Chapter 9 The End of the Race

　　The Norwegians stayed two days at the Pole．They left a tent there，with a Norwegian flag on it．Inside the tent，they left some food，a letter for the King of Norway，and a let-ter for Scott．

　　They left some more black flags near the Pole，and one twenty-eight kilometres north．Then they skied away，back to the north．

　　It's a beautiful day，Bjaaland wrote．The sun is warm，the snow is good．But the dogs run too quickly—I can't get in front，of them！

　　They found their depots easily．There were ten between the Pole and Framheim．Each depot had a lot of food．They laughed and skied quickly down the mountains．Often，they skied fifty kilometres a day．On Friday，January 26th，1912，they came back to Framheim．It was four o'clock in the morn-ing．

　　Inside the wooden house，Lindstrm，the cook，was asleep．Amundsen walked quietly to his bed．'Good morning，Lindstrm，'he said．'Is our coffee ready？'

　　* * * * *

　　The black flags waited at the Pole．

　　'What's that，Captain？'Bowers said．'Over there？'

　　'Where？'Scott asked．'What—oh my God！'

　　They all saw me small black flag in the snow，two kilome-tres in front of them．Slowly，they pulled their sledge to it．

　　Next day，January 17th 1912，they found the tent and the Norwegian fiag．Near it，Scott took the British flag from under his clothes，and put it up．In his diary，Scott wrote：This is a very bad day．We are all tired，and have cold feet and hands．It is－30°Centigrade and there is a snowstorm．Great God！ This is an awful place！

　　They turned north．Five tired，unhappy men，in the coldest，emptiest place on earth．

　　* * * * *

　　On March 13th，1912，Scott's wife Kathleen，looked at her morning newspaper．NORWAY'S FLAG AT SOUTH POLE，it said．She looked at it for a long time，and then began to cry．

　　'What's the matter？'her friend asked．

　　'My poor，poor husband，'Mrs Scott said．'What's happened to him？Where is he now？'

　　* * * * *

　　Scott's men were always hungry．There were not many depots and they were difficult to find．We need to find the next depot today，Oates wrote．But how can we find one black flag in all this snow？It's very difficult．And there is food for four men，not five．

　　They were all tired and ill，too．Oates's feet were black now，and he could not feel them．On February 16th，Edgar Evans died．

　　On the 17th they were past the mountains．At the depot there they ate one of the dead ponies．Then they went on—ten，eleven，twelve kilometres a day．They were ill because their clothes were not warm and they didn't have much food．The temperature was sometimes －40°Centigrade．

　　On March 7th Scott looked at Oates's feet．They were big and black．'I can't pull the sledge now，'Oates said．'It's very difficult to walk．Am I going to lose these feet，Captain？'

　　Scott looked at Oates's feet，and said nothing．

　　On March 9th they found another depot，but there was not much food．Slowly，they walked on．Oates's feet were worse every day．

　　March 17th was Oates's birthday．He was thirty-two．He lay in the tent and listened to the wind outside．He was very cold，very hungry，and very very tired．

　　He wrote a letter to his mother and gave it to Wilson．Then he got up，and opened the door of the tent．He stopped in the door for a minute．Scott，Wilson，and Bowers looked at him．They didn't speak．

　　'I'm going outside for a minute，'Oates said．'I may be some time．'

　　They didn't see him again．

　　* * * * *

　　At Cape Evans，the Englishmen waited．On December 11th，Meares and the dogs came back．On January 3rd，Teddy Evans and his two men arrived at Cape Evans．The Terra Nova came，and went．Winter began．Scott did not come．

　　The Englishmen waited all winter at Cape Evans．Then，on October 26th 1912，they started for the south．Two weeks later，they found a tent．

　　There were three bodies in the tent—Scott，Wilson，and Bowers．They put the bodies under the snow．Then they took the men's letters and diaries，and went north to Cape Evans again．

　　In Scott's diary they read：Oates died like a good English-man．We all did．Please，remember us，and look after our families．We did our best．

　　No one found Oates's body．But he is there，somewhere， un-der the snow and the wind，in the coldest，emptiest place on earth．

　　9 比赛结束

　　挪威人在南极逗留了两天。他们在那儿留下一顶帐篷，帐篷顶上插着一面挪威国旗。帐篷里，他们留下一些食物，一封致挪威国王的信，还有一封致斯科特的信。

　　他们在南极附近留下更多的黑旗，在南极以北28公里处插一面旗。随后，他们滑行而去，返回北方。

　　这天太美好了，比阿兰德这样写，太阳暖融融的，雪原也变得可爱。然而群狗跑得极快，我无法滑行到它们前面！

　　他们顺利地找到了自己的贮藏屋。从南极到弗雷门海姆，共有10座贮藏屋。每座贮藏屋都贮藏有许多食物。他们欢声笑语，飞快地向山下滑行而去。他们经常一天滑行50公里。1912年1月26日星期五，他们返回到弗雷门海姆。当时时间为凌晨4点。

　　木屋内，厨师林德斯特伦正酣睡着。阿蒙森无声地走到他床前。“早上好，林德斯特伦，”他说，“我们的咖啡准备好了吗？”

　　* * * * *

　　那些黑色的旗帜在南极等候着。

　　“那是什么，队长？”鲍尔斯问，“就在那儿。”

　　“哪儿？”斯科特问，“什么？啊，我的上帝！”

　　所有人都看见了插在雪地上的小黑旗，位于他们前面两公里处。他们缓慢地拖着雪橇朝那面旗帜走去。

　　第二天，1912年1月17日，他们发现了那顶帐篷与挪威国旗。来到帐篷附近，斯科特从衣服内拿出英国国旗，将它挂起来。在他的日记里，斯科特这样写道：这天简直糟糕透了。我们大家都疲惫不堪，手脚冰凉。气温为－30℃。这时又刮起暴风雪。天啊，这地方太可怕了！

　　在地球上最寒冷、最空旷的地方，站着5位心力交瘁、情绪低落的人。他们回头向北。

　　* * * * *

　　1912年3月13日，斯科特的妻子凯思林正阅读着晨报。报纸上登着：挪威国旗插上南极。她长时间注视着这条消息，然后开始哭泣。

　　“出什么事啦？”她的朋友问。

　　“我好可怜的丈夫，”斯科特夫人说，“他出什么事儿啦？他现在在哪儿？”

　　* * * * *

　　斯科特的人一直是饥肠辘辘。他们没设多少贮藏屋，而且找起来也很费事。今天，我们必须找到下一个贮藏屋，奥茨这样写，可是在这茫茫雪原之中，我们怎样找到一面黑旗？这太难了，现在的食物只够4个人食用，而不是5个人。

　　他们一行人病累交加。奥茨的双脚已经发黑，失去了感觉。2月16日，埃德加·埃文斯又辞世而去。

　　17日，他们翻过了大山。在那儿的贮藏屋，他们食用了一匹死马。随后他们继续上路，每天走10公里、11公里、12公里。他们全生病了，因为他们的衣服已经不能保暖，食物也不多。当时的气温有时是－40℃。

　　3月7日，斯科特看着奥茨的双脚，又肿又黑。“现在，我拉不动雪橇了，”奥茨说，“就连走路都非常吃力。我这双脚还能保得住吗，队长？”

　　斯科特看着奥茨的双脚，什么也说不出来。

　　3月9日，他们找到另一个贮藏屋，但是食物并没有多少。他们缓慢地继续走着。奥茨的双脚日渐恶化。

　　3月17日是奥茨的生日，他年满32岁。他躺在帐篷里，听着外面的寒风。极度的饥寒交迫，他感到非常非常疲倦。

　　他给母亲写了封信，交给了威尔逊。随后，他起身，打开帐篷门，在门前犹豫一会儿。斯科特、威尔逊、鲍尔斯都看着他，谁也没讲话。

　　“我出去一会儿，”奥茨说，“或许过一阵子我才能回来。”

　　他们再也没见到他。

　　* * * * *

　　在开普埃文斯，好些英国人在翘首期待着。12月11日这一天，米尔斯与狗群回来了。1月3日这一天，特迪·埃文斯与另外两个人也回到开普埃文斯。特若·诺瓦号船驶来后，又离去了。又是一个寒冬来临，斯科特一直没回来。

　　英国人在开普埃文斯等待了整整一个冬天。随后，在1912年10月26日，他们向南出发了。两周后，他们发现一顶帐篷。

　　帐篷内有3具遗体：斯科特、威尔逊、鲍尔斯。他们将这些遗体葬在雪地里。随后，他们带着这些人的书信与日记，往北返回开普埃文斯。

　　在斯科特的日记里，他们读到这些内容：奥茨死得像个英国汉子。我们大家也不逊色。请记住我们，请照看我们的家人。我们已经尽了全力。