The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-09-17

sleAges and Aaally broke ~ the last
sledGs LETT II.
we stopped in sight OF the eighty
ninth parallel in . temperature OF -
degrees below. Again q car sleep
and We were on our way once more
and across the eighty-ninth parallel.
This march duplicated the previous
one a. to weather and going. The last
few hours 1t was on young ice n oc-
casionAlly the dogs were galloping.
We made twenty-five miles or moro,
the air. the sky. and the bitter. wind
burning the face TIM it acked 1t was
like the great interior ice gap OF
Greenland Even the natives COM
planned OF the bitter Air. 1t was az
keen as frozen steel.
A little longer sleep than the previ-
Gus one had to Be taken here. as We
were all in need OF It. Then on again.
Up to this time, with each successive
march, our fear OF an impossible isad
had increased. At every inequality Of
the ice 1 found myself hurrying breath
lessly forward fearing that ii marked =
lead, and when I arrived at the summit
would catch my breath with relief-only
to hnd myself hurrying on in the same
way at the next one.
But on this march. by some strange
shift OF feeling, this fear fell from me
completely. The weather was thick, but
1t gave me no uneasiness.
Before I turned in l took an observa-
ton which indicated our position az So
degrees Is minutes.
A dense, lifeless pail hung overhead
The horizon was black and the Ice be-
meath was a CHASTITY. chalky white, with
no relief-a striking contrast to the glim-
mering. sunlit fields Of it over which we
had been travelling for the previous four
days.
Weather Becomes Milder.
The going was even better. and there
was scarcely any snow on the hard,
granular, last surface OF the
old foes, dotted with the sapphire ice
Of the previous summers lakes.
A rise in temperature to Is degrees be-
low reduced the friction Of the sledges
and gave the dogs the appearance Of
having caught the spirits Of the party.
The more sprightly ones, as they went
along with tightly curled tails. frequent
ly tossed their heads. with short. sharp
banks and yelps.
In IL hours we had made 70 miles.
There was no sign OF a lead in the
march.
Arrival at the Pole.
1 had now made my Ave marches, and
was in time for a hasty noon observation
through a temporary break in the clouds,
which indicated our position as 50 81. l
quote an entry from my journal some
hours later:
The pole at last. The prize of three
centuries, my dream and goal for %
years, mine at last. l canno bring my
self to realize il.
1t all SCENE SO simple And common
place. AS Bartlett said when turning
back. when speaking of his being in
these exclusive regions, which no mortal
has ever penetrated before: 1T Is just
like every day"
OF course had my sensations that
made sleep impossible for hours, despite
my utter fatigue-the sensations Of a life
time; but l have no room for them here.
The first 80 hours at the pole were
spent in taking observations; in going
some ten miles beyond our camp and
some eight miles to the right OF It.: In
taking photographs. planting my flags,
depositing my records. studying the hori-
ION with my telescope for possible land.
and searching for a practicable place to
make q sounding.
Plan for Return Trip.
Ten hours after our arrival the clouds
cleared before a light breeze from our
left and from that time until our depar-
ture in the afternoon OF April Z the
weather was cloudless and fawless.
Thu minimum temperature during the
80 hours was s. below. the maximum IL.
We had reached the goal. but the re-
turn was still before US. 1t was essential
sha " lea1h ihe idHd DeAoIc kne NcAt
spring tide, and we must strain every
nerve to do this.
l had a brief talk with my men. From
now on ii was to be a big travel, little
sleep and a hustle every minute.
We would try, I told them, to double
march on the return-that 10, to start
and cover one OF our northward
marches, make tea and eat our luncheon
in the igloos. then cover another march,
eat and sleep a few hours, and repeat
this daily.
Speed Nearly Doubled.
As a matter of fact. We nearly did
this, covering regularly on our return
journey Ave outward marches In three
return marches.
Just as long as we could hold the
trail we could double our speed. and
new igloos every day, so thai the time
we gained on the return lessened the
of a gale destroying the track.
Just above the eighty-seventh paral-
lei was a region some fifty miles wide
which caused M considerable uneasi-
ness. Twelve hours Of strong easterly,
westerly. or northerly wind would
make this region an open sea.
In the afternoon of the 7th we start
ed on our return. having double fed
the dogs. repaired the sledHes for the
last time. and discarded all our spare
to tighten the loads.
Tries to Sound Sea.
Five miles from the pole a narrow
crack filled with recent ice. through
which we were able to work a hole
with a pickax. enabled me to make a
All my wire. 1900 fathoms
was sent down. but there was no Dot
tom.
In pulling up tho wire parted a few
from the surface and lead and
wire went to the bottom. on went reel
and handle. tightening the sledges stu
further. We had no more use for them
now.
Three marches brought US back To
the igloos where the captain turned
back, The last march was in the wild
OF a northerly gale. with drift
ing snow and the ice rocking under as
we dashed over 1t.
Not Delayed by Leads.
South Of where Marvin had turned
back we came to where his party had
built several igloos while delayed by
leads. Still further south we
found where the captain had been held
by an open lead and obliged to
camp.
Fortunately the movement Of these