Хребты безумия

           Onlyfourofourplaneswereneededtocarrytheactualexploringmaterial,thefifthbeingleftwithapilotandtwomenfromtheshipsatthestoragecachetoformameansofreachingusfromtheArkhamincaseallourexploringplaneswerelost. Later,whennotusingalltheotherplanesformovingapparatus,wewouldemployoneortwoinashuttletransportationservicebetweenthiscacheandanotherpermanentbaseonthegreatplateaufromsixhundredtosevenhundredmilessouthward,beyondBeardmoreGlacier. Despitethealmostunanimousaccountsofappallingwindsandtempeststhatpourdownfromtheplateau,wedeterminedtodispensewithintermediatebases,takingourchancesintheinterestofeconomyandprobableefficiency. 

           Wirelessreportshavespokenofthebreathtaking,four-hour,nonstopflightofoursquadrononNovember21stovertheloftyshelfice,withvastpeaksrisingonthewest,andtheunfathomedsilencesechoingtothesoundofourengines. Windtroubledusonlymoderately,andourradiocompasseshelpedusthroughtheoneopaquefogweencountered. Whenthevastriseloomedahead,betweenLatitudes83°and84°,weknewwehadreachedBeardmoreGlacier,thelargestvalleyglacierintheworld,andthatthefrozenseawasnowgivingplacetoafrowningandmountainouscoastline. Atlastweweretrulyenteringthewhite,aeon-deadworldoftheultimatesouth.EvenaswerealizeditwesawthepeakofMt.Nansenintheeasterndistance,toweringuptoitsheightofalmostfifteenthousandfeet. 

           ThesuccessfulestablishmentofthesouthernbaseabovetheglacierinLatitude86°7’,EastLongitude174°23’,andthephenomenallyrapidandeffectiveboringsandblastingsmadeatvariouspointsreachedbyoursledgetripsandshortaeroplaneflights,aremattersofhistory;