Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-03-20


-Azel Heibergs Glacier. which divided
the coast mountains and the noun.
tains farther south.
The next day began the longest part
OF our climb Many detours had to be
made in order TO avoid broad cracks
and open crevices
Glaciers Source Of Peril.
These we're apparently mostly filled
up. as the glaciers In all probability
had long ago stopped moving. but We
had TO be careful. never knowing for
certain how thick was the layer that
covered them
Our camp that night lay in pic
turesque surroundings at a height OF
5000 feet The glacier here was mar
rowed in between the two $4,000 feet
high mountains. the Fridtjof hansen
and the Den Pedro Christophersen.
From the bottom Of the glacier rose
Mount Ole Englstad. a big snow cone
1880 feet high The glacier was
much broken in this comparatively
narrow pass. The mighty crevices
seemed to stop us from going farther.
but 1t was not so serious as II APP
peared
Dogs In Record Feat.
Our dogs. which up to this time had
covered a distance of about 700 kilo
meters. the last days very hard work.
ran this day thirty-fiye kilometers, the
ascent being $500 feet-an almost In
credible record.
1t took US only four days from the
barrier to get up on the vast inland
plateau
We camped that night at height
of 10000 feet. Here we had to kin "a
of our brave companions and keep Is.
six for each of our three sledges.
We stopped here four days on ac-
count OF bad weather Tired OF this,
we set out on the 25th of November
On the 26th. in a furious blizzard
and in dense snowdrift. absolutely
nothing was to be seen, but we felt
that. contrary TO expectations. we
were going fast downhill. The hypso-
meter gave Us that day descent of
600 feet.
Faces Frozen During Gale.
We continued our march the next
day in a gale. and a dense snowdrift
got our faces badly frozen. We could
see nothing.
We reached that day Sc degrees
dead reckoning. The hypsometer In
dictated fall Of 500 feet The next
day was similar
The weather cleared a little at din
ner time and exposed to our view
mighty mountain range to the east.
and not far of. only for a moment.
and then 1t disappeared in the dense
snowdrift.
On the 18th 1t Gained down and
the sun shone. though 1t was not the
only pleasant surprise he gave us. In
our course stretched a big glacier run
ming toward the south
Discover Mountain Range.
At Its eastern end was the mountain
range going in southeasterly direc-
ton. or the western part OF It no
view was to be had, it being hidden in
the dense fog.
At the foot of this glacier, the Dew
lis glacier. a depot for six days was
established at 1921 degrees south iati-
tude The hypsometer Indicated
5000 feet above sea level
On November 80 we began to climb
the glacier. The lower part of 1t was
much broken and dangerous. More
over, the snow bridges often burst.
From our camp that night we had a
splendid view over the mountain top
to the east.
See Many Great Peaks.
There was "Helmer Nansen's sum-
init" the most remarkable of them all.
1t was 10000 feet high and covered
with such broken glaciers that in all
probability no foothold was to be
found. Oscar Wistings." "Sverre-
hasses." and "Oiav Hjanlands" noun
tains also lay here beautifully illumi-
mated in the rays of the bright sun.
In the distance, only alternately to
be viewed in the fog, appeared from
time to time Mount Nelson" with its
SUBMITS and peaks. about $4,000 feet
high. We only saw the nearest sur
roundings.
1t took us three days to surmount
the DEVILS glacier. always in misty
weather.
On the first of December we left
this broken glacier, with holes and
creviees without number. with its
height of 9,100 feet Before us. look
Ing. in the mist and snowdrift, like a
frozen sea, appeared light, sloping
ice plateau filled with small hum
mocks.
Man and Dogs Fall in Sea.
The walk over this frozen sea was
not pleasant. The ground under us
was quite hollow, and 1t sounded as
though we were walking on the bot.
toms of empty barrels. AS 1t was, a
man fell through, with couple of
logs. We could not use our skis on
this polished ice. Sledges had the
best of IT,
This place got the name OF the
Devils Dancing Room" This part of
our march was the most unpleasant
Gu December we got orr greatest
height, according to the hypsometef'
ahd aneroid. lQ.75o feet. at 81 de-
erees 80 minutes south.
On December s 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
Wonderful.