THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



announced. " One party will go east, and, if possible, 

 across the Barrier to the new land known as King 

 Edward VII Land, follow the coast-line there south, 

 if the coast trends south, or north if north, returning 

 when it is considered necessary to do so. The second 

 party will proceed south over the same route as that of 

 the southern sledge-party of the Discovery; this party 

 will keep from fifteen to twenty miles from the coast, 

 so as to avoid any rough ice. The third party will 

 possibly proceed westward over the mountains, and, 

 instead of crossing in a line due west, will strike towards 

 the magnetic Pole. The main changes in equipment 

 will be that Siberian ponies will be taken for the sledge 

 journeys both east and south, and also a specially 

 designed motor-car for the southern journey. ... I 

 do not intend to sacrifice the scientific utility of the 

 expedition to a mere record-breaking journey, but say 

 frankly, all the same, that one of my great efforts will 

 be to reach the southern geographical Pole. I shall 

 in no way neglect to continue the biological, meteoro- 

 logical, geological and magnetic work of the Discovery." 

 I added that I would endeavour to sail along the coast 

 of Wilkes Land, and secure definite information regard- 

 ing that coast-line. 



The programme was an ambitious one for a small 

 expedition, no doubt, but I was confident, and I think 

 I may claim that in some measure my confidence has been 

 justified. Before we finally left England, I had decided 

 that if possible I would establish my base on King 

 Edward VII Land instead of at the Discovery winter 

 quarters in McMurdo Sound, so that we might break 

 entirely new ground. The narrative will show how com- 

 pletely, as far as this particular matter was concerned, 

 all my plans were upset by the demands of the situation. 

 The journey to King Edward VII Land over the Barrier 



4 



