Havergal College - Magazine Yearbook (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada)

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Havergal College Magazine scientific data concerning conditions existing in that part of the world. With him went the best-equipped of expeditions — every- thing, from men to dogs, being absolutely complete. The whole party sailed on the Terra Nova 7 which was to be their home for the first stage of the journey. Prospects were bright when first the ship was left, and par- ties consisting of four or five men were despatched in several direc- tions with special orders as to their various duties. The polar party, however, composed of Captain Scott, Dr. Wilson, Captain Oates, Lieutenant Bower and Seaman Evans, had not long left their comrades before they began to battle with difficulties. As the dogs, then almost invaluable to them, had been divided am ong the other little companies, the commander and those with him were forced to draw their own sledges ; thus the work was made very tiring for each one and progress was considerably delayed. Neverthe- less, in sjDite of this and many other drawbacks, they pressed on, brave and hopeful, little suspecting what was to greet them at their destination. What must have been their disappointment when they finally reached the goal to find the flag of Norway floating defiantly from the spot which they had sought ! It is not difficult to imagine their feelings as they regarded it ; but, from what we know of our great British nation, those feelings would be far from bitter. Regretful, of course, but with congratu- lations for the victorious Norsemen and a gladness that it should be men of such a race who triumphed — men who, like themselves, would have known the manner in which to take defeat, known how to play the game. However, although Captain Scott thus failed to realize one part of his quest, he was signally successful as far as the other was concerned, inasmuch as his valuable manuscripts were found in- tact by the search party. The return journey was one long period of suffering, fighting against the merciless blizzard, trying to make supplies last them out and endeavouring to help one another in every possible way. The unselfishness of the other men when Seaman Evans suffered concussion of the brain; the way in which they cared for him, never leaving him even though he was a hindrance to their pro- gress, will always be remembered. They knew that they were certainly courting death by remaining with him, and it is this that makes the deed so noble ; but, in spite of everything they could do, he died and the four weak and shaken men pushed on to fight the remainder of their battles. On the seventeenth of March, after the world had received the news of Amundsen ' s victory, Captain Oates, suffering beyond human endurance, went out into the night to die alone. Scott 38

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Havergal College Magazine sport — that is, dog-sleigh racing; and they thoroughly enjoy it, especially when it ends in a fight. All kinds of dogs take part, from terriers to deerhonnds, bulldogs and St. Bernards. It is very difficult to get the dogs started fairly, as they always want to go, or else fight. Their masters stay at the side of the track and encourage them. Each dog has a harness with a light sleigh attached, and a small boy (or sometimes girl) has to sit on the sleigh or hang on. The driver, as they call him, has to be on the sleigh when the dog finishes. It is great fun for the spectators. Curling is somehow always thought of as an old man ' s game ; but, nevertheless, it takes great skill. It is the national game of Scotland, as cricket is of England or lacrosse of Canada, and al- most every Scotchman plays. They have no separate curling rink in Nelson, but flood part of the exhibition building, which does quite as well. For those who wish to combine pleasure with profit there can be found plenty of both in trapping. All kinds of valuable fur- bearing animals are numerous, and good hunting may be found almost anywhere. There are lynx, wolves, coyotes, bears, deer, marten, mink, mnskrats, weasels or ermine, wolverines, cougars, fishers, otters, and beavers. A favorite sport with the boys is snowballing the Yellow Peril, especially if he is loaded down with bags of washing. The Chinaman in Nelson has a lovely time all the year round: in winter, snowballs ; in summer, bad eggs and rotten tomatoes. The sportsmen of Nelson have just found out what sport does for the peo ple in general, and have formed a Sports Club. Each man who is an adept over the others in any one branch has volun- tarily consented to teach what he knows to anyone who wants to learn. Everyone in the district is taking a great interest in it, and as it is for both summer and winter sports, Nelson will per- haps send some contestants to the next Olympic Games. — Amy Ebbutt, Form VI. CAPTAIN SCOTT Twice within one short year the world has been horrified by the news of a terrible disaster: first, by the sinking of that splen- did sea-palace, the Titanic, and now by the heartbreaking news that the expedition of our Antarctic explorers has been dark- ened by the loss of its brave commander and four of his best men. It was early in 1910 that Scott, one of the most famous Ant- arctic explorers, left New Zealand for the polar regions with a twofold object in view: to discover the South Pole and to collect 37

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Havergal College Magazine himself wrote: We knew that Oates was walking to his death, but, though we tried to dissuade him, we knew that it was the act of a brave man and an English gentleman ; and who can truth- fully say otherwise ? His name will be remembered forever by the English and will add glory to the honour of his race. There is no need to dwell on that last and greatest tragedy of all — the death of the dauntless explorer and his two remaining comrades as they lay, far away from all they held most dear, in a poor bit of shelter while the blizzard roared and raged about them. Captain Scott ' s death is a remarkable one. It is wonderful to think that, with all his pain and suffering, he still managed to complete the record of one of the most perilous journeys ever undertaken by man. Xo complaining, no bitterness is contained in its pages ; not a word against the will of Providence, to which they bowed themselves like men, determined to do our best to the last. Innumerable tributes have been paid to the heroic little band, and these have helped to make us realize that, after all, we could have wished them no more noble, splendid death than was theirs. To our list of heroes we add Oates, Wilson, Bowers, Evans, and greater, perhaps, than any — Robert Falcon Scott. He died, and bitter was his death, but we, E ' en while we mourn o ' er Death, see Victory. Gebtrude A. Steele, Upper V. EVENING The sun is setting in the golden West, The ruddy glow spreads o ' er the azure dome; The crow and sparrow hurrying seek their nest, And parting leave the fields for owls to roam. The whip-poor-will sets up his plaintive cry, The dormouse scurries quickly to and fro, The cricket chants his ode in accents high, The wind in whispers tells a tale you know. The silver moon is rising in the sky, The evening star is twinkling through the gloom, The farmhouse lights shine brightly in and out, And straying cattle turn their heads to home. And yet another summer day is spent, The stillness of a summer night creeps on, The vivid lightning flashes through the dusk. And thunder heralds the approaching storm. Stella Mozley, Lower Y. 39