Johnny P, Williams, Jr, of Camden, S. C, for his questions

Who discovered the south pole?

There is a test to prove when you have reached the exact north or south pole.  The sun and stars move overhead in horizontal circles Robert E. Peary spent 18 years trying to reach the exact north pole.  He made it on April 60 1909 and he returned with over 30 observations to prove it, Meanwhile, several countries had sent men to search for and take possession of the south pole.

This was a harder job than conquering the north pole.  For the south pole is in the midst of a hug top high continent buried under fields of eternal snow, Around this continent of Antarctica sweep rough and icy seas. The mainland had been sighted in 1840, Various off‑shore islands had been discovered and several landings made on the mainland by 1909.  Robert Falcon Scott of England, had spent the three winters‑of 1901 to 1904 on Antarctica. And Ernest Shackelton of England was within 97 miles of the south pole when Peary was taking possession of the north pole, Close to that times Edgeworth David and Douglas Mawson reached and recorded the south magnetic pole.

Then began a serious race between nations to reach the south pole. Two parties were successful in reaching the right spot.  One of them ended in heartbreak and tragedy, Norway sent Roald Amundsen who had already fixed the position of the north magnetic pole, England sent a party under Robert F. Scott,

In 1910 Amundsen reached the Bay of Whales and wintered there. He spent the next summer building supply stations en route to the pole.  He spent another winter and on October 29 of the following spring he set out on the last lap to victory, He took with him four friends and four dog teams, On December 16, 1911 this party was the first to stand on the south pole below the circling midnight sun,

Amundsen and his party stayed there three days, They built a little tent, flying the flag of Norway, Inside the tent were letters one was for a seasoned explorer hard on their heels

Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his party reached the scene on January 18, 1912. The Norwegian flag had flown there only a month; And further tragedy awaited the English party; ‑The final story was not known‑until eight months later, Then three frozen bodies.* together with Scott’s records of the Ill‑fated trips were found within 11 miles of a food and fuel station,

Scott's diary is a record of courage and heroism. It tells how blizzards overtook the party, It tells how Captain Oates was injured, And how rather than burden his friends he walked out to freeze in the storm,

Scott, the great explorer was not bitter about his fate, He forced his freezing hands to write goodbyes full of hope and courage, He bade his wife to teach their young son to love nature as he himself had.