The state herald., 1909-09-17

the march we rushed across a lead 100
yards wide, which buckled under our
sledges and nnally broke as the last
sledge left 1t.
We stopped in sight of the eighty
ninth parallel In temperature of 40
degrees below. Again a scant sleep
and We were on our WY once more
and across the eighty ninth parallel.
| This march duplicated the previous
ono as to weather and going. Tho iact
few hours 1t was on young ice and oc-
casionally tho dogs were gnlloping.
We made twenty-five miles or more,
the air. the sky. and the bitter wind
burning the face till It cracked. It was
like the great interior Ice gap of
Greenland. Even the natives COM
planned of the bitter air. 1t was as
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 1t. Then on again.
Up to this time. with each successive
march, our fear Of an impossible lead
had increased. At every inequality OF
the Ice found myself hurrying breath
lessly forward. fearing that 1t marked a
lead. and when arrived at the summit
would catch my breath with relief-only
to find 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
| II gave me no uneasiness.
Before / turned In took an obscrvn-
| ton which indicated our position as 50
| degrees Is minutes.
A dense. lifeless pail hung overhead
| The horizon was black and the Ice be-
meath was n CHASTITY. chalky white. with
no relief-a striking contrast to the glim.
mering. sunlt fields Of It over which we
haI hoo, TO- a.,
days.
Weather Becomes Milder.
The going was even better. and there
| was scarcely any snow on the hard
| granular. last summers surface OF the
| old Hoes, dotted with the sapphire Ice
| of the prcviou' summers lakes.
rise In temperature to 10 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 sprlghtly ones. us they went
| along with tightly curled tails. frequent
| ly tossed their heads, with short. sharp
barks and yelps.
| In II hours we had made 40 miles.
| There was no sign of lead In the
march.
Arrival at the Pole.
l had now made my Ave marches, and
was in time for hasty noon observation
| through temporary break In the clouds
| which indicated our position as S9.5I
quote an entry from my Journal some
hours later:
The pole at last. The prize OF three
| centuries, my dream and goal for 70
| years. mine ut last. l cannot bring my
self to realize 1t.
II all seems 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; TT is Just
| like every day"
OF course 1 had my sensations that
| made sleep impossible for hours. despite
my utter fatlgue-the sensations OF life
| time. but ! have no room for them here
The first 20 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-
| zon with my telescope for possible land
and searching for a practicable place TO
make sounding.
Plan for Return Trip.
Ten hours after our arrival the clouds
| cleared before light breeze from our
| left and from that time until our depar-
| ture in the afternoon Of April the
weather was cloudless and fawlcss.
The minimum temperature during the
% hours was u below. the maximum u
We had reached tho goal. but the re-
| turn was still before us II was essential
that we reach the land before the next
| spring tide. and we must strain every
nerve TO do this
! had brief talk with my men. From
now on 1t was TO be n big travel. little
sleep and n hustle every minute.
We would try. told them. to double
mnrch on the roturn-that is. 10 start
and cover one Of our northward
r0l hos faa uuI ..u
In the lgloos, then cover another march.
eat and sleep few hours. and repeat
this daily.
Speed Nearly Doubled.
As n matter OF fact. we nearly did
this, covering regularly on our return
Journey 1--WE outward marches In three
return marches
Just as long Rs we could hold the
trail we could double our speed and
we need waste no time In building
new igloos every day. 50 that the time
we gained on the return iessened the
chances Of a gale destroying the track
Just above the eighty-Heycnth paral-
lei was a region some nifty miles wilde
which caused me considerable uneaAi-
ness Twelve hours OF strong casterly.
westerly. or northcrly wind would
make this region an open sea.
In the afternoon OF the 18th we start.
ed on our return. having double fed
the dogs. repaired the sledges for the
last time. and discarded all our spare
clothing to tighten the loads.
Tries to Sound Sea.
Five miles from the pole narrow
crack flied with recent ice through
which we were able to work hole
with a pickaN. enabled me TO max. a
sounding All my wire. 1900 fathoms
was sent down. but there was no bot
tom.
In pulling up the wire parted a few
fathoms from the surface and lead and
wire went to the bottom, on went reel
and handle, tightening the sledges sun
further. We Ind no more use for them
now.
Three marches brought us back to
the igloos wher. the captain turned
back. The last march was In the wild
sweep OF n northerly yale. with drift.
INK snow and the Ice rocking under as
W. dashed over H.
Not Delayed by Leads.
South OF whore Marvin had turned
back we came to where his party had
built several isloos while delayed by
open leads, sun further south We
found whore the captain had been held
up by an open lead and obliged To
cnmp.