牛津書蟲系列 世界上最冷的地方 07 Motor sledges and mountains

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　　Scott had two motor sledges now.They were the first motor sledges in the Antarctic—the first on earth.On October 24th，the motor sledges started south from Cape 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 ponies 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 sledge 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 depot at 80°South.There was a badsnowstorm，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 snowstorm 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 skiing 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 plateau 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 ski 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.

　　7 機動雪橇與大山

　　斯科特現(xiàn)有兩輛機動雪橇，這兩輛機動雪橇不僅在南極洲而且在地球上也是首次出現(xiàn)。10月24日，機動雪橇向南進發(fā)，離開了開普埃文斯。4人隨雪橇同往，但斯科特在開普埃文斯又逗留了一星期。

　　奧茨心中不快。他給母親寫信說：我們在這兒度過了一個極為惡劣的冬天。我不喜歡斯科特。我們整個冬天都在這兒閑著，可是他既不學滑雪，也不學駕馭狗。我們的設備不好，但他是不會為別人著想的。一旦我們踏上旅程，我將與他同睡一個帳篷，這可不是我愿意的。

　　11月1日，斯科特、奧茨以及其他6個人離開了開普埃文斯，他們帶著8輛雪橇、8匹小馬。這些小馬走得不快，因為馬腿總會踩進雪里。這對它們來說太辛苦了。它們的體力消耗得很快，一天只能走十三四公里。

　　在小馬后面，是米爾斯。他駕著一輛雪橇與幾條狗。米爾斯懂得駕馭狗。每天，小馬出發(fā)后兩小時，米爾斯才上路，而且還比它們先到兩小時。

　　5天以后，他們追上了機動雪橇。

　　* * * * *

　　10月20日，挪威人又出發(fā)了。這次共5人：阿蒙森、比阿蘭德、威斯丁、哈塞爾和漢森。他們帶著4輛雪橇和48條狗。

　　狂風呼嘯，濃霧茫茫。第一天，威斯丁的雪橇忽然停住了，雪橇后部陷了下去。“使勁，你們這些小狗!”他狂怒地說，“拉呀!拉呀!”剛開始時，雪橇一動不動。后來，雪橇緩慢地移動起來。威斯丁從雪橇邊探頭往下一看。在雪地之下，有個50米深的大洞。

　　“你剛才看見這洞嗎?”阿蒙森說，“冰窟窿打算將我們?nèi)汲缘簦喝?、狗還有雪橇，所有的一切。”

　　第4天，他們到達南緯80°的貯藏屋。雖說惡劣的暴風雪漫天遍野，但是他們還是順利地找到旗幟。次日，他們呆在帳篷里，小狗也在雪洞里嬉鬧。他們的情緒很高：食物充足，設備精良，人也暖洋洋的。他們可以快速前進。

　　次日早晨，暴風雪停了，他們又上路了。今天，一切美好極了!比阿蘭德在日記里寫道。可是斯科特在那兒呢?在我們前面，還是在我們后面?

　　* * * * *

　　這時，沒有任何人駕駛機動雪橇了：全壞了。斯科特生氣地看著這些雪橇。

　　“沒什么關系，”他說，“特迪·埃文斯和他的人在我們前面。他們都很優(yōu)秀：他們自己正拉著雪橇前進。我們可以憑雙腳走到南極。”

　　奧茨看著米爾斯。奧茨與他的小馬人困馬乏，而米爾斯與他的小狗則不同，茫茫雪原對于他和他的小狗來說，就像家一樣。

　　那晚，奧茨寫道：3輛機動雪橇，每輛價值1000英鎊;19匹小馬，每匹5英鎊;32條狗，每條1.5英鎊。當然不是我花錢，而是斯科特掏的腰包。

　　11月21日，一匹小馬死了。

　　* * * * *

　　11月11日，挪威人見到了群山。

　　群山高聳而立，它們屬于地球上的一些最高山脈。比阿蘭德露出了笑容。

　　“在上面可以很好地滑雪，羅阿爾，”他說，“但是狗群也能上得去嗎?”

　　“當然，它們能上去。”阿蒙森說著，“走吧!”

　　他們將狗留給漢森，朝山上滑行了一小段。這可不容易，但群山巍峨秀麗，可以盡情領略。阿蒙森認為群山之后還有一片冰封高原。“就是那兒啦，”阿蒙森說，“那就是通往南極之路。明天，我們可以將狗與雪橇帶到這兒來。現(xiàn)在，咱們來一場滑雪比賽，看誰最先回到營地。”

　　眾人大笑，愉快地在白雪之上飛滑而下。“這仿佛是在家中，”比阿蘭德心想，“然而這兒比挪威遼闊、美好。”

　　在后來的4天時間內(nèi)，群狗拉著雪橇跑了81公里，爬了3000米的坡。最終，阿蒙森與比阿蘭德站在大山后的高原上，他們雖然累了，但心花怒放。

　　比阿蘭德回頭看了看群山。“機動雪橇能上得來嗎?”他問。

　　阿蒙森笑了。“不，”他說，“我認為不行。因為斯科特不喜歡狗，所以他的人得靠自己把雪橇拖上山了。你喜歡這樣做嗎，奧拉夫?”

　　比阿蘭德沒有回答，臉上露出了微笑。他愉快地一滑，又開始橫越雪地。