Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [partii 
Hereabouts died a very gallant gentleman, Captain Oates of the 
Inniskilling Dragoons. In March 1912, returning from the Pole, he 
walked willingly to his death to try and save his comrades, beset by 
hardships. This note is left by the Relief Expedition of 1912. 
It was signed by Dr Atkinson and Mr Cherry Garrard. 
Returning they bade a' final farewell to their lost friends. 
Dr Atkinson wrote : — 
There, alone in their greatness, they will lie without change or 
bodily decay, with the most fitting tomb in the world above them. 
The results of Captain Scott's expedition are of great 
importance. He arranged that the geologists should make 
a thorough geological survey of the region from Granite 
Harbour to Koettlitz Glacier, extending thirty miles 
inland where possible. This was done, and they also 
made a very interesting ascent to the crater of Mount 
Erebus, an account of which was written by Mr Priestley. 
The results in the other branches of science were of no 
less importance, and furnish a splendid and convincing 
answer to those who question the use of polar expeditions. 
But of far greater service are the examples set to their 
countrymen by the lost heroes, and the experience gained 
by the young naval officers of the expedition. 
The dying appeal of Captain Scott met with a prompt 
response. Seldom has the nation, both at home and 
beyond seas, been so deeply touched. On February 14th, 
19x3, there was a memorial service at St Paul's at which 
the King and the Queen Mother were present. Scott's 
widow was given the rank to which her heroic husband 
would have been raised. An appeal for funds to meet all 
demands received a most generous and ample response. 
The widows and orphans were suitably provided for, all 
the liabilities of the expedition were met, a bounty was 
given to the members of the expedition, provision was 
made for the publication of results, and a large sum was 
left for memorials. 
In the whole range of polar history there is no greater 
name than that of Robert Falcon Scott. A life of devotion 
to duty, latterly of devotion to scientific discovery, was 
closed by a heroic and glorious death. A man with rare 
gifts both of head and heart, those gifts were nobly used 
through life, and were never more prominent than in his 
last fatal march and in the hour of death. 
