The Red Cloud chief., 1912-03-14
AMUNDSEN WINS
SOUTH POLE RACE
The Norwegian Explorer Tells Of His
Antarctic Dash.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF THE TRIP
Captain Amundscn's own Narrative OF
His Attainment Of the South
Pole December ID, H.
1911.

1912. by The N. Y. Times CO. All
rights reserved)
Hobart, Tasmania, March Sat .
a. M. on the 10Th day of February.
1911, we commenced to work our way
coward the south. from that day to
the nth OF April, establishing three
depots. which in all contained a
quantity OF provisions of about 5000
kilOs. including loo kilos OF seal
meat. were cached in 80 degrees. 700
kiiOs IN 81 degrees and 800 kllos in SO
degrees south latitude.
As no land marks were to be seen
these deIOts were marked with flags,
seven kllOmeters on each side In II e
easicrly and westerly directions.
The ground and the state of tie
barrier were of the best and special.
ly well adapted to driving with dogs.
on February Is, we had thus travel.
ed about 100 kilometers. The weight
OF The sledges was 300 kilos. and the
number of dogs was six for each
sledge. The surface of the barrier
was smooth and fine with no sastrugi.
The Crevices were very local and were
found dangerous In only two places.
For the rest long. smooth undla.
tiOns.
The weather was excellent, calm
or light breeze. The lowest TEN.
perature on these depot trips was
minus AZ celsius or centigrade, (49
degrees below zero. fahrenhelt.) On
the 4th OF March, on our return from
the first trip beginning on the 18th
OF February. We found out that the
Fran. had already left us. With
pride and delight we heard that her
smart captain had succeeded in
sailing her furthest south and
there hoisting the colOrs Of his coun-
try. q glorious moment. for him and
his comrades. the furthest north and
the furthcst 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
10 dogs Eight dog houses, a com
were built
Having cared for the dogs the turn
came to use our solid little hut. II
was almost entirely covered with
snow by the middle of April First
we had To get light and air The
Lux lamp, which had power 200
standard candles, gave us Il bril-
ttrlt
up 10 20 degrees celsius (6S degrees
Fahrcnheib throughout the winter
our excellent ventilation system gave
us all the air we wanted.
In direct communication with the
hut and dog houses on the Barrier
were workshops. packing, rooms. eel
lars for provisions. coal. wood and
oil. u plain bath, IA steam bath. and
observatory. Thus we had everything
within doors II the weather should
he too cold and stormy
The sun left us on the 22nd OF
April and did not return until -four
months later. The winter was spen,
in changing our whole outfit, which
on the depot trips was found to be
too clumsy and solid for the smoott
surface of the Barrier. Besides this
as much scientific work as possibl,
was done, and some astonshin.
meteorological observations wer,
taken.
Open Water all Winter.
There was very little snow. an,
there was open water close b,
throughout the winter. For the sam,
reason higher temperature had beer
expected, but 1t remained very low
In five months there were observe,
temperatures between minus 30 an,
80 degrees celsius, l5S and Is dc
grees below zero Fahrenheip tn
lowest temperature on the 18th q
August, being minus 80 degree
celsius. 1t was then calm. On tn
LIST OF August the temperature wa
minus 5S degrees celsius, and ther
were six meters of wind.
The mean temperature for the yea
was minus 26 degrees celsius. GA.
below zero fahrenheit.)
| had expected hurricane after hu,
ricane. but l observed only TWO mod,
rate seOrms and many eXcelleu
aurOras. In all directions.
The sanitary conditions were of IN
best all the winter and when the su
returned on the cath of August h
met the men sound In mind and bod
ready to set about the task that ha
to be solved.
Already the day before We ha