El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-20
SOUTH POLE MAY HAVE BEEN REACHED;
FIVE NEW EXPEDITIONS AFTER It

been brought back to New Zealand By
his ship, the Terra Nova.
How much more has been accom-
rlished by the Englishman and his
party is largely a matter for cOnjec-
ture. From the MacMurdO bay base
over the $50 miles TO the pole. the
be done. The explorer declared he OK
jected to take from 12O to $50 days
q make the journey TO and from the
base.
White Men at the Pole
Sentiment plays a part in the plans
Of Capt. Scott, who said before leaving
that he would have white men with
him at the pole. He commented on
the fact that Commander Peary had
single lone negro with him when he
reached the north pole. Scott declared
that he would have l6 men with him
on the final dash, Including the scien-
lists of the party.
So well pr0visioned is the Scott ex-
petition that it would not be neces-
sary for him to abandon the attempt
I'm event that the first dash did not
meet with success. He could return
to the base Of supplies, rest during
the "off season" and return to the
task refreshed during the next six
months
there until the thing is done" said
Capt. Scott just before he cut loose
from civilization.
Capt Scott is a veteran explorer,
having attained great success on his
memorable invasion OF the Antarctic in
1904 when he reached the then
'farthest south getting to latitude 50
degrees 16 minutes 80 seconds south,
letons expedition Of 1903 was the only
one that has surpassed this
Amundsen's First Trip
The Norwegian, Capt Amundsen, is
experiencing his first visit to the
Antarctic. His previous fame was
achieved on the other end of the world
the north. One of his greatest &C
complishments was the negotiation Of
the great northwest passage Capt.
Amundsen's ship, the Fran" is also
at New Zealand, standing hard BY"
ready TO take her skipper aboard when
he returns from the frozen Antarctic
Had Amundsen and Scott departed
only a few months sooner they would
be in ignorance Of the fact that the
other pole has been discovered. How
ever. they received the news just
shortly before cutting loose from civ
flizatiOn. and both declared that the
knowledge would act as an incentive
to greater effort In event that one
OF them has succeeded. there does not
remain a single extremity of the earth
that has not been explored by civilized
man.
In some ways the conquest of the
south pole is easier and in some ways
harder than that Of the north pole
The north polar journey was made
over sea-. that TO the south pole IS
over land. and. therefore, the southern
explorers are not subjected to the
open leads, the sudden dangers Of
opening ice or the heart breaking Ia
Dor which made II necessary to travel
six miles in order to cover one mile Of
distance The southern journey Is on
solid ground and straight ahead.
Icy Mountains
But the Antarctic continent is noun
famous. and a dash" over ice covered
mountains presents difficulties not
met in the travel over an ice covered
ocean. The chief difficulty, however.
is the terrific cold. the icy wind, and
the inconceivable billiards that result
from the mountainous formation OF the
Antarctic continent In the north,
while IL never becomes really mild, yet
there are mOderations of temperature.
In the south the deadliest cold pre-
walls in the height OF summer.
In the far south there are no Esqui-
mauX; no kind OF man could make his
habitat there. But in the dim and dis
tant past, ages ago, according to the
theories OF scientists, some race Of hui
man beings populated the continent. II
their surmise is correct, the discovery
Of the south pole may prove Of greater
importance to science than that OF the
north, because Of new facts that may
eventually be shed on the evolution OF
mankind in event that relics OF these
mythical prehistoric men can be found
by the scientists accompanying the eX-
petitions.