Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-09-17

the march we rushed across a lead 100
yards wide. which buckled under our
sledges and finally 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 way once more
and across the eighty-nin parallel.
This march duplicated the previous
one as to weather and going. The last
few hours 1t was on young ice and oc-
casionally the dogs were galloping.
We made twenty-five miles or more.
the air. the sky. and the bitter wind
like the great interior ice gap of
Greenland. Even the natives COM
planned of the bitter air. 1t was Us
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 lead
had increased. AT every inequality of
the Ice 1 found myself hurryinG breath
lessly forward. fearing that 1t marked a
lead. and when I arrived at the summit
would catch my breath with relef-onIy
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
Before ! turned in l took an obscrva-
tion which indicated our position as 50
degrees 25 minutes.
A dense. lifeless pail hung overhead.
The horizon was black and the ice be-
| meath was a ghastly. chalky white WITH
no relief-a striking contrast to the gllm-
mering. sunlit fields of Il over which we
had been travelling for the previous four
days.
Weather Becomes MiIder.
ha hatf
was scarcely any snow the hard.
granular. last summers surface of the
old hoes. dotted with the sapphire Ice
| Of the previou, 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 spri.htly ones. as they went
along with tightly curled tails. frequent
ly tossed their heads. with short. sharp
barks and yelps.
In Il hours we had made 10 miles.
There was sign OF lead In the
march.
Arrival at the Pole.
had now made my Ave marches. and
was in time for hasty noon observation
through a temporary break in the clouds,
which indicated our position as ss.5s.
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. 1 cannot bring my
self to realize II.
1t all seems 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: ut is just
like every day
OF course I 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.
-hA ARaN h.II NhH
| spent In taking observations: in going
some ten miles beyond our camp and
some eight miles to the right of Il: in
taking Photographic. planting my flags.
zon with my telescope for possible land.
and searching for practicable place to
make n 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 depnr-
ture in the afternoon of April the
weather was cioudl-ss and nawIess.
The minimum temperature during the
% hours u below, the maximum L.
We had reached the goal. hut I'll. re-
turn wbs still before US. IL was essential
that we reach the land before the next
spring tide. and We must strain every
nerve TO do this.
I had brief talk with my men. From
| now on II was TO bc a big travel. little
sleep and hustle every minute.
We would try. ! told them. to double
march on the reiurn-that Is. 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 few hours. and repeat
this daily
Speed Nearly Doubled.
As n matter Of fact, we nearly did
this. covering regularly on our return
journey nve outward marches in three
return marches.
Just as long as We could hold the
trail could double our speed and
We need waste no time In building
new igiooS every day. that the tim.
We gained on the return leEscned the
chances of a gale destroying the track.
Just above the ciEhty-scycnth parai-
lei was a region some nifty miles wide
which caused me considerable. uncasi-
ness. Twelve hours OF strong castcrly.
westerly. or northcrly 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 sledges for the
last time. and discarded all our spare
clothing to tighten the loads.
Tries to Sound Sea.
Five miles from the pole a narrow
crack hlled with recent Ice through
which we were able to work a hole
with n pickax. enabled me to make 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 slcdges stiIl
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
sweep Of n northerly gale. with drift
ing snow and the Ice rocking under as
we dashed over II.
Not Delayed by Leads.
South of where Marvin had turned
back we came to where his party had
built several igloos while DELAYED by