Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-03-25
.BR|TON ALMOST
WINS SOUTH POLE
SHACklEToN AND
PARTY COME WITHIN iii
MILES OF GOAL.
PART OF CREW REACHES LATi-
TUOE 72.25-lMPoRTANT
DISCOVERIES MADE.

London, March 24-ieutenant e.
H. Shackle,on, OF the British navy
commander of the antarctic expedi-
ton which returned on the Barkentine
Nimrod to Invercargin, New Zealand.
yesterday. although he did not achieve
his object, succeeded in getting within
III miles of the pole The Nimrod
expedition left England in July. 1907.
and after reaching the ice fields ana
making the most elaborate prepare
tons, the main expedition started on
a sledge journey which occupied 1926
days and traversed I,7OS miles south
wards. The explorers reached lati-
tude SS.23 and longitude 162 west
which was estimated as III miles
from the pole.
A, the point where the expedition
was compelled to turn back the land
was 5000 feet in altitude. trending
southwark in a vast field of snow. no
mountains being in sight.
\ second party pushed forward to
the southern magnetic pole at latitude
1925, longitude 1874 west. The Brit
lsh flag was left flying at both points
The ascent of Mount Erebus was ac-
compliished with difficulty. ana geo
logical discoveries of great Importance
were made. The results attained
have thrown much light on the past
history of the antarctic continent The
expedition suffered no loss of life.
Tells of Expedition.
The expedition reached a point ga
miles nearer the pole than that at
tanned by the Discovery expedition Of
which Lieutenant Shackleton was am
officer. The main overland expedi
ton commanded by ShackIeton left
Cape Boyd October 30, 1908. and trav
eIed over rough ice, mountains and
snow for days at time On Decem-
Der ? they discovered a glacier 12O
miles long and probably 40 miles
wide. An entire day was required TO
get 500 yards up the glacier. the dan
gers from crevasses being so great
December s new mountain ranges
were discovered, and ten days later
the party reached an altitude of $500
feet. Continuing their ascent. toward
the close Of the year they reached am
altitude of 10000 feet. The tramn
was continued until January 9. when
the party started on the return trim
Because Of snow having blown from
the Ice, the descent of the glacier was
extremely hazardous Sickness at
tackled the party and by February
all were Frustrated with dvsenterv
AT the end of the week the Journey
was resumed, and February 10 they
mad reached "Chinaman depot Food
was scarce, but discarding everything
except the camp outfit and geological
specimens, and despite a raging biz
zard and so degrees of frost. thov
tTamped on. The next depot was
reached February 90. and in three
days came in sight of a deDot ON
M1nna Bluff. There news OF a shin
was received, and they made a forced
march to reach the vessel, which thew
did March T.
Summing UP the results, Shacleton
says:
The main results OF the expedition
are a good geological collection. We
discovered eight distinct mountain
ranges and more than a hundred
mountains. We surveyed and photo
graphed many glaciers and found
signs Of former great gIaciation. The
south pole is doubtless situated on .
plateau, 10 900 to 1000 feet above
the sea level. The new mountains,
attitudes range from 1000 to y 000
feet approximately. Violent biz
yards in the latitude Of SO degrees
show that if the so-caIled 'poTar
calm exists it must be small in area
or not coincident with the geograDbi-
| cal pole"