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which has been assigned to you by fate-what do you propose to do next?'

He answered more promptly than she expected.

'As soon as the doctor will let me as soon as I am strong enough-I shall go, for a time at least, to Fort Aloysius.'

'I see.'

'I am not going, at least not entirely, for my own sake,' his desire for her good opinion impelled him to add- there is a boy there, a young monk, who is dying of consumption. I believe the knowledge of my conversion would help him-if he needed such help, which he most assuredly does not to die happily. I could tell him, what I could not write. It was he who said that if a miracle were needed it would be worked,' he ended in a low tone.

'It is kind of you to go to him,' she said, with a softer note in her steady voice. 'Is that the Brother Emidius of whom you wrote to me?'

'Yes.'

He guessed what was in her mind, and said simply: 'If they could make a religious of me I should be only too glad. I would give them every chance. But I know it would be of no use. I should get sick to death of the monotony.'

She smiled.

'I cannot fancy you a monk.'

'Nor I,' he said, with the twinkle predominant. 'Yet it would save a great deal of trouble to have one's life ordered for one.' 'Why should you shirk trouble?

'I have shirked it all my life. I suppose you despise me for that?'

She looked at him gravely. 'It's probably purely physical.' 'Not at all,' he said, nettled. 'I have always had excellent health. If anything, I am rather stronger than the average man of my age.'

She rose and held out her hand, and bade him good-bye with the smile that made her face so charming, and a look of kindness in her eyes.

'You are thinking that in that case I ought to do something to justify my existence,' he said, deprecatingly.

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'I have told you,' said Edith sedately, that it is not given to you to read my thoughts.'

'I wonder,' said Michael.

(To be continued.)

ADESTE FIDELES.

I. ROBERT FALCON SCOTT.

BY SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM, K.C.B., F.R.S.

ROBERT FALCON SCOTT, our lamented hero, rightly takes his place with the greatest of our Polar explorers, the Dii Majores, with Franklin, Parry, Ross, McClintock and Mecham. Like Franklin and Parry he was unostentatiously religious and was devoted to the care and welfare of his men; like Ross he was a highly trained scientific officer; like McClintock and Mecham he was a splendid organiser, and made the grandest journeys in the Antarctic, as they did in the Arctic regions.

He

Scott entered the navy from Stubbington School, and I knew him first in the Rover, one of the ships of the training squadron in the West Indies, under the strict rule of Captain Noel. The young midshipman was efficient, zealous, and always very popular. won a cutter race at St. Kitts, which was arranged by some of the lieutenants of the squadron to try various qualities in the younger officers; and when a midshipman Scott was allowed to keep officer's watch on board the Rover in the daytime. Passing for a lieutenant with flying colours (1.1.1.1.) in 1889, he soon afterwards began to study on board the Vernon, and in 1893 he became a torpedo lieutenant. He wrote the whole section for the Torpedo Manual' and suggested all the instruments to be used. He had a thorough knowledge of surveying instruments and the principles of surveying, as well as of electricity and magnetism. It was in those days that I was with him again at Vigo, when he was torpedo lieutenant of the Empress of India. He was then keen about making out the details of Rooke's action in the upper harbour. Thoroughly efficient in his own department, he had many other interests. I was impressed at St. Kitts when I knew him as a midshipman, as well as at Vigo where I saw how highly he was thought of, that here were the makings of a splendid Polar commander.

When at length, after long years of striving, the Geographical and Royal Societies' Antarctic expedition became a reality, I wrote to Sir George Egerton, the most distinguished Arctic officer then

afloat, to ask him who were the best men to command such an expedition. He sent me a short list, where foremost and on the top was the name of my young friend of the training squadron days. Next day Scott came himself to volunteer in a very modest way, not knowing of his captain's report. He had been some years in the Majestic with Prince Louis of Battenberg. Lord Goschen and Lord Walter Kerr warmly approved my selection. Yet there was much tedious opposition, and it was not until June 9, 1900, that he was appointed.

Scott went to work at once, superintending the building of the ship, examining into every detail of victualling, clothing, and equipment, making himself thoroughly acquainted with the previous history of sledge travelling, selecting officers and men, going with me to Norway to see Nansen and learn everything connected with his methods, and to Denmark to examine the work of the pemmican factory. Nothing escaped him. He was a leader of large conceptions, at the same time attending to the minutest details.

At last we see Scott in command of a ship admirably suited for its purpose, with a fine set of most efficient officers and men of science, and a splendid crew, mostly men-of-war's men. Scott's arrangements for superintending the scientific work were admirable, and all worked from zeal for the cause, and from devotion to a beloved chief. His watchful care for the welfare of his people was unceasing.

With such a commander there was sure to be a busy and a happy ship, and great discoveries in the working seasons.

Only Captain Scott's own sledging journeys can here be referred to. He was the founder and organiser of Antarctic sledge travelling. Every detail of sledge, tent, equipment, clothing, and diet was due to his careful study, afterwards slightly modified by experience. His great southern journey over the Barrier in 1902 when he reached 82° 17′ S. was with dogs, and only three men-himself, Dr. Wilson, and Shackleton. Most unfortunately there was a mistake about the dogs' food and they all failed. The men had to drag the loaded sledge back. But Shackleton broke down completely, Scott and Wilson dragging the loaded sledge. He was just able to walk. Scott and Wilson saved his life. In this journey Scott discovered the nature of the ice on the Barrier, the character of the Victorian Mountains with their glaciers descending at long intervals, their trend to S.S.E., and that the South Pole was within the mountains and on the ice cap. He had gone over 960 miles in 94 days.

In the second season of 1903 he undertook a still more important journey, ascending the Ferrar Glacier to a height of 9000 feet, and discovering the vast inland ice cap. Scott alone has penetrated far into this desolate region, having reached a distance of 166 miles from the line of mountains. He had only two companions, Edgar Evans and William Lashley, who shared his dangers, which were of no ordinary character. It was a journey of 1098 miles in 81 days, climbing 9000 feet and making 15 miles a day. This is one of the most remarkable Polar journeys on record, both for its geographical discoveries and its scientific results. Scott's magnetic observations, with those at the base, enabled Captain Chetwynd to fix the position of the South Magnetic Pole.

The return of the Discovery was a great event in the history of geography. The discoveries and the scientific results were the greatest and most important that any Polar explorer has ever brought back. As a diligent student of Polar voyages I say this deliberately and with knowledge. Eight folio volumes contained the scientific results, while Captain Scott's history of the expedition was a model of what such a narrative should be, alike interesting and full of most valuable original information.

The great explorer felt that there was yet work to be done before he could be satisfied. But it was first necessary to serve his sea-time as a Captain, to which rank he had been promoted, with a C.V.O. from the King and an honorary degree from the University of Cambridge.

Scott was next appointed Captain of the Victorious, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Sir George Egerton, being part of the Atlantic Fleet. I was with him at Gibraltar, at the target practice at Tetuan, and together we explored the lovely island of Majorca. I went with him to Granada and Cordova, exploring the Alhambra and the Grand Mosque of the Caliphs and discussing the history of the Arabs in Spain. Scott was a fair Spanish scholar. I was struck by Scott's complete knowledge of the complicated structure he commanded, and by the evident confidence that was felt in him. His Discoverys' all wished to follow their beloved commander; and he had Thomas Crean, a seaman who had had 147 days of Antarctic travelling, as his coxswain. Scott afterwards commanded H.M.S. Bulwark in the fleet under Lord Charles Beresford, and was finally assistant to Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, second Sea Lord at the Admiralty.

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In those days he was married to Miss Edith Agnes Kathleen

Bruce, daughter of the Rev. Canon Lloyd Bruce and of Jane, daughter of James Skene, Esq., Consul at Aleppo, and sister of Mrs. Thomson, widow of the Archbishop of York. An accomplished sculptor, and with rare gifts of intellect and understanding, Mrs. Scott was a perfect helpmate, keenly entering into her husband's views, and proving herself to be a great help to him in his work. Their little son, Peter Markham Scott, was baptized on October 14, 1909, in the old Chelsea Church, with Sir Francis Bridgeman and myself as godfathers. All seemed to be brightness and happiness before him, with every assurance of success and a glorious return home, when he entered upon his second great enterprise.

This was in 1909. Scott had resolved to plant the Union Jack on the South Pole; but he was deeply impressed with the far greater importance of his scientific work, especially of the discovery of fossiliferous rocks which would reveal the history of the great Victorian range of mountains.

Lieutenant Evans was his colleague. I originally selected this young officer (by reason of his enthusiasm, intelligence, and seamanlike qualities) as second officer of the relief ship Morning. In the interval of five years he had won the Shadwell Testimonial, and was now a trained scientific officer. On July 8, 1909, Evans came to me with a well-thought-out scheme, and I told him to join forces at once with Captain Scott.

They took an office, the financing and equipment proceeded prosperously, the Terra Nova was bought and refitted, and in June 1910 the best-equipped Polar expedition for scientific work that was ever despatched left our shores, with Captain Scott as Commander of the expedition and Lieutenant Evans as second in command and Captain of the ship. Dr. Wilson had been Scott's companion in his great southern journey when they saved the life of a comrade, and a very warm and affectionate friendship existed between the naval captain and the accomplished artist and naturalist. Dr Wilson was now the chief of the scientific staff, consisting of a very able body of geologists, physicists, biologists, and surveyors.

One of those whose loss we mourn was young Lieutenant Bowers, of the Indian Marine, who only got leave to go on very harsh and illiberal terms. He was full of enthusiasm, and he told me that if the terms had been much worse he would still have gone. Bowers was educated in the Worcester, leaving that ship with the best testimonials. Captain Shearme, under whom he served in India,

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