'"3! 



CHAPTER XXXII 



Shackleton on the Threshold of the South Pole 



THE year 1909 ranks as a record one in polar research. Early 

 in that year the word was flashed north that a daring inves- 

 tigator had gone far to rob the far south of its mystery, 

 approaching almost within touching distance of the South Pol^e. 

 And in September of that year was flashed south still more start- 

 ling news, to the effect that two equally daring investigators had 

 knocked at the door of the far north, and stood upon the spot where 

 the North Pole should penetrate the earth, if there were any visible 

 form to this geographical figment. 



We are here concerned with the first of these discoveries, that 

 relating to the South Pole. That both these extremities of the 

 earth's axis would before long be reached was as certain as anyt- 

 thing could be. For a generation explorers had been approaching 

 the North Pole step by step, learning the best methods and the neces- 

 sary equipment for the enterprise, and tracing the most suitable 

 starting place. The problem had reached that stage in which a bold 

 dash was alone needed for its completion. 



In the south progress towards the Pole had been much slower. 

 Not until the closing years of the nineteenth century had a human 

 foot been set on the land adjoining the polar region. But important 

 discoveries had been made. There was much reason to believe that 

 a continental area of land surrounded the Pole, instead of an ocean 

 of water, as seemed the case in the north. This, if it should prove 

 a fact, would vitally change the conditions. The ice ridges and 

 open leads of water which formed the great difficulty in the north 



