The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1912-03-16
CAPT. AMuNDSON
IS VICTORIOUS
CONTINUED from page y


oscar Wistings." "Sver Hassels," and
"Olav Hjanlands" mountains also lay
here beautifully Illuminated in the
rays of the bright sun.
In the distance, and only alternately
to be viewed in the fog, appeared
from time to time Mount Nielsen"
with it's SUBMITS and peaks about 49,
900 feet high. We only saw the nearest
surroundings. 1t took us three days
to surmount the Devils Glacier, al.
ways in misty weather.
On the 1st Of December we left this
broken glacier with holes and crevices
without number, with it's height Of
9,100 feet. Before us, looking, in the
mist and snowdrifts, like frozen sea,
appeared light, sloping ice plateau
filled with small hummocks.
The walk over this frozen sea was
not pleasant. The ground under US
was quite hollow and it sounded as
though we were walking on the bot
toms of empty barrels. AS it was, a
man fell through, then a couple of
dogs. We could not use our skis on
tllS pOllSuCA 1SC. olCuScB uC&u luo USSS
of it.
The place has the name of the
Devils Dancing Room" This part of
our march was the most unpleasant.
On December 9Th We got our greatest
height according to the hypsometer
and aneroid, 10,75o feet, at 81 degrees
minutes south. On December Sth wa
came out of the bad weather. Once
again the sun smiled on us. Once
again we could get an observation.
Dead reckoning and observation were
exactly alike-SS degrees SS minutes
1876 seconds south.
Before us lay an absolutely plain
plateau, only here and there marked
with tiny sastrusie.
In the afternoon We passed SO de-
grees % minutes (Shackleton's fur
thest south was So degrees rs minutes
We camped and established our last
depot, No. 10. From SO degrees
25 minutes the plateau began to slope
down very gently and smoothly to-
wards the other side.
On December 8 we reached 36 de,
grees 80 minutes; on December 10
SO degrees Sc minutes; December II
SO degrees Is minutes; December II
80 degrees 80 minutes; December II
80 degrees 45 minutes.
Up to this time tho observations
and dead reckoning agreed remarkably
we'll, and We made out that we ought
to be at the pole ON December II in
the afternoon.
That day was 4 beautiful one, 4
light breeze from southeast, tempera-
ture minus % Celsius (9.4 degrees be-
low zero Fahrenheit). and the ground
and sledging were perfect. The day
went along as usual, and at P. NJ.
we made a halt.
According to our reckoning we had
reached our destination. All of US
gathered around the colors-a beau.
tiful silk fag-all hands taking hold
Of it, planting it. The vast plateau on
which the pole is standing has the
name Of ''King Haakon VII Plateau"
1t is vast plain, alike in all direc,
tions; mile after mile during the night
We circled around tho camp.
In the fine weather we spent the
following day taking q series of OBJ
servations from 6 A. M. to P. NJ.
The result gave Us 80 degrees IS
minutes.
In order to observe the pole az
closely as possible We travelled, as near
south as possible, the remaining 9 kilo
meters.
On December Is We oamped. 1t was
an excellent opportunity, as there was
q brilliant sun. Four of US took oh,
servations every hour Of the days
twenty-four hours. Tho exact result
will be the matter Of Z professional
private report.
This much il certain-that We oh,
served the pole as closely a. 1t is in
human power to do 1t with the instru,
ments we had-a sextant and an artt
fetal horizon.
On December 18th everything was
in order on the spot. We fastened to
the ground little tent We had
brought along, a Norwegian nag and
the Fran pendant on the top of it.
The Norwegian homo At tho South
Pole was called "Polheim." The dis.
tance from our winter quarters to the
pole was about 1,400 kilometers. The
average march day was 2b kilo-
meters. .,
We started on the return trip Dec,
ember II. Usually favorab1y weather
made our way home considerably easi-
or than the journey to the pole. We
arrived at our winter quarters, Gram
heim," January rs, 1912, with tive
sledges and eleven dogs, all we'll.
The daily average speed on tho re-
turn trip was 3e kilometers; the low
est temperature was minus 81 Celsius
(23.S degrees below zero Fahrenheit), ,
tho highest minus degrees Celsius,
(23 degrees above zero FahTenheit).
The expedition to King Edward VII
Land under the command Of Leuten.
ant Prestud has givsn excellent re.
suits. Scott's discoveries have been
confirmed, and the survey Of the Bay
of Whales and Of the Barrier done by
the Prestud party are Of great inter
est. A good geological collection from
King Edward VII and South Victoria
Land 10 being brought home,
The Fran arrived at the Bay OF
Whales January 8. She had been de.
layed by the Roaring Forties' on
account Of tho easterly winds.
On January Is the Japanese ex.
pedition arrived at the Bay OF Whales
and landed on tho barrier near our
winter quarters. We left the Bay OF