AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT.
has been opened up, and the ships of the King shall be able to travel in safety thereto, and trade with the peoples who dwell therein.
Also, do not the wise men say unto us, that in that land there is set up a great pole of value, which all the nations of the Earth do strive to possess.
Go thou therefore, dwell in this land, travel over the face of the same, tear out its secrets, and should it also be that thy hand shall uproot the great pole which the wise men do call the South Pole; then do I say unto thee that it shall not be forgotten of thee in the years which are to come.
¶ And it came to pass that these words did sink deep into the heart of him who was called Shackleton, so that he did say unto the wife of his bosom;
Behold! though it grieveth me sore to leave thee, yet am I about to gather together my goods and my chattels, and sell them for monies, so that I may buy me a ship, and with men whom I shall myself choose, go again to that land of ice and snow, and of burning mountains;
And there sojourn until I come to the place where is set up that pole which the wise men call the South Pole, and with that and many other things of value in my ship, will I return to the land of my
