The Red Cloud chief., 1912-03-14

reckoning and observation we're ex.
actly alike, SO degrees. SO minutes,
| 1876 seconds south.
Before us lay an absolutely plain
plateau only here and there marked
with a tiny sastrugi.
In the afternoon We passed SO de-
grees 23 minutes. tShackeleon's fur.
therest south was S8 degrees, 25
minutes) We camped and establish.
ed our last depot, depot No. 10. From
80 degrees 20 minutes the plateau be.
gan to slope down very gently and
smoothly toward the other side.
on the 9th of December we reached
SO degrees 80 minutes, on December
10. 81 degrees So minutes, December
II, SO degrees Is minutes. December
II, 80 degrees 30 minutes, December
l3. SO degrees As minutes.
Up to this time the observations
and dead reckoning agreed remarkably
well. and we made out that we ought
to be at the pole on December IA In
the afternoon.
That day was beautiful one.
light breeze from southeast. the TEN.
perature minus 23 celsius t9.4 degrees
below zero, fahrenheit. and the
ground and sledging were perfect.
The day went along as usual and
at 3 p. m. we made halt.
According to our reckoning we had
reached our destination. All of us gath.
cred around the colors, a beautiful silk
flag, all hands taking hold of IL
and planting it.
The vast plateau on which the pole
is standing got the name of the king
Haakon VII Plateau" 1t is a vast
plain. alike in all directions. mile after
mile during the night we circled
around the camp.
In the fine weather we spent the
following day taking series of oh.
servations from a. Al. to y. m.
The result gave us SO degrees 30
minutes.
In order to observe the pole as close
as possible We travelled as near south
as possible. the remaining kilo.
meters.
On December l6 there we camped
l. was an excellent opportunity
There was brilliane sun. Four OF
us took observations every hour OF
the days twenty.four hours. The
exact result will be the matter OF u
professional private report.
This much is certain. that we oh
served the pole as close as it IS In
human power to do it with the ins,ru
ments we had. sextant and artificial
horizon.
On December II everything was ir
order on the spot.
We fastened to the ground a little
tent we had brought along. Il Norwe.
sian flag and the Fran pendant on
the top of Il.
The Norwegian home at the South
pole was called "Polheim'
The distance from our winter quar-.
ters to the pole was about l,iOO kilo.
meters. The average march day
was - kilometers
We started on the return trip on
the 18th OF December. Unusually
favorable weather made our way
home considerably easier than the
journey TO the pole. We arrived at
our winter quarters. "Framheim' on
the 25th of January. 1912. with two
| sledges and II dogs, all we'll
The daily average speed on the re.
turn trip was 50 kilometers, the low.
| est temperature was minus II celsius,
| OBS degrees below zero FahrenheitD
The highest minus , celsius. (2J de-
grees above zero FahrenheiD.
tho rn.nlfl ~, rl.t
nation of the extent and character
| of the Ross Barrier, and The dis
| covery of the connection OF South
| Victoria land and probably King Ed.
ward VII land, with their continua.
| ,iOn in the mighty mountains running
toward the southeast which We're oh.
served as far az IS degrees south,
but which in all probability continue
across the antarctic continent.
| The entire length OF the newly dis
covered mountains Is about $50 kilo.
meters. They have been named
Queen Maud's Range"
The expedition to King Edward VII
land under the command OF Lieut..
Prestud has given excellent results
SCOTS discoveries have been con.
!
firmed, and the survey OF the bay OF
Whales and of the Barrier Dome by
the Prestud party are OF great inter.
est
A good geological collection from
King Edward VII and South Victoria
land is being brought home.
The Fran arrived at the Bay OF
Whales on the ninth OF January. She
had been delayed by the roaring
forties" on account of The easterly
winds
On January 10th the Japanese eX
pedition arrived at the Bay OF
Whales and landed on the Barrier
near our winter quarters. We left
the Bay OF Whales on January 30th
1t was long voyage with contrary
winds. All are well.
/, RAOLD AMUNDSEN.