Cape Evans Hut

The first three weeks at Cape Evans hut entailed much hard work, namely the removal of 250 cubic yards of ice and snow, using pick, shovel and sledge. Later on we replaced broken windows and sashes, fixed two new doors, and covered the roof with tarpaulins which were battened down and painted. Inside the hut many objects of interest were uncovered and thawed out. Among these were reindeer sleeping bags, balaclavas, home-made gloves, skis, and a primitive pair of crampons. The food, now over 50 years old, was still perfectly edible. Old records including met. observations for 1915, a diary, some letters, and several rare books were also discovered. The scientists' lab. was still well stocked with chemicals and equipment. and Sir Charles Wright, the 73-year-old Canadian physicist who accompanied Scott on his last expedition, was flown out to Evans by the Americans and was able to help us delineate the boundaries of the different scientists in the hut. Parting's dark room we discovered fully stocked, the ice crystals inside his room forming fantastic patterns as they hung in festoons from the shelves. We even found some exposed film from the collection of this master of photographers. Dr. Wilson's cubicle was interesting in that we found there a preserved Emperor penguin he had been working on. The scientists of Scott's last expedition were each in their different fields quite remarkable, and fortunate indeed were we to uncover the cubicles of such eminent men as Priestly, Griffith. Taylor. Debenham, Wright and Evans.