reading the Bible. In a letter to his mother, Scott mentioned reading the church service every Sunday on their way to Melbourne, and expressed his intention to continue this practice regularly throughout the voyage (Booth, 2007, p.137). Additionally, Scott's own unstable personality may have influenced the outcome of the expedition. His wife Kathleen described him as experiencing periods of euphoria

as well as anxiety and depression (Walters, 2002, p.6). Huntford, who was part of the expedition with Scott, made a similar observation, stating that emergencies exacerbated his mood swings and heightened his already tense nerves (Walters, 2002, p.6). In contrast, Amundsen focused more on scientific understanding and rationality, which helped him maintain control over his mind and conquer the harsh environmental conditions.

Both Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen took similar approaches to mapping their journey. They recognized the imprudence of attempting to travel the entire distance from England or Norway to the South Pole in one stretch. Instead, they first sailed thousands of miles to New Zealand and then continued on from there to reach their ultimate destination. In November of 1910, Scott and his team set off from New Zealand, while Amundsen originally planned to go to the Arctic but changed his mind at the last minute to head south. Despite this moment of indecisiveness, Amundsen's extensive experience navigating the seas and icy environments proved invaluable throughout the expedition.

(Source: The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2009)

Robert Scott’s meticulous planning is evident in his thoughtful selection of staff members for different parts of the journey. His team included experienced seafarers and adventurers such as Captain Lawrence Oates (known as Titus), Dr Edward Wilson, Lieutenant Henry ‘Birdie’ Bowers, and Petty Officer Edgar ‘Taff’ Evans, who had previously accompanied Scott on an expedition (Geographical, 2000, p.91). However, despite Scott's careful planning, the elements were harsh to him and his party in the early weeks of January 1912. Meteorologists have observed that the Antarctic weather in 1912 was remarkably severe, with temperatures twice as cold as usual. This exposed the party

to frostbite, difficult skiing conditions due to abrasive snow, and a lack of wind to assist with their sledges (The Mail on Sunday, 2005, p.54).

The Scott expedition encountered various obstacles in the Antarctic, stemming from their lack of understanding of the local conditions and their inability to overcome navigation challenges. Their first setback arose from the inefficiency of the mechanical sledges they obtained for inland travel. Likewise, the horses they brought along to pull the sleds were unable to maneuver through the deep snow and had to be euthanized. Additionally, they faced other difficulties due to their ignorance.

"While Amundsen relied on dogs to transport his personnel and provisions across the icy terrains, Scott perceived this method as something not typically British. His team never grasped the knack of handling sled dogs, nor did they have any desire to acquire such skills, particularly after their prior encounter on Scott’s previous expedition. The fact of the matter was that the British were novices in the art of dog-driving, whereas the Norwegians were the experts. Hence, when the horses perished, the expedition members themselves had to take charge of manning the sledges." (Geographical, 2000, p.91)

In the end, Robert Scott's critical mistake was bringing five men on the final part of their journey when he only had enough supplies for four. The harsh weather, difficult terrain, and lack of food and fuel all contributed to the premature deaths of Robert Scott and his team as they attempted to return home.

References

Anthony, J. (2009). The Heartless Immensity. The Virginia Quarterly Review, 85(2), 66+.

Barrett, M. (2000, October). South: The Race to the Pole. History Today, 50, 3.

Booth, A. (2007). "Mr. Ramsay, Robert

Falcon Scott and Heroic Death." Mosaic (Winnipeg), 40(4), 135+.

Amundsen, Roald. (2009). New York: Columbia University Press. In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed.).

Ill-Fated Expedition Made Scott a Hero (2004, 16).

Late, Great Geographers. (2000, April). Geographical, 72, 91.

Ryan, S. (2001). Douglas R G Sellick, Antarctica: First Impressions 1773-1930. Journal of Australian Studies, (71), 126+.

'To My Widow, We Are in a Very Tight Corner.'; Revealed in Full the Moving and Truly Humbling Letters Captain Scott Wrote to His Beloved Wife and Son from His Doomed Antarctic Expedition. (2007, January 11). The Daily Mail (London, England), p. 15.

Walters, C. (2002, December 20). Eerie Beauty, Fatal Lure of Antarctica. The Washington Times, p. 6.

Text: "Why Self-Pity Cut No Ice with Scott. (2005, December 18). The Mail on Sunday (London, England), p. 54."