The Worst Journey in the World · Chapter
X: The Polar Journey (Continued) explained
The chapter details the early stages of the polar journey, focusing on the ascent of the Beardmore Glacier.
What happens
The chapter details the early stages of the polar journey, focusing on the ascent of the Beardmore Glacier. The team faces deep snow, crevasses, and delays due to a blizzard, forcing them to begin man-hauling earlier than planned. Scott makes the difficult decision to send some men back, and the narrative highlights the physical and emotional toll of the journey.
Themes in this chapter
Human Endurance and Suffering
The men endure deep snow, crevasses, and physical exhaustion, with constant strain on their bodies and spirits.
Leadership and Decision Making
Scott faces the agonizing decision of selecting which men will continue, balancing team morale with the demands of the journey.
Contrast Between Ambition and Reality
The expedition's grand scientific and exploratory goals are tempered by the harsh realities of weather, terrain, and physical limits.
Characters to notice
- Captain Scott
Scott laments the bad luck of the blizzard and deep snow, and is heartrendingly forced to choose which men will continue.
- Birdie Bowers
Bowers describes the daily struggles with sledges, crevasses, and the joy of tea at lunch; he notes the team's determination to push on despite being behind Shackleton.
- Edward A. Wilson
Wilson is involved in the decision about who should go on, and is noted for his scientific observations of the glacier.
- Titus Oates
Oates is considered for the final polar party; Wilson thinks he will be more helpful than Cherry-Garrard.
- Apsley Cherry-Garrard
Cherry-Garrard records the emotional moment when Scott tells him he may not go on, and describes the difficult conditions on the glacier.
- Edgar Evans
Evans is part of Scott's team pulling the sledge, and his special knowledge as a seaman is noted as needed for rebuilding sledges.
Key passages
“The Southern Journey involves the most important object of the Expedition. … One cannot affect to be blind to the situation: the scientific public, as well as the more general public, will gauge the result of the scientific work of the Expedition largely in accordance with the success or failure of the main object.”
The success of the entire expedition will be judged by whether they reach the South Pole, overshadowing all other scientific work.
Scott emphasizes the pressure to achieve the primary goal of reaching the pole.
“I dreaded this necessity of choosing—nothing could be more heartrending.”
Scott found the decision of which men to send back to be emotionally devastating.
Scott's diary entry captures the emotional toll of leadership.
“We had to go over dozens by hopping right on to the bridge and then over on to the ice. It is a bit of a jar when it gives way under you, but the friendly harness is made to trust one’s life to.”
Crossing crevasses required jumping onto snow bridges, which sometimes collapsed, but the harness kept them safe.
Cherry-Garrard describes the dangerous but routine crossing of crevasses.