The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-09-17
Goal Of Centuries Reached Cy Marvelously Swift
Travel, Smooth Ice and Mild Weather
lping---Sensations Of INTREPID
Commander at Climax of
His Life Work.

going. In the latter part there were
pronounced movements In the Ice. both
visible and audible.
Some leads wire crossed. In one of
which Borup and his team took . bath.
practicable lead opening In front of us.
We camped In . temperature Of 50 de-
/ yrees below.
At the end Of two short marches we
came upon Hansen and his party In
camp. mending their siedges. We de-
voted the remainder Of the day to over
hauling and mending sledges and break
ing up our damaged ones for material
Make Forced Marches.
The next morning put Marvin In the
lead to pioneer the trail. with instruc-
tons to make two forced marches to
| bring up our average which had been
cut down by the last two short ones.
Marvin carried out his instructions Inn
plicitly. A considerable amount OF young
ice assisted In this.
Al the end Of the tenth march. latitude
H.23. Borup turned hack in command OF
the second supporting party. having trav-
eied distance equivalent to Nansen's
distance from this far to his fsrthest
north.
] was sorry to lose this young Yale
runner. with his enthusiasm and pluck.
He had led his heavy sledge over the
foes In q way that commanded every
ones admiration and would have made
his fathers eyes glisten.
Changes His Plan.
From this point the expedition COM
prised 20 men. 10 sledges. and 70 dogs. II
was necessary for Marvin to take .
sledge from here. and put Bartlett
and his division In advance to pioneer
the trail.
The continual daylight enabled me to
make moderation here that brought my
advance and main parties closer together
and reduced the likelihood OF their be-
Ing separated by open leads.
After Bartlett left camp with Hender-
son and their division. Marvin and re-
manned with our division 20 hours long
or and then followed. When we reached
Bartletts camp he broke out and went
on and we turned In. BY this arrange
ment the advance party was travelling
while the main party was asleep. and
vice versa. and I was In touch with my
advance party every "a hours.
Moves Expeditiously.
I had no reason to complain OF the
going for the next two marches. though
for a less experienced party. less adapt
able sledges. or less perfect equipment II
would have been an impossibility.
At our position at the end Of the Sec
ond march. Marvin obtained a satisfac-
tory sight for latitude In clear weather.
which placed us at G.4a The result
agreed satisfactorily with the dead reck-
oning of Marvin. Bartlett and myself.
Up to this time. the slight altitude of
the sun had made II not worth while TO
waste time In observations.
On the next two marches the going Inn
proved. and We covered good distances.
In one OF these marches q lead delayed
f.vu.
the ice cakes.
Makes Record Run.
The next day Bartlett let himself out,
evidently. for q record. and reeied OF %
miles. Here Marvin obtained anothe,
satisfactory sight on latitude. which gave
the position as %. q Tor beyond the Earth.
est north OF Eansen and AbruxxD, and
showed that We had covered 90 minutes
of latitude In three marches.
In these three marches we had passed
the Norwegian record Of s6la. by Nam
sen. and the Italian record OF S6A, By
Cagni
From this point Marvin turned back In
command OF the third supporting party.
My last words to him were: BE care
full Of the leads. my boy"
The party from this point comprised
nine men. seven sledEes. and g dogs
The conditions At this camp and the ap-
parently unbroken expanse Of fairly level
Ice In every direction reminded me Of
Cagni's description Of his farthest north.
Danger Is Encountered.
But ! was not deceived by the apnar.
entity favorable outlook. for available
conditions never continue for any dis
lance or any length Of time In the arc
&c regions.
The next march was over rood 10
ing. but for the FIRST time since leaving
Ia "A Vps1
auent over these ice fields. OF haay at
mosphere. In which the light In equal
everywhere. All relief il destroyed. and
II Is impossible to see for any distance.
We were obliged In this march to make
detour around an open lead. In the
next march we encountered the heaviest
ana deepest snow Of the journey. through
q thick. smotherins mantle lying In the
Expressions Of heavy rubble ice.
Temporarily Discouraged.
came upon Bartlett and his party.
tagged out and temporarily discouraged
road
knew what was the matter with
them They were simply spoiled by the
good going on the previous marches. 1
rallied them bit. lightened their sledges
and sent them on encouraged again.
during the neat march we Travelled
through thick haze drifting over the
Ice before biting air from the north
east. Al the end Of the march we came
upon the captain camped beside q wide
open lead with dense black water sky
northwest north and northeast
The next march was also a long one
II was Bartlett's last hit He let him
self out over series Of large old foes.
steadily Increasing in diameter and
covered with hard snow.
Wind Helps Out.
During the last few miles l walked
beside him or in advance. He was SOL
emn and anxious 20 so further. but the |
program was for him to 20 back from
here in command of the fourth sup
porling party. and there were M ..,a