AMUNDSEN'S STORY. HIS POLAR TRIP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 20 June 1925, Page 5

AMUNDSEN'S STORY.

HIS POLAR TRIP.

□’iCULTIES AMID THE IOE LICHT TO NORTH CAPE. g-jiBLE—PRESS A SSOOTATION—COPYRIGHT, LONDON, June 18. eaking on hoard the Heimdal at erhergen, Captain Amundsen says 7’planes ’eft King’s Bay on May 21 •i a load approximating three tons. the way to Amsterdam Island ts were carried out on both planes, icli concluded satisfactorily, and nee, according to plans, the flight

oeeeded. „ 0 “We encountered a fog at Sydgat, , we rose to 3100 feet in order to avigate In- tli e aid of the- sornr -coniiasses, ’ ’ proceeded Amundsen. "For die next two hours we flew contmuousv over the fog, which we- did not leave behind until eight o’clock in the evening. For the remainder of the journey the visibility was excellent. “Observations at ten o’clock showed that we were too far west, probably due to the north-east winds above the fog, but wo could not possib\y observe the deviation. Our course vas then laid further east until one o clock ot the morning of Mnv 22. when half our petrol was consumed. We therefore decided to attempt to descend in order to secure definite hearings with a view to continuing the flisrht. •PLANES FROZF.N TIGHT. •‘We were then above a large lane in the ice. which, was the first of this size to be encountered. W e flew oner, observing the surrounding ice and the danger of a sudden block in the ice lane? Not once during the trip had we seen a suitable place to land, neither was there one here, so we descended on the water in the ice lane. “Our fears regarding the' descent were not groundless, as ’plane N2o, i m " mediate ,y after landing, became locked between* a mass of ice. While trying to get the ’plane clear of the ice lane ue I'ound it had frozen tight and gripped the other ’plane, N 24. ;■ . •‘Observations during the night disclosed our position as latitude STcleg. 44min, longitude lOdeg. 20min. west. The- distance therefore covered m the eight hours’ flight was exactly one thousand kilometres (625 miles), at an average speed of 150 kilometres, but for a head wind we would have got 200 kilometres further. “We took two soundings, which indicated a depth of 3750 metres. On the following days we studied the drift conditions, and observed, the'magnetic variation and meteorological situation. “Whilst we wre flying northwards wo observed an area of about 100 000 square kilometres reaching to about PScle o '. oOmiti. north without any indication of land in view. Judging by this and also the depth disclosed by our soundings, we think it most improbable that land will, be found further north this side of the Norwegian Arctic Ocean. , . ~ , “We came to the conclusion that there were no- grounds for assuming the conditions to be such as to permit n landing further north, and that to innd at the Pole with opportunity to tak® observations or sounding would be impossible. We considered it possible onlv to fly over the Pole without taking accurate/observations or wfiat was possibly merely ic-e and had no real significance, and it was not worth taking* great risks. We agreed, therefovp. instead of continuing furtnei north, to lav a return course further oast in order io cross the hitherto undiscovered tracts.

RATIONS.AND HARD WORK. “With the 'planes ice-blocked and the difficulty of raising them into the air, the situation was acute. With a view to lasting as long as possible- the daily rations were drastically curtailed. concentrated a'l cur energies in getting ’plane N 25 clear. During the following twenty-four days we experienced all kinds of difficulties owing to the vagaries of the fickle Arctic Ocean. “Fventnnflv N 25 was freed after the greatest exertion. The ’plane showed signs of strain, but was lugged prac-tie-callv undamaged from the pack ice to a startin' 7 ' place we had levelled some distance away. On June 14 cracks opened in the ice, which threatened to remove a third of our work on the “On the morning of June 15, without attempting to 'engthen the levelled spot, trials were made with a .greatly reduced load, nearly the whole ol the equipment being discarded. AVe kept only a few stores and a minimum quantity of petrol to enable us to proved southwards. AVe -succeeded in getting away. and a course was set for indicated at 10.40 a.m. After, an exciting flight, party through fog we reached North Cape, the northea.«Hand flight occupying 8 hours 35 minutes. . “We then landed and awaited favourable winds for the continuation of the flight with the remaining 120 litres of pnrol to a spot within the range of the Hobhv’s patrol area. AA'e estimate the area observed on the return trip as 60.000 square kilometres, and the expedition lmd observed a total of 100,000 ki'ometres of hitherto unexplored area. “immediately after landing the -Norwegian sealer ‘ Sjoeliv, frem Rarras Fjord, passed westward. AA’e at once went on hoard, and were gladly received. Our ’plane was taken in tow. Towards night the wind freshened to a ga'.e. so we were compelled to make for .shelter under the land on the west side of Lady Franklin Bav, remaining there during the night. There was no improvement on Mav 1(5, so the ’plane was secured on land at Ice Bay. and the menders of the expedition left with the Sioeliv. “During the navigation of the ’planes the Goerz so jar compasses were of essential importance, operating entirely satisfactorily. No other ’plane except tiie Dornier tvpo could have withstood the strain. The Rolls-Royce engines in the first few hours secured our eon-pdenr-o. Not on~e on the latter flight, during which thee was not a possibility of landing, did we feel anv anxiety. During onr stnv in the north the enrrines always started instantaneously, and saved the ’plane when we were compelled to move it away from the threatening pack ice.” NOT DAUNTED. AVILL TRY AGAIN. OSLO, June 19. The Government has telegraphed to Amundsen: “Congratulate you and your brave companions on your wonderful journey. Welcome home.” Amundsen states that he is determined to attemo; to reach the North Pole. DRAMATIC SCENES. AVHEN AMUNDSEN RETURNED. LONDON. June 19. A message from the Heimdal at Spitzbergen sates: “There was , a

dramatic scene when Captain Amundsen returned to King’s Bay. Crowds gathered on the q.uay at about 10 p.m. to witness the Heimdal arrive.

“AA’hen through the misty haze the Norwegian sealer slowly entered the harbour under the faint gleam of the midnight sun, many men were seen on deck. Suddenly someone aboard the Hobby shouted: ‘lt’s Amundsen!’ “Deafening cheers greeted the explorer, and then we burst into song, singing the National Anthem. “Slowly, from the tired and 'wornout explorers, we were able to obtain their story, but even before they began we could see how they had suffered.”

Captain Amundsen states that the occupants of the two ’planes were separated for a long period, driving which Ellsworth saved Dietrichsen and Omdal from drowning. AVhilst Amundsen and Riiser -were on the other side of the ice lane they heard cries for help, but they were unable to .assist owing to the ’drift ice making it impossible to effect a crossing in a canvas boat.

AVhen their ’planes descended they had travelled 625 miles, having borne too far to the westward. They estimated then that they were 100 miles from the Pole. The news of Amundsen’s safety was welcomed most heartily in London. The fact even the security pact in most newspapers. A message from Oslo states that Amundsen’s return was not announced until 10 p.m., when crowds paraded the streets, cheering arid singing. AMUNDSEN’S POLAR FLIGHT. Even under the most favourable weather conditions a flight to the North Pole is a most hazardous undertaking. Just how hazardous it actually is is realised by few, but Captain Haakon Hammer’s comments offer enlightenment. His opinion was given before the flight had been completed, and at a time when the world was anxiously awaiting news of Amundsen, believing that he had been forced to land in the Polar Sea. Captain Haakon Hammer is a Danish aviator, and accompanied Captain Amundsen to within 400 miles of the Pole two years ago. He declared (according to cabled advice received on the 24th May) that landing in the vicinity of the Pole must be suicidal because of the rough ice. “Even if they managed to descend, how coud they rise again?” he asks. He thinks that the expedition has not more than one chance in 100 of returning. “There are terrifying hummocks of ice all about. If anything happens to their aeroplanes they are gone, as water intervenes between the Polar region and any route of escape to Alaska or Siberia.” In view of this, the intrenid Amundsen has surely added another remarkable success to his achievements by doing the seemingly impossible. The British Imperial Oil Co., Ltd., were entrusted with the arrangements for Petrol Supplies, and “SHELL” Spirit was used bv Amundsen throughout his remarkable expedition.