The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1909-09-16
SURFACE ALMOST LEVEL.

Again there was n rev hours sleep |
and we hit the trail before midnight
The weather and going were even bet
ter. The surface except as interrupted |
by infreuuent ridges. was as level as
the glacial fringe from Hecla to Column
bia. and harder
We marched something over ten |
hours. the dogs being often on the trot. |
and made 20 miles. Near the end OF |
the march we rushed across lead 100 |
yards wide. which buclSled under our
sledges and finally broke as the last
slcdge left It,
we stopped in sight OF the eighty
ninth parallel In temperature OF 40
degrees below. Again scant sleep
and we were on our way once more
and across the eighty-ninth parallel
This march duplicated the previous
one as to weather and going The last
few hours II was young ice and oc-
casionally the dogs were galloping.
We made twenty-five miles or more.
the air, the sky and the bitter wind
burning the face till IT cracked. 1t was
like the great interior ice gap of
Greenland. Even the natives COM
planned of the bitter air. 1t was as
keen ~ Oxen steel.
A little longer sleep than the previ
Gus one had to be taken here. as we
were all in need OF II. 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 l arrived at the summit
would catch my breath with relef-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 l turned in l took an observa-
| ton which indicated our position as 50
| degrees q minutes.
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 sprghtly ones. as they went
along with tightly curled tails frequent
| ~ tossed their heads. with short, sharp
| banks and yelps
There was sign of a lead In the
march.
ARRIVAL AT THE POLE.
| had now made my five marches and
was in time for n hasty noon observation
| through temporary break in the clouds.
which indicated our position as 1851
! quote an entry from my journal some
| hours later:
| The pole at last. The prize of three
centuries, my dream and goal for 20
years, mine at last. l cannot bring my
| self to realize II.
| IL all seems so simple ana 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 fatlgue-the sensations OF a life
| time; but l have no room for them here.
The first 30 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 1t: in
taking photographs. planting my flags,
depositing my records. studying the hori-
ION with my telescope for possible land.
and searching for practicable place to
make 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 the
weather was cloudless and flawless.
The minimum temperature during the
30 hours was 80 below. the maximum II
We had reached the goal. but the re.
turn was still before us. 1t was essentia
that we reach the land before the nexi
spring tide. and we must strain every
nerve to do this
l had a brief talk with my men. From
now on 1t was to be big travel, little
sleep and n hustle every minute
We would try. l told them, to doubl,
march on the return-that Is, to star
and cover one of our northwarc
marches make tea and eat our luncheon
in the igloos, then cover another march
eat and sleep a few hours, and repea
this daily.
SPEED NEARLY DOUBLED.
AS matter of fact. we nearly die
this. covering regularly on our return
journey five outward marches in thre.
return marches
Just as long as we could hold tn,
trail we could double our speed. an,
we need waste no time in buildinl
new igloos every day, so that the tim,
we gained on the return lessened tn,
chances of gale destroying the track
Just above the eighty seventh paral
lei was region some fifty miles wild
which caused me considerable uneasl
ness. Twelve hours of strong easterly
!, westerly, or northerly wind woul,
make this region an open sea.
In the afternoon of the 7th we start
ed on our return. having double fe,
the dogs. repaired the sledges for tn
, last time, and discarded all our spar
! clothing to Tighten the loads.
TRIES TO SOUND SEA.
Five miles from the pole marrow
crack filled with recent ice. through
: which we were able to work a hol
with pickax, enabled me to make
sounding. All my wire. 1900 fathoms
was sent down. but there was no bot
, tom.
In pulling up the wire parted a fey
fathoms from the surface and lead an
wire went to the bottom. or went rec
and handle. Tightening the sledges still
further We had no more use for Their
now.
a Three marches brought us back I
A the igloos where the captain turne
back. The last march was in the will
sweep of a northerly gale with drift
/ ing snow and the Ice rocking under a
we dashed over II.
NOT DELAYED BY LEADS,
{ South of where Marvin had turne
back we came to where his party ha
built several igloos while delayed b
l open leads. Still further south w
found where the captain had been hel
up by an open lead and obliged I
( camp.
e Fortunately the movement OF thes
"a leads was simply open and shut and