Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-09-24

-sJ h"ys attu. WIN the reserve
representa- by the dogs themselves
could be made to- last fifty. 1 decided
tnat L should strain every nerve 70
make Eve usicn,ss Of fifteen mile,
each. ,rowdrng these marches In suet
a way as TO lnhlg us to the end OF
the nth long enough before noon te
permst the inm eaiate taking of ar
observation for latitude
Weather and leads permitting. I be
lieved I could do this II my proposed
distances We're cut down by any
chance | had two means I'm reserve
for making up the deficit:
First. 10 make the last march n
forced one. stopping to make tea and
rest the dogs. but not to sleep.
Second, at the end Of the nth march
to make forced march with a light
sledge, q doutae team OF dogs and one
or two OF tie party, leaving the rest In
camp.
Underlyin~ail these calcula lions were
recognition OF the ever present neigh.
borhood Of open leads and impas sa bic
water and the knowledge that a TWEEN.
ty-four hour gale would knock all my
plans into h cooked hat and even but
US In imminent peril.
At little after midnight OF April
1. after few hours Of sound sleep.
l hit the trail. leaving the others To
break up camp and follow IL was p
fine morning. The wind OF the last
two days had subsidized. and the going
was the best and most equable " any
l had had yet. -a
l set good pace for about ten
hours. Twenty-Five miles took me well
beyond the eighty-eight parallel.
While was building my igloos a long
lead formed by the east and southeast
or us alta distance OF few miles. A
few hours sleep and we were on the
trail again. The weather was fine and
the going like that OF the previous tiay.
except at tie beginning. when pick
axes Were required. This and a brief
stop at another lead cut down our
distance, But we had made twenty
miles In ten hours and were halfway
TO the eghty-ninth parallel
Again there was ~ few hours stop.
and We hit the trail before midnight.
We marched something over ten hours.
the dogs being often on the trot. and
MADE weht! miles. Near the end
or the maj, h we rushed across lead
100 yards vide. wbich buckled under
our slotres and finally broke as the
last slcdye left ii.
We shipped I'm sight OF the eighty
ninth parallel in a temperature OF 40
degrees below. Again 4 scant sleep
ana we We're on our way once more
and across the eighty ninth parallel.
This march duplicated the previous
one as to weather and going. The last
rev hours IL was on young Ice. and
occasionally the dogs were gailoping.
We made twenty-five miles or more.
the air, the Sky and the bitter wind
burning the face till 1t cracked. 1t was
ike the great Interior escap OF Green
land. Even the natives complained OF
the bitter air. II was as keen us fro
zen stee.
A little longer sleep than the pre-
Vious ones had to be taken here. as we
We're all In need OF II. then on again.
Up To this time, with each successive
march our fear or an impossible lead
had Increased. At every inequality OF
the Ice found myself hurrying breath
iessiy forward. fearing that II marked
lead, and when arrived at the sum-
nit would catch my breath with re-
lief. only to ind myself hurrying on In
the same way ut the next one.
Hut gu this march. by some strange
shift OF feeling. this fear fell from me
completely. The weather was thick.
nut II gave me no uneasiness.
Before | turned In l took an oh
servatioa which indicated our position
as s9.Sa A dense. hfsIess pail hung
overhead. The horizon was black, and
the Ice beneath was a CHASTITY, chalky
white. with no relief. A rise In tenn
perature to II below reduced the frlc-
ton OF the sledges and gave the dogs
the appearance OF having caught the
spirits Of the party. The more spright-
~ ones rs they went along with tight
~ curled tails. frequently tossed their
heads, with short. sharn banks and
yelps. IN twelve hours q made forty
miles. There was no sign VI a lead In
the march.
Tho Pole at lastls
1 had now made my FIVE marches
and was In time for a hasty noon OBJ
servatiOn through a temporary break
In the clouds. which indicated our po-
sition as S9.oI. quote an entry from
my journal some hours later:
The pole at last-the prize OF three
centuries. my dream and goal for
twenty years. mine at last, i cannot
bring myself TO realize it."
The first thirty hours AT the pole
were spent I'm taking observations. I'm
going some ten miles beyond our camp
ana some eight miles to the right OF
II. In taking photographs. planting my
nags. deposiiing my records. studying
the horizon with my telescope for Dos
sibie land and searching for u prac-
ticable place to make sounding.
Ten hours after our arrival the clouds
cleared before a light breeze from our
left. and from that time until our de-
parture In the afternoon OF April Z the
weather was cloadless, and fiawless.
The minimum temperature during the
thirty hours was SO below, the maxi
mum Y.
The Return Journey.
We had reached the goal. but the
return was still before us. 1t was
essential that We reach. the land before
the next spring tide. and we mast
strain every nerve to do this.
hsd brief talk with my men.
From now on Il was 70 be a big travel,
little sleep and hustle every minute.
We would try. ] told them. to double
march on the retura--that IL. to start
aud cover one OF our nOrthward
marches. make tea aAd eat our lunch
ln the lgioos. then cover another march.