The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1912-03-14


like frozen sea, appeared light
sloping ice plateau filed with small
hummocks. The walk over this frozen
ice was not pleasant. The ground I'M
der us was quite hollow, and it sound
ed as though we were walking on the
bottoms of empty barrels. AS it was,
a man fell through, then a couple Of
dogs. We could not use our skis on
this polished ice. Sledges had the
best of it.
The place got the name 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, 1880 feet. at 81 degrees
40 minutes south.
On December 9Th we came out of
the bad weather. Once again the sun
| smiled down on us. Once again, we
could get an observation. Dead reck-
oning and observation were exactly
alike-SS degrees SO minutes 1876 Sec
onds south. .n
Before us lay an absolutely plain
plateau, only here and there marked
with a tiny sastrugi In the afternoon
we passed SS degrees % minutes
(Shackletons farthest south was So
degrees 20 minutes). We camped
and established our last depot, depot
number 10. From 80 degrees 20 min
utes the plateau began to slope down
very gently and smoothly toward the
other side.
On, the 9Th of December we reached
SO degrees 80 minutes; on December
10th, SO degrees Sc minutes; Decem-
Der 18th, SO degrees 10 minutes; De-
cember 18th, SO degrees 80 minutes;
December 18th, SO degrees As min
utes.
Up to this time the observations
and dead reckoning agreed remarka-
bly, we'll, and we made out that we
ought to be at the pole on December
14th in the afternoon.
That day was a beautiful one-a
light breeze from the southeast, the
temperature minus % Celsius GA
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 gathered around
the colors--a beautiful silk fiag-all
hands taking hold of it and plant
ing 1t.
The vast plateau on which the pole
is standing got the name of the king
Haakon VII. Plateau" 1t is 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 a series of OBJ
servations, from 6 a. m. to p. m.
The result gave US SO degrees IS
minutes.
In order to observe the pole as
close as possible we travelled as near
south as possible, the remaining 9
ki1ometers.
On December IL, there we camped.
1t was an excellent opportunity.
There was a brilliant sun. Four Of
us took observations every hour of
the days twenty-four hours. The ex-
act result will be the matter of pro-
fessional private report.
Thie much is certain: that we OBJ
served the pole as close as it is in
h1man power to do it with the instru-
ments we had--a sextant and an arti-
fetal horizon.
Norwegian Flag Marks Spot.
On December 18th, everything was
in order on the spot. We fastened to
the ground a little tent we had
brought along, Norwegian flag, and
the FRAN" pendant on the top of it.
The Norwegian home at the South
Pole was called "Polheim" The dis
lance from our winter quarters to the
pole was about 1,40O kilometers. The
average march day was 25 kilome-
tiers.
We started on the return trip on
the 18th Of December. Unusually ia
vorable 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
eleven dogs, all well.
Among the results are the determi-
nation of the extent and character of
the Ross Barrier, and the discovery
of the connection of South Victoria
Land and probably King Edward VII.
Land, with their continuation in the
mighty mountains running toward the
southeast, which were observed as
| far as 88 degrees south, but which in
all probability continue across the
Antarctic continent
The expedition to King Edward VII.
Land, under the command of Lieut..
Prestud, has given excellent results.
Scott's 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.
On January 10th the Japanese ex-
petition arrived at the Bay OF
Whales and landad nn tho horriar