Page:The Worst Journey in the World volume 2.djvu/255

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CHAPTER XVII

THE POLAR JOURNEY

Don Juan. This creature Man, who in his own selfish affairs is a coward to the backbone, will fight for an idea like a hero. He may be abject as a citizen; but he is dangerous as a fanatic. He can only be enslaved while he is spiritually weak enough to listen to reason. I tell you, gentlemen, if you can show a man a piece of what he now calls God's work to do, and what he will later on call by many new names, you can make him entirely reckless of the consequences to himself personally. . . .
Don Juan. Every idea for which Man will die will be a Catholic idea. When the Spaniard learns at last that he is no better than the Saracen, and his prophet no better than Mahomet, he will arise, more Catholic than ever, and die on a barricade across the filthy slum he starves in, for universal liberty and equality.
The Statue. Bosh!
Don Juan. What you call bosh is the only thing men dare die for. Later on, Liberty will not be Catholic enough: men will die for human perfection, to which they will sacrifice all their liberty gladly.

V. The Pole and After

The Polar Party. Depôts.
Scott One Ton [79° 29′].
Wilson Upper Barrier or Mount Hooper [80° 32′].
Bowers Middle Barrier [81° 35′].
Oates Lower Barrier [82° 47′].
Seaman Evans. Shambles Camp [N. of Gateway].
Lower Glacier [S. of Gateway].
Middle Glacier [Cloudmaker].
Upper Glacier [Mt. Darwin].
Three Degree [86° 56′].
1½ Degree [88° 29′].
Last Depôt [89° 32′].

Scott returned from the Discovery Expedition impressed by the value of youth in polar work; but the five who went

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