Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-02

and winds made life a torture. But
cooped up in our snow houses, eating
dried beef tallow and drinking hot tea
there were some animal comforts oc-
casionally to be gained
'.For several days after sight of
known land was lost the overcast Sky
prevented an accurate determination of
our positions. On March 80 the horizon
was partly cleared and new land was
discovered. Our observation gave our
position as latitude S4.47, longitude
1886.
Urgent Need for Haste
"There was urgent need of rapid ad-
vance Our main mission did not per-
nit a detour for the purpose of eX-
ploring the coast. Here we saw the
last signs of solid EARTH beyond, there
was nothing stable to be seem
1--WE advanced steadily over the mon
otony of moving sea ice and now found
ourselves beyond the range of all life
neither foot prints of bears nor the
blow hole of seals were detected. Even
the microscopic creatures of the deep
were no longer under us. The madden
ing influence of the shifting desert OF
frost became almost unendurable in the
daily routine
1.-THE surf of the pack offered less
and less trouble and the weather i'm
proved, but there still remained the life
sapping wind which drove despair to its
lowest recess. Extreme cold compelled
physical action.
"rThds day after day our weary legs
spread over big distances. Incidents
and positions were recorded, but ad-
venture was promptly forgotten in the
next days efforts. The night of April
z was made notable by the swinging Of
the sun at midnight over the northern
ice. Sunburns and frost bites now were
recorded on the same day. but the
double days glitter infused quite an
Observation April g
"Our observation April 6 placed the
camp in latitude S6.S6, longitude, 94.2.
In spite of what seemed long
marches we advanced but little over
hundred miles Much of our work
was lost in circuitous twists around
troublesome ice pressure lines and
high irregular fields. A very old ice
drift. too, was driving eastward with
sufficient force to give some anxiety.
Although still equal to about fif-
teen miles daily, the extended marches
and the long hours for travelling with
which fortune favored US earlier, were
no longer possible. We were now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced.
'One uOS dIter anOInef Went into
stomachs of the hungry survivors un-
til the teams were considerably di-
minished in number, but there seemed
to remain a sufficient balance for man
and brute to push along into the heart
of the mystery to which we had set
ourselves.
Flag Is Hoisted
ION April 21 we had reached 50 de-
grees 80 minutes 46 seconds. The pole
was in sight. We cleared the remain
ing Ia seconds and made few final
observations. / told Etukishook and
Ahwelsh (the accompanying Eskinos)
that we had reached the great NALL
Everywhere we turned was south.
with a single step we could pass
from one side of the earth to the
other, from midday to midnight.
"At last the flag foated to the breeze
at the pole 1t was April 21, 1905
The temperature was minus 3S cent?
grade. barometer 29.S3; latitude 30; as
for longitude, it was. nothing, as it
was but a word.
Although crazy with joy, our spirits
began to undergo a feeling of weari-
ness. Next day, after taking all our
observations, a sentiment of intense
at the horizon Was it possible that
of earth, had aroused the ambition of
there was no ground, only an immen-
sity of dazzling white snow, no liv-
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