PRELIMINARY JOURNEYS
The sun had not yet returned and the temperature was exceedingly low,
but the _Discovery_ expedition had proved that it is quite possible
to travel under these conditions. Accordingly I started on this
preliminary journey on August 12, taking with me Professor David,
who was to lead the Northern Party towards the South Magnetic Pole,
and Bertram Armytage who was to take charge of the party that was to
journey into the mountains of the west later in the year.
We were equipped for a fortnight with provisions and camp gear, packed
on one sledge, and had three gallons of petroleum in case we decided
to stay out longer. A gallon will last three men for about ten days,
and we could get more food at Hut Point if we required it. We took
three one-man sleeping bags, for although the larger bags are certainly
warmer one's rest in them is very likely to be disturbed by the
movements of a companion.
At first the weather was bad and consequently progress was slow, but
although the temperature was about forty degrees below zero we slept
soundly at night, and arose praising the one-man sleeping bags.
We reached the old _Discovery_ winter quarters at Hut Point on the
morning of August 14, and I took the Professor and Armytage over all
the familiar ground.
To me the revisiting of these old scenes was supremely interesting.
Here was the place where, years before, when the _Discovery_ was lying
fast in the ice close to the shore, we used to dig for the ice required
for the supply of fresh water. The marks of the picks and shovel
could still be seen, and I noticed an old case bedded in the ice, and
remembered the day when it had been thrown away. The fascination of the
unknown swept upon me as I stood in those familiar surroundings, and I
longed to be away towards the south on the journey that I hoped would
lay bare the mysteries of the Pole.
The old hut had never been a cheerful place even when we were camped
alongside it in the _Discovery_, and it looked doubly inhospitable now
after standing empty for six years. I proposed, however, to use it as a
stores depot in connection with the southern journey, for it was twenty
miles further south than our winter quarters. We slept there that night
and on the following morning started for our journey across the Barrier.
The chief result of this expedition was to convince me that we could
not place much reliance on the motor-car for the southern journey,
because the condition of the surface on the Barrier varied from mile to
mile, and it would be impossible to keep changing the wheels of the car
so as to meet the requirements of each new surface.
Professor David and Armytage had also received a good baptism of frost,
and as it was desirable that every member of the expedition should
have personal experience of travelling over ice and snow in low
temperatures before the real work began, I arranged to dispatch a small
party every week to sledge stores and equipment south to Hut Point.
I did not hesitate to let these parties face bad weather, because the
road was well known, and a rough experience would be useful to men
later on. Each party returned with adventures to relate, and curiously
all of them encountered bad weather, but there were no accidents and
the men seemed to enjoy the work.
Early in September Adams, Marshall and I started for Hut Point, and
decided to make one march of the twenty-three miles, and not camp on
the way. A blizzard, however, struck us when we were near our goal, and
abandoning the extra weights we were pulling for the depot, we managed
to reach the hut in a sorely frost-bitten condition. I mention this
to show how constantly one has to guard against the onslaughts of the
elements in the inhospitable regions of the south.
By the middle of September a good supply of provisions, oil and gear
was stored at Hut Point, in fact everything needed for the southern
journey had been taken there so that the start might be made from
the most southern base available. Also while the men were gaining
experience the ponies were being given exercise, and I felt that these
little Manchurian animals were going to justify my confidence. After
many experiments I concluded that 650 lb. per pony should be the
maximum load, this weight including the sledge itself which weighed
about 60 lb.
When the question of weight came to be considered I realised more than
ever the seriousness of the loss of the other four ponies. It was
evident that we could not take to the Pole as much food as I would have
liked.
[Illustration: The Leader of the Expedition in Winter Garb]
On September 22 I started out again with a party consisting of Adams,
Marshall, Wild, Marston and Joyce and myself to place a depot 160
statute miles south of the _Discovery_ winter quarters, the depot to
consist of pony maize. The loads were about 170 lb. per man, and the
journey was a severe one, for at times the temperature got down to 59°
below zero Fahr.
We reached the main depot in latitude 79° 36′ South, longitude 168°
East on October 6, and this we called "Depot A." It was marked with an
upturned sledge and a black flag on a bamboo rod, and here we deposited
a gallon tin of oil and 167 lb. of pony maize so that our load would be
materially reduced for the first portion of the journey south.
The weather was shockingly severe on our return journey, and we did
not reach the old _Discovery_ winter quarters until October 13, but
continuing our march home on the following day we were lucky enough
to meet the motor-car, and with the sledges hitched on, we drove
triumphantly back to winter quarters.
During our absence the Northern Party, consisting of Professor David,
Mawson and Mackay, had started on their journey to the South Magnetic
Pole. I said good-bye to the Professor and his two companions on
September 22 and we did not meet again until March 1, 1909.