# Cecil Meares — The Worst Journey in the World character guide

> Cecil Meares in The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Meares, 256 Meares

**First appearance:** 0003-the-worst-journey-in-the-world

## Snapshot

Dog driver and Russian interpreter, a man of practical frontier skills whose knowledge of animals and sledging set him apart from the naval officers.

## Who they are

Meares handled the expedition's dogs and ponies with the ease of someone who had lived among rough frontiers, and his competence with animals made him invaluable in the depot-laying work. Cherry uses him to think about the expedition's larger strategic choices, contrasting the British reliance on ponies and man-hauling with Amundsen's confident use of dogs. His presence sharpens the book's recurring question of whether the expedition's methods were the right ones.

## In the story

### [III: Southward](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/iii-southward)

Sings a song about the expedition and exercises dog teams on the floes; also sings 'God save' to penguins.

### [The Return of the Dog Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/the-return-of-the-dog-party)

Drives the dog team that falls into the crevasse; works with Scott to free the dogs.

### [Spring](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/viii-spring)

Runs dog teams to Corner Camp with Dimitri, making two trips before the end of October.

### [The Polar Journey (Continued)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xii-the-polar-journey-continued)

Returned with dog teams from the bottom of the Beardmore Glacier; built up cairns obliterated by the December blizzard, aiding all returning parties.

### [Another Spring](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/chapters/xv-another-spring)

Referenced in Dimitri's story as being fetched by the old man who complained about the dogs.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/characters/meares
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_worst_journey_in_the_world_se/characters