Хребти божевілля

           Thefifthaeroplane,whichwehadleftattheMcMurdoSoundsupplycachewithShermanandtwosailors,wasingoodshapeandreadyforinstantuse,anditseemedthattheveryemergencyforwhichithadbeensavedwasnowuponus. IgotShermanbywirelessandorderedhimtojoinmewiththeplaneandthetwosailorsatthesouthernbaseasquicklyaspossible,theairconditionsbeingapparentlyhighlyfavorable. Wethentalkedoverthepersonnelofthecominginvestigationparty,anddecidedthatwewouldincludeallhands,togetherwiththesledgeanddogswhichIhadkeptwithme. Evensogreataloadwouldnotbetoomuchforoneofthehugeplanesbuilttoourspecialordersforheavymachinerytransportation. AtintervalsIstilltriedtoreachLakewiththewireless,butalltonopurpose. 

           Sherman,withthesailorsGunnarssonandLarsen,tookoffat7:30,andreportedaquietflightfromseveralpointsonthewing. Theyarrivedatourbaseatmidnight,andallhandsatoncediscussedthenextmove. Itwasriskybusinesssailingovertheantarcticinasingleaeroplanewithoutanylineofbases,butnoonedrewbackfromwhatseemedliketheplainestnecessity. Weturnedinattwoo’clockforabriefrestaftersomepreliminaryloadingoftheplane,butwereupagaininfourhourstofinishtheloadingandpacking. 

           At7:15A.M.,January25th,westartedflyingnorthwestwardunderMcTighe’spilotagewithtenmen,sevendogs,asledge,afuelandfoodsupply,andotheritemsincludingtheplane’swirelessoutfit. Theatmospherewasclear,fairlyquiet,andrelativelymildintemperature,andweanticipatedverylittletroubleinreachingthelatitudeandlongitudedesignatedbyLakeasthesiteofhiscamp.