Evening star., 1925-05-25
Amundsen, If Alive, Must Get
Back Today to Escape
Fog and Snow.
PARTY MAY BE BLOCKED
BY STORM NEAR CONVOY
Watchers Believe Explorers Could
Have Kept Busy 4 Days
Getting Data.
BY JAMES b. WHARTON

Special Correspondent of The Star and North
American Newspaper Alliance.
KINGS BAY, Spitzbergen (hy radio
from steamer FARM, May 25.-The
outcome of the heroic exploit under
taken by Amundsen and Ellsworth in
their polar flight looked more and
more frecarious today, as ii brisk
north Wind grew in intensity, threat
ening just such a 'howling gale" as
Peary met near the Pole.
Within another "a hours, according
to our meteorlogists, this wind will
probably fill the whole Arctic space
with fog or snow, making intelligent
fight almost impossible. If Amund-
sen has been camping out at the Pole,
taking advantage of Tne weather tor
scientific observations, today's weather
should force him back to us on the
wings of the wind.
Watchers Nerves on Edge.
There were several false alarms this
morning, due in part to the lessened
visibility and in part to the fact that
every ones nerves were on edge. The
islands here abound with bird life, and
several times a gull or duck was mis-
taken by our lookoutS for an approach
considerable distance are very con-
fusing TO any one unaccustomed to
Arctic lights.
1t was easy to find good reasons
to account for delay. If fine weather
was encountered at the pole, Amund-
sen would probably lengthen his stay
considerably, in order to make the full
est possible scientific observations. He
carried instruments which could
easily keep him busy for four days
gathering useful data for scientific
purposes.
Amundsen's friends here said that,
after his long years of planning to
reach the pole, he would be unwilling
to quit that spot until he was forced
to do so by necessity. If the weather
proved favorable an extra II hours
might be spent at the pole In order
to give the pilots and mechanics
good rest inside their reindeer sleep
ing bags and a hot meal rtwo of
coffee and pemmican.
Sun Shines Over Pole.
The weather at Danes Island was
cold and raw yesterday, the sun be-
3ng partially obscured by clouds. Capt.
Hagerup and the two meteorologists
went ashore on Amsterdam Island for
observations. They reported visibility
excellent from the hilltops, enabling
them to see the northern horizon at a
great distance and the sun shining un-
obscured beyond. The blackness of
clouds to the north and west was not
a storm warning, but merely an indi-
cation of open water in that direction,
as this cloud appearance is caused by
the reflection of water against the sky
and is a familiar and welcome sight to
every ice pilot on northern waters.
Our daily meteorological chart show
ed, however, that an area of low
barometric pressure had begun at sew
eral points south of the northern
points of Alaska, Siberia and Russia.
The cloudiness in the neighborhood of
Spitzbergen was apparently a local
phenomenon due to influence of the
gulf stream.
The steamship Hobby returned yes
terday from a careful patrol along the
margin of the ice pack north of Danes
Island. Navigation was interrupted by
solid ice before the boat reached Yer
legen Hook. The ice field was high
and rough, composed chiefly of great
fragments of glaciers.
Men could easily make progress
across it, but any airplane which at
tempted to land would smash itself to
bits.
May Be StormbOund.
Weather along the route of the
Hobby's patrol was identical with
that at Danes Island. Large banks
of low-hung clouds were gathered at
a height of 1000 to 1,200 feet, but
the visibility at lower levels contin-
ued excellent and the returning
planes could easily fly below the
cloud bank, so as to take full ad-
vantage of this condition.
II this cloudiness, however, extends
a few hunderd miles northward of
Spitzbergen it may account for the
delayed return of the two airplanes.
They may be blocked by storm or fog
The temperature at Danes Island
yesterday was just below freezing and
1t was probably little colder at the
pole, if the sun was shining there.
The most plausible excuse for the
delay of the flyers was that they had
failed to find a suitable landing place
at the pole, and had therefore landed
many miles away, perhaps on open
water or snow. 1t would then be
necessary for Amundsen to seek the
pole on skis. Certainly the leader of
the expedition would be reluctant TO
start back without actually traversing
the pole, even if a long and arduous
Journey on foot was necessary to
reach this coveted spot.
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