CHANGE OF PLAN 43 



record-breaking; it was also true that many of the 

 contributors who had so warmly supported me had 

 done so with the original plan before them ; but in view 

 of the altered circumstances, and the small prospect I now 

 had of obtaining funds for my original plan, I considered 

 it neither mean nor unfair to my supporters to strike 

 a blow that would at once put the whole enterprise on 

 its feet, retrieve the heavy expenses that the expedition 

 had already incurred, and save the contributions from 

 being wasted. 



It was therefore with a clear conscience that I 

 decided to postpone my original plan for a year or 

 two, in order to try in the meantime to raise the 

 funds that were still lacking. The North Pole, the 

 last problem but one of popular interest in Polar 

 exploration, was solved. If I was now to succeed in 

 arousing interest in my undertaking, there was nothing 

 left for me but to try to solve the last great problem 

 the South Pole. 



I know that I have been reproached for not having 

 at once made the extended plan public, so that not only 

 my supporters, but the explorers who were preparing 

 to visit the same regions might have knowledge of it. 

 I was well aware that these reproaches would come, and 

 had therefore carefully weighed this side of the matter. 

 As regards the former the contributors to my expedi- 

 tion my mind was soon at rest. They were all men 

 of position, and above discussing the application of the 



