AMUNDSEN FLIES HOME

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12169, 20 June 1925, Page 5

AMUNDSEN FLIES HOME

AIRPLANES FROZEN FAST FOR TWENTY-FOUR DAYS GRIM BATTLE WITH THE ICE SAFE LANDING AT NORTH POLE FOUND IMPOSSIBLE AMUNDSEN TELLS THE PLAIN STORY

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, June 18. News that Captain Amundsen and his pahty had returned safely was received by wireless from the steamer Heimdal, dated -Spitzbergen, June 18th. The message stated:—We arrived at King’s Bay all right, at 1 o’clock this morning,” and was signed by Amundsen, Dietrichson, ' Ellsworth, Feucht, Omdal, and Riiser Larsen. Amundsen failed to reach the Pole. He flew north for what he believed to be the proper distance, and descended in water amongst hummocks of ice, and the aeroplanes were quickly frozen tight. He estimates that they were 100 miles from the Pole. The party dug one airplane out, and returned to land. '

(Received June 19, 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 19. A message from the Heimdal, at Spitzbergen, states: — “There was a dramatic scene when Anlundsen returned to King’s Bay. Crowds gathered on the quay at about 10 p.m. to witness the Heimdal arrive. When 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 hurst into song, singing the National Anthem. Slowly, from the tired and worn-out explorers, we were able to obtain their story, but even before they began we could see how they had suffered. “Amundsen states that the occupants of the two ’planes were separated for a long period, during which Ellsworth saved Dietrichson and Omdal from drowning. While Amundsen and Riiser were on the other side of the ice lane they heard the cries for help. They unable to assist, owing to the drift ice making it impossible to effect a crossing in the canvas boat.”

A message, copyright, from Amundsen, aboard the Heimdal at Spitzbergen, says: “The ’planes left King’s Bay on May 21st, with a load approximating three tons. On the way to Amsterdam Island- tests were carried out on both ’planes, which concluded satisfactorily, and hence, according to plans, the flight proceeded. We encountered fog at Svdgat, so rose to 3100 feet in order to navigate by the aid of solar compasses. For the next two hours we flew continuously over fo-g, which we did not leave behind until eight in the evening. “For the remainder of the journey the visibility was excellent. Observations at 10 o’clock showed that we were too far west, probably owing to the north-east winds above the fog, but we could not possibly observe the deviation. Our course was then laid further east, until one o’clock of the morning of the 22nd, when half our petrol was consumed. We therefore decided: to attempt to -descend, in order to secure definite bearings, with a view to continuing the flight. We were then above a large lane in the ice, which was the first of this size to be encountered. We flew lower, observing the surrounding ice, and the- danger of a sudden block in the ice lane. Not once during the trip had wo 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 N 25, immediately after landing, became locked between a mass of ice. While trying to get the ’plane clear of the ice lane we found it had frozen tight and gripped the other ’plane, N 24. HAMPERED BY HEAD-WIND “Observations during the night disclosed onr position as latitude 87.44, longitude 10.20 west. The distance covered in the eight hours’ flight, therefore, was exactly -1000 kilometres, or 625 miles, at an average speed of 150 kilometres. Bat for the head-wind we would have got 200 kilometres further. We took two sounding, which indicated the depth at 3750 metres. In the following days we studied the drift nonditlons. and observed the magnetic variation and the meteorological situation. “While we were flying northwards we observed an area of about a hundred thousand square kilometres, reach-

mg to about 88.30 degress north, without any indication of land. In view also of 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. ‘•Vie came to the conclusion that there were no grounds for assuming that the conditions would be such 8S would permit 1 our landing further north, and that to land at the Pole, with the opportunity to take observations or soundings, would be impossible. We considered that only to fly uver the Pole, without taking accurate observations of what possibly was merely ice, had no real significance, and was not worth taking the great risks. We agreed, therefore, instead of continuing further north, to lay a return course further east, in order to cross the hitherto undiscovered tracts. 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. We concentrated all onr energieS'in getting ’plane N 25 clear. “During the following 24 days we experienced all kinds of difficulties, owing to the vagaries of the fickle Arctic ocean. Eventually N2S was freed, after the greatest exertion. The ’plane showed signs of strain, hut was lugged 'practically undamaged from the pack-ice to a starting place we had levelled some distance away. On June 14th cracks opened in the ice which threatened to remove one-third of our work. On the morning of the 15th, without attempting to lengthen the levelled spot, trials were made with a greatly reduced load, nearly the whole of our equipment being discarded. We kept only a few stores, and the minimum quantity of petrol, to enable us to proceed southwards. We succeeded in getting away, and a course was set for a spot indicated. At 10.40 a.m., after an exciting flight, partly through fog, we reached the north cape of North-East Land, the flight occupying eight hours and 35 minutes.’’