The Red Cloud chief., 1912-03-14

The next day we began the climb.
The first part OF it was an easy task,
light stops and well filled mountain.
sides. II did not take long time
for our willing dogs worked their way
up. Further up, we met with some
small but very steep glaciers. Here
we had 10 harness twenty dogs to
each sledge and take the four sledge
in two turns. In some places it was
SO steep that 1t was difficult enough
TO use our skis.
Some big crevices forced us from
time 10 time to make detours. The
first day we climbed 1000 feet, the
next day mostly up some small glac.
iers, camping at a height of $500 feet.
The third day we were obliged to
go down on mighty glacier, "Axel
Heibergs Glacier" which divided the
coast mountains and the mountains
further south.
The next day began the longest part
OF our climb. Many detours had TO
be made in order to avoid broad
cracks and crevices These were ap.
parcntly mostly filled up. as the
glaciers in all probability had long
ago stopped moving, but we had to be
very careful. never knowing for Ger.
tain how thick was the lawer that
covered them.
Our camp that night lay In very
picturesque surroundings at a heighth
of 5000 feet. The glacier here was
narrowed in between the two $1,000
feet high mountains, the "Fridtjof
Nansen" and the Don Pedro Christie.
glacier rose mount "Ole Englstad'-
a big snow cone 1850 feet high.
The glacier was very much broken
In this comparatively narrow pass.
The mighty creviCes seemed to stop
US from going further, but 1t was not
so serious as it appeared. Our dogs,
which up TO this time had covered a
distance of about 1000 kilometers. the
last few days very hard work. ran
this day 3j kilometers, the ascent be.
ing $500 feet an almost incredible
record
II took us only four days from the
barrier to get up on the vast inland
plateau. We camped that night at a
height OF lO,600 feet. Here we had
to kill twenty.four of our brave com.
paniOns and keep eighteen, six for
each OF our three sledges.
We stopped here four days on ac'
count of bad weather. Tired of this
we set out on the 2Sth of November.
On the 26th in furious blizzard and
In dense snow drift absolutely moth.
ing was to be seen, but we felt that
contrary to expectations we were go.
ing fast down hill. The hypsometer
gave us fall of 500 feet.
The next day was similar. The
weather cleared a little at dinner
time and exposed to our view Il mighty
mountain range to the east, and not
far Off. only for 4 moment. and then
it disappeared in the dense snow.
drift. On the Goth ii calmed down
and the sun shOne. though it was not
the only pleasant surprise he gave.
In our course stretched a big glacier
running toward the south. At its
eastern end was the mountain range
going In southeasterly direction. OF
the western part of IL no view was 20
be had. il being hidden in the dense
fog. At the foot of this glacier, the
Devils Glacier" u depot for six days
was established, at S6.2l degrees
south latitude. The hypsometer in.
dicated 5000 feet above sea level.
On November 80 we began to climb
the glacier. The lower part of II was
very much broken and dangerous
Moreover, the snow bridges very often
burst. From our camp that night we
had splendid view over the mountain
to the east. There was "Helmer Han.
sens Summit" the most remarkable
of them all. II was 10000 feet high
and covered with such broken glaciers
that in all probabilities no foothold
was to be found. Oscar Wistings,
"Sverre Hassels." and "Olav Han
lands" mountains also lay here
beautifully Illuminated In the rays OF
the bright sun.
In the distance, and only alternate
ly to be viewed in the fog. appeared
from time to time Mount Nielsen
with its submits and peaks about
$1,000 feet high.
We only saw the nearest surround
ings. II took us three days to sur
mount the Devils glacier. always il
misty weather.
On the LIST Of December We lief
this broken glacier, with holes ant
crevices without number, with il!
height Of 9.lO0 feet. Before us, look
ing in the mist and snowdrift, like ;
frozen sea, appeared a light. slopn.
ice plateau filled with small hum
mocks.
The walk over this frozen sea wa
not pleasant. The ground under u
was quite hollow, and it sounded a
though we were walking on the DO,
toms of empty barrels. As 1t was,
man fell through. then a couple O
dogs. We could not use our skis OF
this polished ice. Sledges had tn
hact nf n