Free An Unsung Hero: Tom Crean - Antarctic Survivor by Michael Smith Page A

prospect of a third winter in the South. As a result, he ordered all sledging trips to be completed by mid-December so that each and every man would be available for the essential work of breaking
Discovery
out of its captivity. A third year of captivity was too much to contemplate.

    In mid-September Crean was in Barne’s party to lay a depot to the southeast of White Island on the Barrier, which was very early in the season and left the men highly vulnerable to severe weather. In the event, the conditions were worse than anyone imagined and the party suffered badly.

    The six man team – Barne, Lt Mulock (who had replaced Shackleton), Quartley, Smythe, Joyce and Crean – met temperatures of –40 °F (–40 °C) as soon as they left the ship and conditions deteriorated badly as they made painfully slow progress dragging their sledges onto the Barrier. As conditions worsened, it was evident that the harsh lessons of the previous year, particularly the suffering endured by Scott’s ‘furthest south’ party, had not been fully learned.

    Temperatures plunged to more than 100° of frost and one member of the party was lucky to survive without losing some toes. Scott pointed out that a mere tent and sleeping bag had never before afforded protection to men in such extreme circumstances. He recounted the harrowing tale in his diary:

    ‘The temperature was well below –40° when they left the ship; it dropped to –50 °F (–45 °C) as they reached the corner of White Island and a little beyond to –60°; but even at this it did not stop, but continued falling until it reached and passed –65°.

    At –67.7 °F (–55 °C) the spirit column of the thermometer broke and they found it impossible to get it to unite again; we shall never know exactly, therefore, what degree of cold this party actually faced but Barne, allowing for the broken column, is sure that it was below –70°.

    Joyce was the only one who suffered seriously from these terribly severe conditions. After his features had been frostbitten several times individually, they all went together and he was seen with his whole face quite white. Though, of course, it is in a very bad state now, thecirculation was restored in it at the time without much difficulty; but worse was to follow, for on the march he announced that one of his feet was gone and, having pitched the tents, Barne examined it, and found that it was white to the ankle. It was quite an hour before they could get any signs of life in it, and this was only accomplished by the officers taking it in turns to nurse the frozen member in their breasts.

    All the party, and especially the owner of the frozen foot, seem to regard this incident an excellent jest; but for my part I would be slow to see a joke when I had a frostbitten foot myself, or even when I had to undo my garments in a temperature of –70° to nurse someone else’s. It appears that those who were giving the warmth found that they could keep the icy foot in contact with their bodies for nearly ten minutes, but at the end of that time they had to hand it on to the next member of the party; they own that it was not a pleasing sensation, but think that it increased their appetites. However their ministrations have brought Joyce safely back to the ship with his full allowance of toes, which is the main point.’ 9

    Fortunately, the men were out on the Barrier for only eight days. But it had been a harrowing experience and another reminder of the risks. Nevertheless, within days of their return, Crean and his colleagues prepared to launch themselves on a fresh trip to the area around what is now called the Barne Inlet, a little over 200 miles across the Barrier to the south. Once again, though, the weather, driven by a southerly gale, was appalling.

    The party of six left the ship on 6 October and was provisioned for 70 days. In the event, they were out for 69 days which in the context of the poor weather suggests the party cut things