← Against The Odds
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- [00:00]
Mike Corey
Wondery subscribers can listen to against the Odds, early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts. A listener note against the Odds uses dramatizations that are based on true events. Some elements, including dialogue, may be invented, but everything is based on research. Wonder Douglas Mawson in free fall he flails his arms, desperate for a handhold, but there's nothing but slick ice surrounding him. A moment ago, his leather boots were crunching on snow, but now there's nothing beneath his feet but air. Mawson knows what's happening. He's tumbled into a hidden crevasse about six feet wide. He has no idea how deep it is. All he can see below him is a pit of darkness. Suddenly, pain shoots through his torso. The harness he's wearing tightens around his shoulders and sh chest, cutting into his malnourished muscles. The harness is attached to a 14 foot alpine rope, which has just gone taut. The other end of the rope is tied to a sledge that's weighed down with all his supplies, and somehow the sledge is still perched somewhere above him on the surface. The weight of the sledge has saved him from falling any deeper. It's January 17, 1913, and Mawson is the leader of an expedition to explore Antarctica. Two months ago, he and two other members of the expedition set out to Explore more than 300 miles of unmapped Antarctic wilderness. But both men perished along with their sled dogs, leaving Mawson alone in the most unforgiving environment on Earth. Now, as Mawson dangles in the crevasse, he takes stock of his situation. He is exhausted and weak from lack of food. His skin is literally peeling off his body from starvation and frostbite. And he's at least 60 miles away from base camp, where other members of his expedition are waiting for him. Or so he hopes. For all he knows, they've already given him up for dead and taken the supply ship back to Australia. And now he realizes that he's still dropping, just slower. Any second, the sledge will reach the edge of the crevasse. When it falls, it will drag Mawson down into the abyss. He'll die deep in the ice of Antarctica and nobody will ever find him. His fiance, Paquita, will visit an empty grave and always wonder where his body lies. Mawson strains his neck to look up. He sees the tips of the sledge's runners appear above him. He shuts his eyes and waits. But the sledge doesn't fall. Mawson opens his eyes and looks up again. The sledge must have caught on something at the lip of the crevasse. But Mawson feels little solace. He is too exhausted to pull himself out. He's emaciated and weak, barely recognizable from the man who arrived a year ago on this forsaken continent. Mawson looks down and sees the darkness of the icy void. He has nobody to call out to for help. Nobody even knows where he is. And he has no idea how to get out.
- [03:32]
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- [04:26]
Mike Corey
From Wondery I'm Mike Corey and this is against the OD starting in the late 19th century and spanning into the early 1920s, exploring Antarctica was the space race of its time. Countries across the globe competed to survey and claim potentially valuable land on the least explored and least hospitable continent. During this so called heroic age of Antarctic exploration, the likes of Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton became legends and household names at the height of this period. In November 1912, a group of explorers called the Australasian Antarctic Expedition arrived on the frozen continent. Led by a 30 year old geologist named Douglas Mawson. Their mission was to explore an unmapped section of the Antarctic coast about 1,500 miles south of Australia. They would do this by venturing out from a base camp in three man teams. They Mawson's own team, the Far Eastern Party, would cover the most ground 350 miles into territory no human had ever set eyes on. But when the Far Eastern Party's journey took a disastrous turn, Mawson would have to endure what the mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary called the greatest survival story in the history of exploration. Douglas Mawson endured one of the planet's most extreme environments. But no matter where you are, the unexpected can strike at any moment. That's why we are so excited to launch our against the Odds book how to Survive against the Tales and Tips for Animal Attacks and Natural Disasters, available now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or wherever you get your books. In this survival guidebook we'll go inside the stories of everyday people confronted by life or death situations, showing you how they survived and how you can too. This is the only book of its kind where you'll also hear from the experts, including top doctors and psychologists, explaining what happens to your mind and body in life threatening situations. Plus get important tips on how to mentally and physically persevere when faced with a situation that is truly against the odds. This book teaches you what to do and importantly, what not to do when faced with your own survival scenario. Go to survivalguidebook.com to order your copy today or click the book link in the Episode Description this is episode 1v1 windiest place on Earth Douglas Mawson takes his girlfriend's hand and steers her out to the veranda. It's December 19, 1910 and the young couple is overlooking a beach outside Adelaide, Australia. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore and the gentle evening breeze makes this a perfect setting for what Mawson is about to ask Paquita del Pratt. She's the 19 year old daughter of a wealthy mining engineer and Mawson has been taken with her since they first met at a dinner party last year. Paquita is nearly 6ft tall with black hair and pale skin. She's a trained singer and a skilled piano player and fluent in three languages. Mossen, too, is tall and thin. Paquita has admitted that his height, athleticism and good looks are part of what drew her to him. He turns towards her and she meets his eyes. He holds his breath for a moment and then the words spill out. Paquita, as you know, I will be going away for some time, but I'll be thinking about you every step of the way. And honestly, I'd just feel so much better if I could think of you as my wife. What do you say? Will you marry me? Paquita looks away for a moment and Mawson follows her gaze to the ocean. The same ocean he'll be crossing to get to Antarctica in a year. Paquita turns back with tears in her eyes. Yes, Douglas, obviously yes. I will marry you after you return. And then we can plan our wedding and our lives together. Mawson already knows that Pakita's father has concerns not about Mawson's character, but about the mission that he will be leading. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition will put Mawson in one of the world's most dangerous places for more than a year. Here on the warm veranda, Paquita repeats these concerns, but tells Mawson that she understands that he has to go. Before they met, Mawson was part of Ernest Shackleton's expedition to the South Magnetic Pole. As grueling as it was, Mawson wanted nothing more than to lead his own excursion to the White Continent, and not simply for his own glory. He wants to claim new territory for his homeland, Australia. It's territory that could hold precious minerals and other valuable resources. And as a geologist, Mawson is uniquely suited to discover them. Mawson can't think of anything more exciting or important for humankind than exploring new places and discovering new species. Mawson hugs Paquita, now his fiance. He realizes it's more important than ever that he return safely from his voyage to Antarctica. Captain John King Davis looks out into the distance as he stands on the deck of his ship, the Aurora. It's 5am on January 4, 1912, and the Aurora has been at sea in the Antarctic Ocean since Christmas Eve. The wind is stirring, the fog is thick, and the cold is paralyzing. For more than a week, Captain Davis and the rest of the crew have been searching for the Antarctic mainland. But all they've found is pack icebergs, floes and vast sheets covering the ocean. They grind noisily against the hull of the ship, making it hard to maneuver. Douglas Mawson, the man leading the expedition, approaches Davis. Still no sign of land. Davis shakes his head. Mawson studies the pack ice, his face grim. How long do we have left? I'd say a few days at most. Both men know they're racing against time to get to shore. The days will soon get even colder, which means more pack ice will form around them, freezing the ocean and trapping the ship. They also risk running out of the coal that powers the aurora. She's a 580 ton steamship built of solid oak and reinforced with steel plates. She's sturdy enough to withstand the ice, but not to break through it. Davis takes out a map and points to a crudely drawn spot. We'll go no farther than this cape, assuming that it's even there. You've seen how inaccurate these maps can be. And if there's no cape and no sign of land before then, we'll have to turn back. Mawson looks desperate. No, we must find a Way to shore somehow. Just then, one of the watchmen shouts, land. Land. Davis and Mawson sprint across the deck to meet the watchman. He's pointing off the port side of the ship. Between patches of fog, Davis sees what the man is excited about. About 400 yards away, a giant ice wall is rising out of the ocean. It's so big it disappears behind the fog in all directions. Davis looks at Mawson and they share a victorious grin. The Aurora may land soon after all. Xavier Mertz plants his feet firmly into the snow covered ground of the Antarctic mainland. Back in Switzerland, Mertz is a champion skier. But this terrain is nothing like those vast mountain ranges back home. The land here is rocky, but since it's mostly ice free, it's a good place to build the camp. He watches penguins waddle around, and above him, cormorants swoop and dive. For Mertz, who's never been to Antarctica, it's like landing on another planet. It's January 8, 1912, and after two weeks at sea and over 1,000 miles traveled, they finally found a good landing spot. Mertz gazes around in awe. He can't believe how beautiful Antarctica is. Like a fairyland, the ice stretches all around them, soaring into steep cliffs that gleam like silver in the afternoon sun. The temperature is mild enough that the men strip off layers. Mertz thinks about what's ahead. 18 of them will spend the coming 10 month winter on this secluded, snow covered cape, never before inhabited by man. They will build huts, train themselves and the huskies on how to haul sledges, and try to get accustomed to their surroundings. When summer returns, and with it, extended hours of daylight, they will set out in three man teams to explore the continent. Mertz is 29 years old, and though he has no expedition experience, Douglas Mawson picked him for his skiing ability. He said it would come in handy on the snowy terrain. Mertz closes his eyes to soak in the sun. And just then, something smacks him in the chest. A ball of slush and ice. The men have started a snowball fight. They're running around laughing like children. Mawson is the only one among them who has ever set foot in Antarctica before. And for some of the men, this trip is their first time seeing snow. Mertz feels lucky to be on this adventure, and luckier still that they found this serene cape for a home. He knows how much work lies ahead, but for now, he just wants to enjoy the incredible newness around him. Mertz bends over and makes a snowball, enjoying the crunch in his hand. Then, laughing, he throws it at the nearest man. Douglas Mawson lifts the last box of supplies from the whaleboat and carries it to shore. As he makes his way over the rocks, a fierce gust of wind sweeps over the beach, knocking him and the crate to the ground. He gets up and looks back at the harbor. The whaleboat headed back to the Aurora almost capsizes in the choppy windblown water. Mawson hoists the crate again and heads further inland. Each step is a fight to stay afoot as the wind blows steadily at what feels like 30 miles per hour. At home in Australia, wind like this means a storm. Here at the Cape, it just means you're outside. It's January 19, 1912, 11 days since they landed. Mawson has named the place Cape Denison, after one of the expedition's benefactors. At first, it seemed like the ideal spot to build their camp. But the weather at the Cape quickly changed. Almost as soon as the snowball fight ended that first day, clouds gathered, snow started falling and temperatures dropped. The winds started raging, but they couldn't escape to the ship for shelter. With winter approaching, the Aurora needed to head back to Australia or risk getting locked into the ice. Mawson fights through another strong gust. It pushes him backwards, but he braces himself and lurches forward, still carrying the heavy crate. It has taken much of the past 11 days to offload the supplies from the Aurora and shuttle them to the shore by whaleboat. At times, the winds have been so strong they caused the anchored Aurora to drift. Some of the men have speculated that this must be the windiest place on Earth. When the winds reached 70 miles per hour, the men had to suspend work for two days and just wait it out. Among the supplies they have ferried to shore are 23 tons of coal, enough materials to build two complete living huts, and more than 2,000 containers of rations for 18 men for the entire expedition. There's also kerosene, instruments and several sledges, which are long, sturdy sleds built for hauling supplies. The Aurora also dropped off 19 huskies. The dogs will eventually pull the sledges when the men venture deeper into the mainland. Mawson knows how difficult the winter ahead will be. They'll have to build permanent huts in the intense cold and wind and then live in them in extremely close quarters for nine months. They'll have to fight weather, sickness and boredom. Then, when the Antarctic summer returns, it will be safe enough again to begin exploring. Mawson reaches a massive pile stacked with supplies. He puts the crate down and catches his breath. His back is sore from all the lifting and carrying, but finally all their supplies are ashore. He takes a good stretch and he looks out to sea at the Aurora. Later today, he and his men will return to the ship for a farewell celebration with Captain Davis and his crew. Mawson knows the men are looking forward to it, but for him, the festivities will be bittersweet because he knows that he as soon as the Aurora leaves, they'll be on their own. And when the ship returns 10 months from now, they'll be lucky if every man is still alive.
- [18:09]
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- [20:19]
Mike Corey
Douglas Mawson removes five sticks of dynamite from underneath his thick wool coat. The dynamite freezes fast in this cold, and so Mawson has bundled the sticks in his clothing to keep them warm. He places the sticks into neat holes drilled into the rock by his men. He connects the charges, steps back and nods to the man holding the detonator switch. Okay, go. The man presses it down, but nothing happens. No explosion, no flying rock. Mawson sighs. He walks over to the dynamite, disconnects it and places it back underneath his coat. It's January 20, a day after the aurora departed, leaving 18 men at Cape Denison. They've been sleeping in a small temporary hut, but today they begin building the main shelters. They'll consist of two larger huts, almost cabins, made of boards and timbers prefabricated back in Australia. The huts will be crowded, but will provide enough shelter and warmth to keep them alive through the brutal Antarctic winter. Mawson wants the huts to be secure against the hurricane force winds that seem to blow constantly at Cape Denison. So they're dynamiting holes in the rock to build foundations for the huts. Each hole will be filled with a timber post anchored by rubble mixed with ice to form a kind of cement. Mawson is convinced that the foundations are necessary, but some of his men aren't so sure. One of them approaches Mawson now. Hey, boss, are you sure we need to do this? We could build the hut so much faster if we don't anchor them to the rock. Mawson reminds the man of his motto. In this land, we must prepare for the worst. You never know what Antarctica will throw at you. After an hour, Mawson takes the dynamite back out from under his coat. It feels warmer than before. He places it back in the drilled holes and signals the men once again to step back. This time it works. The blast is loud and scatters rock in every direction. And the hole the dynamite has created looks perfect for the foundation posts. When Mawson looks around, he sees approval in the faces of his men. Perhaps they'll get these huts built after all. Douglas Mawson struggles to keep his balance as he stands up in the whaleboat and peers over the edge. The gusts across the harbor are so strong they threaten to knock him off his feet. It's late January, about two weeks since they landed at Cape Denison. They've been making good progress on the huts, which are starting to resemble livable structures. But there is a problem. The main hut will not keep them warm enough without a working stove. And a key part of that stove hasn't been found in their pile of gear. Mawson is convinced the part is in a box that fell into the shallow harbor during unloading. So he's taken a whaleboat into the water with a man named Joe, and they're using the boat hooks to try to lift the box out of six feet of water. Mawson reaches over the side as far as he can without falling in. He places the hook on the side of the box, and Joe does the same on the other side. Okay, on three. Ready? One, two, three. They each pull with all of their might, but the box barely budges. Joe sits down in the whaleboat. It's just. It's just too heavy, Boss. What do we do now? They've been at this for half an hour, and Mawson is frustrated. They can't get enough leverage from this far up. They need to try something else. Without a word, Moss and Star starts stripping off his clothes. He takes off his gloves and his jacket and then the layers of shirts beneath him. Joe stares at him as if he's gone mad. Hey, boss, what are you doing? One of us just needs to lift it up. Don't worry. I'll be quick. Wait, Boss. No. But Mawson, now naked, is going in. As he goes under the surface, the cold hits him like a thousand needles. His chest tightens and his fingers and toes go numb. Mawson is tall, but has to stay on his tiptoes just to keep his mouth above the water. He takes one big breath and then goes under. After some struggle to feel the box with his numb fingers, Mawson gets his hands underneath it. He lifts with all his remaining strength and hoists it up past his chest until the box breaks the surface. Joe grabs it from the whaleboat and pulls it aboard. Mawson reaches up, and Joe helps him back into the boat. Mawson wraps his clothes around himself. He can't muster the dexterity to put them on. He's shivering uncontrollably. As soon as Joe gets the boat ashore, Mawson sprints toward the temporary hut where a fire burns. And as he runs, he can feel the water on his skin already turning to ice. Thirty minutes later, as Mawson thaws by the fire, Joe approaches him. That was some decision, boss. Mawson just nods. Still too cold to speak, Joe continues. I hate to tell you this, now you know. But we open the box. No stove parts, just. Just cans of jam. Mawson feels like a defrosted steak. Even with the fire, three layers of clothes and two blankets, he's still freezing. Still, he can't help but laugh. Xavier Mertz takes a nail out of a small sack and holds it point down against the wooden beam. He hits it twice with a hammer, then checks to make sure it's flush. It's January 25th, and Mertz is sitting atop the nearly completed roof of one of the two huts. Up here, the wind is gale strength and the air is frigid. His fingers are nearly frozen, which makes hammering far more of a chore than it would be on a summer day back home in Switzerland. He stops for a moment and takes in the bustle of activity around him. He sees two other men hammering on the roof of the adjoining hut. Another man is lugging bags of coal to the stove, now complete after they found the missing part. Yet another man is tossing seal meat to the dogs. No man rests for long, since they want to get the huts finished. Winter is coming soon, and the days are only getting shorter. When true winter begins, they will be without sunlight or the sun's warmth for months. Mertz takes another nail out of the sack, laying a hand flat against the roof for stability. Suddenly he feels a sharp pain in the palm of his hand. Recoiling from the pain, Mertz leaps to his feet, then loses his balance on the sloped, icy roof. Mertz tumbles off the edge of the roof and lands in a large pile of snow, which breaks his fall. But his hand is still throbbing in pain. Just then, a man exits the hut holding a hammer and wearing an alarmed look. Look, Mertz, Are you okay? Mertz brushes the snow off his coat and looks at the palm of his left hand. In the middle of it, a small, almost perfectly circular hole oozes blood. He looks again at the man with the hammer, whose face is creased with worry. I was hammering the lining into the ceiling of the hut. One of the nails must have gone all the way through. I'm so sorry. Mertz waves him off, then climbs out of the snow pile to go search for a medical kit. He wants to get his hand bandaged up quickly. There's still work to be done. Xavier Mertz straps a sixth and final dog into its harness and climbs onto the sledge. Hike. The sledge doesn't move. The dogs, all tethered to the gang line, are supposed to move in tandem. When he shouts the hike command. Instead, two Dogs pull in one direction, two dogs in another, and the other two refuse to move at all. Mertz shakes his head. It's a relatively calm February day at Cape Denison. The wind is barely above 20 mph. Mertz had hoped to use this break in the weather to train the dogs, but they seem to be making no progress in learning how to pull a sledge. Helping Mertz with the dogs is Belgrave Ninnis, a 25 year old lieutenant in the British Army. Ninnis is called Cherub by half the crew because of his pale and pink complexion. He and Mertz have become close friends ever since they were assigned to take care of the huskies together. Ninnis calls out a series of commands. Hike. Hike. Come on, Jee haw, let's go. But the sledge still doesn't budge. Mertz and Ninnis are trying to train the dogs to to pull these custom made 11 foot long sledges, which are built to carry hundreds of pounds of supplies and glide over the ice and snow on runners made of flexible wood. When the winter ends, the men will go out in three man teams to explore Antarctica. Mertz and Ninnis will be part of the Far Eastern party along with Douglas Mawson. Dogs will pull three sledges filled with all the supplies they'll need. But it won't work if the dogs can't follow simple commands like the ones Ninnis is again repeating. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy, easy. Mertz loves the dogs fiercely. They're Eskimo huskies from Greenland, fluffy haired and feathery tails, but also incredibly strong and durable in the cold. And supposedly they can take orders. He and Ninnis have named most of the dogs and gotten to know their personalities. There's Gadget, Blizzard, George, Mary and Johnson. And two dogs are named after great polar explorers, Shackleton and Franklin. Onboard the ship, the dogs howled and moaned, disliking the confinement and the rocking movement. At least 16 puppies were born on board, but only a few survived the tough journey. At sea, even some of the adults didn't make it to the mainland. They grew ill on the ship and they suffered fits. Mertz winces at the memory of having to put the dogs down himself. One of the more obedient huskies is a red hued female called Ginger. Frustrated with how training is going, Mertz takes off Ginger's harness and pulls her aside. Hey, look girl. We need the whole team to pull in just one direction. What do you say? What do you say? Can you get the others to cooperate? Ginger gives Mertz a knowing look. Mertz Hooks up Ginger in the lead dog position and nods at Ninja, who starts shouting orders again. Hike. Hike. Mertz smiles as the sledge moves forward. It's just a few feet, but it's progress. Belgrave Ninnis swings a large pickaxe inside an ice cave. A big chunk of ice comes loose and then he tosses it behind him. Another man picks it up and hands it off to yet another man, who hauls it out onto the surface above. It's August 12th, and Ninnis is part of a crew digging an ice cave five and a half miles from Cape Dennison. The cave is already substantial enough that Ninnis can stand at full height and barely touch the ceiling. Once it's been fully dug out, the cave will act as a refuge for the men returning from their months long, three man journeys exploring the continent. It's intended as a final way station. Before finishing their expeditions, they'll put a stove, food and extra gear in the cave and carve out places to rest. Ninnis can only imagine the exhaustion he'll feel when the time comes. After weeks of sledging hundreds of miles, Mawson approaches Ninnis and tells him to take a short break. They sit down and Mawson admires the cave. It's quite beautiful, isn't it? Yes, it is. It's so quiet. It's true. Outside the entrance, the wind is howling everywhere. At Cape Denison and beyond, the roar of the wind can be almost deafening. Today it's blowing at least 40 miles per hour according to their gauge. But after several months at the Cape, such speeds seem normal. The wind sometimes reach triple digits. Here in the cave, though, it's quiet. The solid ice walls block out the wind and muffle the sound. Ninnis can hear even the smallest movement and can finally relax enough to admire the crystalline surroundings. Hey, boss. I know we've been calling this the five and a half Mile Post, but that name just doesn't do it justice. You know, why don't we call it Aladdin's Cave? Cave? Ninnis watches Mawson scratch his beard, as he often does before making a decision. You know, Ninnis, you're right. This is truly a magical place. Aladdin's Cave is perfect. Ninus can't wait until it's his turn to rest in this sanctuary. Antarctica is a cruel land, not meant for habitation. But in this one little corner, you can shut your eyes and think of warmth and peace and home. But Ninz knows these thoughts are premature. Before he and the rest of the men can even leave Cape Denison, they have to survive the rest of the Antarctic winter.
- [34:34]
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- [35:44]
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- [36:50]
Mike Corey
Belgrave Ninnis swallows a big sip of Coffee mixed with pork. He feels the warmth of the hot drink fill his body. Then he sucks on his cigar and blows out a big puff of smoke. The entire hut smells of cigars, coffee and the roast mutton feast that he and all the men have just shared. It's November 5, 1912, nearly 10 months since the men arrived at Cape Denison. They've all survived the winter and this night is a celebration for the adventures that lie ahead. Tomorrow, five three man teams will leave Cape Denison headed in different directions over the course of two months. They will sleep in canvas tents as they explore Antarctic territory no man has ever set foot on before. Ninnis will be part of the Far Eastern party with his good friend Xavier Mertz and the expedition's boss, Douglas Mawson. Their party has the most ambitious goal of the five teams and therefore gets to use all 17 Huskies. They'll aim to reach a point 350 miles southeast of Cape Denison. That endpoint meets approximately with a point that was spotted at sea by Robert Falcon Scott's men a year earlier. If the Far Eastern party succeeds, they'll be able to fill in an enormous blank on Antarctic maps by taking topography measurements and noting key geographical features. And they'll have to retrace their steps to 350 miles back to base and make it there by January 15th, when the Aurora will return and take them back to Australia. That's approximately 70 days to cover 700 miles, 10 miles a day, in freezing cold and wind over treacherous ice and snow. Ninnis raises his glass. He shushes the laughing, howling men. Hey. Quiet you scoundrels. Soon there was only the sound of wind pushing against the outside walls of the hut as the men wait for Ninnis to speak. First to His Majesty King George V. May his reign be long. To the King. A red faced man stands up and may King George never experience a frozen ass like mine. Ninus waits for them to calm down and then he raises his glass again. And now to our number one, our leader, Douglas Mawson. God bless him. Mawson looks a bit bashful, but he stands and raises his glass. And a toast to all of you. We've made it through the winter and may we all make it back. Cheers. There are more toasts to the Aurora, to each of the five parties. With each sip of coffee and port, Ninnis feels his excitement grow. He's nervous about the upcoming expedition, but he also feels ready. The other men may still call him cherub, but 10 months in Antarctica has definitely toughened him up. Ninnis retires to his bunk, warm with food and drink. As tired men snore around him, his mind swirls with what awaits him. Tomorrow he is off with the Far Eastern party into the white yonder, into the cold unknown. Douglas Mawson dips his pen into his inkwell and shivers with the chill that seeps through the hut's many hidden cracks. He writes a few more words of a letter he's composing to his fiance, the Paquita del Pratte, though he's aware that there's no way to send a tour once he's finished. It's evening on November 9, three days since the Far Eastern party and all the parties were supposed to leave on their journeys. But when they awoke on the 6th, the weather was fearsome. The snowfall was so thick that it was almost whiteout conditions. The bad weather has barely abated since, and the men have tried to keep busy in the hut, playing cards and cooking penguin eggs. Mawson and his men are on edge. They're itching to go, and the longer they wait, the more distance they'll have to cover each day to make up for the lost time. But it seems that their luck has turned and tomorrow's conditions will be good enough so they can finally depart. In the meantime, Mawson is sitting in his quarters, writing one final letter to his Dearest Pakita, I am writing this note in case anything should happen that will prevent me from reaching you. One truly lives day to day here, and our sledge journey is about to commence. He hesitates, wondering if he's being too melodramatic, but then he continues writing, I have two good companions in Xavier Mertz and Belgrave Ninnis. It is unlikely that any harm will happen to us, but. But should I not return to you in Australia, please know that I do truly love you. He puts the pen down and folds up the letter, wondering if Paquita will ever see it, or if he's just written the final words from him that she will ever read. Douglas Mawson looks through his binoculars, discouraged by what he sees. Directly east of where he stands at Cape Denison is a seemingly endless plateau of ice covered ridges and ruts. Worse still, it's riddled with crevasses, deep cracks in the icy surface that can be hundreds of feet deep. Sometimes they're so hidden under snowdrifts that you can't see them until it's too late. But that's the direction the Far Eastern party is going to head today and for the next month. At least he sees now that they will have to head south first to avoid the worst of the crevasses. He expects they'll have to do a lot of redirecting and backtracking over the next few weeks. But he tries to focus on the excitement of finally getting started. It's 1pm on November 10, and down a small hill from where he stands are Ninnis and Mertz, the two other members of the Far Eastern Party. They wait with the 17 Huskies who will pull them through this merciless environment. The restless dogs yap with excitement, as if they too understand that they are heading into the unknown. Earlier that morning, Mawson asked Mertz to cook some of his special penguin egg omelets. Standing in the hut's kitchen, wearing his apron and a big toothy smile, Mertz predicted the sky would clear. And it has. The men devoured their omelets and made final preparations. They hooked up the dogs, their harnesses, and loaded the final supplies onto the sledges. All told, the Far Eastern Party's three sledges carry 1,723 pounds of supplies. Nearly 500 pounds of that is food for the men, enough to feed them for nine weeks. £700 is food for the dogs, mostly seal meat and a meaty paste called Pemmican. A 44 pound canvas tent and three 10 pound reindeer skin sleeping bags will keep them warm when they stop to rest. They've also packed geologist tools, surveying equipment, a camera and film ropes, a small stove, snowshoe skis, medical supplies, a.22 rifle and repair kits for clothing and tents. They also hooked a sledge meter to one of the sledges to calculate their distance traveled. Each day, the dogs will haul all this deep into Antarctica. After breakfast, Mawson led the men in a prayer. He sang a hymn and asked the Lord to guide them and to provide protection and good weather overall. Now he walks down the hill to Merzeninus. My friends, we are ready to go. Mawson is glad to have Xavier Mertz and his always positive attitude. He's also happy to have Belgrave Ninnis. He's so patient and so loyal. Both have become experts on working with the dogs since taking command of them, and that will definitely come in handy. Before they set out, Mawson gives a parting thought to his fiance, Paquita. He's certain she is thinking of him, him wondering where he might be, what struggles he might be facing at this very moment. He hopes that while she does so, she's enjoying a view of the gentle ocean off her veranda. The thought warms him a little as he signals for the sledges to move forward. During this voyage, he'll need to hold on to such warm thoughts and rely on them as much as he relies on his woollen coat, because the land ahead of the them is frozen and barren and filled with unknown danger. If you like, against the odds, you.
- [46:00]
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- [46:04]
Mike Corey
The Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.
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- [46:14]
Mike Corey
Survey this is the first episode of our four part series alone in Antarctica. A quick note about our scenes. In most cases we can't exactly know what was said, but everything is based on historical research. If you'd like to learn more about this event, we recommend the books Alone on the Ice by David Roberts, Mawson's Will by Leonard Bickley and the Home of the Blizzard by Douglas Mawson. I'm your host Mike Corey. Sean Raviv wrote this episode. Our editor is Steve Fennessy, sound design by Joe Richardson, audio engineer is Sergio Enriquez, original theme music by Scott Velasquez and 2K for Freeze N Sync Fact checking by Alyssa Jung Perry Produced by Emily Frost Managing producer is Desi Blalock Senior managing producer is Callum Plews Senior producer is Andy Herman. Executive producers are Jenny Lauer, Beckman, Stephanie Jens Marshall, Louie and Erin O'. Flaherty. For Wondery.
- [47:29]
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Today is the worst day of Abby's life. The 17 year old cradles her newborn son in her arms.
- [47:36]
Mike Corey
They all saw how much I loved him.
- [47:38]
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They didn't have to take him from me. Between 1945 and the early 1970s, families shipped their pregnant teenage daughters to maternity homes and forced them to secretly place their babies for adoption in hidden corners across America. It's still happening. My parents had me locked up in the godparent home against my will. They worked with them to manipulate me and to steal myself son away from me. The godparent home is the brainchild of controversial preacher Jerry Falwell, the father of the modern evangelical right and the founder of Liberty University, where powerful men, emboldened by their faith, determine who gets to be a parent and who must give their child away. Follow Liberty Lost on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.