牛津書蟲系列 世界上最冷的地方 06 A bad start

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　　On August 23rd，the Norwegians'sledges were ready.They took them outside，and the dogs pulled them across me ice.The sun came up for half an hour，but it was too cold：-46°Centigrade.They could not travel in that weather.They went back to Framheim and waited.

　　They waited two weeks，until September 8th.Then，with the temperature at-37°Centigrade，they started.They ran happily across the snow to the south—eight men，seven sledges，and eighty-six dogs.Only

　　Lindstrom，the cook，stayed behind in Framheim.

　　At first everything went well.They went twenty-eight kilo-metres on Saturday，and twenty-eight kilometres on Sunday.It was easy.Then，on Monday，the temperature went down—to -56°Centigrade.There was white fog in front of their faces.They couldn't see anything.But they travelled twenty-eight kilometres.

　　That night，in their tents，they nearly died of cold.Next day，they stopped and made snow houses.Inside the snow houses，it was warm.But everyone was unhappy.

　　'I told you，Roald!'Johansen said.'Even September is too early!We can't travel in this cold.Do you want us to die? Let's go back and wait for better weather.'

　　Amundsen was very angry.He was angry with Johansen，buthe was angry with himself，too.He knew Johansen was right.

　　'All right，'he said slowly.'We can go on to the depot at 80°South，leave the food there，and then go back.We can't do more than that.'

　　It was thirty-seven kilometres to the depot.The wind was in their faces all day.Two dogs died on the way.At the depot，they did not stop.They put out the food and the flags，turned round，and went north.

　　At last the wind was behind them.The dogs ran quickly，and the men sat on the empty sledges.They went faster and faster.It was like a race.Amundsen was on Wisting's sledge，and soon he，Wisting，and Hanssen were three or four kilometres in front.Soon they were alone.They travelled seventy-five kilo-metres in nine hours，and they reached Framheim at four o'clock that afternoon.

　　Bjaaland arrived two hours later，with two more men.But the last two—Johansen and Prestrud—went more slowly.Their dogs were tired，their feet were wet and cold，they had no food，and they were alone in the dark.The temperature was-51°Centigrade.They reached Framheim at midnight.

　　Next morning，Johansen was angry.In front of everyone，he said：'You were wrong，Roald.September was too early.I told you but you didn't listen.And then you left us alone and we nearly died in the cold!You're a bad captain—I'm a better captain than you are!'

　　Amundsen was very angry.But at first he said nothing，be-cause he knew that Johansen was right.Then，that evening，he gave a letter to Johansen.It said：

　　You aren't coming to the Pole with me.When I go south，you can take some dogs and go east to King Edward Ⅶ Land.You can go with Prestrud and Stubberud.You can be the first men to go there—but not to the South Pole!

　　The Norwegians stayed in Framheim and waited.They lay in bed，listened to the wind outside，and thought about Scott and his motor sledges.

　　6 出師不利

　　8月23日，挪威人的雪橇準備就緒。他們將雪橇搬到戶外，狗拉著雪橇穿行在冰封的大地上。太陽已升起半小時，但是氣候仍舊很冷：-46℃。他們不可能在這種天氣上路，只好返回弗雷門海姆，等待著。

　　他們又等了兩個星期，直至9月8日。他們冒著-37℃的低溫，出發(fā)了。他們愉快地向南奔去，穿行在雪原之中。這一行共有8個人、7輛雪橇、86條狗。留在身后的只有廚師林德斯特倫，他留守在弗雷門海姆營地。

　　起初一切順利。星期六他們走了28公里，星期天又走了28公里。事情并不難。然而在星期一，溫度降到-56℃。眼前是一片白茫茫的濃霧，他們啥也看不到。即使如此，他們還是前進了28公里。

　　那天晚上，他們幾乎凍死在帳篷里。第二天，他們停了下來，修筑雪屋。盡管雪屋內(nèi)暖融融的，但是眾人的心都很沉重。

　　“我給你講過，羅阿爾!”約翰森說，“即使9月份也為時過早!在這種寒冷的天氣下，我們不可能前行。你要我們死嗎?咱們回去吧，等氣候變好些再走。”

　　阿蒙森惱怒至極。他不僅惱恨約翰森，而且還惱恨自己。他心中明白，約翰森是對的。

　　“好吧，”他緩緩地說，“我們可以繼續(xù)前行，到南緯80°的貯藏屋去，把食物留在那兒后，再折回。我們只能做這些事了。”

　　離貯藏屋有37公里。寒風(fēng)撲面，整日不歇，有兩條狗死在半路了。到達貯藏屋時，他們沒有任何停頓，拿出食物與旗幟后，馬上向北調(diào)頭了。

　　他們終于將寒風(fēng)拋在身后。群狗飛快地跑，眾人坐在空雪橇上往回趕。它們速度越來越快，就像進行比賽。阿蒙森坐在威斯丁的雪橇上。很快地，他、威斯丁、漢森就領(lǐng)先了三四公里。再一會兒后，他們已經(jīng)獨領(lǐng)風(fēng)騷了。9小時內(nèi)，他們跑了75公里。他們到達弗雷門海姆時，是那天下午4點鐘。

　　兩小時后，比阿蘭德與另外兩個人趕了回來。最后兩人約翰森與普雷斯楚德速度更慢。他們的狗非常疲倦。兩個人的腳又濕又冷。他們的食品也光了，孤獨地行進在黑暗之中。當(dāng)時的氣溫降到-51℃。他們趕回弗雷門海姆時已經(jīng)是半夜了。

　　次日早晨，約翰森大發(fā)其火。他當(dāng)著眾人說：“你錯了，羅阿爾。9月份太早了。我早告訴過你，可是你聽不進去。后來，你又扔下我們，搞得我們孤立無援，幾乎凍死在這冰天雪地之中。你是個壞隊長，讓我當(dāng)隊長也比你強。”

　　阿蒙森憤怒至極。但起先一言不發(fā)，因為他知道約翰森罵得有理。后來，在那天晚上，他遞給約翰森一封信。信中這樣寫：

　　你不必隨我去南極了。在我出發(fā)南行之時，你可以帶幾條狗向東，趕到愛德華七世地。普雷斯楚德與斯塔伯魯?shù)乱部梢噪S你同去。你們可能成為首批到那兒的人——但不是南極!

　　這些挪威人留在弗雷門海姆，等待著。他們躺在床上，聽著屋外的寒風(fēng)，想著斯科特，想著他的機動雪橇。