Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-14
AMUNDSEN KNOWS
NOTHING OF SCOTT
Saw No Trace of Him ct South
Pole but Hopes He
Reached It.

London. March ia despatch from
MOZART, Tasmania, to tho Daily Chron-
'cle reports that Captain Amundser
says In an Interview that ne thought
IL was extremely likely that Captain
scott had reached the South Pols
Other before or after he (Amundsor
got there The weather was very
favorable for such an achievement.
Captain Amundsen said he topod
Captain Scott did get there because ne
deserved to succeed. However he did
not see the smallest srgn Of anybody
having been there before him.
Captain Scott. the Norwegian ex,
plorer said could not have built a
cairn Tor documents because there
we're no stones there. only a wide sno
plain or course, Amundsen said. 10
was possible that Captain soott lsft
some record which had afterward been
destroyed by tho weather. but :. yas
40 calm he d.d not think this iikoly.
The explorer believes that calm wealth
er prevails ordinarily at the South
Pole.
Captain Amundsen detailed some Of
his experiences more fully than they
we're told In his original despatch. He
arose from the necessity Of ascending
the heights. Six weeks were passed
at great elevations There was often
diff1culty IN brea thing and sometimes
II was a struggle for breath Some Of
the heights reached 1870 feet. but the
pole itself was at height of TO- SEQ
feet.
DOG MEAT NO HARDSHIP.
The party never lacked food, Amund-
zen said although the men han voraoiour
appetities after hard days sledgtng.
The dogs which he reported killed In hif
original despatch had all been eaten.
The fat Of these, the explorer says. waS
delicious" and he assures the world
| tina, il is no hardship to eat dog neat.
Ore OF the most interesting nara uons
by Captain Amundsen .s ABOUT the es-
capsde OF three OF the dogs which at ~
degrees deserted the expedition They
returned 10 seek another dog which had
been killed at s2la degrees. The explorers
on their return journey found that tho
deserters had discovered and partly de-
voured the corpse, What was left was
stored in snowheap for future use.
| The DISORDERS also ate two other car
, asses and ra,ded one Of the food depots.
{ AmundSen does not say "netner the Ce-
/ scrters were recovered.
Eleven dogs survived the expedition
and are now on the Fran.
The Christmas dinner OF the explorers
was porridge I. was eaten on mountain
near tho Pole and thoroughly enjoyed.
Captain Amundsen says the trip fur
nished very hard work but few adveu-
lures. Hls success In discovering tho
Dali l,,.
dogs and skis The men and dogs were
fat when they reached the Fran on their
return. but had smaller appetites than
when they started.
NO WASHING OR SHAVING
Washing and shaving were compu,sor-
uy foregone during the trip, but Tie adj
venturers trimmed their boards. Captain
Amundsen pulled tooth for one of the
party.
The mon who explored King Edward
Land report that they saw an unknown
/ BIRD which Captain Amundsen does not
describe
Captain Amundsen's arrival at Hobart,
/ tie correspondent says. caused great sur
prise and sensation. On landing from the
harbor masters launch Anundsen got his
mail and locked himself In his room.
where he was oes!eged by reporters, bu.
they were unable TO get a word OF !nfor-
nation from him The newspaper men
a'd their utmost 10 get on board the
Fran, but were barred by the crew, who
stood at the bulwarks, smiling arnlably
and pretending to he ignorant Of English.
Subsequently they abandoned this pre-
tense. but would not say q word about
the expedition. The reporters were not
allowed TO board the ship.
The quarantine ofYicer who boarded the
Fran says the ship was very clean and
In splendid order and the dogs very
healthy.