Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-08
ed and set up winter quarters for
dash toward the south pole.
Explorer Heard From in June, 1911.

GAp4OEeI neaIQ = TOIU III Ouue, 10A l.
News from Amundsen himself was re-,
ceived in June, 1911, in q letter dated
February 8, at Framheim, in longi-
tude 1874 west. latitude Is degrees 40
minutes south. In it he told how, on a
dark. hot evening in the Fuchal road
stead he laid before his expedition his
plan for extending the program by an
attempt to reach the south pole. AS a
man. he said. they voted in favor Of
doing SO. He made the goal of the
voyage the Bay of Whales, which in
dents the great antarctic barrier in
longitude 164 west and latitude Is de-
grees 80 minutes south, a voyage Of
10000 miles from home. They expect
ed to reach the barrier by the middle
Of January.
The Fran is '400-ton gasoline aux
iiiary, and probably the strongest ship
ever built for polar exploration. She
is only 11s feet long and 36 feet of
five thicknesses of heavy timber, and
at the bow Is four feet thick, while at
the stern three feet. 1t was in the
Fran that Nansen made his "farthest
north" in 1906
There were nineteen men aboard the
Fran when Amundsen determined to
try for the south pole. and neither
among them nor among his lis Eski-
mo dogs was there single ailment
when, on better than scheduled time
he landed at the edge of the barrier
January l ice was sigted for the first
time. The next day the Fran crossed
the antarctic circle and the antarctic
drift was before her. The great bar
rier was sighted January II and on
the following day the Bay Of Whales
Amundsens objective point. was reach
cd A Landing place was found January
IA. and then, the 16,O00-mile voyage
mn
he was day ahead Of his schedule
After mooring his ship safely. he set
about finding place for wintering, about
two and half kilometers from the ship,
At the foot or ridge well protected from
southeast winds, and January 16 he began
to unload his cargo. 1t was hard work.
but his 115 dogs. all picked and trained
animals from Greenland, went to work
with a will. and the task was soon ac-
complished.
Amundsen Describes Scene.
Three weeks later Amundsen described
the scene as follows:
1T ID three weeks since we began the
building Of our station, and now every-
thing IL ready. The desolate icy land
sc4pe has undergone q great change.
The silence Is broken. Where formerly only
q solitary penguin or the track Of a seal
VI Oocou Inc uCl8ul, tHcfG HOW hes a little
village. Our solidly built little house
stands safe and secure. sunk four feet
down in snow as hard as rock and SUD-
ported by bAckstays on all sides. We
have given 1t the name of Framheim. Its
longitude is about 164 degrees west its
latitude IS degrees and 40 minutes south.
30 that 1t Is probably the most southerIy
human habitation. Round it are set up
fifteen tents large enough to accommo-
date sixteen mean each, for the use Of
the dogs, and as storehouses for our
provisions. coal. wood, clothing, etc. The
principal food depot is about q kilometer
from the station. and contains provisions
sufficient for two years. Since We came
+ here We have lived almost entirely on
seal meat, and would not exchange seal
stew for any dish In the world There
are q great number Of seals here, and we
shall soon have prepared enough, both for
ourselves and our dogs. for the winter
I'm q few days the Fran will be ready
to leave us. She goes north with greet
ings and messages. and we shall begin
our journey toward the south. It Is nv
intention TO lay down q main depot in so
degrees latitude and q smaller one as far
south as possible, and / hope that with
the excellent means ut our disposal we
shall get to 6S degrees with the smaller
depot a. early as the autumn. before the
dark season sets In. can say nothing