New-York tribune., 1920-05-01
Explorer TO Re-enter Ice
Pack After His Visit at
Nome and Attempt to
Drift Across Polar Sea
Stirring ing Story Is
Told by Wireless
Message Written at About
Christmas Describes an
Epic Battle With Floes

LONDON, May 1.-Roald Amundsen.
the Norwegian Arctic explorer, has not
abandoned his expedition, but after his
impending visit to Nome, Alaska, he
intends to enter the ice pack around
Wrangel Island, off the northern coast
OF eastern Siberia, and thence drift
across the Polar Sea, says a dispatch
to "The London Times" from Chris
tiania.
A wireless dispatch received at
Nome the night of April % from
Anadyr, Siberia, a trading post on
berlng Sea, said Amundsen had ir-
rived there An American navy wire
less dispatch received at Cordova,
Alaska, also reported the arrival at
Anadyr of Amundsen from his ship, the
Maud, which was said to be icebound
near the mouth of the Kolyma River.
A message dated from the Maud,
somewhere in the Arctic. the first re-
celved from the explorer since he be-
gan his tour, begins with the departure
of the Maud from the vicinity of Cape
Chelyuskin, says "The London Times"
1t came by Anadyr and Nome Tie
~
written about Christmas time
eve left our winter place." says
Amundsen's message, "September -,
1919, after having mined and forced
our way through $500 yards of unbro-
ken ice from two to three yards thick.
We were detained the next day by
heavy pack ice at St Samuel's Island,
but got through on the 18th and con-
tinued on our way to the east, being
again detained the next day, as the ice
lay close to st. Peters Islands and did
not assist any in our passage outside.
Unknown Strait Penetrated
I'VE had to force our way through
an unknown strait between the islands
and the mainland, where the newly
formed ice offered considerable resist
anGe. We succeeded after vigorous
battle IN penetrating this intricate and
shallow passage, showing in some
places no more than one and one-half
feet OF water under our keel"
"Much ice was found in the Nor
denskjold Sea, but it offered small
hindrance to our advance. We passed
ing the inner Siberian islands from
the mainland, on the 10th. The sea to
the, east of the islands seemed free
from ice, and we shaped our course
from Jeannette Island, but were
stopped the next morning by an i'm
penetrable pack on the seventy-third
parallel.
I'VE made fast to the edge to COM
mence cur drift, but found shortly aft-
erward by close examination that the
ice pack was in drift toward the south
at the rate of l Il knots an hour. This
would rot pay, so we cast loose from
the ice after very careful inspection
which left US no hope whatsoever of
to the southeast, following The ice.
81 cred by Aurora Borealis
at vs. a bitter pill to swallow, but
we decided TO search for winter quar-
ters somewhere along the coast The
only fit place was Chaoun Bay Con the
north coast of Eastern Siberia, south
ward of here in the latter part of Sep
tember was most extraordinary. The
nights were pitch dark and the sea
running heavy, and enormous ice foes
often were in the middle of our
course. 1t was not pleasant. From
time to time a brilliant aurora borealis
would appear and light us out Of many
intricate situations.
"A northwest gale had been blowing
at this time, and the result was that
the ice pack reached our winter
quarters just a little ahead OF us and
shut us out. We had no choice, as the
ice came closer and closer to the coast
We went, therefore, as far as the ice
permitted, and plunging into some old
foes f1inging the west coast of Alum
Island Cat the mouth of Chaoun Bay),
our position became not as good as |
had wished, as we were exposed to the
whole ice pack; however, our gallant
little gesse will certainly stand the
test with flying coors.
"Thpc days after our arrival here
we met with some members of the
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