Хребты безумия
I
Ourcamponthefrozenshorebelowthevolcano’sslopewasonlyaprovisionalone,headquartersbeingkeptaboardtheArkham. Welandedallourdrillingapparatus,dogs,sledges,tents,provisions,gasolinetanks,experimentalice-meltingoutfit,cameras,bothordinaryandaerial,aeroplaneparts,andotheraccessories,includingthreesmallportablewirelessoutfits-besidesthoseintheplanes-capableofcommunicatingwiththeArkham’slargeoutfitfromanypartoftheantarcticcontinentthatwewouldbelikelytovisit. Theship’soutfit,communicatingwiththeoutsideworld,wastoconveypressreportstotheArkhamAdvertiser’spowerfulwirelessstationonKingsportHead,Massachusetts. Wehopedtocompleteourworkduringasingleantarcticsummer;butifthisprovedimpossible,wewouldwinterontheArkham,sendingtheMiskatonicnorthbeforethefreezingoftheiceforanothersummer’ssupplies.
Ineednotrepeatwhatthenewspapershavealreadypublishedaboutourearlywork:ofourascentofMt.Erebus; oursuccessfulmineralboringsatseveralpointsonRossIslandandthesingularspeedwithwhichPabodie’sapparatusaccomplishedthem,eventhroughsolidrocklayers; ourprovisionaltestofthesmallice-meltingequipment;ourperilousascentofthegreatbarrierwithsledgesandsupplies;andourfinalassemblingoffivehugeaeroplanesatthecampatopthebarrier. Thehealthofourlandparty-twentymenandfifty-fiveAlaskansledgedogs-wasremarkable,thoughofcoursewehadsofarencounterednoreallydestructivetemperaturesorwindstorms. Forthemostpart,thethermometervariedbetweenzeroand20°or25°above,andourexperiencewithNewEnglandwintershadaccustomedustorigorsofthissort. Thebarriercampwassemi-permanent,anddestinedtobeastoragecacheforgasoline,provisions,dynamite,andothersupplies.
