Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/345

] at an easily accessible distance under other circumstances the range of mountains in which the pole is placed, and to feel how nearly that chief object of our undertaking had been accomplished: and but few can understand the deep feelings of regret with which I felt myself compelled to abandon the perhaps too ambitious hope I had so long cherished of being permitted to plant the flag of my country on both the magnetic poles of our globe; but the obstacles which presented themselves being of so insurmountable a character was some degree of consolation, as it left us no grounds for self-reproach, and as we bowed in humble acquiescence to the will of Him who had so defined the boundary of our researches, with grateful hearts we offered up our thanksgivings for the large measure of success which he had permitted to reward our exertions. Some amongst us even still indulged a feeble hope, that to the westward of the Admiralty Mountains, which we knew trended so suddenly to the westward, we might find the coast there turn to the southward, and by following it we might yet approach the pole more nearly; but we could not conceal from ourselves that from the late period of the season and the early setting in of the winter, we were in this case hoping against hope.

The range of mountains in the extreme west, which, if they be of an equal elevation with Mount Erebus, were not less than fifty leagues distant,