Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-01
AMUNDSEN TO CONTINUE TRIP
ACROSS POLAR SEA, HE WRITES
Explorer Will: Visit Nome, Alaska, Then
Resume Expedition First Message From
Norwegian Describes PROGRESS Thus F ar

abandoned his expedition. but after
his impending visit to Nome, Alaska
he intends to enter the ice pack around
Wrangell Island. off the northern
coast of eastern Siberia. and thence
drift across the Polar sea, says q
dispatch to the London Times from
Christiania.
A message dated from the vessel
Maud somewhere in the Arctic. the
first received from the explorer since
he began his tour Of exploration. be-
gins with the departure of the Maud
from the vicinity of Cape Chelyuskin.
says the London Times. 1t came by
undated, but probably was written
about Christmas time.
Fight Way Through Ice.
I'VE left our winter place." says
Amundsen's message. September IL.
1919, after having mined and forced
our way through $500 yards of un-
broken ice from two to three yards
thick. We were detained the next day
by heavy pack ice at St. SamueHs
islands. but got through on the 18th
and continued 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.
we had to force our way between
the islands and the mainland. where
the newly formed ice offered consider
able resistance. We succeeded after
vigorous battle in peneti ating this
intricate and shallow Eassage show
ing in some places no more than IL
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
through the Strait of Lapteo sepa-
rating the inner Siberian islands from
the mainland. on the 18th. The sea
to the east of the islands seemed FREQ
from ice. and we shaped our course
from Jeanette Island. but were
stopped the next morning by an i'm
penetrable pack on 73 parallel.
we made fast to the edge to COM
! mence our drift. but found shortly
sfterward by close examination that
! the ice pack was in drift toward the
south at the rate Of one and one-half
knots an hour. This would not pay
SO we cast loose from the ice after a
very. careful inspection. which left US
and shaped our course to the south
east, following the ice.
Winter Quarters Closed.
northwest gale had beer blowing
at this time and the result was that the
ice pack reached our winter quarters
just 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 firing
| ing the west coast of Alum Island lat
| the mouth of Chadund bay), our posi-
| ton became not as good as I had wish
| ed, SO we were exposed to the whole ice
| pack. However. our gallant little vessel
! will certainly stand the test with flying
colors.
Three days after our arrival here we
| met with some members Of the Tschu
Ktschu and MaQuati tribes. They had
I their tents on Alum Island, but left for
the interior of the country October 10 to
spend the winter in the woods watching
their reindeer herds. =.
''As soon as the ice opens in the
spring we are continuing our way as far
! as Nome. where I hope to be in. July or
August, 1920
J After asking that the mail be for
warded. Amundsen concludes:
I'VE are leaving for Nome after a
short stay to enter the ice around
Wrangell Island. from where the drift
! probably will take us five years All
"tSigned) AMUNDsEN."
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