Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1912-03-22

4 /
could not stand the long run to our
depot at 80 degrees south.
We agreed to return and wait for the
arrival Of spring. The provisions were
cached, and on we went for the hut.
With the exception Of the loss Of
few dogs and couple Of frozen heels
everything was all right.
In the middle Of October spring
came in earnest. Seals and birds ap-
peared. The temperature was steady
between 20 and 80 Celsius (6S degrees
and So degrees Fahrenheit.
The original plan that all Of us
should 60 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
Edward land. This last mentioned trip
was not included in our program, but,
owing to the fact that the English had
not reached It, at least this summer. as
was their intention, we all agreed that
the best thing to do was to make this
trip also.
On October 20 the southern party
started i've men -four sledges. fifty
two dogs. and provisions for four
months, everything in excellent order.
The Journey to the Pole.
We had made up our minds to take
the first part Of the trip as easily as
possible. in order to give ourselves and
the dogs a rational training, and on the
23rd we made our depot in 80 degrees
south. We went right ahead.
On account Of the intense fog an
error Of two to three kilometers hap
pened once in awhile, but we were
caught by the flag marks. and found
these on our way without difficulty.
Having rested and fed the dogs on
all the salt meat they were able to eat,
we started again on the Goth with the
temperature steadily between minus
20 and 80 Celsius "A degrees and %
degrees below Fahrenheit).
From the start 1t was the intention
not to drive more than 80 kilometers
q day, but it appeared that this was
little for our strong, willing animals
At 80 degrees south we began to build
snow cairns of a mans height in order
to have marks on return trip. On the
S1st we reached the depot at 81 de-
grees and stopped there one day and
fed the dogs on as much pemmican as
they wanted.
We reached the depot at 81 degrees
on November S, where the dogs for tho
last time got all they wanted to cat.
On the 9Th. southwark again, with a
daily march of SO kilometers.
In order to tighten our heavy sledg-
es we established depots at each de-
gree Of south latitude.
Like Pleasure Trip.
The trip from 50 to 81 degrees be-
came pleasure trip. excellent ground
fine sleighing, and an even tempera-
ture. Everything went IKE dance.
On the 9th we sighted South Victoria
Land and the continuation of the noun
tain range which Sir Ernest Shackle-
ton mentioned in his chart as running
toward the southeast from the Beard
mire Glacier. and on the same day we
reached 80 degrees and established
here depot No. 4. On the 18th we made
an interesting discovery that the Ross
Barrier terminated in a blight toward
the southeast at So degrees south lati-
tude and 1853 degrees west longitude.
formed between the southeast noun
tain range and running to south
Victoria land and q range on the op.
posite side running in southwesterly
direction--probably continuation Of
King Edward VII Land.
On the 18th we reached "a degrees
where we established depot: on the
14th we we're at IS degrees. where,
also. we made q depot
From our winter quarters Gram
helm" Is degrees 38 minutes south
latitude. we had been marching due
south. On November II at IS degrees.
we arrived at place where the land
and barrier were connected. This was
done without any great difficulty. The
barrier here rises In elevation to about
300 feet, some big crevices on the
boundary. Here we made our head
depot. taking provisions for sixty days
on sledges. and leaving thirty days
provisions on the spot.
The land under which we lay and
which we now had to attack looked
quite imposing. The nearest summit
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 1t was an easy task
light slopes and well filed mountain
sides. It did not take 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 20 dogs to each sledge and