Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-03-02

oSIdoHsHeu tnereOn mad moved con-
siderably from its original location.
Th1s party returned to the vessel on
December Is, after being out 68 days.
The southeasterly expedition to the
interior of the Great Barrier, under
Royds, returned on December 10. The
party marched day after day over the
same monotonous and unutterably
wearisome plain of ice and snow. Elk
tremely valuable magnetic observa-
tions were made, as here these were
absolutely free from possible disturb
land-masses.
In January, 1904. 20 miles of solid
ice separated the Discovery" from
open water, and an attempt to saw a
channel was seen to be impossible.
On January the relief ships Morn
ing and Terra Nova" appeared. AS
the ice gave little hope of breaking
up. preparations were made to aban-
don the ship, and to transfer the val
liable contents to the relief vessels.
BY February It, however, the obs
covery" was freed with the help of ex.
plosixes, the miles of intervening ice
having previously been broken up by
stress of weather. From McMurdo
Sound the little fleet ran north along
the coast, the Morning" soon leav-
ing for New Zealand. while the other
two continued to the north. Shortly
after the Terra Nova" and the dis
covery' separated and the latter turn
ed to the westward between ATTITUDES
81 and IS. The Balleny Islands we're
found to be identical with the three
Russell Islands of Ross. It was also
found that the extreme eastern part
of the coast line indicated by Wilkes
does not exist, and this disproves the
hypothesis that the coast of Wilkes
Land is extended eastward in a long
connected line to Victoria Land. Thus
il is probable that there is an impor-
tant recession Of the shore to the west
of Victoria Land, which may be
broad peninsula. On March Is Ross
Harbor. Auckland Island, was reach
ed, where the other two vessels soon
joined the Discovery" On April /
Port Lyttleton was entered, and the
final return to civilization accomplish.
ed. September 10 saw the "Discov-
cry again at Spithead England, af-
for oh of
month.
The two years of strenuous work
were crowned with success. The east
ern edge of the Antarctic continent
was traced for $50 miles south of the
winter quarters, thus completing
fair survey of about 1000 miles, in
Guiding coastal irregularities, of this
shore line extending mainly north and
south. The explorations of the surface
Of the Great Barrier and the inland
continental plateau were extensive,
Notwithstanding initial and complete
ignorance of sledging and sledging
methods. The complete survey of the
edge of the Ice Barrier to where it
joins the newly discovered King Ed
ward VII. Land, proved that the Bar
rier has receded considerably since
the time of Ross. 1t is not consider
ed land ice-cap, but it is believed to
be an ice-mass aflOat on great sea
basin. The extreme southern dash
was made on the surface of this Ross
Barrier, huge plain SO fiat that even
slight objects could be seen for miles.
! 1t is bordered, on one side at least,
by high mountains, some of these
which reach elevations of $4,000 to
$4,000 feet, and these continued as far
as could be seen from the farthest
point south. The opinion has been ad.
yanced that possibly these mountains
extend over the pole as continuation
of the mountains of Graham Land and
the Andean chain. The geographical,
meteorological, geological, and magnet.
ic and other physical investigations
are of great value, and go far to show
that the voyage of the Discovery"
as Capt. Scott says, was not under.
taken in spirit of pure adventure,
and that the members of the expedi.
ton strove to add, and succeeded in
adding, to the sum of human knowl
edge" American.