The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-03-12
AMUNDSEN
POLAR TRIP.

tIdlt blOiluo anu uduy SACSIiellL au-
oras-australist in all directions.
The sanitary conditions we're Of
the best all the winter and when the
tun returned on the oath OF August
he met the men sound in mind and
body, ready to set about the task
that had to be solved.
Already, the day before, we had
brought our sledges to the starting
place for our march toward the south.
Only in the beginning OF September
did the temperature rise to such an
extent that there was any question
Of setting out.
First start For the Pole.
On the Sth Of September eight
men, with seven sledges, 80 dogs and
provisions for four months, started.
The ground was perfect The tenn
perature was not bad. The next day
1t appeared that we had started too
early, as the temperature of the fol-
lowing days fell and was kept steady
between minus so and 60 celsius (5S
and 76 degrees below zero fahren-
heit).
Personally we did not suffer at all
from this cold, our good furs protect
ing us, but our dogs, 1t was differ
ent. 1t could easily be seen that they
shrunk from day to day and we un-
derstood pretty soon that they could
not stand the long run to our depot
at 80 degrees south.
We agreed on returning and to
wait for the arrival of spring. The
provisions were cached, and Off we
went for the hut. With the exception
of the loss OF few dogs and couple
OF frozen heels everything was all
right. Only in the middle Of october
spring came in earnest Seals and
birds appeared. The temperature
was steady between 20 and 80 cell
slus. (68 and SO degrees fahrenheiD.
The original plan that all OF US
should go toward the south had been
changed. Five men had to do this
work, while the other three were to
start for the east and visit King Ed
ward VII Land. This last mentioned
trip was not included In our program.
but owing to the fact that the En-
gliBh had not reached 1t, at least this
summer, an was their intention, We
agreed that the best thing to do was
also to make this trip. On October
goth the southern party started, Ave
men. four sledges, 52 dogs and pro-
Visions for four months, everything
n excellent order.
The Journey to the Pole.
We Lad made up our minds to take
the first part uf the trip as easily as
possible in order to givo ourselves
and the dogs a rational training, and
on the 23rd we made our depot in
| 80 degrees south. We went right
nhead. In spite Of the dense fog, an
error OF two to three kilometers hap
pened once In while. but we were
caught by the flagmarks and found
these on our way without difficulty.
Having rested and fed the dogs on
all the seal meat they were able to eat
We started again on the 26th, with
the temperature steadily between
minus 20 and 30 celsius a degrees
and ~ degrees below zero fahren.
heit).
From the start II was the intention
not to drive more than 30 kilome-
ters day, but 1t appeared that this
was too little for our strong, willing
animals At so degrees south we
began to build snow cairns OF q
on our return trip. On the 31st we
reached the depot at 81 degrees, and
stopped there one day and fed the
dogs on as much pemmican as they
wanted
We reached tho depot at S2 do
grecs on the 5th Of November, where
the dogs for the last time got all
they wanted to eat. On the 8th,
Bouthward again, with a daily march
0f so kilometers. In order to tighten
our heavy sledges we established
depots at each degree of south latl.
tude.
alike q Pleasure Trip.
The trip from so degrees to SO de-
grees became pleasure trip; excel
lent ground, fine sledging and an
even temperature. Everything Went
like a dance. On the 9th we sighted
South Victoria Land and the contin
uation OF the mountain range which
Sir Ernest Shackleton mentioned in
his chart as running toward the
southeast from the Beardmore gla
cler. and on the same day we reach
ed SO degrees and established mere
depot No, T. on the nth we made
the Interesting discovery that the
Ross barrier terminated in a blight
toward the southeast at 80 degrees
south latitude and 1863 degrees west
longitude, formed between the south
east mountain range running from
south victoria Land and range on
the opposite side running in south
westerly direction, probably contin
uatlon of King Edward VII Land. On
the 18th we reached 81 degrees
where we established depot; on the
10th We were at Sb degrees, where
also we made depot,
1 From our winter quarters FRAN