October, 1930 - January, 1931
Given how much fuss Stantz had put up about coming on the Antarctic expedition in the first place, it came as something of a surprise, once they set foot on Antarctic soil, to find that the man was genuinely helpful. His insistence on seeing to the health and well-being of not only the expedition's machinery but all fifty-five of the sledge dogs was an unlooked-for blessing; Dyer had half expected, given Pabodie's reports, to have to order the engineer's every action personally. It seemed that once there was no other choice, he set about his business with a will. The aeroplanes benefitted greatly by it, that was certain. More surprising, to Dyer and Pabodie both, was the fact that not a one of the expedition's dogs seemed to be without its moments of attention and care from him. Dyer had meant to leave the animals in the hands of several of the students, but given how well they responded to Stantz's attention and presence, he saw no reason not to change his plans and make their care his duty as much as the care of the expedition's equipment.
He was greatly sorry to see the man leave with Lake and the rest of the sub-expedition into the heretofore untouched, unexplored regions. Still, he had to admit that that had been the reason behind bringing Stantz along in the first place: to ensure that in just such an occasion, there would be someone in both the main party and the smaller who could take care of vital logistical matters and free the rest of the group for scientific pursuits.
January 22, 1931
10:30 PM
"Moulton's plane forced down on plateau in foothills, but nobody hurt and Stantz already working on repair. Shall transfer essentials to other three for return or further moves if necessary, but no more heavy plane travel needed just now. Mountains surpass anything in imagination. Am going up scouting in Carroll's plane, with all weight out. You can't imagine anything like this. Highest peaks must go over thirty-five thousand feet..."
January 23, 1931
4:00 PM
"We've struck a cave..."
8:00 PM
"Fowler makes discovery of highest importance in sandstone and limestone fragments from blasts. Several distinct triangular striated prints like those in Archaean slate, proving that source survived from over six hundred million years ago to Comanchian times without more than moderate morphological changes and decrease in average size. Comanchian prints apparently more primitive or decadent, if anything, than older ones. Emphasize importance of discovery in press. Will mean to biology what Einstein has meant to mathematics and physics..."
10:15 PM
"-all greatly damaged but one, which gives almost seven-foot wing spread. Arrangement reminds one of certain monsters of primal myth, especially fabled Elder Things in Necronomicon-"
"You know," said Stantz, without looking up from pinning the sledge-team's lead dog to the ground, "the last time anything to do with the Necronomicon intersected with an unhappy dog, it was Wilbur Whateley. Remember him? The kid who dissolved after the library mastiff tore out his throat?"
"Nonsense, Stantz. It's only a resemblance. Besides, these are just fossils," said Lake, and resumed his broadcast back to Dyer and the rest of the expedition.
11:15 PM
"Complete specimens have such uncanny resemblance to certain creatures of primal myth that suggestion of ancient existence outside antarctic becomes inevitable. Dyer and Pabodie have read Necronomicon and seen Clark Ashton Smith's nightmare paintings based on text, and will understand when I speak of Elder Things supposed to have created all earth life as jest or mistake. Students have always thought conception formed from morbid imaginative treatment of very ancient tropical radiata. Also like prehistoric folklore things Wilmarth has spoken of - Cthulhu cult appendages, etc.
"Vast field of study opened. Deposits probably of late Cretaceous or early Eocene period, judging from associated specimens. Massive stalagmites deposited above them. Hard work hewing out, but toughness prevented damage. State of preservation miraculous, evidently owing to limestone action. No more found so far, but will resume search later. Job now to get fourteen huge specimens to camp without dogs, which bark furiously and can't be trusted near them. Even Stantz can't quiet the dogs, but Stantz reluctant even to try. Says the dogs have better sense than any of us. With nine men - three left to guard the dogs - we ought to manage the three sledges fairly well, though wind is bad. Must establish plane communication with McMurdo Sound and begin shipping material. But I've got to dissect one of these things before we take any rest. Wish I had a real laboratory here. Dyer better kick himself for having tried to stop my westward trip. First the world's greatest mountains, and then this. If this last isn't the high spot of the expedition, I don't know what is. We're made scientifically. Congrats, Pabodie, on the drill that opened up the cave. Now will Arkham please repeat description?"
January 24, 1931
4:30 AM
"Stantz and several of the other men have built the wall around the dog pen as high as they can get it. The winds rising in the mountains are beginning to be too much of a hazard. We'll resume communications tomorrow at ten- for now, all hands are working on building the rest of the shelters. Lake out."
As Lake set the microphone aside and strode out into the howling Antarctic gale, it occurred to him that they were really going to have to do something about the dogs come morning. He could hear them barking at the specimens even over the rising wind.
He was greatly sorry to see the man leave with Lake and the rest of the sub-expedition into the heretofore untouched, unexplored regions. Still, he had to admit that that had been the reason behind bringing Stantz along in the first place: to ensure that in just such an occasion, there would be someone in both the main party and the smaller who could take care of vital logistical matters and free the rest of the group for scientific pursuits.
January 22, 1931
10:30 PM
"Moulton's plane forced down on plateau in foothills, but nobody hurt and Stantz already working on repair. Shall transfer essentials to other three for return or further moves if necessary, but no more heavy plane travel needed just now. Mountains surpass anything in imagination. Am going up scouting in Carroll's plane, with all weight out. You can't imagine anything like this. Highest peaks must go over thirty-five thousand feet..."
January 23, 1931
4:00 PM
"We've struck a cave..."
8:00 PM
"Fowler makes discovery of highest importance in sandstone and limestone fragments from blasts. Several distinct triangular striated prints like those in Archaean slate, proving that source survived from over six hundred million years ago to Comanchian times without more than moderate morphological changes and decrease in average size. Comanchian prints apparently more primitive or decadent, if anything, than older ones. Emphasize importance of discovery in press. Will mean to biology what Einstein has meant to mathematics and physics..."
10:15 PM
"-all greatly damaged but one, which gives almost seven-foot wing spread. Arrangement reminds one of certain monsters of primal myth, especially fabled Elder Things in Necronomicon-"
"You know," said Stantz, without looking up from pinning the sledge-team's lead dog to the ground, "the last time anything to do with the Necronomicon intersected with an unhappy dog, it was Wilbur Whateley. Remember him? The kid who dissolved after the library mastiff tore out his throat?"
"Nonsense, Stantz. It's only a resemblance. Besides, these are just fossils," said Lake, and resumed his broadcast back to Dyer and the rest of the expedition.
11:15 PM
"Complete specimens have such uncanny resemblance to certain creatures of primal myth that suggestion of ancient existence outside antarctic becomes inevitable. Dyer and Pabodie have read Necronomicon and seen Clark Ashton Smith's nightmare paintings based on text, and will understand when I speak of Elder Things supposed to have created all earth life as jest or mistake. Students have always thought conception formed from morbid imaginative treatment of very ancient tropical radiata. Also like prehistoric folklore things Wilmarth has spoken of - Cthulhu cult appendages, etc.
"Vast field of study opened. Deposits probably of late Cretaceous or early Eocene period, judging from associated specimens. Massive stalagmites deposited above them. Hard work hewing out, but toughness prevented damage. State of preservation miraculous, evidently owing to limestone action. No more found so far, but will resume search later. Job now to get fourteen huge specimens to camp without dogs, which bark furiously and can't be trusted near them. Even Stantz can't quiet the dogs, but Stantz reluctant even to try. Says the dogs have better sense than any of us. With nine men - three left to guard the dogs - we ought to manage the three sledges fairly well, though wind is bad. Must establish plane communication with McMurdo Sound and begin shipping material. But I've got to dissect one of these things before we take any rest. Wish I had a real laboratory here. Dyer better kick himself for having tried to stop my westward trip. First the world's greatest mountains, and then this. If this last isn't the high spot of the expedition, I don't know what is. We're made scientifically. Congrats, Pabodie, on the drill that opened up the cave. Now will Arkham please repeat description?"
January 24, 1931
4:30 AM
"Stantz and several of the other men have built the wall around the dog pen as high as they can get it. The winds rising in the mountains are beginning to be too much of a hazard. We'll resume communications tomorrow at ten- for now, all hands are working on building the rest of the shelters. Lake out."
As Lake set the microphone aside and strode out into the howling Antarctic gale, it occurred to him that they were really going to have to do something about the dogs come morning. He could hear them barking at the specimens even over the rising wind.