RICHARD E.

BRYD
A 1blizzard raged over the ice shelf of the Ross Barrier. The temperature plunged to seventy below; and the
wind cut angry 2ridges into the ice. The night was filled with fury of the Antarctic storm.

But inside the shack, buried beneath the ice for protection, it was strangely quiet. The sounds of the storm
came only faintly, as though from a distance. But the dampness seeped in, and the bitter cold. And there
was something else…oppressive, alarming.

The man on the cot knew what it was. Carbon-monoxide fumes were escaping from the stove. He had
already been overcome by them but had miraculously revived, and discovering what was wrong, had tried
to correct it. But the stove was still faulty; the fumes were still slowly escaping. Perhaps by the time the fire
went out he would be strong enough to have another try at it- if he didn’t sit to eat, or even to get up and
light the lamp. He felt himself getting drowsy, and knew that if he fell asleep he might never waken again.

Facing death in this lonely outpost, Admiral Byrd’s thoughts turned to those at home. He was filled with
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anxiety over the consequences to his family if he failed to return. He thought of the last words Capitan
Scott had written twenty-two years ago on this very Barrier, just before he died : “ For God’s sake look
after your people!” and he suddenly realized how wrong his own sense of values had been in the end all
that matters to a man is his family.

“The family is an everlasting anchorage,” he thought. “The family is a quiet harbor…”

He must put those thoughts down before they escaped him, while his mind was still clear. Harmony within
oneself and the family circle: that was an important part of the 4philosophy he had been working out for
himself, alone there in the Antarctic. Perhaps if he started writing it would be easier to stay awake. He
reached for the diary that was always just beside his cot.

Richard did not die, though he came close to it. He managed to repair the faulty stove and to survive the
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noxious poisoning, though he was sick for weeks afterward. During those weeks the thoughts that had
filled his mind as he lay on his cot, expecting to die, kept returning. He knew now that his ideas of success
and happiness had changed. He knew now that the simple humble things of life could be the most
important. From the notes made in his diary during this period, he later wrote his famous book, ‘ALONE’,
from which these four inspiring paragraphs are quoted:

“The UNIVERSE is an almost untouched reservoir of significance and value,” and man need not be
discouraged because he cannot 6fathom it.

‘I realized how wrong my sense of values had been, and how, I had failed to see homely, natural things of
life are the most important …

‘When a man achieves a fair measure of his family circle, he achieves peace; and nations made up of such
individuals and groups are a happy nation. As harmony of a start is its course is expressed by the rhythm
and grace, so the harmony of a man’s life is expressed by happiness…’
‘At the end only two things really matter to man, regardless of who he is; and they are the affection and
understanding of his family. Anything and everything else he creates are insubstantial; they are ships given
over the mercy of the winds and tides of prejudice. But the family is an everlasting anchorage, a quiet
harbor where a man’s ships can be left to swing in the landing stage of pride and loyalty.’

For five long months Admiral Byrd lives alone on the Ross Barrier, literally buried in the 7shack beneath the
icecap. He endured many hardships, faced grave dangers, and very nearly lost his life. But he returned
from the frozen 8outpost with far more than the valuable scientific data he had gone there to obtain. He
returned with a deep and abiding faith; and with the philosophy of life by which he has since lived, and
which has proved an 9inspiration to many others.

Far from confusions and complexities of modern life, in solitude and unhurried reflection, Admiral Byrd
learned what philosophers of every age have taught – what Gandhiji demonstrated all his life – that, ‘ A
man can live 10profoundly without masses of things.’ He learned that much of the bitterness and
unhappiness in life comes from not knowing how little we need… and how very much we have when there
is love and understanding within the family circle.

The philosophy he brought back from the Antarctic has given many others a better sense of values and has
helped then too, live more simple and with more peace.
From,
‘Light From Many Lamps’
By Lillian E. Watson.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
 ‘The family is the nucleus of civilizations.’ - Will Durant
 ‘History teaches us that there is no substitute for the family is we are to have a society that stands for human beings at
their best.’- Ray Lyman Wilbur
Answer the following Questions based on the passage:
1.The sounds of the storm came only faintly, inside the shack. Why?
2.What did Byrd start to write and why?
3.What was the main reason for him being able to overcome death?
4.What did Bryd bring back from Antarctica that was more valuable?
5.Which of the four quotes mentioned above appeal to you? Why?
6.Give meanings for the underlined words in italics.
RESEARCH WORK:
Who was the first man to reach the South Pole? Support your answer with specific details