When I read Karen May's article, I was struck by the contrast between the two Polar expeditions. Scott had cut things so fine that his very life depended on flawless execution of months-old orders under unpredictable circumstances (e.g. Simpson's departure, Evans's scurvy, Meares's late return). Amundsen, on the other hand, had such a generous safety margin that he could and did make the entire trip on his own, with little opportunity for Murphy's Law to intervene.
Re: “Scott of the Antarctic: Glorious Failure?”
When I read Karen May's article, I was struck by the contrast between the two Polar expeditions. Scott had cut things so fine that his very life depended on flawless execution of months-old orders under unpredictable circumstances (e.g. Simpson's departure, Evans's scurvy, Meares's late return). Amundsen, on the other hand, had such a generous safety margin that he could and did make the entire trip on his own, with little opportunity for Murphy's Law to intervene.