CHAPTER XIV 



THE SECOND EXPEDITION TO THE ICE-CAP 



FTER the reconnaissance of 

 the ice-cap margin by Bel- 

 knap and myself, we began 

 to make preparations for an 

 expedition over the ice sur- 

 face as far as conditions 

 permitted, there send up balloons and in addition 

 lay out a series of bamboo stakes to be located and 

 after a sufficient interval, relocated by transit from 

 the ends of a base line off the ice margin. This, 

 had it been carried through, would have determined 

 the rate of movement of the ice at different dis- 

 tances within its margin. This problem was 

 peculiarly that for Belknap to undertake, since he 

 was the surveyor of the expedition. 



It would be necessary to make several advance 

 trips under packs as far as the ice margin, and we 



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