Sherman, with the sailors Gunnarsson and Larsen, took off at 7:30, and reported a quiet flight from several points on the wing. At intervals I still tried to reach Lake with the wireless, but all to no purpose. Even so great a load would not be too much for one of the huge planes built to our special orders for heavy machinery transportation. We then talked over the personnel of the coming investigation party, and decided that we would include all hands, together with the sledge and dogs which I had kept with me. I got Sherman by wireless and ordered him to join me with the plane and the two sailors at the southern base as quickly as possible, the air conditions being apparently highly favorable. The fifth aeroplane, which we had left at the McMurdo Sound supply cache with Sherman and two sailors, was in good shape and ready for instant use, and it seemed that the very emergency for which it had been saved was now upon us.

Nevertheless the stony silence continued, and when we thought of the delirious force the wind must have had in his locality we could not help making the most direful conjectures.īy six o'clock our fears had become intense and definite, and after a wireless consultation with Douglas and Thorfinnssen I resolved to take steps toward investigation.

Reflecting that he had four planes, each provided with an excellent short-wave outfit, we could not imagine any ordinary accident capable of crippling all his wireless equipment at once. After three o'clock it was very quiet, and we redoubled our efforts to get Lake. About noon a positive frenzy of wind stampeded out of the west, causing us to fear for the safety of our camp but it eventually died down, with only a moderate relapse at 2 P.M. Throughout the day we all listened anxiously and tried to get Lake at intervals, but invariably without results. He had not known about the wind, for very little was blowing at McMurdo Sound, despite its persistent rage where we were. We did, however, get the Arkham, and Douglas told me that he had likewise been vainly trying to reach Lake. McTighe was awake at ten o'clock and tried to get Lake on the wireless, as agreed, but some electrical condition in the disturbed air to the westward seemed to prevent communication. So savage was the blast, even where we were, that we could not help wondering how much worse it was at Lake's camp, directly under the vast unknown peaks that bred and delivered it. Both the excitement of Lake's discovery and the mounting fury of the wind were against such a thing. None of us, I imagine, slept very heavily or continuously that morning.

314721 At the Mountains of Madness - Chapter 3 H.

At the mountains of madness summary