New-York tribune., 1909-12-18
The &ackleton Expedition to
the South Pole.

THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC.
BEING THE STORY OF THE BRIT
1SH ANTRACTIc EXPEDITION, 1897
Wit, a5 y ihiroducion ri ID bT anr6 Robert
Mil, ID. Sc. and an Account of the
First Journey to the South Magnetic
Pole by Professor T. w. Edgeworth
David, F. r. s Illustrations and maps.
Royal svo, vols. Philadelphia: The J.
3. Lippincot Company.
The results Of Lieutenant Shackleton's
expedition may briefly be summarized as
follows: The establishment OF a new
"Farthest South" record at latitude SS
degrees 1914 minutes south, longitude
Ieg degrees east, within one hundred
geographical miles of the pole; the con-
frmation OF the existence OF a great
chain OF mountains between latitude 81
(the previous record. which Lieutenant
Shackleton helped TO establish) and lati-
tUde SIS: and the discovery of other great
mountain ranges further south and
southwest, and of one of the largest
glaciers in the world flowing between
them leading 10 an inland plateau that
rises 10 an ascertained altitude Of 1l.O0O
feet, and probably stretches beyond the
pole itself. The position of the south
magnetic pole was fixed, by observations
made on the spot, at latitude - degrees
20 minutes south, longitude 155 degrees
16 minutes east Many new peaks gla-
ciers and ice tongues were discovered in
Victoria Land, and a couple Of small
islands on its coast, together with forty
five miles of new coast line extending
southwest and west from Cape North
He says:
The mystery of the Great Ice Barrier
has not been solved and il would seem that
lie question Of its formation and extent
cannot he determined definitely until an
expedition traces the line OF the mountains
round its southerly edge. A certain amount
of light has been thrown on the construc-
lion Of the Barrier, in that we were aole,
conclude professionally that II is composed
mainly Of snow. The disappearance OF
Balloon Blight owing 10 the pTeaklng 49,
of q section OF the Great Ice Barrier, SHOWS
that the Barrier still continues It's reces-
sion. which has been observed slncg the
voyage OF Sir James Ross IN lS4-. IheIe
certainly appears 10 be a high snow-cov-
cred land on the 163d meridian, where we
saw slopes and peaks entirely snow COW
cred. rising 10 a height Of 500 feet, but We
did not see any bare rocks, and did not
have an opportunity to take soundings at
this spot. We could not arrive at any oeh-
mite conclusion on the point.
on the homeward trip careful search
was made for Emerald Island, the MINI
in vain. a fact that tends TO strengthen
the prevalent idea that they do not exist
Lieutenant Shackleton recommends, how
ever. that they be not removed from the
map for the present as he believes that
there is a remote possibility Of their
location somewhere near their charted
positions The second volume contains
Ihe narratives Of the typographical eX-
ploration Of Victoria Land and the ex-
pedition in search of the magnetic pole,
together with summaries Of the geo.
logical, biological. physical, chemical.
mineralogical, meteorological and other
observa tions Of the scientific members OF
the party. its physicians report, lists
Of journey distances and other useful
and important data.
Il is not, however, for their scientific
results. whatever their Importance, that
narratives Of exploration are popular
with the general reader, who turns to
them with quite another purpose-that
of satisfying in them, and through them,
the love of adventure born in all Of US,
which stubbornly refuses to be extin-
Eyuished by the humdrum daily round of
civilization. He reads them for the ro-
nance and the thrill of hardship and
peril courage and endurance. for the
contrasts Of encouragement and exulta-
ton, for the sake of sharing, If only at
second hand, the strong, primitive emo
tons, the heroic experiences, of the
hardy men who, taking their lives in
their hands, venture into the unknown,
n and find daily zest in the daily battle
with Mother Earth, defending her ulti-
mate secrets with Natures inclement
aid. It is not scientific interest alone,
or necessarily first, that sends explorers
TO the ends of the earth. 1t is the love
Of adventure that drives them, and, hav-
ing once tasted its delights, they are
lured back irresistibly again and again.
They really live during every minute
OF their Homeric battles. Lieutenant
Shackleton speaks Of this longing TO go
again which assails each returned eX-
plorer from polar regions" His book is
full OF the fascination. the romance of
the battle of mans strength and fore
sight and daring with the unforeseen.
the unknown, the forbidding, and ii is
this that viii place these two volumes
among the most popular Of its kind.
The zest Is found on every page, in
every line Of this narrative, from the
competent equipment of the expedition.
with its Information so valuable to later
explorers, 20 the climax Of the laborious
dash for the pole and the weary, worn,
determined, starving retreat before bliz-
yards that, turned from foes into friendly
aids, helped the balTled trio of searchers
on their northward way. Lieutenant
Shackleton had been one Of the three
men Of the Discovery expedition under
Lieutenant Robert +. Scott, r. y, who
established the previous highest record
IN the Antarctic. So degrees 1872 minutes
south. ia lS02-'93. What he learned then
and he evidently had his eyes wide open
all the time-was applied thoroughly TO
every detail Of his own undertaking in
the Nimr0d four years later.
And it is a typicalIy. enchantingly Brit
ish narrative, Anglo -Saxcn TO the core in
tts simple. telling directness, its uncon-
scious revelation of underlying national
characteristics. Matter of-fact readiness
% face danger, grit in the face of dis
hes prfn9 obstacles sober ,,erSjcteroa Il,