Foreword by Dafila Scott, granddaughter of Captain Robert Falcon Scott:
A hundred years after my grandfather Captain Scott’s last expedition to the Antarctic, it is now possible to assess not only the tragedy of the deaths of the polar party but also the scientific legacy of the expedition, which was considerable. In this book, Tony Riches gives an account of the expedition and its scientific legacy but focuses first on the interesting history of the Terra Nova, the expedition ship, which proved suitable if leaky for its purpose in the Southern Ocean. He also draws attention to letters written by one of the crew members, Captain Scott’s brother-in-law, Wilfred Bruce, which give a first hand account of life on the Terra Nova and include vivid descriptions of different periods during the expedition. These help one to imagine what it was like to be there.
Dafila Scott July 2012
I so admire these Edwardian adventurers, especially the 'Pole' explorers, sounds an interesting read, and I'm looking forward to sampling soon.
ReplyDeleteJulia
Thanks Julia I became totally absorbed in the research for this - and the letters from Wilfred Bruce really bring it to life!
DeleteHello Tony,
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous read. Thank you so much for all the research and the exciting way you put this together. It is definitely not boring.
I cannot imagine being part of the action when the Killer Whales were between the ice and the ship and Ponting was out there with nothing but a camera.
Was suprised to see the name of Francis Drake as crewman, and Dennis Lillee as a biologist.
Rich in information and action and wonderfully told. Sometimes books like this get a bit over absorbed in names and dates - this one did not. Its a great work and I am so glad to have read it.
Look forward to more of your work.
best regards
Lee Patrick