The Disappearing World of Antarctica
Sarah K Marlow
ne Walton
As we look at the rising cost of fuel and the effects it has on the earth's environment, I do wonder whether dogs may return to the southern frozen continent.
In 1945 when my father, Kevin Walton, joined the Falkland Island Dependencies Survey (FIDS) he witnessed the arrival of dog teams, the only economical way to explore the foreboding Antarctic land. His two years in the Antarctic were full of personal experiences and at the time he never thought the smallest details of life in polar places would be of interest to people, let alone the achievements his dog team made in polar exploration.
His love for his dogs and the shared camaraderie with other FIDS along with mushing experiences was always an interesting talking point in the home as I grew up. FIDS were always renowned to carry cameras with them and the pictures in the book are just candid shots they took during their everyday life in the south. Having a domestic husky, Sister, as part of our family during my early years led me to understanding the nature of huskies and their desire to work and play.
The excitement my father had meeting two of the retired Antarctic huskies in Canada in 1997 was certainly a day I will never forget, and the stories recounted in the weeks that followed really emphasized to me why this book was written.
OF DOGS AND MEN marks the end of an era however environmental pressure may well come full circle, necessitating the use of dogs again. Only time will tell. As stated in the book "It is certain that to share the wilderness with a petrol driven machine will always be a poor substitute for the warmth and companionship of huskies."
In 1945 when my father, Kevin Walton, joined the Falkland Island Dependencies Survey (FIDS) he witnessed the arrival of dog teams, the only economical way to explore the foreboding Antarctic land. His two years in the Antarctic were full of personal experiences and at the time he never thought the smallest details of life in polar places would be of interest to people, let alone the achievements his dog team made in polar exploration.
His love for his dogs and the shared camaraderie with other FIDS along with mushing experiences was always an interesting talking point in the home as I grew up. FIDS were always renowned to carry cameras with them and the pictures in the book are just candid shots they took during their everyday life in the south. Having a domestic husky, Sister, as part of our family during my early years led me to understanding the nature of huskies and their desire to work and play.
The excitement my father had meeting two of the retired Antarctic huskies in Canada in 1997 was certainly a day I will never forget, and the stories recounted in the weeks that followed really emphasized to me why this book was written.
OF DOGS AND MEN marks the end of an era however environmental pressure may well come full circle, necessitating the use of dogs again. Only time will tell. As stated in the book "It is certain that to share the wilderness with a petrol driven machine will always be a poor substitute for the warmth and companionship of huskies."
Robert H T Dodson
Chief dog team driver, Ronne Antarctic Expedition, 1947-'48
Chief dog team driver, Ronne Antarctic Expedition, 1947-'48
As someone who has driven Antarctic dog teams decades ago in the company of one of the authors, I hail this book. It is not only a polar classic; it is a dog-lover's delight. The hard-working yet endearingly whimsical characteristics of sled dogs are brought vividly to life in this masterpiece of style, humor, and illustration. The photographs are among the best ever taken of Antarctic sled dogs, as well as of Antarctic dog teams in action. Of Dogs and Men can be read either cover to cover, or simply in fragments as informative and colorful anecdotal elements of the now-extinct era of Antarctic exploration by dog team.
The text is engaging, the style flawless. The hard yet whimsical world of the sled dog, and the warmth of relationships between the men and their charges, are depicted with flavor and in charming detail. All this is now history, evoking the world of early explorers such as Amundsen for whom the dog team was critical in the attainment in 1911 of the South Pole.
On a personal note, I have had the good fortune of knowing both authors over the years. My days of dog-sledging with Kevin Walton more than sixty years ago were among the most memorable experiences of a lifetime. Kevin was exceptionally able in handling dog teams. He had developed a close rapport with his charges, understanding well their personalities and their foibles. If a dog on the tethering line made a sound during the night, Kevin, from his sleeping bag without opening the tent door, would know from which dog the sound came. He would issue a command or soothing comment if necessary. In most cases he could identify the probable meaning of the sound, be it indigestion, cold, an approaching penguin or seal, a grudge against a neighbor on the tethering line, or simply dreaming. As an explorer Kevin was superb, having an uncanny sense of direction when navigating dog teams among iceberg mazes on the sea ice, or amidst crevasses on glaciers in the interior. He was skillful, yet sparing, when wielding his 30-foot leather whip, cracking it usually as a warning and very rarely for direct contact.
Decades later, Rick Atkinson and I enjoyed several meetings when I was a lecturer on cruise ships visiting the base at Port Lockroy where he - (a longtime veteran of the British Antarctic Survey's dog-sledging days) was manager.
For me, Of Dogs and Men evokes vivid recalls of great moments in a distant land long ago.
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