EPIC OF THE ARCTIC

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1925, Page 7

EPIC OF THE ARCTIC

AMUNDSEN COMES BACK. CAUGHT LIKE RATS IN TRAP. PERILS OF RETURN FLIGHT. MEN NOT DISAPPOINTED. By Tclegia.ph.—Press Asffli.—Copyright. Received June 20, 5.5 p.iu." London, June 19. A copyright message from the Heimdal at JSpitzbergen, dated to-day, states that of the six men who participated in the Polar flight Amundsen shows the most traces of the hardships the party Junderwent, but the others say this is because Amundsen worked the hardest of ail. Amundsen says that on hie expedition to the South Pole he met nothing which could be compared with what was undergone. He would not have believed that such experiences as they had undergone in the last three weeks could ever have befallen him. and he hopes nobody else will ever have them, adding: “We were literally caught like rats in a trap. Many times the situation was so ugly that we were tempted to throw up the sponge. When finally we started for home everyone realised it was a case of life and death." HEALTH OF THE MEN. When it was mentioned. to Amundsen that the whole world thought he was bound for Cape Columbia, he said: “With the conditions as they are this would have meant certain death/’ Ellsworth is the least changed. Riiserlarsen, Dietrichsen, Omdal and Feueht have all lost many pounds in weight, but are otherwise quite well. Brestrud, who accompanied Amundsen to the South Pole, is of the opinion that the best means of reaching the Pole is by airship, which could be anchored to avoid the risk of being frozen in. The message continues:—” We are •lowly getting to know the full facts of the returned airmen’s three weeks’ adventure. When the whole expedition once again met last night they declared that the most thrilling moment was when the start was made on the homeward flight. "It was a very anxious time as, if the machine were damaged in starting (they would find themselves in a most critical situation with a minimum of equipment. It would have been practically hopeless to reach land across the ice. VALUE OF EXPEDITION. 4< The airmen refuse to admit that they were disappointed at not reaching the Pole, although we all hoped to reach the Pole az- a crown to the efforts. Still we are satisfied with the scientific result. We have observed 100,000 square kilometres of a hitherto unexplored section of the Norwegian part of the Arctie, and we took complete observations at the lauding place. Amundsen states that he fully concurs with this view. “While a meal was being prepared the airmen suddenly espied the sealer Sjoeliv. As a matter of fact the Hobby had been at the same spot only twentyeight hours previously. All were prepared to find the plane in bad condition as it had suffered seriously while locked in the ice, but it was quite fitted for flying.

“Omdal brought with him on the Sjoeliv a biscuit tin with six hundred negatives which will show the superhuman work carried out by the explorers in trying to clear the starting place. They used the most primitive tools—tiny anchors, ice anchors and knives at the end of ski staves.” AMUNDSEN WILL TRY AGAIN. NORWAY CELEBRATES RETURN. MANY CONGRATULATIONS. Received June 20, 5.5 p.m. Oslo, June 19. At the opening of the Storthing the President said he wished to express the sentiments of all on the occasion of the •afe return of Amundsen and his brave •nmrades from their daring journey, on which they had staked their lives. A telegram was accordingly sent to Amundsen, welcoming him and his courageous comrades home, and thanking him for the courage and energy he had shown for the benefit of research and the honour of his country.

The whole of Oslo is beflagged to celebrate the occasion. Numerous authorities, institutions and associations sent Amundsen congratulatory telegrams.

AniumLen is determined to resume bis attempt to reach the Pole. He declared that the experience he gained would enable- him to attain the goal. The other members of the expedition expressed the opinion that important •cientific results had been achieved. Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth, the American member of the expedition, whose rfather largely helped to finance the expedition, was grieved to hear that his father had died while the expedition was in the Arctic. He said that bis money in future would be at Amundsen’s disposal.

THE HOMEWARD FLIGHT. SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS LEFT. ANIMAL LIFE IN FAR NORTH. Received June 20, 5.5 p.m. London, June 20. A copyright message from the Heimflal relates how the start was made homeward. The Polar airmen said the gouree was laid to Verlegenhook, and when the north coast of Spitsbergen in sight it was evident that Riiser fare on’s piloting and Dietricheen’s navigating had both been perfect. Owing to the atrong wind the course was laid ■towards North Cape. As the stabilisation rudder® had wimmovable, however, making it •npossible to stabilise the plane, Riiserdetermined to descend into the forty kilometres north of Cape. After skimming the water an hour the plane was moored to an h ineberg in Fugle Bay. Amundson during the flight sat next to Omd’al and L Feueht on the petrol tank with a view " of lightening the plane. Scientific instruments valued at £BOO had to be left behind. These, together

with surplus equipment and stores, were placed in plane N 24, though it is most unlikely that the plane will ever be seen again. A bundle of letters was deposited in the petrol tank, which is very light, and this may be discovered some years hence. The explorers relate that they saw a bearded &cal, also auks and tw’o geese, which is most interesting, as it was hitherto assumed that no animal life existed north of latitude 85 degrees.

WIVES OF EXPLORERS.

A MESSAGE OF SUNSHINE. Received June 20, 5.5 p.m. Oslo, June 10. The wives of the aviators RiiserLarson and Dietrichsen are the heroines of the day. The former said that her husband before hie departure stated that when he returned he would wire the one word “Sunshine.” “Yesterday’,’’ she said, “Amundsen s representative telephoned asking me to come down town. ‘Good news?’ I asked. ‘Sunshine,’ he replied.” Mrs. ’Riiser-Larson said: “I never doubted my husband would return, for he always said he believed the flight would succeed. When Amundsen’s representative telephoned ‘Sunshine/ I could do nothing but sit down and try to realise what it meant. “Then I remembered and a practical precaution was taken of sentencing the children to remain for the rest of the day behind locked doors in order that the news would not be spoilt for the newspapers, but I could not possibly keep the glad tidings from the children that their father was alive and returning home. How could I?” NO SIGN OF LAND. GREAT DEPTH OF WATER. Received June 21, 5.5 p.m. Oslo, June 19. The sloop Heimdal has left King’s Bay for Lad} 7 Franklin’s Bay to bring back Captain Amundsen’s abandoned aeroplane. The Premier has received a telegram from Captain Amundsen saying that he surveyed 160,000 square kilometres, adding: “We did not discover an indication of land. Casting the lead at our northernmost latitude gave 3750 metres, leading to the supposition that no land exists in the Norwegian sector of the Polar basin.” The British Minister cabled to Captain Amundsen: “Well done old Norway.”

PRIDE OF NORWAY.

MESSAGE FROM THE KING. Received June 21. 5.5 p.m. Oslo. June 19. King Haakon has sent the following message to Captain Amundsen: "I welcome you and your comrades and thank you for what you achieved, adding further honour to the country’s name.” The King, in a special address to Cabinet, said he regarded the. achievement as one of the greatest in history.

OVER THE POLE TO JAPAN.

VISION OF TWO-HOUR JOURNEY. Received June 21, 5.5 p.m. London. June 20. The Daily Telegraph says that Amundsen’s adventure suggests that the time may come when men flying over the North Pole will reach Japan in a little over a couple of hours.