Go to the South Pole of the Earth

South Pole was a no less interesting to researchers than the North, for several decades, first whalers, and then the scientists reached the southern polar islands, get to the foreshore and in the end found that under heavy ice cover hidden sixth continent - Antarctica. However, only in 1899 for the first time decided to spend the winter people - it was the Norwegian Carsten Borchgrevink. Since then the South Pole has become the "top", which was to conquer the brave, but all their attempts ended in failure due to an unusually harsh climate and imperfect equipment. Only in 1911 the goal was achieved as a result of the dramatic rivalry between the two groups of brave explorers. October 19 Norwegian Roald Amundsen (sometimes his name written as Ruald) with four companions set off the dog sled, taking the 52 husky, and without too much difficulty got to ski to the North Pole. This happened on 15-17 December 1911 And January 25 qjj already returned back to the original base. A similar attempt made the Englishman Robert Falcon Scott. The first time he approached the coast of Antarctica in 1902 on the ship "Discovery". Members of the expedition landed on the island at the foot of the volcano Terror, and then climbed to the top of it. Then the "Discovery" reached the extreme southern point, and Scott himself went on tethered balloon. Glacier interested him as a possible way to the pole. England met the conquerors with indescribable enthusiasm. And Scott began a thorough preparation to conquer the South Pole. He goes to Antarctica in the same year as the Amundsen. He has three mototyagacha, 19 dwarf hardy Manchurian ponies and 35 sled dogs. But one tractor sank during unloading and in the fall and winter, for various reasons, 9 horses killed and a dozen dogs. Squad set off on Nov. 1, 1911. It seemed that everything Scott has calculated and provided for. But every day in his diary appear anxious tone. And with each passing day it became harder and harder. Only on January 17, Scott reached the South Pole. But no joy. He wrote in his diary: "Pole! .. Great God! What is this horrible place, and what are we to understand that behind all the work we are not rewarded with even the consciousness that have come here first! "In that day, when Scott wrote these lines, Amundsen had already completed the reverse route. A group of Scott remained only four: Edgar Evans, Henry Bowers, Edward Wilson and myself, Robert Scott. But they are very sick, weak and full of disappointment. No hope of rescue. The last entry in his diary Scott says: "Thursday, March 29. From 21 th day of continuous raging storm. Every day, we were ready to go (to the warehouse just 11 miles), but you can not get out of the tent, so bears and turns the snow. I do not think that we could now still in hope for something. Endure to the end. We, of course, all falter and end can not be far off. Sorry, but I do not think that I was able to still write. " Below - the signature, the handwriting appears to have not changed, "R. Scott ... Eight months later, a rescue party found the tent, almost covered with snow. Dr. Wilson and Lieutenant Bowers lying in sleeping bags. Scott apparently died later - sleeping bag wide open, hand thrown across the body Wil-Thomson. Three notebooks lay beneath his shoulders ...