e. At one poin t, it seemed certain that their plane would crash. It could on ly get over the mountains if it ro se to 10, 000 feet. By rd at once ordered his men to throw out two heavy food sack s. The plane was then able to rise and it cleared the mountains by 400 feet. By rd now new that he wou ld be able to re ach the South Pole which was 30 0 miles away , for there were no more mountains