Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-14
BYRD PARTY SEEKS
AMUNDSEN'S CAMP
Explorers Brave Intense Cold
in Hunt for DeepIy-Bdried
Framheim.
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

6y wireless 70 ahe T Ssar anu Ane I've" AorA
LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctica, April
13.--An attempt to find Framheim,
Capt. Roald Amundsen's base during
his stay here in 1911 and 1912, is being
made now that most of the work in
Comdr. Byrd's camp Is done and there
is time for recreation from the laborlouS
duties of the last few months.
1t is much like looking for a needle
In haystack, but, despite the low
temperature, 38 below zero, 1t Is an
interesting puzzle and nearly every one
wants to take part in 1t.
Framheim should be about four miles
south of us. near the great pressure
area at the foot of the bay. There are
peculiar hills of snow, plateaus, basins
and passes there, some Of which seems
to correspond with similar features de-
scribed by Capt. Amundsen, but SO far
the location OF the hut has eluded the
most careful and diligent search.
Changes in Contour Of Barrier.
This is not so remarkable as might
seem to those who have not been ashore
for any length of time on this side OF
the barrier, for even during our COM
paratively brief stay here so far, we
have seen changes which give some IN
dication OF the enormous dl1erence IN
contour which may be effected IN ~
years.
snow accunulates here and erodes
under the lash of the wind. accurnu-
lates again and piles up in steadily IN
creasing LAYERS which have been found
plainly marked while digging. IL is
not as if base were established on
rock which collects the heat of the sun
during the Summer and melts the snow
precipitated or accumulated by orlIt
during the Winter months.
There is not a great deal OF melting
and evaporating on the barrler-at
least. nothing comparable to what there
is on the bay ice or rock-and Franz
helm, as a result is probably buried
deeply under the snowfall OF the years.
Ever since we arrived here there has
been curiosity about this old nome OF
Capt. Amundsen; every one VINO mas
flown over the. basin where 1t Is beheVeo
to be located has scanned the terrain
carefully and men have been over there
on skis occasionally. It would De not
only great lark to find 1t, but 1t would
also prove the permanence of the bay
formation.
Byrd Seeks Check on Terrain Shift.
Within the last few days parties have
been going carefully about the work OF
examining the place where we believe
Framheim to exist. Yesterday Comdr:
Byrd went there himself, armed with all
the information he could Gull from
Capt. Amundsen's book, including Pres
trud's map and the photographs taken
at Framheim. He discovered many re-
semblances TO points named by Amund-
sen.
I'VE don't know whether the barrier
moves and in moving keeps the same
contour and formation at the Bay OF
Whales" Comdr. Byrd said. But 1
have found a number of points which
correspond to those mentioned by Capt.
Amundsen as existing at Framheim.
Whether we can find the house or
not is another matter. hope we can,
as it would be an important check on
the movement OF the Barrier on this
side"
There are two ways of going to Franz
heim, assuming that it is where We be
lieve it to be- One is down over the bay
ice, around Cape Mans Head and up a
little slope to the basin of which Capt.
Amundsen speaks. The other way is
over a roll in the barrier TO the SOUTH
ward from our camp, long slope which
dips down into valley OF haycocks and
then up again on the horizon, from
where it falls away into the Framheim
Basin.
This part of the barrier runs out in a
series of capes into the bay, the south
ernmost of which Is Cape Mans Head.
The party yesterday went by the route
over the barrier.
It consisted of the commander, Sver-e
Strom and Bernt Balchen and Fred
erick Crockett, Edward Goodale and
George Thorne, the dog drivers in
charge of the three sledges, and Frank
Davies, the physicist, who Is trying to
locate a coil of iron wire of the house
with his dip circle. Willard Van der
Weer went along to make movies.
Colder at Amundsen's Base.
1t was cold when they started. and it
got down to SO below zero by the time
they reached their destination, although
they thought that the temperature was
somewhat lower at the site of Franz
helm than here at Little America.
But, despite the low temperature and
slight wind, they were able to eX
anime books and pictures and maps
without gloves for short intervals.
1t is remarkable how the members of
the expedition have become accustomed
to the cold, for they are now able to
work for long periods in temperatures
which would have driven them indoors
when they first arrived. Men are now
doing surveying around the camp wear
ing at times only thin gloves so they
can turn the thumb screws on the tran
sit.
When the party arrived near the vi
entity of Framhein they tried to locate
Capt. Amundsen's two peaks, Mount
Ronniken and Mount Nelson.
They found what they believe to be
Mount Nelson, but of the smaller Ron
niken there was not a trace. unless
tiny protuberance like a haycock marks
its position.
But they found a plateau described
by Capt. Amundsen in following a trail
similar to that which he described and
a basin which correspondent to the basin
in which Framheim was located.
Cape Mans Head is greatly changed,
its face broken and overhung with snow
cornices. Several hours were spent in
going back and fourth over the ground
and Comdr. Byrd compared the photo
graphs taken by Capt. AmundSen and
Prestrud'S map with various views OBJ
tanned from the basin and the plateau.
He found enough correspondence to
convince him that the search should
continue, but enough differences in con-
tour to show that many changes have
occurred there due probably to accumu-
lated drift.
Rome, Veteran. to Try Hand.
In few days Martin Rome, our