The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1912-03-14


came, in February, 1912. upon this
remarkable Ice wall. Even at that
time he observed the great bay, but.
OF course, did not venture into 1t with
sailing vessels. For years after the
Barrier was regarded as bar to all
further advance southwark.
at fell to the lot of Norwegian,
Carsten Borchgrevink, in the South
ern Cross in 1900, to prove that this
was not the case. He succeeded in
entering a small bay (Which has since
disappeared and been merged with
the adjoining great bay, and thence
getting on to the Barrier. Here he
made short expedition and found
that the Barrier extended south
wards in the form of a wide, level
plain, reaching as far as the eye could
see. This demolished the theory OF
its unassailable character, and opened
the way towards the south. Suisse
quently an Englshman Captain
Scott, succeeded in landing in Mac
Murdo strait and thence made an ex-
petition southwards. Sir Ernest
1908, in which he reached a latitude
Of IS degrees % minutes, will be
known to everybody.
THE great bay, running southwest
into the Barrier, which have chosen
as the base CT an expedition towards
the south pole, has been observed not
only by Ross and Borchgrevink, but
also by Scott and Shackleton, and
thus appears to be a constant forma-
ton, something that can be counted
upon. Shackleton also thought he
saw a ridge of hills at the head of
this bay, which would indicate land.
After reading these various accounts
and thinking the matter over, / came
to the conclusion that this bay, which
has been proved 20 have had the same
situation for period Of GO years
could not be chance formation in
the Barrier caused by the breaking
Off OF icebergs, but must have been
produced by underlying land or ris.
ing ground. If not, the Barrier would
have continued it's course unchecked
and no hay would have been formed.
THE day after we sighted the Bar
rier We reached this bay, still in the
same situation-about longitude 164
degrees west. 1t was so full, how
ever, of recently ''roken up bay ice
that there was no question of getting
in. We therefore took 4 little run
eastwards along the edge of the Bar
rier to, await events. The next morn
in January 49, we returned, and
then found that so much of the Ice
had floated out that there was an
opportunity for us to get in. My be-
lief as to the origin of the bay was
strengthened as we got farther
south; the formations stood out more
clearly and sharply, and at the south
ern end We could distinctly make out
hills and valleys. l. was certain that
underlying land or shoals here ar
rested the course Of the. mighty ga-
cier, and forced 1t out to either side.
ION the following day (January
1D we found landing place well
suited for our enterprise. The long
10000 miles voyage was safely ac-
complished, and we were only one
day out in our calculation. We had
arrived day too early.
After having safely moored the
vessel to the ice we set off to find a
suitable place for wintering. This did
not take long. About two and one-half
kilometers from the ship, at the
foot Of ridge, well protected from
the southeast winds, we found an
ideal place; and on Monday (January
16) We began to unload our cargo.
Two men at once set about the cree
ton OF the house, while the rest of
the land party continued to bring up
the building materials and provisions.
With our lis dogs we had draft power
enough, but it was often slow work
getting the heavily laden sledges up
to the site. which lies at a height of
$50 feet. But our dogs know how to
draw. 1t is a pleasure to work with
them. They are all picked animals
from Greenland.
ut is three weeks since We began
the building of our station, and now
everything is ready. The desolate. icy
landscape has undergone great
change. The silence is broken.
Where formerly only a solitary pen
guin or the track of seal crossed
the height there now lies a whole lit
tie village. Our solidly built little
house stands safe and secure, sunk
four feet down in snow as hard as rock
and supported by backstays on all
sides. We have given it the name OF
Framheim. Its longitude is about 1914
deg. west, it's latitude rs deg. 40 min
utes south, so that 1t is probably the
most southerly human habitation.
Round it are set UP fifteen tents large
enough to accommodate sixteen men
each, for the use Of the dogs and as
storehouses for our provisions. coal.
wood, clothing, etc.
The principal food depot Is about
lilometer from the station and con-
tains provisions sufficient for two
years. Since we came here We have
lived almost entirely on seal meat
and would not exchange seal steak