2 THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH POLE 



One circumstance has followed on the heels of another, 

 and everything has turned out so entirely different from 

 what I had imagined. 



On December 14, 1911, five men stood at the southern 

 end of our earth's axis, planted the Norwegian flag there, 

 and named the region after the man for whom they would 

 all gladly have offered their lives King Haakon VII. 

 Thus the veil was torn aside for all time, and one of the 

 greatest of our earth's secrets had ceased to exist. 



Since I was one of the five who, on that December 

 afternoon, took part in this unveiling, it has fallen to my 

 lot to write the history of the South Pole. 



Antarctic exploration is very ancient. Even before 

 our conception of the earth's form had taken definite 

 shape, voyages to the South began. It is true that not 

 many of the explorers of those distant times reached 

 what we now understand by the Antarctic regions, but 

 still the intention and the possibility were there, and 

 justify the name of Antarctic exploration. The motive 

 force of these undertakings was as has so often been 

 the case the hope of gain. Rulers greedy of power 

 saw in their mind's eye an increase of their possessions. 

 Men thirsting for gold dreamed of an unsuspected wealth 

 of the alluring metal. Enthusiastic missionaries rejoiced 

 at the thought of a multitude of lost sheep. The scienti- 

 fically trained world waited modestly in the background. 

 But they have all had their share : politics, trade, religion, 

 and science. 



