The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-09-17

the distance. but Il was only momen-
tary. My work was still ahead. not In
the rear.
Bartlett had done good work and had
been a great help 20 me. Circumstances
had thrust the brunt OF the pioneering
upon him instead of dividing II among
several. as had planned.
He had reason to take pride In the
fact that he had bettered the Italian
record by a degree and a quarter and
had covered . distance equal to the
entire distance of the italian expedi-
ton from Franx Josers land to Cagnrs
farthest north.
had given Bartlett this position and
post OF honor in command OF my
fourth and last supporting party, and
for two reasons: first. because of his
magnificent handling of the Roosevelt:
second. because he had cheerfuliy stood
between mo and many trifiing annoy
ances on the expeditions.
Then there was . third reason. IL
seemed to me appropriate In view Of
the magnificent British record Of arc
tic work. covering three centuries. that
1t should be \ British subject who
could boast that next to an American.
he had been nearest the pole.
Ready for Final Effort.
With the disappearance OF Bartlett j
turned to the problem before me- This
was that for which I had worked for Z,
years. for which had lived the simple
life: for which I had conserved ali nv
energy on the upward trip: TOR which
! had trained myself - for . race, crush
Ing down every worry about success.
In spite of my years. I felt in trim
at for the demands Of the coming days
and eager to be on the trail
AZ for my party. my equipment, and
my supplies. / was In shape beyond my
most sanguine dreams OF earliest years.
Ny party might be regarded as an
AS loyal and responsive to my will n
the fingers Of my right hand.
Men All Tried and True.
Four OF them possess the technique of
dogs. sledges. Ice. and cold as their heri.
tage. Two OF them. Hansen and Ootam,
were my companions to the farthest point
three years before. Two others. Eginwuk
and Sigloo. were In Ciark's division,
which had such narrow escape at that
time. and now were willing to 60 any
where with my immediate party, ana
willing to risk themselves again In any
supporting party.
The NTH was a young man who had
never served before In any expedition,
but who was. II possible, even more
willing and eager than tie others for
the princely gifts-a boat a rife, q shot
gun. ammunition. knives. ETC., which l
had promised to each of them who
reached the pole with me: for he knew
that these riches would enable him 10
wrest from a stubborn father the girl
whose image filled his hot young heart.
All Followed Him B:indly.
All had blind confidence 30 long an
was with them and gave no thought
for the morrow. sure that whatever hap
pened ! should somehow get them back
to land. But l dealt with the party
equally. ! recognized that all Its Inn
petus centcred In me. and that whatever
pace set II would make good. II any
one played out. I would stop for . short
time.
I had no fault to fnc with the condi-
tons. Ny dogs were this best. the nick
OF LIZ with which we left Columbia. Al
most all were powerful males. hard as
nails. In good flesh. but without . super
nu0us ounce. and. what was better vet.
they were all In good spirits.
My siedEes. now that the repairs were
completed. were In good condition. Ny
supplies were ample for 10 days and,
with the reserve represented by the dogs
themselvea. could be made to last 50.
At little after midnight OF April 1,
after few hours Of sound sleep, / hit
the trail. leaving the others to break
up camp and follow.
AZ climbed the pressure ridge back
OF our tgloos I set another hole In my
belt. the third since started. Every
man and dog Of W was lean and nat
oellied ~ . board and as hard.
Fine Morning for Start.
II was Q fine morning. The wind Of
the last two days had subsidized. and the
going was the best and most eouable
OF any ! had had yet. The Hoes were
large ana old. and clear. and were sur
rounded by pressure rid-es. some Of
which were almost stupendous.
The biggest Of them. however. were
easily negotiated. either through some
crevice or up some huge brink. set
a good pace for about ten hours
Twenty-Five miles took me well be-
yond the eighty-eighth parallel
While I WAS building my igloos a
long lead forward by the east ana
southwest OF US At a distance Of . few
miles
Few Handicaps Are Faced.
A few hours sleep and we were ON
the trail again. As the going WAS now
practically horizontal We were I'M
hampeyed and could travel rs long an
we pleased and sleep as little a. we
wished.
The weather was fine and the going
like that of the previous day. except
at the beginning. when pickaxes were
required. This and a brief stop at an
other lead cut down our distance. But
we had made 20 miles In ten hours and
were half way TO the eighty-nInth
parallel
Going Improves on Way.
AGAIN there was q few hours. steep
and we hit the trail before midnixht.
The weather and going were even bet
ter the surface. except as interrupted
by tnfreauent ridges. was as level az
the glacial fringe from HeeiA to Column
bla. and harder.
We marched something over ten
hours, the dogs being often on the trot.
and made 20 miles. Near the end az