In 1910-1912, Capt. Robert F. Scott traveled to Antarctica with teams of scientists and seamen with the twin goals of reaching the South Pole and exploring more of the unfamiliar continent. He divided his men into several parties and subgroups to explore or photograph certain areas.
Among the parties were the Polar Party and the Southern Depot Party, which would lay supply depots on the route to the South Pole for the Polar Party to use. A completely separate party, with its own unique exploratory mission, was the Eastern Party. This group’s experience is the subject of Katherine Lambert’s book The Longest Winter: The Incredible Survival of Capt. Scott’s Lost Party [Smithsonian Books, 2004]. The book was previously published in Great Britain as Hell with a Capital H: A New Polar Hero by Pimlico.
The Eastern Party Becomes the Northern Party
The Longest Winter tells of the experiences of six men: Lieutenant Victor Campbell, scientist Raymond Priestley, Dr. Murray Levick, Petty Officer George Abbott, Able Seaman Harry Dickason and Petty Officer Frank Browning. Their original destination was King Edward VII Land, which was virgin land and had yet to be explored. When their attempts at landing there were thwarted by weather, unapproachable coastline and Scott’s South Pole challenger Roald Amundsen, the group returned to Cape Evans.
The men’s experiences with King Edward VII Land were representative of the series of obstacles and disappointments that they would face in Antarctica. From the conditions that led to turning their sites to Victoria Land in the hope of gaining entrance to the interior of Antarctica (thereby being renamed the Northern Party), to the disappointments and long winter spent at Cape Adare before Terra Nova returned on Jan. 3, 1912, Lambert’s book describes them all.
Inexpressible Island and Scott’s Lost Party
The climax of the story, however, is the party’s experiences in an igloo on Inexpressible Island. Lambert describes in rich detail how the men’s situation went from a planned six-week exploration of an unfamiliar territory to a seven-month ordeal that was followed by a 230-mile trek back to their compatriots. She uses first-hand accounts to delve into the men’s state of mind waiting for Terra Nova, the squalid conditions they faced in the igloo, the hazards of the trek back to Evans Cove and the shock of learning Scott’s Polar Party was dead.
First Hand Accounts of Exploring Antarctica
Lambert’s book is an important one because it tells a story often overshadowed by the tragic end to Scott’s Polar Party. For polar exploration enthusiasts, it adds a piece toward a more complete picture of Scott’s expedition in particular and early polar exploration in general.
Lambert uses an extensive collection of primary sources, including several unpublished diaries, documents and published accounts. The diaries are profound in their insight and add richness to the story that might otherwise be lacking the emotional element. (A couple of these diary entries include racial epithets common of the time period). The book is also extensively footnoted with background, additional details, fascinating tales and contextual information.
However, Lambert extensively relies on foreshadowing to build tension and repeatedly lauds Levick as a hero before he has done anything significant in the account of the party’s experience. The Northern Party’s experience was noteworthy enough – there was scientific value in many of their observations, collections, explorations and photographs – and the men’s accomplishments in surviving seven months with just a few weeks of supplies and then skiing 230 miles were amazing enough to stand on their own merit. Levick certainly contributed greatly to the morale and health of his fellow companions, but the reader should have had the opportunity to discover this fact on his or her own. The book could also have benefited from a more descriptive map to make following the expeditions easier.
Peter King says it best in his forward. Katherine Lambert’s The Longest Winter: The Incredible Survival of Scott’s Lost Party is not a tale of polar tragedy but a “straightforward account of polar adventure” and “a chilling saga of misadventure.” Polar exploration enthusiasts will enjoy adding this puzzle piece to their knowledge of Scott’s final expedition.
Lambert, Katherine. The Longest Winter: The Incredible Survival of Scott’s Lost Party. Smithsonian Books, 2004. ISBN 10: 1-58834-195-X
Genna Cockerham - Genna Cockerham has been writing online since November 2008. She served as Marriage Feature Writer from December 2008 to February ...
Join the Conversation