Chapter 4 Food Depots

　　The two ships，Terra Nova and fram，arrived in Antarctica，in January 1911，at the end of summer．The Englishmen and the Norwegians wanted to stay on the ice all winter．They wanted to be ready to go to the South Pole at the beglnning of the next Antarctic summer．

　　The dogs pulled the Norwegians'sledges．They ran quickly over the snow and pulled the big sledges from the ship onto the ice．The men ran beside them on skis．

　　They put a big wooden house on the ice．The house was full of food，and skis，and sledges．They called it Framheim．Out-side the house，the dogs lived in holes under the snow．When the house was ready，the men made their first journey south．

　　Before the winter，they wanted to take a lot of food south，and leave it in depots．For the long journey to the Pole，they needed a lot of food，and they couldn't carry it all with them．On February 10th，five men，three sledges，eighteen dogs，and half a tonne of food left Framheim and went south．

　　It was easy．The weather was warm for the Antarctic，be-tween—7°Centigrade and—17°Centigrade．The snow was good，and the dogs and skis went fast．They went fifty or sixty kilometres every day．After four days they reached 80°South，and made the first depot．

　　Amundsen made his depot very carefully．It was very im-portant to find it again，next summer．So he put a big black flag on top．Then he put ten flags to the east of the depot—each flag half a kilometre from the next—and ten flags to the west．So there were flags for five kilometres to the left of the depot，and five kilometres to the right．

　　Then they went back to Framheim，and took some more food south，this time to 82°South．

　　This time it was harder．The temperature was sometimes －40°Centigrade，and there were strong winds with a lot of snow．The dogs and men were very tired，and the tents and boots were bad．At the second depot，they put out sixty flags，to help them find it again．

　　They came back to Framheim on March 23rd．It was nearly winter in the Antarctic．Their ship Fram was far away now，near South America．They were alone on the ice．

　　* * * * *

　　Oates went with Scott to make the first British depot．They left Cape Evans on January 25th．There were thirteen men，eight ponies，and twenty-six dogs．The dogs were faster than the ponies—they ran quickly over the top of the snow，but the ponies'feet went through it．Every morning the ponies started first，and the dogs started two hours later，because they ran faster．At night，the dogs made warm holes under the snow，but the ponies stood on top of the snow．It was －20°Centigrade．

　　After fifteen days Oates talked to Scott．There was a strong wind，and the two men's faces were white with snow．

　　'Three of these ponies are ill，Captain，'Oates said．'They can't go on．'

　　'Don't be stupid，Oates，'Scott answered．'They're good strong animals—the best ponies on earth．'

　　'Not these three，'Oates said．'They're ill，and unhappy，and now they can't walk．Let's kill them，and leave the meat here，in the snow．We can eat it，or the dogs can．'

　　'Of course not！'Scott said angrily．'These ponies are our friends，they work hard for us．I don't kill my friends！'

　　Three days later，two of the ponies were dead．

　　Scott's men were slower than Amundsen's；it took them twenty-four days to get to 80°South．They made a big depot there，and put one large black flag on top of it．Then they went back to Cape Evans．

　　Their camp was on an island in the ice，and the sea ice moved sometimes．There were holes in the ice，and black sea water under it．One day seven ponies went through the ice into the sea，and died．One motor sledge also went into the sea．

　　4 食品贮藏屋

　　两艘船，特若·诺瓦号与弗雷门号都抵达南极洲，时间为1911年1月，夏末。英国人与挪威人均想在这冰封的天地里度过整个冬天。他们都想做好准备工作，以求这儿第二年夏天刚开始时能向南极进军。

　　群狗拉着挪威人的雪橇，在雪地上高速奔跑，将从船上卸下来的大雪橇拉到了冰封世界。众人踩着滑雪板滑行在一旁。

　　他们在冰封世界上建起一座大木屋。屋子里堆满了食品、滑雪板以及雪橇。他们将这木屋称作弗雷门海姆。木屋外，群狗住在雪下挖出的狗洞里。当木屋准备就绪时，他们开始了首次南行征途。

　　在冬天来临之前，他们打算向南方运出许多食物，并将食物放到各个贮藏屋里。因为在奔赴南极的漫长旅程中，他们需要许多食物。他们不可能随身带着所有的食物！2月10日，5个人、3辆雪橇、18条狗、以及半吨食物离开了弗雷门海姆，向南而去。

　　事情进行得颇为顺利。此时的南极气候相对来说还算暖和，介于－7℃与－17℃之间。雪地质量不错，狗与雪橇都跑得不慢，每天能走五六十公里。4天之后，他们到达南纬80°的地方，建立了第一个贮藏屋。

　　阿蒙森非常精心地修建他的贮藏屋。明年夏天需要再度找到它，这点特别重要。所以，他在贮藏屋顶上插上一面黑旗。随后他在贮藏屋的东边插上10面旗帜：每半公里插一面；在贮藏屋西边也插上10面旗帜。所以，从贮藏屋向左延伸5公里，见得着旗帜；向右延伸5公里，也看得见旗帜。

　　随后，他们返回弗雷门海姆，带上更多的食品后，再度南行。这次抵达了南纬82°的地方。

　　这次旅程辛苦多了。温度有时低达－40℃。寒风凛冽，雪花漫天。人困狗乏，帐篷与靴子也不顶事了。在第二个贮藏屋附近，他们插了60面旗，目的是帮助他们能再次找到它。

　　他们再度回到弗雷门海姆时，已是3月23日。这时南极时近冬天。他们的弗雷门号船早已远驶而去，现在到了南美洲附近。只有他们孤独地留在冰封的天地里。

　　* * * * *

　　奥茨跟随斯科特，前往修建第一座英国人的贮藏屋。他们于1月25日离开了开普埃文斯。一行13人、8匹小马、26条狗。这些狗比小马要快：它们能够在雪地上快速地奔跑，但是马腿却要陷进雪里。每天早晨，都是小马首先出发。2小时后，狗儿们才上路，因为它们奔跑速度快些。夜里，狗躲进挖在雪下面的温暖的洞里，但是小马只能站在雪地上，承受着－20℃的气温。

　　15天后，奥茨向斯科特请示。当时强劲的寒风刮起，两人脸上都沾上一层白雪。

　　“队长，有3匹小马病了，”奥茨说，“走不动了。”

　　“别犯傻了，奥茨，”斯科特回答说，“它们都是强壮的好畜牲，地球上最好的小马。”

　　“这3匹不是，”奥茨说，“它们病歪歪的，无精打采。现在它们根本无法走路。杀了它们吧，将肉留在这儿的雪里。要么我们吃，要么让狗吃。”

　　“绝对不行！”斯科特生气地说，“这些小马是我们的朋友，它们拼命地为我们干活儿。我可不想杀掉自己的朋友！”

　　3天后，其中有2匹小马死了。

　　斯科特的人比阿蒙森的人动作慢。他们花了24天才抵达南纬80”地区。他们在那儿修建了一个大贮藏屋，在棚顶上插了一面大黑旗。然后，他们返回开普埃文斯。