Milford chronicle., 1912-03-15

the south, from that day to the 11th
of April establishing three depots
which in all contained a quantity OF
provisions of about 1000 kilos. One
thousand six hundred kilos, including
100 kilos of seal meat, were cached
in 80 degrees, 700 kilos in 81 degrees,
and 800 kilos in 50 degrees south lati-
tude.
AS no landmarks were to be seen,
these depOts were marked with flags,
seven kilometers on each side in the
easterly and westerly directions.
The sun left us on the 22d of April
and did not return until four months
later. The winter was spent in
changing our whole outfit, which on
the depot trips was found to be too
clumsy and solid for the smooth sur
face of the barrier. Besides this, as
much scientific work as possible was
done and some astonishing meteoro-
logical observations were taken.
Only in the middle Of October
spring came in earnest. Seals and
birds appeared. The temperature was
steady between 20 and 30 celsius (68
degrees and Sc degrees fahrenheit).
The original plan that all of us
should go toward the south had been
changed. Five men had to do this
work while the other three were to
start for the east and visit King Ed
ward VII land.
On October 20 the southern party
started, five men, four sledges, fifty
two dogs and provisions for four
months, everything in excellent order.
We reached the depot at 80 degrees
on the 5th of November, where the
dogs for the last time got all they
wanted to eat. On the 9Th, southwark
again, with a daily march of so kilo-
meters.
In order to tighten our heavy
sledges we established depots at each
degree Of south latitude.
The trip from So degrees to S3 de
grees became a pleasure trip, excel
lent ground, fine sledging and an even
temperature. Everything went like a
dance.
On the 18th we reached 81 degrees,
where we established a depot: on the
10th we were at 50 degrees, where we
also made a depot
The land under which we lay and
which we now had to attack looked
quite imposing. The nearest SUBMITS
along the barrier had a height from
1000 to 10000 feet, but several others
further south were $4,000 feet or more
The next day we began the climb
The FIRST part of it was an easy task,
light stops and welLflled mountain
sides It did not take a long time, for
our willing dogs worked their way up.
Further up we met with some small
but very steep glaciers. Here we had
to harness twenty dogs to each sledge
ana take the four sledges in two turns
IN some places it was SO steep that it
vas difficult enough to use our skis.
The next day we began the longest
part OF our climb. Many detOurs had
to be made in order to avoid broad
cracks and open creyices. These were
apparently mostly filled mp, as the
glaciers in all probability had long ago
stopped moving, but we had to be very
careful, never knowing for certain
how thick was the layer that covered
them.
1t took us only four days from the
barrier to get up on the vast inlanl
plateau.
We camped that night at a height of
1850 feet. Here we had to kill
twenty-four of our brave companions
and keep eighteen, six for each Of our
three sledges.
On the 1st of December we left this
broken glacier, with holes and crev-
ices without number with its height of
300 feet. Before us, looking in the b
mist and snowdrifi like a frozen sea. b
appeared a light sloping ice plateau a
hlled with small hummocks. v
On the 9th of December we reached b
SO degrees 80 minutes; on Dec. 10.
IS degrees Sc minutes; Dec. II, SO t
degrees l5 minutes; Dec. y, SO de- d
grees 80 minutes; Dec. 13, SO degrees p
45 minutes.
Up to this time the observations and a
dead reckoning agreed remarkably Il
well and we made out that we ought d
to be at the pole on Dec. IA in the af. u
ternoon.
There was a beautiful light Y
breeze from southeast. the tempera.1
ture minus % celsius (94 degrees be- S
low zero, fahrenheit) and the ground
and Shedding we're perfect. The day
went along as usual, and at p. N. Il
We made a halt
According to our reckoning we had u
reached our destination. All OF MS b
around the colors-a beauti- "
'ul silk fag-all hands taking hold OF sG
t and planting it.
The vast plateau on which the pole X
: standing got the name Of the King al
VII Plateau" It is a vast plain,
like in all directions. Mile after mile e
Turing the night we circled around the Sc
amp uI
IN the fine weather we spent the fol- hi
owing day taking a series Of ohser Of