Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-03-09


the Daily Express.
London, March T. It is stated
on good authority, aeoordins\ to a
special dispatch received here this
that Captain RoaId Amudsen, the
rival Of Captain Scott did not
reach the south pole.
Copenhagen, March 1.-THE Social
Demokraten publishes a dispatch
from Christiana saying that a
private individual in that city has
received a telegram from the
Fran expedition stating that
+ Amundsen reached the south pole.
The cable dispatches from New
Zealand announcing that Captain
Scott had found the south pole came
as startling climax to the race which
five explorers of different nacionali-
ties have been making to reach this
last extremity of the undiscovered
portion of the globe.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott start.
ed on his expedition from Port Chal-
mers, New Zealand, on November a.,
1910. He was we'll equipped for this
dash for the farthest south, having
made previous expedition under the
direction of the Royal Geographical
society. At that time he attained a
record of 80 degrees 80 minutes, which
remained the record up to the time
of Lieut.. Shackelton's notable exploit.
Shackelton pushed farther south and
in 1907 reached SO degrees % min
utes or about one hundred miles from
the south pole. This remained the rec
ord and inspired the hardy navigators
of many nations to attempt the cul-
mioating feat of reaching the pole
ITSELF
Amudsen Joins Race.
Captain Scott took the route by way
of Australia and New Zealand He
sailed due south into Ross sea, great
stretch of water reaching toward the
south pole. His chief competitor in
this dash was Captain Roald Amud-
sen, who is commissioned by the kiAg
of Norway and the Norwegian SOW
eminent .t. ....%
Amudsen chose the route by way Of
South America as against Scott and
three other who went by the Aus
tralian route. Amudsen left Buenos
Ayers on board the steamer Fran to-
ward the close of 1910. He passed
through the straight of Magellen and
then steered for Ross sea, the same
sheet of water which Scoot had gained
by the way of New Zealand and the
Austrian route.
Captain Scott planned to follow the
same land trail that Shackelton had
taken This is along the mountain
range, thought to be an extension of
the Andes range running southwark
through South America. At the fur
ther-most point Of Ross sea Captain
Scott debarked his party from his
ship, the Terra Nova. Immediately at
this point of debarkation stands out
the great volcano Mount Erebus from
which arises constantly a great col.
umn of steam. 1t is one of the dreaded
localities of the Antarctic, to which
navigators have given the name of
Terror bay, for here Nordenskiold's
ship, the Antarctic, was crushed in the,
ice. Back of this bay the steam.
wrapped volcano stands out like
sentinel against the ice covered
mountain range stretching south.
ward.
SCOTS Plans for Dash.
Captain Scott made his first winter
quarters on the slope of the mountains
and there remained until November,
1911 1t was then that his dash began.
His plan was to cover the remaining
distance by the end of December and
then Immediately about face and make
the dash back again. Besides his
equipment of food he had placed reli-
ance on a score of ponies, with TWEEN
ty.nine dogs and one motor sled. He
designed to use this sled in making
rapid progress over the comparatively
level stretches of the foot hills. Due
allowance was made for the death of
ponies and dogs, the steady depletion
of stores and the loss of vitality Of
the party making up the expedition.
Captain Amudsen had no ponies and
no motor sledges, his experience led
him to place all his reliance on Siber-
Ian dogs.
Three other Competitors.
The three other competitors in the
race We're Lieut.. William Filchner of
the general staff of the German armX:
Lieut.. N Shiras F. ]. Penavy and Dr..
Douglas MaWson. representing Austria.