Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-03-09
BY RoALD AMuNDsEN.
Copyright 1914 by ths New York
Timss Company.
Ian right. reserved.I


Hobart. Tasmania. March O. 11:2e
a. m.-On the 10th Of February, 1911,
we commenced to work our way to-
ward the south. from that day to the
l1th OF April establishing three depots.
which In all contained a quantity OF
provisions Of about 5000 kiIos. One
thousand six hundred kilos. including
I.I00 kilos OF ssei meat. were cached
In so degrees. TOO kilos In 81 degrees
and 800 kiios in 81 degrees south latt
tude.
Ar no landmarks were to be seen:
these depots were marked With days
seyen kilonAtern on each side In thu
eastcrly end westerly directions.
The ground and the state Of the bar
rier wers Of the best and specially well
adapted TO driving with dogs. On Feb.
ID we had thus Travelled about hum
drad 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
.rs. -.tA 80 sasirugi. Tns crevices
we're very local and were found dan
gerous in only two places. For the
rest-long, smooth undulations.
The weather was sxcslient-calm or
a light breeze. The lowest temperature
on these depot trips was minus 45 Gel
sius or Centigrade 40 degrees below
zero F.). On the 4th Of March, on our
return from the frst 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 farthest south and there
hoisting the colors Of his country. A
glorious moment for him and his COM
rades-the farthest north and the far.
thest south good old Fran! The high
est south latitude attained was T8 de-
Erecs 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 40 dogs
Eight dog houses, combination Of
tents and snow huts were built.
Having cared for the dogs. the turn
came TO usa our solid little hut. 1t
was almost entirely covered with snow
by tie middle OF April. First we had
to get light and air. The Lux lamp,
which had power Of 200 standard
candles, gave us brilliant light and
kept the temperature up TO 20 degrees
Celsius (es degrees FL throughout the
winter, and our excellent ventilation
system gave us all the air we wanted.
In direct communication with the
hut aud dugout on the barrier were
workshops, packing rooms. cellars for
provisions, coal, wood and oil, plain
bath, 4 steam bath and obserystories.
Thus we had every thing within doors
II the weather should be too cold and
stornsy.
The sun left US on the 22d of April
and did not return until four months
later The winter was spent In chang
ing our whole outfit which on the
6epot trips was found TO be too clumsy
and solid for the smooth surface OF
the barrier Besides this, as much
scientific work as possible was DONE
and some astonishing meteorological
observations were taken.
Open stsr All Winter.
There was very little snow, and
there was open water close by through
out the winter. Fog the same reason
hisiasr temperature nad been expected.
but Ii remained very low.
In ave months thsre were observed
temperatures between minus 30 and
90 degrees Celsius t5s and 7e degrees
below zero FL, the lowest tcmpera-
ture. on the 18th OF August. being
minus 80 degrees Celsius. 1t WAS then
calm. On Ang. the temperature was
minus bs degrees Celsius, an6 there
we're SIN meters Of wind. The mean
ssmpsrature for ths year waa minus
sa degrees Celsius gt4.S below zero F.l
1 had expected hurricane after bur
rseane. but observed only tive mod
agafe storms and many exceileak aAgss
"a anstralas In All directions.
sCeuss~ -