The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-12


plorations:
On leaving Franklin, our winter
camp. wo went south TO so degrees,
following the track of the pole party.
Then We turned cast for sixty miles.
On reaching the meridian at Cape Col,
beck. we went north 10 miles. We
saw no trace of land there. nothing but
Ice and snow, level with the top OF the
Ice barrier 100 feet above the sea. 1t
was splendid, easy running for our two
sledSes and our skis.
After covering twenty miles. VIC came
to the boundary OF King Edward VII.
Land, laid down by CAPTAIN Scott at
rs degrees south. There we mounted
1000 feet in fifteen miles, and on No
vember "a overlooked Ross Sea. Il
was free of ice, except drift ice. and
eusily navigable.
Going north seventy miles over the
plateau. We came 10 bare rocks about
1000 feet high exactly as Scott de-
scribed. Running away eastward was
r low range OF hills, calleS by Scott
the Alexandra Mountains.
I'VE returned to our base camp on
Christmas eve, and on January IL, the
Fran appeared. the most welcome sight
we had seen Tor long time.
The pole party returned on January
Co. but the Fran was driven OFF the
coast by bad weather, and wc did not
get away until January 80.
Captain Amundscn is great leader,
with wonderful energy, foresight and
organizing ability. The way he work
ed was wonderful. and every detail was
the outcome of careful thought"
One OF Lieutenant 1'restrudes two
companions was Johannson. who went
wit. Nansen furthest North. Chat
ting with me he said: Captain Amund :
-ser is great explorer and has done
wonderful work"
Helmer Hansen. ono Of the four men
who accompanied Captain Arnundsen to
the pole, Is described by Amundsen as
the best dog driver he ever saw.
Bjaaland is wonderful ski runner.
and with Hansen, contributed much to
the success of the expedition.
1T was not very cold" said Oscar
| Visiting.
Wore Ordinary Clothes.
| IT have felt II as cold In Christiania.
! We started with furs, but soon laid
/ them aside. and except at night wore
/ only our ordinary clothes. Still, we
! should never have got through with
| out plenty Of dogs nor without Cap
| tain Amundsen."
! Sverre Hasscl, another of the men
! who accompanied Amundscn to the
! pole, fully bore out Wistings state
mcnt. Hc said:
/ ut was not very cold and near the
| pole itself we experienced fine weather.
have known IT colder In Christianla
| without the dogs, however, we could
| not have got through and kept up our
| food supplies. Dog flesh is not the
worst kind Of food. The dogs are very
ready to cat each other; indeed, they
| are sometimes fonder OF their COM
! panions dead than alive.
| Captain 4imundscn is a wonderful
J man. We could never have accom-
/ plishcd the Journey without him"
| AS AN example of the perfection of
/ Captain Amundscns organization may
! be mentioned the arrangement he
! planned for finding tn food depots.
| On each side he erected for some dts
lance line of snow cairns bearing
! numbered flags, so that if the party
were or the proper track it would
F, know, on striking Que OF the cairns,
which way to 80 to find tile depot.
To-day / have seen Captain Amund
/ sens chart on which thin red line a
! few inches long across the sheet of
!! paper represents the permanent record
of the 500 miles over which tho
/ party made its way to the pole
/ Starting from the base camp at
+; Framheim, the line runs straight south
ward over the vast Ice plain lying be-
hind the great ice barrier until 1t
reaches the spot where the ascent was
II begun 10 inc nlgh lana toward inc
/. pole. There the red line suddenly
I. tends eastward and indicating the
| place Where the lIjsberg Glacier of.
fered Il good route over the mountain
barrier. Then tho line runs due south
again TIL little dot shows the goal
of the long voyage from the far north
OF Europe ana of SO much toll and
heroic endcavor
! The Fran is still anchored in the
! river--a comfortable, roomy vessel,
heavily laden and drawing eighteen
! fsci OF water. y striking feature is
/ the ships absolute cleanliness, though
/ the dogs lnrsG, powerful animals, with
= furry noses. pom;cd cars and of most
( varied color--hnvc the free run of the
| decks, where they feed on stock fish
and Quarrel TO their hearts content.
q Eyery man ON the FRAN has his own