The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1912-03-14
AMUNDSEN TELLS
HIS own STORY
PERSONAL NARRATIVE OF. THE
/ DISCOVERY OF THE
/ SOUTH POLE.
PLANTS NoRwAY's FLAG
Temperature at the Pole on the Da,
Of Discovery Found to Be Only
90 Degrees Below Zero
| Fahrenheit.
BY RoALD AMUNDsEN..

BY ROALD AMUNDSEN.
(Copyright. 1912. by The New Yorl
Times Company. All rights reserved.
. Hobart, Tasmania, March S.-O1
Feb. 10, 1911. we commenced to worl
our way toward the southwark, from
that day to April IL. establishing three
depots, which in all contained quanti
ty of provisions about 5000 kilos
One thousand six hundred kilos, in
cluding LOO ,kilos of seal meat. were
cached, in 80 degrees, 700 kilos in 81
degrees and 500 kilos in 80 degrees
south latitude. AS the land marks were
to be seen, these depots were marked
with flags, seven kilometers on each
side in the easterly and westerly di.
rections.
rier were of the best. and specially
we'll adapted to driving with dogs On
February is, we had travelled about
100 kilometers. The weight of the
4sledges was 300 kilos, and the mum.
Der of dogs was six for each sledge.
The surface of the barrier was smooth
and fine with no sastrugi; the crevices
were local and We're found dangerous
in only two places, for the rest long,
smooth undulation. The weather was
excellent, calm, or with a light breeze.
The'lowest temperature on these depot
trips;w minus IS Celsius or Cent?,
grade (49 degrees below, Fahrenheit.) }
ON March 4, on our return from the
first trip beginning February Is, we
found out that the Fran had already
left us. With pride and delight we
heard that her smart captain had sue.
ceeded in sailing her furthest south
and there hoisting the colors of his
country-a glorious moment for him
and his comrades-the furthest north
and the furthest south-good old Fran.
The highest south latitude attained
was 7S degrees Al minutes.
Winter. on the Ice Barrier.
Before the arrival Of winter we had
5000 kilos Of seal meat in the depots,
enough for ourselves and 1lO dogs.
Eight dog houses, a combination of
tents and snow huts, were built.
Having cared for the dogs the turn
came to use our solid little hut. 1t
was almost entirely covered with snow
by the middle of April. First we had
to get light and air. The Lux lamp,
which had a power of 200 standard
candles, gave us brilliant light and
kept the temperature up to 20 degrees
Celius t6S \. degrees i Fahrenheit)
throughout the winter, and our ex.
cellent ventilation system gave us all
the air we wanted.
In direct communication with the
hut and dug-out on the barrier were
workshops, packing rooms, cellars for
provisions, coal wood, and oil, plain
bath, steam bath, and observatories
Thus we had everything within doors
If the weather should be cold and
stormy.
The sun left us April % and did not
return until four months later. The
winter was spent in changing our whole
outfit, which on the depot trips was
found to be too clumsy and solid for
the smooth surface of the barrier. BE.
sides this, as much scientific work as
possible was done, and some astonish.
ing meteorology observations were TAX.
en-.
Open Water all Winter.
There was very little snow. and there
was open water close by throughout
the winter. For the same reason a
higher temperature had been expect
ed, but 1t remained very low.
In five months there were; observed
temperatures between minus so and 60
degrees Celius (58 and 76 degrees be.
low zero Fahrenheit), the lowest TEN.
perature, August 13, being minus So de.
grees/ Celsius. It was then calm On
August 1 the temperature was minus
ss5S degrees Celsius, and there were
six meters ofSwind. The. mean tempera
ture for the year was minus .26 degrees
Celsius GAS below zero Fahrehheit).
Ihad expected hurricane after hurri.
cane but observed only two mo oierate
storms and many excellent Auroras.
Australis in all directions. gs
The sanitary conditions were. of the
best all through the winter and when
the sun returned, August "a; he got
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 tour of the south.
Only in the beginning of September
did the temperature rise to such an ex-
tent that there was any question Of
setting out. =S
3s First Start for the Pole.
On September 8 eight men, with
seven sledges, ninety dogs, and pro.
visions for four months started: The
ground was perfect, the temperature
not bad. The next day itsappeared that
we had started too early, as the TEN.
perature Of the following days fell and
kept between minus SO and 6OsCelsihs
. t58 degrees and rs degrees below
Fahrenheit). Personally we did not sui
fer at all from this cold as our good
sfurs protected us. but with rour dogs ii
was different matter. It could easily
bs seen that they shrunk from day, to
day. and we soon understood that they
Consultation Page Seven.
? 60 = 1850 y