AMUNDSEN'S' RETURN.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1925, Page 6

AMUNDSEN'S' RETURN.

Not for many a day has an event aroused so much interest as Captain Amundsen’s return to safety. His plans for conquering the North Pole were perhaps more novel and spectacular than any previous expedition. He was employing two of the most modern scientido marvels—the high-powered, swift aeroplanes and wireless. <L/ike the man he is, he had organised things most thoroughly, reckoning on flying the o*B7 miles separating his base from the Pole at a rate of ninety-three miles an hour outward, and slightly less on the return journey. But owing to the atmospheric conditions his party flew too far west, and a descent was made to secure definite bearings. The two ’planes became locked in the ice on landing, and there ensued a veritable struggle and race with death. Here the indomitable will and . consummate courage of the Norseman effected a triumph that will for ever stand out as an epic in Polar exploration. Amundsen quickly realised the issues, and concentrated on freeing one of the machines from the ice. At last, after great exertion, the party succeeded. Discarding equipment, stores, etc., they succeeded in getting away with just sufficient petrol to take the machine to North Cape, the journey taking eight and a-half hours. The rest of the journey was uneventful. Amundsen did not reach his objective, the Pole itself, for the good and sufficient reason that had he gone north before turning for home he could not have landed, owing to the nature of the ice, to take the necessary soundings and observations, and undoubtedly such an attempt would have also imperilled the lives of the whole party. It is a great relief to the whole world to know that they did return safely when the odds against their doing so seemed to be so great. It seems tempting Providence to take risks such as those involved in Amundsen’s exploit, but men like him care little for their personal safety when there is a great end in view'. This exhibition ot courage in a world engrossed in petty strivings and selfish endeavours is perhaps, not without value.