BACK FROM POLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17569, 20 June 1925, Page 11

BACK FROM POLE.

DRAMATIC SCENES AT KING’S BAY. “ IT’S AMUNDSEN!” Australian and KZ. Cablo Aisociatton (Copyright. 1 LONDON. June ID. A message from the Heimdal at Spitsbergen states:— “ There was a dramatic scene when Amundsen returned to King's Bay. Crowds gathered on the quay at about 10 p.m. to witness the Heimdal arrive. “ When through misty haze the Norwegian sealer slowly entered the harborr under the faint gleam of the midsun. many men were seen on deck. Suddenly someone aboard the Ilobby shouted. ‘ It’s Amundsen.’ “ Deafening cheers greeted the explorer, and then wo burst 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 Dietricdisen and Omdal from drowning. Whilst 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 the canvas boat.” CELEBRATION IN CAPITAL. ' OSLO, June 19. Amundsen's return was not an nounced until 10 p.m., when crowds par aded the streets cheering and singing. WELCOME NEWS IN LONDON LONDON, June 19. The news of Amundsen’s safety was welcomed most heartily in London. The fact overshadows even the security pact in most newspapers. ’PLANES LOCKED IN ICE. NO SUITABLE LANDING PLACE. LONDON, June 18. Captain Amundsen, aboard the Ifeimdal at Spitzbergen says: “The planes left King’s Bay on May 21 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 plan, the flight proceeded. “We encountered fog at Sydgat so we rose to 3100 feet in order to navigate by the aid ox solar compases. For the next, two hours we flew continuously over the fog which we did not leave behind until eight in the evening. For the remainder of tho 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 we could not possibly observe the deviation. Our course was then laid further east until one o’clock of the morning of May 22, 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 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 the plane N 25 immediately after landing became locked between the mass of ice. While trying to get tlie plane clear of the ice lane we found it had frozen tight and gripped the other plane N'24. Observations during the night disclosed our position as latitude 87/44, longitude 10/20 west. The distance therefore Covered in the eight hours’ flight was exactly 1000 kilometres (625 miles) at an average speed of 150 kilometres. But for the head wind we would have got 200 kilometres further. We took two soundings which indicated a depth of 3750 metres. In the following days we studied drift conditions and observed the magnetic variation and meteorological situation. “Whilst flying northwards we observed an area of about 100,000 square kilometres reaching to about 88/30 degrees 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. THE RETURN. We came to the conclusion that there were no grounds for assuming conditions to be such as to permit a 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 over the Pole without taking accurate observations of what possibly was merely ice had no real significance and was not worth taking great risks. We agreed, therefore, that instead of continuing further north to lay a return course further east in order, to cross 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 their lasting as long as possible the daily rations were drastically curtailed. We concentrated all our energies in getting plane N 25 clear. During the following twenty-four days we experienced all kinds ol difficulties owing to the vagaries of the fickle Arctic Ocean, but eventually N 25 was freed after the greatest exertion- The plane showed signs of strain, but was lugged practically undamaged from the pack ice to a starting place we had levelled some distance away. On June 14 cracks opened in the ice which threatened to remove a third of our work cn tlie ice. " On the morning of June 15, without attempting to lengthen the levelled spot, trials were made with a greatly reduced load, nearly the whole of the equipment being discarded. We kept only a few stores and a minimum quantity of petrol to enable us to proceed southwards. We succeeded in getting uway and a course was set for tlie spot indicated. “At 10.40 a m., after an exciting flight, partly through fog, we reached North Cape, North Eastland, the flight occupying eight hours thirty-five minI'IOKED UP BY SEALER. ■ We then landed and awaited favor ... lyr the y nti, uati at of to. tight ' 1 n: ' ■ l "'-'- 1 l,rKf

of petrol to a spot within range of the Hobby’s patrol area. We estimate the area, as observed on the return trip, as 60.000 square kilometres. The expedition has observed a total of 100,000 kilometres of hitherto unexplored area. “ Immediately after landing, the Norwegian sealer, Sjoeliv, from Harris Fjord, passed westward. We at once ' went on board and were gladly reeeiv- J ed. Our ’plane was taken in tow. Towards night the wind freshened to a gale, so we were compelled to make fn; shelter under the land on the west side of Lady Franklin Bay, remaining there during the night. There was no im provement on June 16, so the ’plane was secured on land at Ice Bay and the members of the expedition left with the Sjoelir. “ During navigation of the ’planes the Goerz solar compasses were of essential importance, operating entirely satisfactorily. No other ’plane except of the Dernier type could have with- 1 stood tho strain. The Rolls-Royce en- ] gines in the first few hours secured our j confidence. Not once on the latter j flight, during which there was not a j possibility of landing, did we feel any j anxiety. During our stay in the north | the engines always started ingtantane- i ously and saved the ’plane when we! were compelled to move it away from | the threatening pack ice.”