Passages from Gran's diary
Mar. 26th, 2018 06:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glacier_kittyI just read Tryggve (apparently that's pronounced trig-vuh lol) Gran's diary from Antarctica, so here are some passages I'd like to share! (There are other members' diaries mixed in too)
"No one can complain about the 'nursery.' You would have to go far to find chaps like Wright, Cherry-Garrard, Day, Priestly and Debenham" (squee!)
From Scott's diary that was added in: "Gran tried going on ski with his pony. All went well while he was alongside, but when he came up from the back the swish of the ski frightened the beast, who fled faster than his pursuer--that is, the pony and load were going better than the Norwegian on ski" (heh :P)
"The horses also seem to enjoy the sun; even 'Blucher,' who looks like a question mark with a sack over his hind quarters and back..." (well that's an interesting description :P)
"[Scott] was happy to see the good health and spirits of the expedition during the past winter months. He is right; no expedition could have had better comradeship and health. Not one case of sickness the whole time. The dinner table was very animated" (heck yeah!! I love these guys lol)
"Our team makes an extraordinary procession, something like a family on a Sunday's promenade: Deb limping along at the sledge side, Anton dwarfish and stocky, Taylor lean and gaunt, Nelson in his tatters, and Ford old and grave. We look like anything but a group of brave explorers" (lol! I hope Ford didn't read your diary when you weren't looking LOL)
From Taylor's diary: "Gran and I went off on a fur-hunting trip...About half a mile away was a big seal, and I determined to secure him...We managed to roll the heavy hide onto the sledge, but it would not stay there. Just like a slow-moving glacier, it slipped off everywhere" (great analogy :P)
"A large picture of Piccadilly Circus hangs on the hut wall. It is a night scene and people in evening dress wander round the lighted buildings. Nelson and I often study this picture, which brings back memories and holds a promise" (cool! I was just there lol)
"We amused ourselves by shoving some enormous blocks of lava over the precipice down into McMurdo Sound. The sea, though ice-covered, was not strong enough to withstand the weight of these enormous boulders, which created an almighty splash. We were just like children at play" (love it!! :D That definitely sounds like fun lol)
"We lead a strange life. Nelson, Deb, and I live close together one day after the next. You'd think we'd get bored with one another, but the remarkable thing is we become better friends as time goes on. For example, we never lack for something to talk about. The same goes for the crew. There is no doubt that Scott fully understood the trick of selecting men who get on with each other" (YESSSSS 100 TIMES YES!! A huge reason why I love the Terra Nova Expedition <3)
"Alas, our fears of last week are justified. The polar party have still not returned to Hut Point; their fate must be sealed...Cherry-Garrard and Demetri had waited over a week at 'One Ton Camp.' Bad weather and blizzards prevented all their efforts to push farther south, and finally they were forced to give up the attempt and turn for home. They only just managed to reach their goal of Hut Point. The dogs were utterly exhausted and Cherry-Garrard and Demetri ill--the former nearly at death's door"
What kills me is at the epilogue of the book some guy was like "it's Evans' and Cherry's fault Scott and his men died, because Cherry couldn't navigate or see." OMG NO. You can blame Scott for taking five men instead of four and dragging an overloaded sledge, but you absolutely CANNOT blame Cherry!!! The paragraph above clearly states that THERE WAS A WEEK LONG BLIZZARD, the very same blizzard that trapped Scott and his men! There was nothing more Cherry could have done..he would have died too if he went into the blizzard, especially if he was at death's door like Gran said. If you want something to blame, blame the weather, but I will NOT allow the blame to be put on Cherry. Ugh, I was so annoyed when I read that lol
"Half the winter has passed. Our comradeship is splendid, and truly unbelievable when one thinks we are now in our third year of extreme propinquity" (reading things like this in their diaries makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside lol. Propinquity is a great word too :P)
"We still have not really seen the sun, even though we celebrated its return three days ago with a party that nearly burst the hut's seams. We acted like a pack of schoolboys who had just been set loose on holiday. Nelson and I danced a 'mixed cakewalk Fandango.' Wright was the judge of the dance, the last part of which ended as follows: a somersault by Gran knocked Nelson out of the dance, causing the judge Wright a paralysis of laughter which resulted in his making acquaintance with the floor of the hut. His hilarity was uncontrollable, and we the artists didn't find it easy to help in this situation. Wright was therefore carried off to bed where he laughed himself to sleep. After this maneuver we went over to vocal exercises. Keohane, Williamson, Nelson, Atkinson and I began the rehearsal, but Deb soon got up to join us and, by midnight, Mr Archer had entered the choir. It was 2 a.m. before the fun came to an end" (he "laughed himself to sleep"?! OMG lol wow, these guys had way too much fun hehe)
"As I trudged along across this awesome desert of ice and snow, my thoughts have a life of their own. I think of Scott, I think of Amundsen. I have learned that something called friendship exists. I have come to know men willing to sacrifice themselves for their country and for their convictions" (<3!)
From the epilogue: "Major Gran spoke with warm feeling of Cherry-Garrard, referring to his shyness, his diffidence with women, and his reluctance to kill which had led to him being an ambulance driver in the First World War" (awwww <3)
March 26 - What does your average day look like? Work, go online, maybe go to dinner or a movie with mom. On the weekend I'll do laundry and maybe go geocaching or something like that
Today's trivia: Queen Elizabeth's full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Mountbatten-Windsor
"No one can complain about the 'nursery.' You would have to go far to find chaps like Wright, Cherry-Garrard, Day, Priestly and Debenham" (squee!)
From Scott's diary that was added in: "Gran tried going on ski with his pony. All went well while he was alongside, but when he came up from the back the swish of the ski frightened the beast, who fled faster than his pursuer--that is, the pony and load were going better than the Norwegian on ski" (heh :P)
"The horses also seem to enjoy the sun; even 'Blucher,' who looks like a question mark with a sack over his hind quarters and back..." (well that's an interesting description :P)
"[Scott] was happy to see the good health and spirits of the expedition during the past winter months. He is right; no expedition could have had better comradeship and health. Not one case of sickness the whole time. The dinner table was very animated" (heck yeah!! I love these guys lol)
"Our team makes an extraordinary procession, something like a family on a Sunday's promenade: Deb limping along at the sledge side, Anton dwarfish and stocky, Taylor lean and gaunt, Nelson in his tatters, and Ford old and grave. We look like anything but a group of brave explorers" (lol! I hope Ford didn't read your diary when you weren't looking LOL)
From Taylor's diary: "Gran and I went off on a fur-hunting trip...About half a mile away was a big seal, and I determined to secure him...We managed to roll the heavy hide onto the sledge, but it would not stay there. Just like a slow-moving glacier, it slipped off everywhere" (great analogy :P)
"A large picture of Piccadilly Circus hangs on the hut wall. It is a night scene and people in evening dress wander round the lighted buildings. Nelson and I often study this picture, which brings back memories and holds a promise" (cool! I was just there lol)
"We amused ourselves by shoving some enormous blocks of lava over the precipice down into McMurdo Sound. The sea, though ice-covered, was not strong enough to withstand the weight of these enormous boulders, which created an almighty splash. We were just like children at play" (love it!! :D That definitely sounds like fun lol)
"We lead a strange life. Nelson, Deb, and I live close together one day after the next. You'd think we'd get bored with one another, but the remarkable thing is we become better friends as time goes on. For example, we never lack for something to talk about. The same goes for the crew. There is no doubt that Scott fully understood the trick of selecting men who get on with each other" (YESSSSS 100 TIMES YES!! A huge reason why I love the Terra Nova Expedition <3)
"Alas, our fears of last week are justified. The polar party have still not returned to Hut Point; their fate must be sealed...Cherry-Garrard and Demetri had waited over a week at 'One Ton Camp.' Bad weather and blizzards prevented all their efforts to push farther south, and finally they were forced to give up the attempt and turn for home. They only just managed to reach their goal of Hut Point. The dogs were utterly exhausted and Cherry-Garrard and Demetri ill--the former nearly at death's door"
What kills me is at the epilogue of the book some guy was like "it's Evans' and Cherry's fault Scott and his men died, because Cherry couldn't navigate or see." OMG NO. You can blame Scott for taking five men instead of four and dragging an overloaded sledge, but you absolutely CANNOT blame Cherry!!! The paragraph above clearly states that THERE WAS A WEEK LONG BLIZZARD, the very same blizzard that trapped Scott and his men! There was nothing more Cherry could have done..he would have died too if he went into the blizzard, especially if he was at death's door like Gran said. If you want something to blame, blame the weather, but I will NOT allow the blame to be put on Cherry. Ugh, I was so annoyed when I read that lol
"Half the winter has passed. Our comradeship is splendid, and truly unbelievable when one thinks we are now in our third year of extreme propinquity" (reading things like this in their diaries makes me feel so warm and fuzzy inside lol. Propinquity is a great word too :P)
"We still have not really seen the sun, even though we celebrated its return three days ago with a party that nearly burst the hut's seams. We acted like a pack of schoolboys who had just been set loose on holiday. Nelson and I danced a 'mixed cakewalk Fandango.' Wright was the judge of the dance, the last part of which ended as follows: a somersault by Gran knocked Nelson out of the dance, causing the judge Wright a paralysis of laughter which resulted in his making acquaintance with the floor of the hut. His hilarity was uncontrollable, and we the artists didn't find it easy to help in this situation. Wright was therefore carried off to bed where he laughed himself to sleep. After this maneuver we went over to vocal exercises. Keohane, Williamson, Nelson, Atkinson and I began the rehearsal, but Deb soon got up to join us and, by midnight, Mr Archer had entered the choir. It was 2 a.m. before the fun came to an end" (he "laughed himself to sleep"?! OMG lol wow, these guys had way too much fun hehe)
"As I trudged along across this awesome desert of ice and snow, my thoughts have a life of their own. I think of Scott, I think of Amundsen. I have learned that something called friendship exists. I have come to know men willing to sacrifice themselves for their country and for their convictions" (<3!)
From the epilogue: "Major Gran spoke with warm feeling of Cherry-Garrard, referring to his shyness, his diffidence with women, and his reluctance to kill which had led to him being an ambulance driver in the First World War" (awwww <3)
March 26 - What does your average day look like? Work, go online, maybe go to dinner or a movie with mom. On the weekend I'll do laundry and maybe go geocaching or something like that
Today's trivia: Queen Elizabeth's full name is Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Mountbatten-Windsor
