446 SHACKLETON ON THRESHOLD OF SOUTH POLE 



bottomless cavern lay below, and though Adams and the pony were 

 rescued, their escape from death was very narrow. 



Day after day they trudged onward, with no small trouble and 

 hardship, the seemingly level plain being on all sides seamed with 

 crevasses, often lightly covered with new snow, so that the utmost 

 vigilance was needed to avoid them. A second depot was made in 

 latitude 81 degrees 4 minutes, and here one of the ponies was killed. 

 This was done from the fact that the animal rations were running 

 short, and fresh meat was needed, both for the depot and to carry 

 with them. A sledge was left to mark the spot, it being sunk in the 

 snow so that eight feet projected above the surface. To it a bam- 

 boo pole with a black flag was attached. But the surrounding view- 

 points of the country were chiefly trusted to for finding the depot, 

 careful observations of them being taken. Two other ponies were 

 subsequently killed for the same purpose, and new food caches made. 



On November 22d a range of ice-clad mountains was seen, 

 with a bare peak at intervals. Their position was such that some 

 way up them would have to be found if the Pole was to be reached. 

 As they went on towards them the snow grew very soft, the ponies 

 at times sinking in it to their bellies. On they marched, gradually 

 ascending, and finally reaching a glacier which they hoped might 

 lead to the Pole itself. Up this their subsequent course lay. 



On December 2d they very nearly met with a tragedy, a shout 

 for "Help" from Wild calling them in haste to his assistance. When 

 they reached him they saw that the forward end of the pony sledge 

 projected over a crevasse, Wild grasping it and hanging over the 

 gulf. No sign of the pony was visible. Wild was aided to escape 

 from his dangerous position, but the pony was gone, and the man's 

 escape was almost a miracle. The loss of the sledge with its load 

 would have been almost fatal to them, and though they now had to 

 draw it themselves, they were thankful that they had it to draw. 



By December Qth they were in a perfect nest of crevasses, 

 some covered with snow so as to be very deceptive. Marshall went 



