Scott had two motor¹ sledges² now．They were the first motor sledges in the Antarctic—the first on earth．On October 24th，the motor sledges started south from Cape⁴ Evans．Four men went with them，but Scott stayed at Cape Evans for another week．

Oates was unhappy．He wrote to his mother：We had a very bad winter here．I don't like Scott．We were here all winter，but he didn't learn to ski，or to drive dogs．Our equipment is bad，and he doesn't think about other people．I'm going to sleep in his tent on the journey，but I don't want to．

On November lst Scott and Oates and six more men left Cape Evans with eight sledges and eight ponies．The ponies⁶ walked slowly because their feet went down into the snow．It was hard work for them and they got tired very quickly．They travelled thirteen or fourteen kilometres in a day．

Behind the ponies came Meares with one sledge³ and some dogs．Meares knew how to drive dogs．Every day，Meares started two hours after the ponies，and arrived two hours be-fore them．

After five days，they found the motor sledges．

* * * * *

The Norwegians began again on October 20th．There were five men this time—Amundsen，Bjaaland，Wisting，Hassel，and Hanssen．They had four sledges，and forty-eight dogs．

There was a lot of wind and fog．On the first day，Wisting's sledge suddenly stopped，and the back went down．'Come on，you dogs！'he said angrily．'Pull！Pull！'At first nothing hap-pened；then，slowly，the sledge moved again．Wisting looked down，over the side of the sledge．Under the snow，there was a fifty metre hole．

'Did you see that？'Amundsen said．'The ice wants to eat us —men，dogs，sledges，everything．'

On the fourth day they reached the depot⁷ at 80°South．There was a bad snowstorm，but they found the flags easily．Next day the men stayed in their tents，and the dogs played in their holes under the snow．They were all happy．They had a lot of food，they had good equipment，and they were warm． They could travel fast．

Next morning，the snowstorm⁸ stopped，and the journey be-gan again．Today，everything is wonderful，Bjaaland wrote in his diary．But where is Scott？In front of us，or behind？

* * * * *

There was no one with the motor sledges；they were broken． Scott looked at them angrily．

'It doesn't matter，'he said．'Teddy Evans and his men are in front of us．They're good men—they're pulling their sledges themselves．We can get to the Pole on foot．'

Oates looked at Meares．Oates and the ponies were tired，but Meares and his dogs were not．The snow was home for them．

That night，Oates wrote：Three motor sledges at￡1，000 each，19 ponies at ￡5 each，32 dogs at ￡1．50 each．Well，it's not my money，it's Scott's．

On November 21st，one of the ponies died．

* * * * *

On November 11th，the Norwegians saw the mountains．

The mountains were very high—some of the highest on earth．Bjaaland smiled．

'There is good skiing⁹ up there，Roald，'he said．'But can dogs get up there too？'

'Of course they can，'Amundsen said．'Come on．'

They left Hanssen with the dogs，and skied a little way up the mountains．It was difficult，but the mountains were big and beautiful．Behind the mountains，Amundsen thought there was a high plateau¹⁰ of ice．'That's it，'Amundsen said．'That's the road to the Pole．Tomorrow，we can bring the dogs and sledges up here．But now，let's have a ski⁵ race．Who can get back to camp first？'

They laughed，and skied happily down the white snow． 'This is like home，'Bjaaland thought．'But it's bigger than Norway，and better．'

In the next four days，the dogs pulled the sledges eighty-one kilometres，and went up 3，000 metres．At last，Amundsen and Bjaaland stood on the plateau behind the mountains．They were tired，happy men．

Bjaaland looked back at the mountains．'Can a motor sledge get up here？'he asked．

Amundsen smiled．'No，'he said．'I don't think so．And Scott doesn't like dogs．So his men are going to pull their sledges up these mountains themselves．Would you like to do that，Olav？'

Bjaaland didn't answer．He smiled，and skied happily away across the snow．

斯科特现有两辆机动雪橇，这两辆机动雪橇不仅在南极洲而且在地球上也是首次出现。10月24日，机动雪橇向南进发，离开了开普埃文斯。4人随雪橇同往，但斯科特在开普埃文斯又逗留了一星期。

奥茨心中不快。他给母亲写信说：我们在这儿度过了一个极为恶劣的冬天。我不喜欢斯科特。我们整个冬天都在这儿闲着，可是他既不学滑雪，也不学驾驭狗。我们的设备不好，但他是不会为别人着想的。一旦我们踏上旅程，我将与他同睡一个帐篷，这可不是我愿意的。

11月1日，斯科特、奥茨以及其它6个人离开了开普埃文斯，他们带着8辆雪橇、8匹小马。这些小马走得不快，因为马腿总会踩进雪里。这对它们来说太辛苦了。它们的体力消耗得很快，一天只能走十三四公里。

在小马后面，是米尔斯。他驾着一辆雪橇与几条狗。米尔斯懂得驾驭狗。每天，小马出发后两小时，米尔斯才上路，而且还比它们先到两小时。

5天以后，他们追上了机动雪橇。

* * * * *

10月20日，挪威人又出发了。这次共5人：阿蒙森、比阿兰德、威斯丁、哈塞尔和汉森。他们带着4辆雪橇和48条狗。

狂风呼啸，浓雾茫茫。第一天，威斯丁的雪橇忽然停住了，雪橇后部陷了下去。“使劲，你们这些小狗！”他狂怒地说，“拉呀！拉呀！”刚开始时，雪橇一动不动。后来，雪橇缓慢地移动起来。威斯丁从雪橇边探头往下一看。在雪地之下，有个50米深的大洞。

“你刚才看见这洞吗？”阿蒙森说，“冰窟窿打算将我们全都吃掉：人、狗还有雪橇，所有的一切。”

第4天，他们到达南纬80°的贮藏屋。虽说恶劣的暴风雪漫天遍野，但是他们还是顺利地找到旗帜。次日，他们呆在帐篷里，小狗也在雪洞里嬉闹。他们的情绪很高：食物充足，设备精良，人也暖洋洋的。他们可以快速前进。

次日早晨，暴风雪停了，他们又上路了。今天，一切美好极了！比阿兰德在日记里写道。可是斯科特在那儿呢？在我们前面，还是在我们后面？

* * * * *

这时，没有任何人驾驶机动雪橇了：全坏了。斯科特生气地看着这些雪橇。

“没什么关系，”他说，“特迪•埃文斯和他的人在我们前面。他们都很优秀：他们自己正拉着雪橇前进。我们可以凭双脚走到南极。”

奥茨看着米尔斯。奥茨与他的小马人困马乏，而米尔斯与他的小狗则不同，茫茫雪原对于他和他的小狗来说，就像家一样。

那晚，奥茨写道：3辆机动雪橇，每辆价值1000英镑；19匹小马，每匹5英镑；32条狗，每条1.5英镑。当然不是我花钱，而是斯科特掏的腰包。

11月21日，一匹小马死了。

* * * * *

11月11日，挪威人见到了群山。

群山高耸而立，它们属于地球上的一些最高山脉。比阿兰德露出了笑容。

“在上面可以很好地滑雪，罗阿尔，”他说，“但是狗群也能上得去吗？”

“当然，它们能上去。”阿蒙森说着，“走吧！”

他们将狗留给汉森，朝山上滑行了一小段。这可不容易，但群山巍峨秀丽，可以尽情领略。阿蒙森认为群山之后还有一片冰封高原。“就是那儿啦，”阿蒙森说，“那就是通往南极之路。明天，我们可以将狗与雪橇带到这儿来。现在，咱们来一场滑雪比赛，看谁最先回到营地。”

众人大笑，愉快地在白雪之上飞滑而下。“这仿佛是在家中，”比阿兰德心想，“然而这儿比挪威辽阔、美好。”

在后来的4天时间内，群狗拉着雪橇跑了81公里，爬了3000米的坡。最终，阿蒙森与比阿兰德站在大山后的高原上，他们虽然累了，但心花怒放。

比阿兰德回头看了看群山。“机动雪橇能上得来吗？”他问。

阿蒙森笑了。“不，”他说，“我认为不行。因为斯科特不喜欢狗，所以他的人得靠自己把雪橇拖上山了。你喜欢这样做吗，奥拉夫？”

比阿兰德没有回答，脸上露出了微笑。他愉快地一滑，又开始横越雪地。