Хребти божевілля
I
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;