A 100-year-old block of butter has been found at the Antarctic base of British explorer Captain Scott.
The British team came second to that of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in the race to the South Pole and Scott and his four colleagues also died during the expedition in 1912.
One member of the British team, Lawrence "Titus" Oates, has gone done in history because of his honorable suicide during the ill-fated expediton. Aware that his ill-health was compromising his companions' lives, Oates walked out of the tent into a blizzard, declaring: "I am just going outside and may be some time." He was never seen again.
The ancient butter was discovered by a team of New Zealanders, who were excited to discover that the butter is New Zealand butter, and bears the Silver Fern logo, New Zealand's national emblem which appears on the crest of the mighty New Zealand rugby union team, the All Blacks.
You wouldn't want this on your toast: 100-year-old pat of butter found at Scott's Antarctic base
By Mail Foreign Service
16th December 2009
Daily Mail
The world’s oldest block of butter has been discovered at the Antarctic base of ill-fated British explorer Captain Robert Scott.
The frozen spread was found in a sack in a former pony stable nearly a century after the adventurer’s mission to the South Pole.
Captain Scott and his four colleagues died on their way back from the pole after coming second to Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen.
Frozen in time: The butter found in a sack in Captain Scott's Antarctic pony stable
Restoration workers also discovered shelves of tinned food, bedding and clothing in the Britons’ Cape Evans hut.
The butter, however, is the only example of fresh foods used by the explorers.
But what has excited the New Zealand discoverers the most is the fact that the spread is a product of their own country, still famous for its dairy products today.
Asked what the reaction was when they came across the cloth bag containing two blocks of butter, Lizzie Meek of the Antarctic Heritage Trust responded: 'Oh, just tremendous!
'It looked like an old wrinkly bag and you look inside and saw the wonderful Silver Fern logo.'
Captain Scott: Seen writing on a desk in his hut at Cape Evans, Antarctica
The same logo is used on the New Zealand All Blacks’ rugby team shirt.
'I think its discovery is absolutely a treasure find,' added Miss Meek.
The New Zealand rugby union team's logo
'What's amazing is how strong it smells. Nearly 100 years old - very, very strong.
Possibly a bit too strong? I'm not sure I'd want it on my toast.’
"I am just going outside and may be some time." Boer War veteran Lawrence "Titus" Oates famously committed suicide during the ill-fated 1912 British expedition by stepping out into a blizzard.
The experts plan to keep the butter in the chilly hut because they are determined not to let this piece of history literally melt away.
And because temperatures hardly ever rise above minus 10C in the Antarctic stables, it is a good way to preserve it.
Writing on the sack reads CCCDC, which is believed to stand for the New Zealand firm Canterbury Central Co-operative Dairy Company.
It is thought to have formed in the 1800s and was based in Christchurch, NZ.
'Hopefully, it will remain preserved for another 100 years if we leave it in the stables,' said Miss Meek.
Preserved: Scientific equipment left on show in Scott's hut
'I hope it will look pretty similar - perhaps a little dustier but pretty much exactly the same.'
The find follows last month's discovery of two crates of Scotch whisky under a hut used by the explorer Ernest Shackleton, during his 1907-09 expedition to Antarctica.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, also known as ‘Scott of the Antarctic’, led two expeditions to the region from 1901 to 1904 and again from 1910 to 1912.
On that second expedition he and his men reached the Pole on January 17, 1912, only to find Amundsen had already got there.
During the return journey to his base hut Scott's group ran into trouble, and all perished from the extreme cold, hunger and exhaustion.
They died some time after March 29, the date of the last entry in the explorer's diary.
The entry reads: ‘Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of hardihood, endurance and courage...which would have stirred the hearts of every Englishman.’
dailymail.co.uk
The British team came second to that of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen in the race to the South Pole and Scott and his four colleagues also died during the expedition in 1912.
One member of the British team, Lawrence "Titus" Oates, has gone done in history because of his honorable suicide during the ill-fated expediton. Aware that his ill-health was compromising his companions' lives, Oates walked out of the tent into a blizzard, declaring: "I am just going outside and may be some time." He was never seen again.
The ancient butter was discovered by a team of New Zealanders, who were excited to discover that the butter is New Zealand butter, and bears the Silver Fern logo, New Zealand's national emblem which appears on the crest of the mighty New Zealand rugby union team, the All Blacks.
You wouldn't want this on your toast: 100-year-old pat of butter found at Scott's Antarctic base
By Mail Foreign Service
16th December 2009
Daily Mail
The world’s oldest block of butter has been discovered at the Antarctic base of ill-fated British explorer Captain Robert Scott.
The frozen spread was found in a sack in a former pony stable nearly a century after the adventurer’s mission to the South Pole.
Captain Scott and his four colleagues died on their way back from the pole after coming second to Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen.
Frozen in time: The butter found in a sack in Captain Scott's Antarctic pony stable
Restoration workers also discovered shelves of tinned food, bedding and clothing in the Britons’ Cape Evans hut.
The butter, however, is the only example of fresh foods used by the explorers.
But what has excited the New Zealand discoverers the most is the fact that the spread is a product of their own country, still famous for its dairy products today.
Asked what the reaction was when they came across the cloth bag containing two blocks of butter, Lizzie Meek of the Antarctic Heritage Trust responded: 'Oh, just tremendous!
'It looked like an old wrinkly bag and you look inside and saw the wonderful Silver Fern logo.'
Captain Scott: Seen writing on a desk in his hut at Cape Evans, Antarctica
The same logo is used on the New Zealand All Blacks’ rugby team shirt.
'I think its discovery is absolutely a treasure find,' added Miss Meek.
The New Zealand rugby union team's logo
'What's amazing is how strong it smells. Nearly 100 years old - very, very strong.
Possibly a bit too strong? I'm not sure I'd want it on my toast.’
"I am just going outside and may be some time." Boer War veteran Lawrence "Titus" Oates famously committed suicide during the ill-fated 1912 British expedition by stepping out into a blizzard.
The experts plan to keep the butter in the chilly hut because they are determined not to let this piece of history literally melt away.
And because temperatures hardly ever rise above minus 10C in the Antarctic stables, it is a good way to preserve it.
Writing on the sack reads CCCDC, which is believed to stand for the New Zealand firm Canterbury Central Co-operative Dairy Company.
It is thought to have formed in the 1800s and was based in Christchurch, NZ.
'Hopefully, it will remain preserved for another 100 years if we leave it in the stables,' said Miss Meek.
Preserved: Scientific equipment left on show in Scott's hut
'I hope it will look pretty similar - perhaps a little dustier but pretty much exactly the same.'
The find follows last month's discovery of two crates of Scotch whisky under a hut used by the explorer Ernest Shackleton, during his 1907-09 expedition to Antarctica.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, also known as ‘Scott of the Antarctic’, led two expeditions to the region from 1901 to 1904 and again from 1910 to 1912.
On that second expedition he and his men reached the Pole on January 17, 1912, only to find Amundsen had already got there.
During the return journey to his base hut Scott's group ran into trouble, and all perished from the extreme cold, hunger and exhaustion.
They died some time after March 29, the date of the last entry in the explorer's diary.
The entry reads: ‘Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of hardihood, endurance and courage...which would have stirred the hearts of every Englishman.’
dailymail.co.uk
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