A First Rate Tragedy by Diana Preston

Author:Diana Preston [Preston, Diana]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781780330815
Publisher: Constable & Robinson

Ponting wanted to obtain ‘a moving-picture film showing the bow of the Terra Nova cleaving the ice-floes’. He clambered onto some overhanging planks rigged up by the crew and filmed one of his most dramatic sequences. Nine months later Kathleen Scott would watch it at the Gaumont cinema in London.

Despite the delay and uncertainty, the ice floes did at least provide an opportunity for ski practice ‘or in current parlance (à la Gran) to go “mit dee shee op”,’ as Griffith Taylor described with some mirth. Tryggve Gran marshalled his slithering, tottering companions and demonstrated how to use two ski sticks, rather than the one which until recently had been customary. Not everyone was enthusiastic. Petty Officer Evans referred darkly to the skis as ‘planks’. However, officers, scientists and seamen were soon hurtling about. Griffith Taylor recorded: ‘We learned from Gran that a knock-kneed man has the advantage in ski-ing; at any rate we had to keep our knees together to counteract a tendency of the ski to spread.’

Christmas Eve brought about the usual high jinks which Cherry-Garrard recorded:

Jane [Atkinson] and Soldier [Oates] entered the mate’s cabin and said that they did not want to use force, but they wanted the return of twenty matches which he had taken from the Eastern Party. There was such a fight that afterwards Campbell was hanging over the side feeling very sick! Titus dragged all Bill’s clothes off and Bill burst naked into the wardroom dragging Titus along on his back.6

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