In short
Episode 2 of “Alone in Antarctica” follows Douglas Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition “Far Eastern Party” as they trek across Antarctica in 1912, battling blizzards, crevasses, snow blindness, frostbite, starvation, and the loss of their companion Belgrave Ninnis.
Guests (in this episode)
No podcast guests appear. The episode is narrated/storytold about historical figures: Douglas Mawson, Belgrave Ninnis, and Xavier Mertz.
Guest backgrounds (historical figures)
Mawson was a geologist leading the Australasian Antarctic Expedition; Ninnis was a British officer; Mertz was a Swiss Alpine skier.
Key claims/events
Severe storms prevent lighting the stove; a snow bridge nearly kills the team when dogs fall into a crevasse; Ninnis develops snow blindness after removing goggles; Ninnis later falls into a crevasse and disappears; after losing dogs and supplies, Mawson and Mertz continue with one remaining dog, then kill and eat it, and finally Mawson hauls Mertz as Mertz becomes delirious.
Notable examples
Ninnis treated with zinc sulfate and cocaine hydrochloride tablets; Ninnis’ burial service at 9pm; the glacier crossing with seracs; the crevasse under their tent; the “Ginger” return and later death.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOStruggles in the Antarctic Tent
0:35 to 4:41
The Far Eastern Party faces harsh conditions inside their tent, struggling to eat and stay warm.
“Even inside this sturdy canvas tent, the frigid Antarctic wind keeps finding its way in, making it impossible to light the stove.”
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition
4:48 to 5:55
Detailing the mission of geologist Douglas Mawson and his team's treacherous journey.
“Internet and compatible equipment required.”
Navigating the Dangerous Terrain
5:55 to 7:30
The team navigates treacherous sastrugi and the threats posed by snow bridges.
“Xavier Mertz pulls on the dog's lead, commanding them to slow down.”
A Close Call with a Crevasse
7:30 to 8:50
Mawson and Mertz face a near disaster involving a crevasse and their sled dogs.
“They camouflage crevasses that are sometimes over 100 feet deep.”
Snow Blindness and Recovery
8:50 to 12:30
Belgrave Ninnis suffers from snow blindness and receives treatment from Mawson.
“When the dogs are safe, Mertz hauls Moss and Sledge away from the crevasse.”
Crossing the Glacier
12:30 to 14:03
The team faces the challenges of crossing a glacier filled with crevasses.
“From now on, he swears to himself he will wear his goggles.”
The Crevasse Incident
14:03 to 17:40
Learn about the perilous moment when Ninnis falls into a crevasse.
“Mawson hears a sharp crack and turns around to check on his companion.”
Struggles in the Tent
18:08 to 21:48
Explore the hardships faced by the crew during a harsh storm.
“With the SparkCashPlus card from Capital One, you earn unlimited 2 % cash back on every purchase.”
Plans for Abandoning the Sledge
21:48 to 23:36
Understand the tactical decisions made regarding their sledges.
“The End and swollen to a ludicrous size.”
The Disappearance of Ninnis
23:36 to 28:01
Witness the moment Ninnis vanishes into the crevasse, altering the expedition.
“Ninnis unloads the last supplies from his sledge, careful not to put weight on his two sliced-up fingers.”
Show all 15 chapters
Introduction to the Struggle
28:01 to 28:46
The haunting disappearance of Belgrave Ninnis sets the stage for the dire situation.
“They shout and they shout at the top of their lungs, but nobody calls back.”
Descent into Despair
29:43 to 36:26
Mawson and Mertz confront the grim reality of survival after losing their supplies and dogs.
“Douglas Mawson lies on his stomach, leaning over the hard edge of the crevasse.”
The Weight of Survival
36:26 to 42:00
Mawson and Mertz's physical and emotional struggles intensify as they fight for survival.
“After Ninnis fell, they found only a few pounds of food that happened to be on Mawson's sledge, or in his pockets.”
Mawson and Mertz's Struggles
42:00 to 43:04
Learn about the dire situation Mawson and Mertz face in Antarctica.
“Mawson tries to give him some hot cocoa, but he vomits it right back up.”
Introduction to Episode Two
43:23 to 44:27
Get insights into the historical context and production of this episode.
“In most cases, we can't exactly know what was said, but everything is based on historical research.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Xavier Mertz:Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing 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. The following episode contains depictions of violence and is not suitable for everyone. Please be advised.
0:34Xavier Mertz:Belgrave Ninnes strikes a match, but it immediately goes out. Even inside this sturdy canvas tent, the frigid Antarctic wind keeps finding its way in, making it impossible to light the stove. And no stove means no hot soup or tea. Ninnes cups his hands around a fresh match and strikes it, but this one blows out too. He sighs and tosses the match away. Then looks over at his companions, Xavier Mertz and Douglas Mawson. They're huddled in their reindeer sleeping bags. Ugh, anyone got a blowtorch? Mawson takes the lid off a food box. Well, gentlemen, looks like hardtack and chocolate for dinner again.
1:18Xavier Mertz:Mertz, the Swiss Alpine skier and forever optimist, gingerly tries a bite of chocolate. It's frozen solid like everything else. Mawson gnaws on a piece of hardtack, a dry biscuit made from flour, water, and salt. He grimaces at the taste. Ninnis, though, can't bring himself to eat anything. He's so sick of uncooked rations. He'd be happy to never see hardtack or chocolate ever again. And without a lit stove, they can't even melt ice to make drinking water. It's November 16th, 1912. In the past week, the three men have made about 20 miles of progress on a journey that's supposed to cover 700 miles round trip.
2:01Xavier Mertz:And for the past two days, they've made no progress at all. Bad weather has kept them cooped up inside their tent, which is just wide enough for them to lay shoulder to shoulder. As he crawls into his sleeping bag, Ninnis wonders if they'll ever complete their journey. So far, they've spent half their time backtracking to avoid crevasses and sastrugi, hard ridges of ice carved by the wind. Their three unwieldy sledges keep tipping over, sending gears skittering across the snowpack. The landscape of Antarctica feels impossibly vast and truly unmerciful. Two days ago, just when they thought conditions couldn't get any worse, they did.
2:43Xavier Mertz:The wind gusts shot past 80 miles an hour. At times, it feels like the tent will blow away with them still in it. Ninas closes his eyes for a moment. He's so thirsty, and he feels faint from the lack of movement and nutrition and sleep. The dogs are suffering too. The 17 huskies are curled up together outside in the snowstorm. Their fur protects them from the cold, but even they aren't built for conditions this brutal. A powerful gale strikes the tent. Mawson bolts up from his sleeping bag. Grab a pole! Each man grabs a tent pole and holds on for dear life, using their collective strength to hold the tent in place.
3:25Xavier Mertz:As he hugs the tent pole, Minas looks over at the spent matches he tossed on the floor of the tent and fantasizes about a warm fire and a hot meal. He has no idea how long this storm will last, but if they can't get moving again, and soon they'll never complete this 700-mile journey.
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4:45Belgrave Ninnis:Imagine that. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Xfinity. Internet and compatible equipment required.
4:54Xavier Mertz:From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey, and this is Against the Odds.
5:07Xavier Mertz:In 1912, geologist Douglas Mawson arrived in Antarctica with teams of explorers to lead a mission called the Australasian Antarctic Expedition. Their goal was to investigate uncharted territory, mapping new terrain along the way. Mawson's team, the three-man Far Eastern Party, would have the hardest trek, aiming to travel 700 miles round trip in just three months. Mawson had experience exploring Antarctica, but his companions, British officer Belgrave Ninnis and Swiss skier Xavier Mertz, were novices. And as they plunged deeper into unexplored terrain, they would soon face a crisis not even Mawson was prepared for.
5:52Xavier Mertz:This is Episode 2, The Far Eastern Party.
6:06Xavier Mertz:Xavier Mertz pulls on the dog's lead, commanding them to slow down. Whoa, guys, easy, easy! The dogs ease up, but not quickly enough, and they pull his sledge up onto a sharply angled sastrugi, one of the ice ridges scattered across the landscape.
6:22Belgrave Ninnis:Whoa, whoa, whoa!
6:24Xavier Mertz:Just before the sledge is about to tip over, the dogs stop. He orders them to go left.
6:29Belgrave Ninnis:Ha, ha, ha!
6:31Xavier Mertz:The dogs pull the sledge back onto level ground, and Mertz breathes a sigh of relief. That was close. After three days stuck in the tent, they're finally on the move again. The storm lifted this morning, and they dug out their three sledges and resumed their journey. The going has been smooth at times, but often the dogs have lost their footing, or the sledges have overturned, crashes that have left the men bruised and battered. Each crash also means precious minutes wasted repacking the sledge. Mertz rubs a bruise on his shoulder and hears a shout from Mawson, who is 100 yards ahead. Mertz stops his sledge and runs to catch up, but as he approaches, Mawson waves him back.
7:17Xavier Mertz:No, no, no, wait, wait, wait. I'm on a snow bridge. Go back. Mertz stops and slowly backs up. A snow bridge is a clump of snow that is accumulated over a crevasse. Snow bridges are deceptive. They camouflage crevasses that are sometimes over 100 feet deep. You never know how much weight they can bear, if any. And right now, Moss and Sledge is right at the edge of a broken one. Mertz carefully tiptoes forward to get a better look. The crevasse is at least 25 feet wide and who knows how deep. The six dogs of Moss and Sledge have already fallen in and are hanging over the hole. Luckily, they are attached to the sledge with leather harness traces, which are keeping them from falling deeper.
8:04Xavier Mertz:The dogs are panicking, screaming, and frantically moving around. Their struggles are slowly pulling the sledge closer to the edge. Mawson holds the dog's traces with one hand and the sledge with the other. Mertz wants to help, but doesn't want to risk getting too close to the edge of the crevasse. His added weight could cause another collapse. He watches as Mawson slowly backs up. He leans back and keeps his feet flat so that his toes don't break the snow bridge beneath his feet. He carefully takes two more steps back until he's on solid ice and not snow. Even with the sledge bearing some of the dog's weight, Mertz can't believe Mawson's strength.
8:45Xavier Mertz:Ninnis joins Mawson, and together they pull the dogs back up to the surface. Luckily, the snow bridge doesn't collapse further. When the dogs are safe, Mertz hauls Moss and Sledge away from the crevasse. Ninnis tosses the dogs some seal meat, and the men take a short rest to calm their nerves. Sitting on the ice, Mertz wonders if they were better off stuck in the tent, or at least they were safe from falling into crevasses. Then, just when he feels like he's caught his breath, Mossen stands up. Break time's over. We'll have to backtrack to get around this crevasse. There is no time to waste here.
9:20Xavier Mertz:Let's go. Mertz nods. He reluctantly hauls himself back to his feet. He knows his boss is right. They do have to get going again.
9:36Xavier Mertz:It's mid-afternoon on November 19th, 1912, and Belgrave Ninnis takes off his goggles for the third time that day. He rubs them on his coat to remove a layer of condensation that clouds his vision. All the men wear round, tinted goggles to reduce the glare from the sun, which can be blinding when it reflects off the snow. But when his breath fogs up the goggles, Ninnis can't see a thing. He decides to leave them off for a bit. A couple hours later, he rubs his right eye. It feels like a piece of sand has gotten stuck in it. He rubs it some more, but the feeling doesn't go away. He blinks repeatedly as they cover more ground, but the feeling of sand in his eye only gets worse.
10:21Xavier Mertz:Before long, his eyes are burning and he's struggling to see. Nina stops the dogs. Ah, easy! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! He turns around to signal to his companions behind him, but all he sees are blurry shapes. His eyes are pouring out tears, but the tears don't help ease the sting. It's like his eyes are sunburned. He hears Moss and run to his side. Hey, what is it, Ninnis? It's my eyes. Okay, how long ago did you take off your goggles? Uh, I don't know, maybe an hour. I warned you not to take off your goggles, especially this time of day. You've gone snow blind. Snow blindness is caused by the bright sun reflecting off the white snow into your corneas.
11:07Xavier Mertz:It's temporary but excruciatingly painful. and until it clears up, Ninnis can't continue. Mawson and Mertz quickly put up the tent and drag Ninnis in. At this point, it's like bees are stinging his eyeballs. They lay him in his sleeping bag. He rubs his eyes with his fur-lined gloves, but nothing helps the pain. Ninnis hears Mawson's voice. All right, Ninnis, I'm going to open your eyelids and I'm going to put these little tablets on them. They're made of zinc sulfate and cocaine hydrochloride. Your tears will dissolve the tablets and then you'll feel better. But you'll have to stay still, okay?
11:43Xavier Mertz:Yeah, okay. Ninnis feels Mawson lift his lids, then the uncomfortable sensation of the tablets pressing onto his eyeballs. But the relief is almost immediate, like someone is washing away the coarse sand in his eyes. Mawson puts bandages over Ninnis' eyes, wrapping them tight so that no light can sneak in. Ninnis grabs Mawson's arm. Boss, thank you. Will my eyes be okay? They'll heal quickly, my friend. Don't you worry. He hears Mert start the stove and prepare a hot meal. Ninnis lies in complete darkness in his sleeping bag, and he smells the hoosh, a stew made from meat paste and water. He's grateful for his comrades, and that they knew what to do to treat his eyes.
12:30Xavier Mertz:From now on, he swears to himself he will wear his goggles. Fogginess be damned.
12:46Xavier Mertz:Douglas Mawson lifts binoculars to his eyes and aims them east. He sees a giant tongue of ice running north from the mainland deep into the ocean. As he suspected and feared, they are less than a mile away from a giant glacier. It's been two days since Ninnis got snow blindness, and his eyes have healed well, but now they face something far, far worse. Glaciers are notoriously dangerous for Antarctic explorers. They're like slow-moving rivers of ice. And that constant movement means that they're riddled with crevasses and seracs. Precarious towers of ice, big enough to crush a man. But there's no going around this glacier.
13:28Xavier Mertz:It's far too big. They have to cross it. Mawson signals the men and the dogs to continue. Just as Mawson feared, the glacier is a maze of crevasses. Moving in a straight line is impossible. After a couple hours of zigzagging, Mawson sees that Ninnis and Mertz are exhausted. He calls out to them. Let's stop for lunch. They pitch the tent to get a short break from the endless whipping wind. Mertz makes tea while Mawson ventures out with Ninnis to take photographs of several beautiful seracs. Then they return to the tent, with Ninnis just behind Mawson. Mawson hears a sharp crack and turns around to check on his companion.
14:11Xavier Mertz:Ninnis! Down here, boss! Ninnis' head and arms are sticking out of the ground, but the rest of him is under it. He's fallen into a crevasse. Mawson kicks some snow with his boot to find the edge of the hole. Then he carefully leans over and pulls Ninnis out. When he looks into the crevasse, he can't even see the bottom. Had it been a bit wider, Ninnis would be a goner. They trace the length of the crevasse further. It goes directly under the tent. They pitched it right on top of the hidden, deadly crack. There will be no time for tea after all. Instead, very carefully, they pack up the tent and they move on.
14:57Xavier Mertz:Xavier Mertz plants his ski poles into the packed snow and pushes himself forward over a somewhat flat area of the glacier. He's enjoying the relatively pleasant 18-degree temperature and the gentle wind. You can almost imagine that he's cross-country skiing back home in Switzerland. By now, the Far Eastern Party has found a bit of a rhythm in their travel, as well as a good system for moving the sledges. Mertz is in the lead on his skis, plotting the safest route. When he sees something concerning, he signals to Mawson, who is second and manages two sledges that are tied together. Mawson then signals back to Ninnis, who takes the rear with the third sledge, which carries far more weight than the other two.
15:42Xavier Mertz:The idea is that the extra weight will wear out the runners of the third sledge faster. Once they've used up enough of their food supply, they'll ditch the worn-out sledge and keep the other two. Mert pushes with his poles once more, and then takes a quick break to look around him, searching again for his favorite dog, Ginger. The team has been struggling with the dogs for days. Two were injured, and they had no choice but to shoot them. Another two have gone missing, including Ginger. She ran away a couple days ago, and Mertz is still hopeful she'll return. But he doesn't see any sign of her, only the endless white expanse of the glacier in every direction.
16:24So, he pushes on.
16:27Xavier Mertz:They're behind schedule, only averaging about 7 miles a day according to their sledge meter, a wheel attached to one of the sledges that measures distance. But Mertz agrees with Mawson that they should be able to get back on their desired pace soon and travel well over 10 miles per day. Their new system, with Mertz skiing out front, has sped things up. Plus, they will be reducing their weight over time as they consume their food. Mertz digs his skis into the snow and comes to a stop. He sees something moving in the distance. At first, it's just a dark blur. But as it comes closer, he sees it's a dog.
17:05Xavier Mertz:He skis towards the dog and soon sees that it's Ginger, his favorite. He bends down to pet her as she wags her tail and barks excitedly. Hey, girl, welcome back. I bet you were lonely. Come here, come here. Come on, let's get you some seal meat. As he leads Ginger back to the sledges, Mertz can't help but think that this is a sign of good things to come.
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18:29Xavier Mertz:Xavier Mertz scooches his reindeer hide sleeping bag closer to Belgrave Ninnis, hoping to warm up. But it's no use. None of them have much body heat to share. Two days ago, on December 6th, a storm with winds up to 60 miles per hour hit them. They've been stuck in the tent ever since, again unable to light the stove for tea or for warm food. Both of Mertz's companions have been suffering from vivid dreams for the past few hours as they try to rest in this freezing tent. Over the howling wind, Mertz hears Ninnis reciting dog commands in his sleep. Hi, hi. Whoa, ginger. Then, slowly, Ninnis opens his eyes.
19:15Xavier Mertz:He looks dazed for a moment, like he can't quite remember where he is. Then he sees Mertz watching him, and he smiles sheepishly. Oh, Xavier. I was talking in my sleep again, wasn't I? Yeah, yeah, you were, but it's alright. Tell me, how are your fingers feeling? Ninnis takes his hands out of his gloves and shows them to Mertz. They look horrible. Two of his fingers are blackened from frostbite, but Ninnis doesn't seem overly bothered. He takes out his book and starts reading. Mawson allowed each man to bring just one book on their journey. They were luxuries, given their strict weight limits, but have helped the men's spirits.
19:53Xavier Mertz:Mertz chose an edition of Sherlock Holmes stories. By now, he's read it so many times, he has passages memorized, even though his English is average at best. He looks over at Mawson, who is suffering as much as Ninnis. His lower lip has swollen and burst, making it painful to eat. Mawson also has nerve pain on the left side of his face and winces in agony at even the smallest touch. They made pretty good progress in the beginning of December, with double-digit mileage three days in a row. At this rate, they could conceivably reach their 350-mile goal and still get back to Cape Denison by January 15th.
20:35Xavier Mertz:That's their deadline to meet their supply ship, the Aurora. If they can get back in time, they'll be able to sail to Australia and return to civilization. If they don't, they'll be stuck at Cape Denison for another winter. Mawson enjoys when Mertz recites passages from Sherlock Holmes aloud from memory, so Mertz decides to try to cheer him up. He conjures up some lines from A Study in Scarlet. My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work. I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession. Mawson chuckles, but his injured lip doesn't allow him to laugh fully.
21:22Xavier Mertz:Mertz is the best off of the three, but even he feels weakened and stiff after days of lying in a cramped tent. He's also bored to tears. With nothing better to do, he keeps reciting Sherlock Holmes passages until his comrades fall asleep. Mertz hopes that they wake up in better shape. He hopes the weather will break soon. If they're lucky, this is the lowest point for the Far Eastern party. And there's nowhere to go from here but up.
22:01Xavier Mertz:The End
Read the full transcript
22:20Xavier Mertz:and swollen to a ludicrous size. So earlier this morning, he asked Mawson to slice them open, then bandage the wounds. The pain was outrageous, but at least the swelling went down, and now he can bend his fingers again. Still, though, they hurt. He walks back to his sledge and grabs another box. Today, December 12th, they're abandoning the third sledge. Its runners have almost worn through, and they've eaten enough food that they can divide what's left between the two remaining sledges. The Far Eastern Party has now traveled 295 miles in 33 days. If they really push, they can still have time to turn around at 350 miles and make it back to Cape Denison by January 15th.
23:08Xavier Mertz:Along the way, they've made some major discoveries. They're the first to identify and cross two major glaciers. They've proven that the nearly 300 miles they've crossed is solid land, and not a series of large islands, as some earlier explorers had theorized. They've also discovered and documented new Antarctic peaks and new capes along the coast. In Ninnis' eyes, the expedition has undoubtedly been a success. Ninnis unloads the last supplies from his sledge, careful not to put weight on his two sliced-up fingers. While he works, Mertz and Mawson pack up the other two sledges. Their plan is for Mertz to continue charting a course out in front on his skis, keeping an eye out for hidden crevasses.
23:54Xavier Mertz:Mawson decided to take the most dangerous position, in the middle. His sledge will be loaded with the least essential supplies, since he'll bear the greatest risk of falling into a crevasse that Mertz doesn't see. Ninnis will bring up the rear with the last sledge. As third in line, he should be able to follow the safe path behind Mertz and then behind Mawson. And since his sledge will be the least likely to fall into a crevasse, they are packing it with the most important supplies, like the tent and the food for both dogs and humans. At least, that's the theory. But Ninnis isn't totally sold on the plan.
24:30Xavier Mertz:When he's unloaded the last box from his old sledge, he pulls Mawson aside. Hey boss, listen, are we really going to put all our eggs in just one basket? Why not at least split some of the food up, just to be on the safe side? But Mawson shakes his head. No, no, no, this is the best strategy. If anyone is going to fall into a crevasse, it'll be me and my sledge. They continue packing the two sledges. Ninnis picks up a load of extra clothing and a broken spade and tosses them to the side. He wonders if anyone will ever find these items again. They want to reduce the weight as much as possible, and these things are no longer necessary.
25:09Xavier Mertz:After all, they're only a month or so away from finishing their trip.
25:21Xavier Mertz:Douglas Mawson writes in his diary as he sits on his sledge, pulled by six huskies. The wind is so calm and the terrain so smooth that he's able to write and only half pay attention to the dogs. He notes in ink how much easier the journey has gotten the past couple days. It's 12.30 in the afternoon on December 14th, and they are now coasting to their 350-mile goal. Mertz is 30 yards ahead, charting a path on his skis and clearly enjoying the calm conditions. He's singing a German tune at the top of his lungs in his typical happy-go-lucky way. Mawson turns around and sees Ninnis not far behind with the second sledge.
26:03Xavier Mertz:following Mawson's lead, guiding his dogs to follow the trail of the first sledge. Mertz stops singing, and Mawson looks up. He sees Mertz, a hundred yards ahead, holding up a ski pole pointed to the right. It's a signal they use to indicate that Mertz has just passed over a partially hidden crevasse. In this case, one that widens to their right. That means Mawson and Ninnis should angle their sledges left, away from the crevasse. If they follow Mertz's path, the snow bridge that supported his much lighter weight could collapse under the sledges. Now, it's Mawson's job to warn Ninnis. He turns back and shouts, Crevasse!
26:42Xavier Mertz:They've done it a hundred times already, and have the routine down. Mawson sees Ninnis get off his sledge to guide the dogs more carefully. Meanwhile, Mawson angles his sledge to take a direct path over the crevasse, which is safer than traveling diagonally. He passes over without any issue. He's about to go back to his diary when he hears a slight whine from one of Ninnis' dogs. He doesn't think much of it, but when he looks up, Mertz has stopped again. He's staring behind Mawson. Mawson turns around and sees nothing. Not Ninnis, his dogs, or his sledge. They've vanished. He signals his dogs to stop.
27:24Xavier Mertz:Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! He gets off his sledge and retraces its tracks. He slows down to see the tracks leading right into a hole in the ice. A big hole, at least ten feet wide. On the other side of the hole are two sets of tracks. It's his own sledges and Ninnis'. His heart races and he drops to his knees. He carefully looks over the edge and down into the crevasse, but all he sees is darkness.
27:49Belgrave Ninnis:Ninnis! Ninnis!
27:51Xavier Mertz:He listens hard, but he does not hear a response. Mertz soon joins him at the edge of the crevasse. They bend forward and they call together. NINIS! NINIS! NINIS! NINIS! They shout and they shout at the top of their lungs, but nobody calls back. Belgrave Ninnis is simply gone.
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29:34Douglas Mawson:Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
29:54Xavier Mertz:Nenis! Nenis! Douglas Mawson lies on his stomach, leaning over the hard edge of the crevasse. For the past few minutes, they have alternated shouting into the crevasse while roped to one of the sledges for extra safety. But so far, they've got nothing to show for it. Nenis is either dead or fell so deep that they cannot hear him. This is Mawson's worst nightmare. He takes a break, and Mertz takes over the shouting. Ninnis! Ninnis! Ninnis! Mertz stops. I hear something! Now Mawson hears it too. A dog yelping, but far below. Mawson peers through a pair of binoculars into the darkness, trying to pinpoint the source of the yelps.
30:41Xavier Mertz:Finally, he sees it. A small ledge deep down in the crevasse. On it are two dogs. One of them is completely still. It must be dead. The other is alive, but is barely moving. They measure the depth of the ledge where the dogs lie by dropping a fishing line. It's about 150 feet down. That's far deeper than any length of ropes they could string together. And Ninnis, if he's alive, is even deeper out of both sight and sound.
31:12Belgrave Ninnis:For the next
31:13Xavier Mertz:three hours, they continue to shout down into the hole. Eventually, the injured dog dies on the ice shelf below. After that, all they hear are their own echoes. Finally, Mawson and Mertz go and sit by their last remaining sledge. After what feels like a very long time, Mawson utters the words he's been dreading. This is dead, my friend. Mawson watches Mert slowly accept it. He nods his head. Yeah, I know you're right. He's dead. Or at least so far out of reach that rescue is impossible. Let's hope the fall killed him. On top of losing their friend, they've also lost their six strongest dogs, their tent, all of their dog's food, nearly all of their own food and much of their survival gear, including Mertz's weatherproof clothes.
32:13Xavier Mertz:They're at least 35 days of sledging from Cape Denison, but they only have 10 days worth of rations for themselves, and none for the remaining huskies. With the dogs howling in the background, the men hold a burial service for Belgrave Ninnis at 9pm. They each give a reading, Mawson in English and Mertz in German. But they can't linger. Mawson calculates that they have traveled 315 miles from Cape Denison. They are 35 miles short of their initial goal. But now they have a new goal. Survive. Mawson turns to Mertz. We have to turn around right now. We have to find the supplies we dumped when we consolidated the sledges.
33:00Xavier Mertz:There may be something useful there. More layers of clothing, at least. Then we have to figure out what we can use for a tent. We'll be dead men without one. Mertz just nods. Mawson puts his arm around Mertz, whose always positive attitude seems to finally have hit its breaking point. It's around 24 miles to the supply dump, and we can't afford to rest. We'll be traveling all night. Mawson watches as Mertz walks over to his skis and puts them on without saying a single word. Mawson gets on the one remaining sledge. There are six dogs left. They're weakest huskies. And with all the dog food gone, Mawson cannot give them a single thing to eat.
33:50Xavier Mertz:They're already starving, but Mawson calls for the dogs to move. And move fast for their lives.
34:04Xavier Mertz:Xavier Mertz pulls a dog harness over his shoulders and tightens the straps around his torso. Beside him, Douglas Mawson adjusts his own harness. They exchange a nod. Then, in unison, they start moving forward.
34:22Xavier Mertz:Together, they are hauling the heavy sledge behind them, but Mertz has grown far weaker than Mawson. Each step is agony on his deteriorating body. The harness chafes his skin. The wind whips him like an insult. And yet, he knows he must go on. He looks down at Ginger, his favorite of all the dogs. And now, the only one left. The dogs have perished, one by one, without food. Ginger has hardly any fat on her anymore. A shell of the husky she once was. Still, she helps them pull, and Mertz strokes her fur. Good job, girl. Good job. It's the morning of December 28th, 1912, two weeks since Ninnis fell into a crevasse and disappeared forever.
35:17Xavier Mertz:Mertz's weatherproof outerwear was lost in Ninnis' fall, and now he is always wet and cold. Not only that, but Mertz and Mawson have barely eaten half of their normal rations since then, and yet they've had to work twice as hard. Over the past two weeks, their dogs grew weaker and weaker, one after another until they couldn't haul. All the dog food fell down into the crevasse with menace, and out of desperation, Mertz and Mawson fed them worn-out fur mittens, reindeer boots, and some spare rawhide straps. But with how hard the huskies were working, it was not even close to enough. When they got too weak, the men had to put them down, then butcher them for meat.
36:08Xavier Mertz:Now Ginger is the only one left, and Mertz knows that her time is coming. They've made incredible progress the past two weeks, traveling more than 160 miles according to Mawson's calculations. But they're still another 150 miles from Cape Denison, and they're growing weaker by the day. After Ninnis fell, they found only a few pounds of food that happened to be on Mawson's sledge, or in his pockets. Some chocolate, some raisins, meat paste, biscuits, and cocoa. In addition to a lack of food, they're doing more and more of the hauling themselves, as more of the dogs have died. They can barely sleep in the makeshift tent they put together from a spare tent cover, and that tent is held together with Mertz's skis and two old sledge runners.
37:02Xavier Mertz:It's so small, they can barely both lie down inside at the same time, and because there's no floor, when they turn the stove on, the ice melts beneath them, creating a slushy puddle. Mertz shudders as he hauls, knowing that his beloved friend will likely be his next meal. And almost on cue, Ginger stops moving. She falls into a heap on the ground. Mertz and Mawson lift her up onto the sledge, her bony chest barely moving up and down. They pull her for three miles to the next spot where they'll camp and rest. Along the way, Mertz remembers first meeting Ginger on the Aurora and all the days he spent with her at sea and at Cape Denison.
37:50Xavier Mertz:When they reach a spot to camp, they set up the makeshift tent. Then Mawson approaches Mertz with a grave face. Someone has to do it. Mertz shakes his head. I can't. Mawson nods. They've long ago discarded the rifle to keep weight low. Mertz feels an intense sense of shame as his hunger fights his love for the husky. He turns his back as Mawson snaps the dog's neck.
38:30Xavier Mertz:Douglas Mawson lifts Savior Mertz up from his sleeping bag and helps him into his clothes. They're still wet from the night before. They're always wet. He helps Mertz dress and then feeds him a bit of hot cocoa and a biscuit. Then he breaks down the tent and packs everything in the sledge. He then puts Mertz into one harness and himself into another. Then they begin to pull the sledge. It's 7 a.m. on January 6th, 1913, a week since Mawson had to kill their last dog, Ginger. The new year has come and gone and things look bleak. Both men are weak and tired from eating less than a pound of rations per day, not even half of what they consume daily before losing most of their food supply.
39:18Xavier Mertz:Pulling a sledge in 25 mph wind is beyond difficult in normal times, but now there aren't even any huskies to help. Every inch of Mawson's body aches, and his belly never stops begging for food. Mertz is even worse off than Mawson. His sunny optimism has long since deserted him. His beard is patchy, and his skin around it is red and raw, and when he takes off his goggles, Mawson can see how gray and sunken Mertz's eyes have become. As they haul, their weak legs cause them to slip and lose their balance again and again.
40:03Xavier Mertz:After his third fall, in almost as many minutes, Mawson groans in frustration. When he picks himself up, Mertz is standing still. My mind goes forward, but my legs stay here. Mawson is sympathetic, but he knows that stopping is not an option. Xavier, we must keep moving. They've already spent three of the past four days in the tent so Mertz could rest. They're still at least 100 miles from Cape Denison, and they have to move faster, not slower, or risk running out of food altogether. together, Mawson puts his arm around Mertz. I know, my friend, but our lives are at stake. We must walk while we can.
40:51Xavier Mertz:But Mertz just stands there, mumbling words Mawson can't understand. The man is delirious. Here, get on the sled, Xavier. You can rest for a while. Then perhaps you'll feel like walking again, yeah? Mawson helps his friend lie down on the sledge. He covers him with the sleeping bags, and notes how Mertz shivers, how his breaths are shallow. It takes all of Mawson's energy to haul the sledge alone, especially with Mertz's added weight. The harness cuts through his clothes into his skin. Mawson is afraid of slipping and breaking an ankle, which would surely be his end, so he gets down on all fours and crawls forward like an animal.
41:35Xavier Mertz:Mawson hauls three miles this way, and then he can't crawl another inch. He stops and sets up the tent and the stove. He carries Mertz inside. Come. Yeah, yeah. Let's have some hot cocoa, my friend. By now, Mertz has trouble keeping food down, and he refuses to eat any more dog meat. He says that it's been making him sick. Mawson tries to give him some hot cocoa, but he vomits it right back up. In a sudden moment of clarity, Mertz tells Mawson what he'd like to do when they reach the Aurora, the ship that they last saw nearly a year ago. I'd love to make an omelette, boss. A penguin egg omelette.
42:26Xavier Mertz:Mawson smiles. Of course, Savior, yes. and everyone knows you make the best penguin egg omelets. Mawson holds Mertz as he falls asleep, then turns to his diary and writes, Things are in a most serious state for both of us. I cannot leave Mertz here, but his heart seems to have gone. And if he cannot go on eight or ten miles a day, then we are surely doomed.
43:04Belgrave Ninnis:Follow Against the Odds on Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge new seasons of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app, or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
43:22Xavier Mertz:This is the second episode of our three-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 Bickle, 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 and Sync Fact Checking by Alyssa Jung Perry Produced by Emily Frost Managing Producer is Desi Blaylock Senior Managing Producer is Callum Plews Senior Producer is Andy Herman Executive Producers are Jenny Lauer-Beckman, Stephanie Jens, Marshall Louis, and Aaron O 'Flaherty for Wondery
44:27Belgrave Ninnis:Imagine you're reading Pride and Prejudice. Except you're not reading it. Harris Dickinson and Marissa Abella are reading it to you on Audible. Her barbs sting you. His coldness sends a shiver up your spine. Your heart aches. Your ears burn. You yearn for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy to profess their undying love for one another. You can't bear it any longer. Well, maybe a chapter longer. Performance is so good, you'll give love a second chance. Audible. stories that speak to you.
From the publisher
Douglas Mawson and his companions Belgrave Ninnis and Xavier Mertz are losing precious time on their journey across uncharted territory in Antarctica. Severe storms have pinned them down for days, and they’ve had to backtrack to avoid hidden crevasses in the Antarctic ice, so deep that falling into one would mean almost certain death. Then, more than 300 miles from base camp, a shocking tragedy leaves them fighting for their lives.
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