Robert Scott, a British explorer who died with his companions due to starvation, exhaustion and the awfully cold weather on his 2nd expedition to the Antarctic. However, after 100 years of his death, a relic from his ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition of 1910-1913 has appeared.
New Zealand’s Antarctic Heritage Trust, said in a statement released on 20th Oct that a Scott’s notebook was found trapped in ice in a hut.
After examining the texts written on the notebook’s opening pages, the researchers discovered that it was owned by George Murray Levick, a zoologist, surgeon and photographer who was part of Scott’s 1910-1913 journeys to the Antarctic and one of the six members of the expedition’s Northern Party.
The Terra Nova expedition split into two groups after reaching the Antarctic. Scott’s party reached the South Pole on 17th Jan, 1912.
In contrast, Levick’s group, journeyed along the coast conducting scientific observations. However, Pack ice prevented their ship from picking them up so Levick along with the other members of their group overwintered in an ice cave on Inexpressible Island. Unlike Scott and his contingent, Levick’s group survived eating local wildlife such as seals and penguins.
“Wellcome Photographic Exposure Record and Dairy 1910”, Levick’s newly discovered photography notebook was left behind at the 1911 Terra Nova base at Cape Evans, where it was found outside of a hut by the Trust’s conservationist specialists during last year’s summer melt after being hidden for more than a century.
The notebook contains entries, which provide details of the photographs that Levick had taken in 1911 at Cape Adare such as the dates they were taken, the subjects and exposure details. The Trust said that the entries were written before the group had to compete with harsh weather conditions and got marooned on ineffable Island.
Antarctic Heritage Trust Executive Director Nigel Watson stated, “It’s an exhilarating find. The notebook is a missing part of the official expedition record. After spending 7 years conserving Scott’s last expedition building and collection, we are delighted to still be finding new relics.”
A century’s worth of damage from ice and water has dissolved the bindings of Levick’s notebook. The Trust said that the pages were separated and digitized before the notebook was repaired and sewn back with new binding and sent to Antarctica.