SHACKLETON ON THRESHOLD OF SOUTH POLE 445 



leton's former experience in the "Discovery" expedition. This in- 

 tended adjunct of the expedition, therefore, had to be given up. 



The first step towards the polar dash was taken in Sep- 

 tember, it consisting in the forming of a food depot. There were 

 six persons on this trip, the sledges being hauled by hand and each 

 man's load being about one hundred and seventy pounds. The 

 depot was formed in latitude 76 degrees 36 minutes, at a distance of 

 about one hundred and forty miles from the winter camp. 



On September 22d a party of three set out on an expedition as 

 important in its way as the search for the Pole, its purpose being 

 to locate the south megnetic pole, whose position had never been 

 definitely fixed, though a close approximation to it had been made. 

 This party consisted of Professor David, the geologist of the expe- 

 dition, with two others of the scientific corps. 



It was mid October before everything was ready for the main 

 expedition, that having the South Pole for its goal. The food sup- 

 ply had been fixed, consisting of pemmican, biscuits, cheese, choco- 

 late, sugar, tea and some other articles, the daily ration to be thirty- 

 two ounces per man. Of the ten original ponies only eight had been 

 landed and of these four had died from a proclivity for eating sand 

 leaving but four of the original number. 



The party for the Pole finally got off on October 28th, it con- 

 sisting of four persons, Shackleton himself, Dr. Marshall, the sur- 

 geon of the expedition; Lieutenant Adams, the meteorologist, and 

 Frank Wild, who had charge of the dogs and sledges. Provisions 

 were taken for ninety-one days, with a smaller supply for the ponies, 

 with the idea that they might find it advisable to use some of these 

 animals for food. A supporting party provisioned for fourteen 

 days accompanied them. 



Troubles soon assailed them, one of the ponies laming itself 

 and a blizzard keeping them prisoners for several days. The next 

 trouble came when one of the ponies sank through the snow cap of a 

 hidden crevasse, carrying Adams down with it. An apparently 



