About three o’clock we turned south again.
The surface between our line of flight and the mountain was very much disturbed. It advanced toward the mountains from the sea in a series of wave-like ridges, which were cracked and broken by pressure.
Dim shapes began to loom up in the southeastward, suggestive of land. They were not unlike the pyramids of Egypt in the odd looming which is characteristic of Antarctic visibility.
Of all the flights I have ever made, none was so full of excitement and profit as this one. An air of impending drama foreshadowed every mile of progress. North, east, south and west—everything that was there was unseen and untrodden and unknown. It seemed to be very important, and yet one could not exult. Nature had worked on such a large scale and with such infinite power that one could only gape at her handiwork with open mouth and say: Holy smoke!
For here was the ice age in its chill flood tide. Here was a continent throttled and overwhelmed. Here was the lifeless waste born of one of the greatest periods of refrigeration that the earth has ever known. Seeing it, one could scarcely believe that the Antarctic was once a warm and fertile climate, with its own plants and trees of respectable size.
Here, too, in this glacial flood is a counterpart of the immense ebbs and flows of ice over the earth which profoundly affected mankind. “But for the Permo-Carboniferous glaciation of India, Australia, South America and Africa, with the accompanying cooling of the remainder of the world, gigantic insects might have dominated the world. But for the cooling of Cretaceous and Eocene times, it appears quite likely that mammals might yet be insignificant tribes, leading a precarious existence at the mercy of the Jurassic horde of reptiles. Refrigeration has again and again involved extinction of specialized races and vivification of more generalized and newer types. Insects gave place to reptiles, reptiles to mammals and—to bring the history up to date—the dominance of man coincides remarkably with the coming of the great cooling of the Pleistocene, the effect of which upon the climates of the world is still apparent.”1
Here, too, is the receding flood of a once much greater flood. One could not help but speculate, with a sense of thankfulness that by that time the matter will probably have no personal interest, on what new destiny Nature has in store for the lowly mammal when the pendulum reaches the point of turn.
There was great beauty here, in the way that things which are also terrible can be beautiful. Glancing to the right, one had the feeling of observing the twilight of an eternity. Over the water and submerged land crept huge tongues of solid ice and snow, ploughing into the outer fringe of shelf ice and accomplishing wide destruction. There were cliffs that must rise hundreds of feet. Once I caught sight of a cliff as it fell into the sea. From the great height of the plane it was just a small pellet falling from a toy wall. Not a sound penetrated through the noise of the engines. Yet thousands of tons must have collapsed in one frightful convulsion. To the right were the mountains, cold and gray, and from them fell, in places, ice falls which were perhaps 500 feet in height. The figure is arbitrary. They may have been more, or less.
We had sighted the Matterhorn again and advanced steadily toward it, studying the mountains on our left. The farther we went, the more we became impressed with the rolling character of the land. In one place, where the surface was quite high, we made out a patch crossed by rippling lines; these were pressure ridges, no doubt covering an area perhaps 20 miles in length. I saw then that the mountains continued in an uninterrupted chain to the southward, and this whole enormous area definitely joined the land we had seen on the eastern flight.
On our port bow we saw extraordinary lakes of open water, showing in velvet-black pools against the irregular pattern of the ice, in ice covered land. I call them lakes, but it is possible they were channels or inlets. Just why these lakes should defy freezing I could not understand. It may be that strong currents keep them open. Certainly it does not seem that they can be the result of thawing—not on a continent where the temperature only rarely rises above the freezing point.
One of the lakes lay to the northeastward of Matterhorn. We changed course so that McKinley might photograph it. Drawing nearer, we saw that on its northern side was a high snow cliff. Its southern edge was bounded by a curious ice or snow formation which rose and fell regularly, like waves. The crests of these waves must have been at least 300 feet high.
A series of these pools of open water lay to the eastward.
After passing over the lake we changed course to the westward, to bring the Matterhorn before McKinley’s camera. By then McKinley had photographed 200 miles of the new mountain range, and our own vision, helped by glasses, had seen even farther.
The purposes of our trip, then, were realized.
We changed course again, a few degrees to the left, to investigate more patches of open water which lay, as near as I could judge, 50 miles from the open sea at the point where it met the shelf ice.
Matterhorn slowly made felt its splendor. From its cone-like eminence a slightly less elevated ridge ran to the southeast, about to the 150th meridian, according to a rough estimate.
We passed the Matterhorn to the north at 4:45 o’clock. To the northeast of it was a violently disturbed area. Even from 5000 feet the crevasses seemed monstrous. They lay in long, almost perfectly drawn furrows, and some of them must have been at least 200 feet across. Here and there the black depths of pits and craters showed. Scott’s Nunatak was in sight, and between it and Matterhorn the surface was high and rolling, suggestive of land.
In the course of the flight we had circled the nunataks of Alexandra Range and photographed them from all sides.
We were then well inland, homeward bound. Presently the Rockefellers were in view, a scattering of peaks throwing long shadows. A few stratus clouds floated near them.
Parker opened up the engines and we struck across familiar territory.
At 6:20 o’clock we landed at Little America. Parker had made a splendid flight.
Friday
December 6th
The flight to the eastward was more successful than I had dared to hope.
From a geographical point of view it was eminently satisfactory. It proved the existence of land in that area—an immense landfall.
It extended the outline of the coast and lifted a great section of it from the realm of fiction. McKinley has now surveyed and mapped a 400 mile stretch of the Barrier line and coast line.
It provided the new land first discovered on the flight of February 18th with a coastal access.
The survey photographs which McKinley made will be interesting and important to glaciologists fifty and one hundred years from now. For they are a permanent record of ice conditions in 1929, and the extent of the changes which will undoubtedly occur during the intervening years can be clearly drawn. Here, again, is an example of the new precision in modern exploration.
The discovery of land explains, in a measure, why all attempts to penetrate this region by sea have failed. With a northwesterly wind, the northern extension of the coast, whether as an archipelago or as a solid mass, would be jammed with ice, which would collect and consolidate in impenetrable quantities. At this time, I am inclined to lean toward the belief that there is an archipelago somewhere to the northward of the newly discovered land, which feeds the pack in that vicinity. This alone, it would seem, can account for the stupendous quantities of ice discharged.
However, discovery is only the beginning. It merely brings to light a reality. It is now the job of the geologists to take it apart and find the inner secrets. How it would delight Larry Gould to make a study of that fascinating problem. But there is no time for it on this expedition.
If he can cross the 150th meridian during this trip and enter the new land to the east of his course, it will be an excellent contribution. I am reluctant to suggest an extension of his journey, which will be long enough anyway; but I am sure that when he has assimilated the importance of the eastern flight, he will see the value o
f the trip and will suggest the extension himself.
To the new escarpment I have given the name Edsel Ford Range. Mr. Ford has been a consistent supporter of my efforts in exploration and aviation. More than that, he is a dear friend.
To the new Land I have given the name Marie Byrd Land, after my wife, who has backed and helped me every foot o) the way, who has shouldered much of the burden of the expedition and whose understanding has made my many expedition possible.
Saturday
December 7th
Warm and partly cloudy.
The Geological Party is camped on the north side of Mt. Nansen, having ascended the west side of Axel Heiberg Glacier yesterday. It is snowing hard there.
McKinley is developing the photographs taken on the polar and eastern flights. They are excellent, and show the unusual character of this area in detail and relationship which no pen nor brush could equal. It paid us handsomely to await good weather and visibility, and to put our faith in prophets Haines and Harrison.
Monday
December 9th
Gould’s Party continued to climb up Mt. Nansen, reaching a height of 7,500 feet. At 6,500 feet Crockett found what Gould is sure is lichens. This may be the farthest south at which life has been discovered.
I have delegated Siple to the job of collecting twenty Adelie and Emperor Penguins for zoos. If it is possible, we shall bring them back to the United States alive. We had a dozen of them, last year, but they all got away. They are shrewd devils and can escape faster than Houdini. We have built a pen for them in the hole formerly occupied by one of the Ford’s wing tips, but I don’t think they will stay long.
The ice in the Bay of Whales is still holding and as yet gives no sign of going out.
Friday
December 15th
No word from the Geological Party for two days.
Saturday
December 14th
The Geological Party was on its regular schedule tonight. They have been held in camp by a heavy snow storm. Gould reports they found our mountain cache last Thursday. The wind had scattered the empty gasoline tins and a pair of snow glasses was found fifty yards from the cache. He says the weather has continued cloudy and squally.
It would seem that we made the polar flight just in time.
The Geological Party is now working to the eastward and will penetrate Marie Byrd Land—that is, beyond the 150th meridian.
Sunday
December 15th
Siple and Mulroy took a sounding in Ver-sur-Mer Inlet today and 1,600 feet of line ran out before it registered bottom.
So Little America has been afloat. However, we have always been convinced of that.
A baby Crab-eater seal was found on the bay ice last night and has been put in a pen. He will presently join the distinguished group of specimens. He is a scrappy little fellow and when aroused makes a queer whistling sound.
Wednesday
December 18th
We are getting ready to break up the camp. Today Black began to collect. all equipment not in use—that is, equipment not necessary for operations. By getting things ready now we may escape much confusion at the end.
It appears that both the City and the Bolling are in for another struggle with the pack. The whalers report that ice conditions are worse than any within their experience. A chaser was sunk in the pack on the 15th, according to a radio message which Petersen overheard, and the factory ships find the going very hard.
Consequently, I have sent a message to Brown and Melville suggesting that departure of both ships be held up until conditions improve.
We are hoping to make another flight to the eastward of Queen Maud Range. This, together with a flight to the westward of Little America, should clear up the aviation activities of the expedition. Weather, however, remains unfavorable.
A light rain in the form of mist began to fall late yesterday and continued intermittently today.
Friday
December 20th
The Geological Party reports that it is camped at Lat. 85° 27’ S. and Long. 147° 30’ W. Gould says: “Have completely proved that Carmen Land does not exist.” They have penetrated Marie Byrd Land and are the first men to set foot on American land in the Antarctic.
The area is, therefore, claimed for the United States and may be considered to extend to the Pole. It appears that the Barrier lies between Gould’s position and the land we discovered.
Tomorrow Gould will begin his march to the westward. He has done a fine job.
Wednesday
December 25th
A white Christmas, and a warm one. The temperature today was 31° above zero, and Tennant even had trouble bringing the ice cream to the freezing point.
The day was celebrated appropriately. There was a Christmas tree wrapped in cotton, and festooned with cigarette papers, chewing gum, cough drops and other knick-knacks: Taffy Davies took the part of Santa Claus, and though a cotton beard hid his jovial face, it could not disguise his precious accent.
There were even cigars and cigarettes, and George Black produced a pound of candy for every man. This is luxury. The party enjoyed the following quatrain; dedicated to the cook:
“Use one ounce of chicken to each pair of pups,
If they pop out of dishes, just serve ’em in cups,
And if we’re out of mutton this glad Christmas-tide,
I’ll season and serve ‘em with some tender rawhide.”
Thursday
December 26th
The Geological Party had its own thrilling Christmas on the Barrier. They were camped near Mt. Betty, which Amundsen had ascended on the return from the Pole, and Dr. Gould decided to investigate it. He found the cairn which Amundsen had built, and in it the matches, the can of kerosene and the note he and his party left behind, 17 years ago.1
Petersen translated the note, which said: “Arrived and encircled the South Pole Dec. 14–16, 1911. Have confirmed Victoria Land so that it is most likely that King Edward VII Land has no connection at 86° south latitude with Victoria Land. Also shows this land continues in a colossal mountain range toward the south. Could see this enormous mountain range to 88° south latitude and most likely from its appearance it continues further in the same direction over the Antarctic Continent. Passed this cache on our return from the South Pole with provisions for 60 days, 2 sledges and 11 dogs. All well.”
Roald Amundsen.
We have been informed by radio that a small airplane attached to the whaler Kosmos, which has Taylor and his dogs aboard, has been lost. The pilot, Leif Lier, and a passenger, Dr. Ingvald-Schreiner, took off for a short flight on Christmas Day, but failed to return. The plane was equipped with pontoons and carried fuel for six hours. On the following day (they are a day ahead of us because they are west of the I 8oth meridian) the sea rose and a thickish fog hampered the chasers which were sent out to search for the plane.
At the time the Kosmos was lying north of the pack. The master, Captain Andresen, had intended to use the plane in scouting for whales.
What a pity we can give no aid! The position of the Kosmos is more than 800 miles to the north of Little America, and the Ford, even if it were equipped with pontoons, the possession of which would alone justify taking her on such a long water hop, has not a sufficient radius of action to allow her to make an effective search. Our hands are tied.
What has happened we cannot tell. No doubt the plane was forced down by engine trouble, for visibility, according to Captain Andresen, remained clear and the pilot was skillful. It is unlikely that he became lost. A number of the men here, including Owen and Petersen, knew the pilot, and so the aragedy strikes personally. For I believe it is a tragedy. Even assuming the landing was made safely, the plane could not Jong exist in the heavy seas which ran on the following day. I can imagine no worse predicament than to be forced down in the vicinity of the pack.
Saturday
December 28th
No trace of the missing flyers. Apparently Lier had in
tended to make a flight to the Balleny Islands. Captain Andresen wirelessed yesterday that he had found an entry in the pilot’s diary, dated December 26th, the date of his disappearance, saying that he would fly to the Balleny Islands if weather permitted. In all, sixteen chasers have been searching for the plane. All but two have been recalled, and these have been dispatched to search the waters adjoining the islands. The flyers carried emergency rations for only two days. I am sure they are lost. Dr. Barnes, who is coming down on the City, has been asked to volunteer as physician aboard the Kosmos, to take the place of the doctor who was lost. There are 400 men on the Kosmos and the attendance of a doctor is necessary. I am sure that Dr. Barnes will agree to go.
The pack itself shows no signs of relenting. I am afraid it will be a more serious problem this year than last year. Petersen, our radio man, who is maintaining a regular schedule with all the whaling ships, says the veterans are unanimously agreed that this is the worst ice year they have ever known.
Two whaling factories have at last forced their way through the pack, after a very strenuous voyage, the Nilsen Alonzo and the Sir James Clark Ross. The Southern Princess was turned back by heavy pack at 69° S.
Both the Kosmos and the C. A. Larsen are still waiting to the north of the pack, reluctant to attempt the passage until conditions improve.
Ole Andersen, a gunner on the Ross, has informed Petersen that the pack is the hardest he has ever seen—it is largely heavy, hard ice, green and glassy. How the City can make her way through such ice is beyond me. Nevertheless, she must try.
Tuesday
December 31st
The Geological Party is homeward bound. In his daily message Gould says that they were camped 45 miles north of the mountain. They are on the old trail, following the snow beacons which they erected on the outward journey.
I cannot speak too highly of the splendid work these men have done. The trip, when finished, will be the longest sledge journey ever undertaken for purely geological investigation. Once the party started the final advance, it continued without a hitch. The weeks, even months, of care and study that went into their planning have born fruit. They were greenhorns when they started, but they carried on like veterans.
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