Viewing page 7 of 8
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
7
men assigned to the small sledges can lift one of them bodily when required.
The equipment becomes rapidly simpler as well as lighter. For instance:
No.
Pounds.| Pounds. Dogs.
At the start 2 large sledges,...1400| 7 small sledges.........2100 65
End 10 days 2 " " ...1300| 5 " " ..........1400 65
" 20 " 2 " " ...1200| 4 " " ...........900 60
" 30 " 2 " " ...1200| 3 " " ...........700 45
" 40 " 2 " " ...1000| 2 " " ...........550 40
" 50 " 2 " " ...1000| 2 " " ...........400 30
" 60 " 2 " " ...1000| 1 " " ...........250 20
" 70 " 2 " " ...1005| 15
" 80 " 2 " " ....870| 10
Our winter station will not be farther south than Cape Fligely, and may be upon Petermann Land or outlying islands or land masses as far north as 84:30. Following are the distances to the Pole and return, direct, in geographical miles (60 geographical miles eaqual 69 statue miles):
From 82:05 .......................................... 950 miles
From 83:00 .......................................... 840 miles
From 83:30 .......................................... 780 miles
From 84:00 .......................................... 720 miles
From 84:30 .......................................... 660 miles
Assuming that the winter station is not farther north than Cape Fligely the distance to be traveled to the Pole and back to the land at 83:30 (allowing for deviations to the eastward both coming and going on account of the drift), will be about 950 miles. An average daily advance of only 10 miles per day will cover the distance in 100 days of the most favorable season.
If we are able to make the wintering at 83:30 (the assumed northern coast), the distance to be traveled to the Pole and return (allowing for the drift) will be about 865 miles. A rate of travel only a little in excess of that attained by Dr. Nansen, in March and April, would cover this distance in 100 days.
It is not unreasonable to believe that this expedition will have a fair chance of covering an average of 14 or 15 miles a day for 80 days, or of 9 or 10 miles a day for 100 days. As we have seen in the foregoing statement, 125 days may be used if necessary, and if this much time were employed the rate of advance per day needed to reach the goal and return from Cape Fligely would be only 7 1/2 miles.
If the southerly drift of the ice were to retard progress a mile or two a day during the advance, it would help at least as much during the return and probably more.
Even should the full period of 125 days be employed, and the return to the land be made as late as July 4, six or seven weeks would still remain in which to boat and sledge to Cape Flora in time to catch the steamer and return to Europe after an absence from civilization of 14 or 15 months.
WALTER WELLMAN
