The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-03-16
degrees, dead reckoning The hypso-
meter indicated fall Of 800 feet,

meter indicated fall Of 500 feet.
The next day was similar. The wea,
ther cleared little at dinner time and
exposed to our view a mighty noun
tain range to the east, and not far
on-only for moment-and then It
disappeared in the dense snowdrift.
On the 29th it calmed down and the
sun shone, though it was not the only
pleasant surprise he gave. In our
course stretched big glacier running
toward the south. AT it's eastern end
was the mountain range going in a
southeasterly direction. Of the west
ern part Of it no view was to be had.
1T being hidden in the dense fog. At
the foot Of this glacier, the Devils
Glacier" depot for six days was es-
tablished, at 1921 degrees south lati-
tude. The hypsometer indicated 5000
feet above sea level.
A Fine Mountain View.
On Nov. 80 we began to climb the
glacier. The lower part of it was very
much broken and dangerous. More
over the snow bridges very often
burst. From our camp that night we
had snlendid view over the noun
tain to the east. There was "Helmer
Hanscn's Summit" the most remarka.
BILE of them all. 1t was 10000 feet
high and covered with such broken
glaciers that In all probability no foot
hold was to be found Oscar Wist-
1ng's," "Sverre Hassel's" and, "Olav
Hjanland's" Mountains also lay here,
beautifully illuminated IN the rays of
the bright sun.
In the distance, and only occasion.
ally to be viewed in the fog, Mount
Nielsen" with it's SUBMITS and peaks
about $1,000 feet high. We only saw
the nearest surroundings.
1t took us three days to surmount
the Devils Glacier, always in misty
weather
On the 1st Of December we left this
broken glacier with holes and crevices
without number, with its height Of g.
100 feet. Before us, looking, in the
mist and snowdrift, like a frozen sea,
appeared a light, sloping Ice plateau
The walk over this frozen sea
was not pleasant. The ground under
us was quite hollow and it sounded ss
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
this policed 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
Dec. 6 we got our greatest height, &C.
cording to the hypsometer and ane.
roid, 10.750 feet, at 81 degrees 40 min.
utes south.
On Dec. We came out OF the bad
weather. Once again the sun smiled
down on us. Once again we could get
an observation. Dead reckoning and
observation were exactly alike-S8 de-
grees 16 minutes 16 seconds south.
Before us lay an absolutely plain
plateau, only here and there marked
with tiny sastrugi.
In the afternoon we passed SS de-
grees 23 minutes (Shackleton's fur
thest south was SO degrees 25 min
utes) We camped and established
our last depot, depot No. 10. From
SS degrees 25 minutes the plateau be-
gan to slope down very gently and
smoothly toward the other side.
On the 9th Of December we reached
SS degrees 80 minutes: on Dec. ~. SS
degrees SO minutes; Dec. II, 50 de
grees, Is minutes; Dec. -, 80 min
utes; Dec 13, 50 degrees, 46 minutes
Up to this time the observations
and dead reckoning agreed remarka.
bly, well, and We made out that we
ought to be at the pole on Dec 14th
In the afternoon.