It may be over 101 years since Captain Scott's death, but on this anniversary a letter written by the dying Captain Scott inside h
The letter is addressed to Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, who was Scott's former commanding officer in the Royal Navy. In the letter he expresses his anxiety for his wife and two-year-old son, asking Bridgeman to ensure they are looked after in his absence.
Scott poignantly writes that he is at the end of his adventure, writing: "I fear we have shipped up – a close shave."
The letter was bought by the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge for £78,816, with donated funds.
Scott wrote eight letters as he faced death. There is one still in private ownership, addressed to Edgar Speyer, after it was sold last year in auction for £165,000.
It is believed the explorer died on 29 March, after writing his final diary entry, where he wrote: "It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more. R. Scott. For God's sake look after our people."
Captain Scott's last letter to Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman
My dear Sir Francis,
I fear we have shipped up – a close shave. I am writing a few letters which I hope will be delivered some day. I want to thank you for the friendship you gave me of late years, and to tell you how extraordinarily pleasant I found it to serve under you. I want to tell you I was not too old for this job. It was the younger men that went under first.
Finally, I want you to secure a competence for my widow and boy. I leave them very ill provided for, but feel the country ought not to neglect them. After all we are setting a good example to our countrymen, if not by getting into a tight place, by facing it like men when we were there. We could have come back through had we neglected the sick. Goodbye and goodbye to dear Lady Bridgeman.
Yours ever, R Scott
Excuse writing, it is minus 40, and has been for nigh a month.
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