New-York tribune., 1909-09-03


along into the heart o. IN i'
had set ourselves. -, ,..eoI5.
-,,,,o,a ,be eirhty-sixth parallel the icfrelu9 l
,,,o.rne moro extensive and heavier the
,su-sr and loss troublesome. with H'u' - -
crushed 80 thrown up as barriers .,..,
r.-c--, the 4ighty-seventh 90 the elsh's es
-,., a. orr surprise. was the indica''O" q '@'1
49,, ,s.,-s Va travelled over Ice Wh'ch
..-,h,ss Glacial surface. The usual sea nc
,irc. 90 denarcation were absent anu
ware TO h,imr1ccks OF deep creviees. ,,..,,o,
There was however. no Percep'l"ie
ana no positive sign ~ land or $50 &C So
on.a-1at,ons on th@ 18th gave lat'tuue . =
=, .D,-.os and longitude % degrees -
minutes. ,s-.5 miles
We were now less tiah ""
from the pole. -. ,,,a tenn
7-hs rsck wa. here more active. but the Ien-
-,e-s,u-e remained below ~ degrees
together quickly the new crevioes-
young ,oe spread on the narrow "a
-, ,-a,e- so -apidly that little celaN vas
used in crossing from one field to aho''iei.
The time had TOW arrived TO rrus's'
.or the last series Of efforts -,
7, ,hs enforced effort every human s'raf'u
was strained. and at camping ti''e -
no longer sufficient energy 20 erect sno" shs'-
NEARING THE GREAT GOAL
The silk tent was pressed into service. and t''e
change rrove.i agreeable II encouraged more
careful scrutiny of the strange "or'u H''o '''-'
fate had pressed as.
So. - lans we're stIu seen every day. but
,ra,- ,rare deceptive illusions OF mere hight
OF fancy.
7, seemed that something must cross the hon-
zo- "a mark the important area into Which We
were pushing.
When the sun vas low the eve ran over the
:no-fnc plains 90 color 20 dancing horizons me
rnirages turned things topsy turyy. lnverteu
and queer objects ever rose ana Ie"
IN shrouds - mystery. but ali Of this was due
20 the atmospheric magic Of the nidhisi' tu"'
Slowl-- but surely neared the turning point
Good astronomical observations were daily pro-
cured 20 ax the advancing stages
The See steadily improved. but san there vas
a depressing monotony OF scene. and HE had
no pleasures. no spiritual recreation, nothing 20
relieve the steady physical drag OF chrohi'
fatigue.
But there came an ,nd 90 this. as 20 all things
on April II the first corrected altitude OF the
sun gave ~ degrees 20 minutes ~ seconds
Tho pole. therefore. was in sight
We advancAd the fourteen seconds. made sup
plemontary observations and prepared 20 stay
long enough 20 permit & double round OF OBJ
scrvstions.
Etukishook ana Anwelab were told that We
had reached the .'Neig NalL" and they sought
10 celebrate by dance ~ savage Joy.
THE FLAG Is HoIsTED.
4, last ~ had pierced tho bOreai centre and
the flag had been raised 10 the coveted hreezes
Of the North Pole.
The day was April II. la'S. The sun indicated
local noon. but time vas n negative problem
for here all meridisns meet.
with a step IL was possible TO SO from enc
part of the globe 70 the opposite side.
From tho hour Of midnight that Of midday
the lati;ud" was -. the temperature - and tho
barometer 29S3.
North east and west had vanished. II was
south IN every direction. but The compass point
ing 10 the magnetic pole was as useful as ever.
Though overtoyed with the success of the con-
quest. our spirits began 90 descend on the fol-
lowing day After ell the observations had been
taken with q careful study OF the local cond.-
tons sense Of intense loneliness came with
The further scrutiny ~ the horizon.
What checrless spot TO have aroused the
ambition Of man :or 50 many ages
An endless field OF purple SHOWS No life. No
land No spot u relieve the monotony Of frost.
w were the only pulsating creatures in dead
world OF ice.
We turned our backs a. the pole on April -
and began the long return march. Counting on
2 continued eastcrIy drift. the course was forced
further west.
With fair weather. good ice and the insplrs-
ton OF the home run. long distances were az
first quickly covered.
felow The eighty-seyenth parallel the char
scter ot the ice changed very much. and It he
came evident tlst the season was advancing
rapidl-.
xx-t.,, % --o,s 5,,1 % .,>fos,- - ,.-,.oh,, a.
daily reduction of the fccd supply.
II now became evident that the crucial stage
1f the campaign was % be transferred from the
taking cs the pole 20 a hnal battle for life
gainst famine and frost.
The clear blue Of the skies changed 20 q steady
iismal gray. Several days Of icy despair fol-
owed each other in rarid succession.
BATTLE WITH FAMINE.
There were some violent gales. but usually
the wind dd not rise . the full force of a storm.
With starvation as the alternative. v-e could
not walt for better weather.
Some advance was made nearly every day. hut
ne cost Of the desperate erort pressed life ~
he verge Of extinction
On May - the sky cleared long enough ~ ri,.
IS set Of observations.
We had reached the eiehty-fourth parallel
rear the nnetysoventh meridian. The ice was
much broken srd drfted eastward. leaving
nan. open spsces ~ water
There remained on our SIedls scarcely enough
o"d TO reach our caches on Nansen sound M
ess We averaged fifteen miles daily with tine
disrupted ''lalack and reduced strength We Sere
'ardly equal TO ten miles daily.
OFF FOR THE RETURN.
Trying 20 make the best ~ our hard 10,
traight course was set for the musk or land.
q the inner crossing
At the eighiy-thrd parallel we found o,--
elves t. the west of large tract. extending
outward The Ice changed 60 small .eIds
The temperature rose 20 zero and a rersIs,ep,
mist Obscured tie heavens
The events Of the folIo .rR day ,ver, 49,,