South with Scott | Page 9

we had an excellent view of South West Bay
and saw a fine lot of rollers breaking on the beach. I was glad we kept
there that day, as, in my opinion, our anchorage was really the only fair
one off the island. By noon on the 29th we had left South Trinidad out
of sight, the wind had freshened again and we could almost lay our
course under sail for the Cape. This next stage of the voyage was
merely a story of hard winds and heavy rolls. The ship leaked less as
she used up the coal and patent fuel. All the same we spent many hours
at the pump, but, since much of the pumping was done by the
afterguard--as were called the officers and scientists we developed and
hardened our muscles finely. In the daytime the afterguard were never
idle; there is always plenty to do in a sailing ship, and when not
attending to their special duties the scientists were kept working at
everything that helped the show along. Whilst on deck they were
strictly disciplined and subordinate and respectful to the ship's
executive officers, while in the wardroom they fought these same
officers in a friendly way for every harsh word and every job they had
had imposed on them.
Campbell was a fine seaman; he was respected and admired by such
people as Oates and Atkinson, who willingly pocketed their pride and
allowed themselves to be hustled round equally with the youngest
seaman on board. The Wicked Mate generally had all the afterguard
under the hose before breakfast, as washing water was scarce and the
allowance meagre on such a protracted voyage.
In the hotter weather we nearly all slept on deck, the space on top of the
ice-house and in the boats being favourite billets. There was no privacy
in the ship and only the officers of watches and lookout men were ever
left with their thoughts. One or two of the younger members confessed
to being home-sick, for the voyage was long and it was not at all
certain that we should all win back to "England, home, and beauty."

Those who were not sailor men soon acquired the habit of the sea,
growing accustomed to meeting fair and foul weather with an equally
good face, rejoicing with us sailor men at a fair wind and full sail and
standing by top-gallant and topsail halyards when the prospects were
more leaden coloured and the barometer falling. We numbered about
forty now, which meant heaps of beef to haul on ropes and plenty of
trimmers to shift the coal from the hold to the bunkers. One or two
were always stoking side by side with the firemen, and in this fashion
officers, seamen, and scientific staff cemented a greater friendship and
respect for one another.
On August 7, after drinking to absent friends, Oates, Atkinson, and
Gran, "the three midshipmen" were confirmed in their rank and a ship's
biscuit broken on the head of each in accordance with gunroom practice,
and after this day, during good and bad weather, these three kept
regular watch with the seamen, going aloft, steering, and taking all the
usual duties in their turn.
From the start Pennell, who was to relieve me in command of the ship
on her arrival at the Antarctic base, showed an astounding knowledge
of birds, and Wilson took the keenest interest in teaching him about
bird-life in the Great Southern ocean and giving him a preliminary idea
of the bird types to be met with in Antarctica.
Reflecting back to these days one sees how well we all knitted into the
places we were to fill, because a long sea-voyage searches out hidden
qualities and defects, not that there were many of the latter, still one
man developed lung trouble and another had a strained heart. One of
these, to our great regret, was forced to leave the expedition before the
ship went south, while the other had to be ruled out of the shore
party--an awful disappointment to them both.
We reached Simon's Town on August 15, and here the Naval
authorities gave us every assistance, lent us working parties and made
good our long defect list. We were disappointed on arriving to find that
Captain Scott was away in Pretoria, but he succeeded in obtaining a
grant of 500 pounds from the South African Government and raised
another 500 pounds by private subscription. When Captain Scott came

amongst us again he wrote of the "Terra Nova" party that we were all
very pleased with the ship and very pleased with ourselves, describing
our state of happiness and overflowing enthusiasm exactly.
Those who could be spared were given leave here; some of us went
up-country for a few days and had a