Gilpin observer., 1912-04-11


wire. This telephone has already
proved extremely useful for reporting
the movement of parties, pending
changes Of weather.
start Delayed to Cave Ponies.
All plans and preparations for the
southern journey are now complete
and despite the accident of last sea-
son we have great hope of success.
The necessity Of getting the utmost
out Of our remaining ponies has de-
cided me not to expose them to great
cold. We shall therefore start later
than ordinarily intended.
November "a. latitude 81.15 S-We
left Hut Point on the eve Of Novem-
ber 2. having decided to march by
night. and rest during the day to give
the ponies the benefit of warm day
temperatures. We reached Corner
Camp this morning. Travelling south
for 60 miles we followed the tracks
of the motors, then we found the ma
chimes abandoned. The party had
proceeded onward as directed, were
delayed by blizzard on the eighth,
but reached One Ton Camp on tho
morning Of the 18th. The dog teams
had caught US up some days earlier
and the whole party proceeded in
company. A days rest was given the
animals at One Ton Camp which we
left on the 18th. Having regard to
the weight Of the loads, the heavy
surfaces and limited number OF sri-
mails, decided to march Is miles
tnh 90 hoo
has been maintained on bright nights
and so far as we can forsee. it should
be continued.
The ponies are going very steadily
and keeping in condition remarkably
we'll. The first pony has been shot
for expediency but could have trav-
elled further. The animals have ten
pounds of oats and three pounds Of
oil cake daily. We are hopeful Of
getting the mems food supply to the
glacier, according to program, without
great difficulty but shall be day or
two later than anticipated. We found
the motor party waiting at latitude
S0k. Two of their number now
leave us. The sole cause of the aban-
donment OF the motors was the over
heating Of the air cooled engines.
December 10, latitude 83 degrees Is
minutes-After the return of the
motor party from latitude 81 degrees
Is minutes we pushed steadily south
hopeful for better weather conditions.
A second pony was destroyed at lati-
tude SO degrees 10 minutes. third
at latitude SO degrees As minutes and
two more near the 83rd parallel. None
Of these animals were exhausted but
were sacrificed on account of light
ening loads and as food for dogs.
AS we approached the weather grew
worse, snow storms were frequent,
the sky continually overcast and
land very rarely visible.
Close to the Pole.
January 3, 1912. latitude 1882,
height $500 feet After leaving the
upper glacier depot, south of Mount
Darwin, steered southwest two
days. This did not keep us clear Of
pressure ridges and crevasses which
occurred frequently at first and gave
us trouble. but we rose rapidly in alti-
tude. Probably the difficult places
were more snowcovered than further
eastward The adopting of this course
was mainly felt on the third and
fourth days when owing to our alti-
tude We got a splendid view OF the
distribution of the land masses firing
ing the ice sheet and the arm OF ice
falls. Since leaving the depot our
marches have averaged over fifteen
statute miles a day. On Christmas
day We were close up to the seth
parallel and the prospect Of Christ.
seventeen miles-but the effect was
not so happy the following day. The
surface grew more difficult as We
approached the S7th parallel. On
New Years eve, in latitude Sc de-
grees. 81 minutes, we depoted there
unit of provisions and rebuilt our
sledges with new short runners,
which remarkable piece of work was
performed by the seamen Of the
party under adverse conditions. AL
though 1t cost US nearly days
march. the change amply repaid us.
We have been able to keep up our
miles of the pole.
Five Going On to the Pole.
I am going forward with a party
of fve men sending three back under
Lieutenant Evans with this note.
The advance party goes forward
with months provisions and the
prospects OF success good. providing
the weather holds and no unforeseen
obstacles arise. It has been very
dificult to choose the advance party,
as everyone was fit and able to 20
forward. Those who returned are
naturally much disappointed. Every.
one has worked his hardest. The
weather on the plateau has been good
on the whole. The sun has never do
serted us. but the temperatures are
low now, about minus 20 degrees, and