The coldest place on the earth

[coldheart]

Intro

In the summer of 1910, a race began. A race to be the first man at the South Pole, in Antarctica. Robert Falcon Scott, an Englishman, left London in his ship, the Terra Nova, and began the long journey south. Five days later, another ship also began to travel south. And on this ship was Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian.

But Antarctica is the coldest place in earth, and it is a long, hard journey over the ice to the South Pole. Some of the travelers never returned to their homes again.

At the South Pole today there is a building called the Amundsen-Scott Station. Inside the building it is warm and people live and work there both in summer and in winter. Planes fly easily to and from the station, and the rest of the world is only a few hours away. But walk five hundred metres away from the station, and Antarctica is once again the coldest, emptiest place on earth.

In 1911, there were no planes and no buildings at the South Pole. There was nothing. Only snow and ice and wind. There was no British flag, and no Norwegian flag. But across the ice, men were moving slowly south. Scott's men had ponies, and Amundsen's men had dogs and skis. The temperatures were -30 degree Centigrade and worse. The men were tired, hungry, cold… who was going to be the first man at the South Pole?

Inside the Amundsen-Scott Station today, there are some words written on the wall – words that Captain Scott wrote in his diary in 1912:

"Great God! This is an awful place."

This is the true story of Scott and Amundsen, and of one of the most famous and dangerous races in history.

Next: "Chapter one:Two ships."

[coldheart]

Friends!

The reason why I post this topic is not just for fun. So, I hope that you can give some ideas or comments about the story, and what do you learn from the story. I think this just one of several chance for us to practice our Eng. and please do not waste it if you can do something to improve your knowledge. I'll give you some higher level after this story "The coldest place on earth", but just in case you cooperate!

And this is chapter one:"Two Ships." Please show me what you can see, and what you feel!!!

Sincerely yours!

[coldheart]

Chapter 1


Two ships.

The race began in the summer of 1910.

On June 1st, in London, a black ship, the Terra Nova, went down the river Thames to the sea. Thousands of people stood by the river to watch it. They were all excited and happy.

On the Terra Nova, Captain Robert Falcon Scott smiled quietly. It was a very important day for him. He was a strong man, not very tall, in the blue clothes of a captain. He was 41 years old, but he had a young face, like a boy. His eyes were dark and quiet.

On man on the ship, Titus Oates, smiled at Scott.

"What an exciting day, Captain!" he said. "Look at those people! I feel like an important man!"

Scott laughed. "You are important, Titus." He said. "And you're going to be famous, too. We all are. Do you see this flag? He looked at the big British flag at the back of the ship, and smiled at Oates. "That flag is coming with us" he said. "In the Antarctic, I'm going to carry it under my clothes. We're going to be the first man at the South Pole, and that flag is going to be first, too!"

Five days later, on June 6th, a man opened the door at his wooden house in Norway. He was a tall man, with a long face. He waited outside the house for a minute. Everything was very quiet. He could see no houses, only mountains, trees, and water. It was nearly dark. The sky was black over the mountains.

The man smiled, and walked quickly away from the house, down to the sea. In the water, a big wooden ship waited for him. The man got onto the ship, and talked and laughed quietly with his friends.

The ship's name was Fram, and the man was Roald Amundsen. The Fram was the most beautiful ship on earth, Amundsen thought. His friends were the best skiers on earth, too. One of them, Olav Bjaaland, smiled at him.

"North Pole, here we come, Captain." He said.

"Yes." Amundsen said. His friends could not see his face in the dark. "Fram is going to the Arctic."

Everyone on the Fram was ready to go to the North Pole, to the Arctic. Amundsen wanted to go there, too. But first he wanted to go to south. His friends didn't know that.

At midnight on June 6th, the Frame moved quietly away from Amundsen's house, out to sea.

Next: Chapter two: "The race"

[coldheart]

Chapter 2


The Race.

The Fram went to an island in the south of Norway. It was a very little island, with only a small wooden house, two trees – and nearly a hundred dogs.

"Look at that!" Bjaaland said. "It's an island of dogs! There're dogs in the water, near the trees, on the house – dogs everywhere!"

Two men came out of the house. "Hassel! Linstrom!" Amundsen said. "It’s good to see you! How many dogs do you have for me?"

"Ninety-nine, Roald," said Hassel. "The best ninety-nine dogs from Greenland. And they're very happy! They don't work; they just eat and play all day! They're having a wonderful summer here!"

"Good, good." Amundsen laughed. "But that's finished now. Hey, Bjaaland! Stop laughing – come down here and help me. Let's get all these dogs onto the ship!"

It was not easy. The dogs were fat and strong, and they didn't want to go on to the ship. But at fast, after three hours' hard work, all ninety-nine were on the ship, and the Fram went out to the sea again.

The men were not happy. The weather was bad, the dogs were dirty, and some of men were ill. They began to ask questions.

"Why are we bringing dogs with us?" Asked one man, Johansen. "We're going thousands of kilometers south, past Cape Horn, and then north to Alaska. Why not wait, and get dogs in Alaska?"

"Don't ask me," said his friend, Helmer Hanssen, "I don't understand it."

The men talked for a long time. Then, on September 9th, Amundsen called everyone to the back of the ship. He stood quietly and looked at them. Behind him was a big map. It was not a map of Arctic. It was a map of Antarctica.

Bjaaland looked at Helmer Hassen, and laughed. Then Amundsen began to speak.

"Boys", he said. "I know you are unhappy. You often ask me difficult questions, and I don't answer. Well, I'm going to answer all those questions now, today.

"We began to work for this journey two years ago. The, we wanted to be the first men at the North Pole. But last year, Peary, an American, found the North Pole, not Norway. We're going there, but we're too late."

"I don't understand this," Bjaaland thought. "Why is Amundsen talking about the North Pole, with a map of Antarctica behind him?"

Amundsen stopped for a minute, and looked at the men slowly. No one said anything.

"We have to go a long way south before we get to Alaska," he said. "Very near Antarctica, you know. And captain Scott, the Englishman, is going to the South Pole this year. He wants to put his British flag there. An American flag at the North Pole, a British flag at the South Pole."

Bjaaland began to understand. He started to smile and couldn't stop. He was warm and excited.

"Well, boys," Amundsen said slowly. "Do we want the British to put their flag at the South Pole first? How fast can we travel? We have a lot of dogs, and some of the most wonderful skiers on earth – Bjaaland here is the best in Norway! So I have an idea, boys. Let's go to the South Pole, and put the Norwegian flag there before the British! What do you say?"

For a minute or two it was very quiet. Amundsen waited, and the men watched him and thought. Then Bijaaland laughed.

"Yes!" He said. "Why not? It's a ski race, isn't it, and the English can't ski! It's a wonderful; idea, of course! Let's go!"

Next: "Chapter 3: "The ponies.""

[coldheart]

How about the story? Hope you'll give me some comments for each chapter, and may be I'll support you if it's possible!

[khongthatvong]

I'd love to see the whole story,is it possible ?

[coldheart]

I'd love to see the whole story,is it possible ?

Just wait and see, fancuathayloc! I post the story not for you only to read it, but improve your knowledge and your English writing and reading skill. I suggest your comment, and after that, I promise you that I'll post a lot for you to read!

[khongthatvong]

okay,I agree.I have a habit of reading though the work before commenting on it.

[coldheart]

Dear lazies,
I'm so sorry 'cause I didn't sent you the next chapter of the story. I've had a seminar last week, so I have to pay attention for it, and I didn't have time for you then... I'll post the next chapter as soon as possible!

to fancuathayloc: I'm affraid that our ESC members are not patient enough to read through the story like you. So, just wait for the others!

[coldheart]

Sorry for my lateness, and this is the chapter 3! :D

Chapter 3


The ponies.

On October 27th, the Terra Nova arrived in Wellington, New Zealand. When Scott came off the ship, a newspaper man walked up to him.

"Captain Scott! Captain Scott! Can I talk to you, please!" he said.

Scott stopped and smiled. "Yes, of course," he said. "What do you want to know?"

"Are you going to win?" the man asked.

"Win?" Scott asked. "Win what?"

"Win the race to the South Pole, of course," the newspaper man said. " It's a race between you and Amundsen, now. Look at this!" He gave a newspaper to Scott. Scott looked at it. It said:

FRAM RACES SCOTT TO SOUTH POLE
"We're going to win!" says Amundsen

Scott's face went white. "Give me that!" he said. He took the newspaper and read it carefully. The newspaper man watched him, and waited. "Well, Captain Scott," he said at last. "Who's going to win this race? Tell me that!"

Scott looked at him angrily. "This is stupid!" he said. "It's not a race! I came here to learn about the Antarctic – I'm not interested in Amundsen, or his races!" Then he walked back onto his ship, with the newspaper in his hand.

Later that day, he talked to his men. He gave them the newspaper, and laughed.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "We're in front of Amundsen, and we have more men, and more money. He has only eight men, and a lot of dogs. I know about dogs – they don't work on the Antarctic. We have sixteen men and the new motor sledges – they are much better. And tomorrow the ponies are coming, that's all. Forget about Amundsen! He's not important!"

Scott asked Oates to look after the ponies, but he did not let Oates buy them. When Oates first saw the ponies, in New Zealand, he was very unhappy. Most of the ponies were old and some of them are ill.

"They're beautiful ponies, Titus," Scott said. "They come from China – they're wonderful ponies!"

Oates looked at them angrily, and said nothing. Then he asked: "Where's their food, Captain?"

"Here!" Scott opened the door.

Oates looked inside. He thought for a minute. "We need more food than this, Captain Scott! These ponies are going to work in the coldest place on earth – they need a lot of food – more than this!"

Scott smiled quietly. "We can't take more food on this ship, Titus. Where can we put it? But it doesn't matter, old boy. They're very strong ponies, you know. The best ponies on earth."

Later that night, Oates wrote a letter to his mother. There're nineteen ponies on the Terra Nova now, he wrote. All the ponies are in a small room at the front of the ship. We eat our food in the room under the ponies, so our table is often wet and dirty. Scott makes a lot of mistake, I think, and Antarctica is a very dangerous place.

Next: "Chapter 4:Food Depots.""

[coldheart]

So, Scott's men had ponies, and Amundsen's men had dogs and skis... Who will be the winner in this race? History answered, it's sure. But, the question I wanna ask today is: "There was some mistakes, let's analyse the mistakes of our captains and see what do we learn from the others fail?"

[coldheart]

Chapter 4




Food Depots.



The two ships, Terra Nova and Fram, arrived in Antarctica, in January 1911, at the end of the 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 beginning of the next Antarctic summer.



The dogs pulled the Norwegian's 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. Outside 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 need 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 tones of food left Framheim and went south.



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



Amundsen made his depot very carefully. It was very important 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 degree South.



This time it was harder. The temperature was sometimes -40 degree 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 23 rd. 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 British depot. They left Cape Evans on January 25 th. 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. It was -20 degree 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 degree 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 though the ice into the sea, and died. One motor sledge also went into the sea.

Next: "Chapter 5:A Long Cold Winter"

[coldheart]

Look at the way the Norwegians and the Englishmen did when they making the depot, and the way they lived on the ice... It's experience. Why? Just think about it!

[coldheart]

Chapter 5




A Long Cold Winter



It was dark for four months. Outside the wooden house at Framheim, it was often -60 degree Centigrade. The dogs lived in warm holes under the snow. The men stayed in the house, and worked in their rooms under the snow.



The skis and sledges came from the best shops in Norway, but Bjaaland wasn't happy with them. He changed a lot of things on the skis and sledges. Soon the sledges were stronger than before. The skis were better and faster, too.



All the Norwegians worked hard. They looked after their dogs, and worked on their equipment – the sledges, skis, tents. Every day they thought about their journey to the Pole, and talked about it. And every day, Amundsen thought about Scott. One day, in midwinter, he asked to his men.



"Let's start early, before Scott," Amundsen said. "Remember, Scott has more men than us, and he has motor sledges, too. Perhaps they can go faster than us."



Bjaaland laughed. "Oh no, they can't go faster than me," he said. "On snow, nothing can go faster than a good man on skis."



"We don't know," Amundsen said. "You're the best skier in Norway, but you get tired, and the dogs get tired, too. Motor sledges don't get tired. They can go all day and all night."



Johansen laughed angrily. "That's stupid," he said. "Perhaps the motor sledges can go all night, but the Englishmen can't. The English can't win, Roald – they don't understand snow, but we do. And they're too slow."



"Perhaps," Amundsen said. "But I want to win this race. So we're going to start early! Do you understand?"



It was quiet and warm inside Framheim. Bjaaland looked at Amundsen, and though about the long, cold journey in front of him. He thought about the dogs in their house under the snow, and listened to the wind over the house. "When, Roald?" he said quietly.



"On August 24th. The sun comes back on that day. We start then."



"But we can't!" Johansen said. He looked angry, and unhappy. "That's too early! We can't start then – it's dangerous and stupid!"



Amundsen looked at Johansen coldly. "You're wrong, Johansen," he said. "We want to win, remember? So we start on August 24th."



Bjaaland listened to the winter wind outside.



In Scott's camp, at the Cape Evans, no one talked about Amundsen and no one worked hard. They had good food, and they played football on the snow. They wrote a newspaper – The South Polar Times – and read books. No one learnt to ski, no one worked on the motor sledges. Twice, men went for long journeys across the snow. They walked, and pulled the sledges themselves. Oates stayed at the Cape Evans to the South Pole, and he put a little British Flag at the Pole. Under the map, Scott wrote the day for the start of their journey.



We start on November 3rd, he wrote.

Next: "Chapter 6: A Bad Start"

[coldheart]

Chapter 7




Motor Sledges And Mountains



Scott had two motor sledges now. They were the first motor sledges in the Antarctic – the first on earth. On October 24th, the motor sledges started south from Cape Evans. Four men went with them, but Scott stayed at the Cape Evans for another week.



Oates was unhappy. He wrote to his mother: "We had a very bad winter here. I don't like Scott. We were here all winter, but he didn't learn to ski, or to drive the dogs. Our equipment is bad, and he doesn't think about other people. I'm going to sleep in his tent on the journey, but I don't want to."



On November 1st Scott and Oates and six more men left Cape Evans with eight sledges and eight ponies. The ponies walked slowly because their feet went down into the snow. It was hard work for them, and they got tired very quickly. They traveled thirteen or fourteen kilometres in a day.



Behind the ponies came Meares with one sledge and some dogs. Meares knew how to drive dogs. Every day, Meares started two hours after the ponies, and arrived two hours before them.



After five days, they found the motor sledges.



The Norwegians began again on October 20th. There were five men this time – Amundsen, Bjaaland, Wisting, Hassel, and Hanssen. They had four sledges, and forty-eight dogs.



There was a lot of wind and fog. On the first day, Wisting's sledge suddenly stopped, and the back went down. "Come on, you dogs!" he said angrily. "Pull! Pull!" At first nothing happened; then. Slowly, the sledge moved again. Wisting looked down, over the side of the sledge. Under the snow, there was a fifty metre hole.



"Did you see that?" Amundsen said. "The ice wants to eat us – men, dogs, sledges, everything."



On the fourth day they reached the depot at 80 degree South. There was a bad snowstorm, but they found the flags easily. Next day the men stayed in their tents, and the dogs played in their holes under the snow. They were all happy. They had a lot of food, the had good equipment, and they were warm. They could travel fast.



Next morning, the snowstorm stopped, and the journey began again. Today, everything is wonderful, Bjaaland wrote in his diary. But where is Scott? In front of us, or behind?



There was no one with the motor sledges; they were broken. Scott looked at them angrily.



"It doesn't matter," he said. "Teddy Evans and his men are in front of us. They're good men – they're pulling their sledges themselves. We can get to the Pole on foot."



Oates looked at Meares. Oates and the ponies were tired, but Meares and his dogs were not. The snow was home for them.



That night, Oates wrote: "Three motor sledges at 1000 pound each, 19 ponies at 5 pound each, 32 dogs at 1.50 pound each. Well, it's not my money, it's Scott's."



On November 21st, one of the ponies died.



On November 11th, the Norwegians saw the mountains.



The mountains were very high – some of the highest on earth. Bjaaland smiled.



"There is good skiing up there, Roald," he said. "But can dogs get up there too?"



"Of course they can," Amundsen said. "Come on."



They left Hanssen with the dogs, and skied a little way up the mountains. It was difficult, but the mountains were big and beautiful. Behind the mountains, Amundsen thought there was a high plateau of ice. "That's it," Amundsen said. "That's the road to the Pole. Tomorrow, we can bring the dogs and sledges up there. But now, let's have a ski race. Who can get back to camp first?"



They laughed, and skied happily down the white snow. "This is like home," Bjaaland thought. "But it's bigger than Norway, and better."



In the next four days, the dogs pulled the sledges eighty-one kilometres, and went up 3000 metres. At last, Amundsen and Bjaaland stood on the plateau behind the mountains. They were tired, happy men.



Bjaaland looked back at the mountains. "Can a motor sledge get up here?" He asked.



Amundsen smiled. "No," he said. "I don't think so. And Scott doesn't like dogs. So his men are going to pull their sledges up these mountains themselves. Would you like to do that, Olav?"



Bjaaland didn't answer. He smiled, and skied happily away across the snow.

Next: Chapter 8: I'm still looking for chapter 8!

[coldheart]

I'm so sorry for my laziness, guys! The chapter 7, as I though, is one of the most intersted chapter of the story. Can you see th reason why? Pls tell me what do you think, and ... keep your waiting for the chapter 8 ^ ^ I'll come back very soon!