Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-03-14

between minus 50 and so celsius Isl
degrees and 76 degrees) below zero
fahrenheit. Personally we did moi
suffer at all from this cold. Our good
furs protected us. But with our dogs
II was a different matter. II could
easily be seen that they shrunk from
day to day, and we understood pretty
soon that they could not stand the
long run to our depot at 80 degrees
south.
We agreed ON returning and to wait
for the arrival Of spring. The provis'
ions were cached and OF we went for
the hut. With the exception OF the
loss OF a few dogs and couple OF
frozen heels everything was all right.
Only 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 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. This last mentioned
trim was not included In our pro-
gram, but owing to the fact that the
English had not reached 1t, at least
this summer, as was their Intention
we agreed that the best thing to do
was also to make this trip.
On Ocober 20. the southern party
started, FIVE men, four sledges, nifty
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 early 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.
In spite of the dense fog an error
OF two to three kilomeeers happened
once in a while, but we We're caught
by the nagmarks, and found these on
our way without difficulty.
Having rested and fed the dogs on
all the seal meat they were able to
eat, we started again on the 26th,
with the temperature steadily between
minus 20 and 30 celsius a degrees
and % dgrees believe gro, fahrenheit).
From the start 1t was the intention
not to drive more than 30 kilometers
a day, but 1t appeared that this was
too little for our strong, willing ami.
mails. At 80 degrees south we began
to build snow cairns OF mans height,
in order to have marks on our re-
turn trip. On the 31st we reached
the depot at 81 degrees, and stopped
there one day and fed the dogs on as
much pemmican as they wanted.
We reached the depot at 50 degrees
on the 9Th 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 light our heavy sledges
we established depots at each degree
of south latitude.
Like a Pleasure Trip.
The trip from 50 to IS degrees be-
came a pleasure trip, excellent ground,
fine sledging, and an even tempera'
ture. Everything went like a dance.
On the 9th, we sighted South Vic
toria land and the continuation of the
mountain range which Sir Ernest
Shackelton mentioned in his chart as
running toward the southeast from
the Beardmore glacier, and on the
same day we reached SO degrees and
established here depot No. 4. On the
18th we made an interesting discovery
that the Ross barrier terminated in
blight toward the southeast at 80
degrees south latitude and 1853 degrees
west longitude, formed between the
southeast mountain range running
from South Victoria land and range
on the opposite side running in
southwesterly direction, probably
continuation of King Edward VII
land.
On the 18th we reached "a degrees
where we established a depot, on the
18th we were at IS degrees, where
also, we made a depot.
From our winter quarters, Fran
HEINZ" Is degrees 3S minutes south
latitude, we had been marching due
south. On the 18th of November, at
IS degrees, we arrived at a place
where the land and barrier we're con-
nected. This was done without any
great difficulty. The barrier here
rises in undultations to about 300
feet. Some few big crevices indicated
the limited boundary.
Here we made our head depot, TAX
ing provisions for sixty days on
sledges, and leaving thirty days pro-
visions on the spot.
The land under which we lay and
which we had to attack looked quite
imposing. The nearest SUBMITS along
the barrier had height from 1000 to
n O0O foot hut several OtherS further