depots in 80, 81 and 82 S. respectively. A start for the main south journey was made on Sept. 8 but the cold proved too severe (-58 to -75 F.) for the dogs and the party returned to winter quarters for a month. On Oct. 20 1911 (with temp. -5 to -23 F.) Amundsen left again with four companions, Helmer Hansen, Oscar Wisting, Sverre Hassel and Olav Bjaa- land, four sledges and 52 dogs. At each original depot they rested a day and gave the dogs a full feed from the stores; but on Nov. 8 they left the depot in lat. 82 S., carrying four months' provisions and travelling about 30 m. a day over the smooth Barrier surface, the men using ski. At every degree of latitude the sledges were lightened by fornu'ng a depot of provisions for the return journey. On Nov. 9 the mountains of South Victoria Land were sighted, and on the nth another range of mountains was seen joining the Victoria Land range from the direction of Edward VII. Land, and thus forming the southern boundary of the great flat Barrier surface, which apparently did not extend far beyond lat. 85 S. On Nov. 17 a large depot was left in lat. 85 S. at the base of the Queen Maud range which formed the continuation of the Victoria Land mountains, at a point 200 m. S. of the Beardmore glacier. From this point the climb to the Plateau began through magnificent scenery of glaciers and peaks, the heights of which were estimated as 10,000, 15,000 and even 19,000 feet. A way was found to the summit of the Plateau by the Axel Heiberg glacier which was negotiated by the dogs with much difficulty. Four days were occupied in the ascent to a level stretch at 7,000 ft.; and severe weather compelled a halt at this point for four days more. Here 24 dogs were killed, leaving 18 to work the three sledges. A start due S. was made on Nov. 26 and for two days severe blizzards made it impossible to see the surroundings, but the course lay on a descending gradient. On Nov. 29 a depot with six days' provisions was made at the foot of the Devil's glacier in lat. 86 21' S. On Dec. i at a height of about 9,000 ft. the way led over a smooth ice surface on which it was impossible to use ski, while under the tread it sounded like walking on empty barrels, and both men and dogs frequently broke through the thin crust of ice. This tract, called " The Devil's Ball Room," proved the worst travelling of the whole trip. Next day in lat. 88 S. the highest swell of the Plateau, estimated at 11,000 ft., was passed and in a few days the weather improved, travelling was easy, and on Dec. 14 1911 the position of the South Pole was reached. The total distance from Framheim of about 870 m. was accom- plished in 49 days of actual travelling, the average daily distance being 17 miles. After remaining two days at the Pole to secure sufficient observations to fix the position, Amundsen and his party returned to Framheim in 38 days, picking up the depots in succession and making an average of 23 m. per day in fine weather without any untoward incident. The health of the men and the ii surviving dogs was perfect throughout the 96 days of the double journey. During the absence of the southern party Lt. K. Prestrud with Frederik H. Johansen and Jorgen Stubberud made a journey to Edward VII. Land with two sledges and 14 dogs. They were absent from Framheim (where Lindstrom the cook was left in charge) from Nov. 8 to Dec. 16 1911 and reached Scott's Nunatak, which was found to reach a height of 1,700 ft. and was covered with thick moss. The " Fram " returned to the Bay of Whales on Jan. n 1912 and the whole party sailed for home on Jan. 30, after the shortest and most successful expedi- tion which ever wintered in the Antarctic. The one object, the attainment of the Pole, had been accomplished quickly and easily and the meteorological observations were of great value in extending the conclusions of other investigators.
Scott (1910-2). Capt. Robert F. Scott's expedition, planned with the double purpose of reaching the South Pole and complet- ing the scientific study of the Ross Sea area, reached McMurdo Sound in the " Terra Nova " on Jan. 4 1911 (after seeking in vain for a safe position near Cape Crozier), and erected a com- modious wooden house for the main base at Cape Evans on Ross I. about half way between Shackleton's base at Cape Royds and the Old " Discovery " headquarters at Hut Point. No polar expedition had been fitted out with greater care for the purpose of scientific research in'meteorology, geolbgy, glaciology and biology.
After landing the stores for the main base at Cape Evans the
Terra Nova," under Comm. Harry Pennell, left on Jan. 25 1911, proceeded eastward along the Barrier and, after failing to land on Edward VII. Land, encountered the " Fram " in the Bay of Whales on Feb. 3.
Scott's Northern Party (1911-2). The eastern party decided to return with news of the Norwegian expedition to Cape Evans, and then to proceed as a northern party to some point beyond Cape North, but this also proved unattainable, and a landing had to be made at Cape Adare on Feb. 18 1911. Here a hut was erected and the northern party, under Comm. Victor L. A. Campbell and including Surg. Gen. Murray Levick, Raymond E. Priestley (geologist and meteorologist) petty-officers G. P. Ab- bott, F. V. Browning and H. Dickason, were landed with stores and sledges but no dogs. One of Borchgrevink's huts built in 1 899 was in good order, the other had been unroofed by a storm but both were serviceable. They passed a stormy winter and con- firmed Borchgrevink's conclusion that it was impossible to make any extensive journeys either on the sea-ice, which frequently blew out to sea, or by land from this base. On Jan. 4 1912 the " Terra Nova " returned and took off the party, landing them with six weeks' provisions a few days later in Terra Nova Bay, just S. of Mt. Melbourne, on the lower slopes of which much geological work was done. The ship failed to return in Feb. as ex- pected, and the winter of 1912 had to be passed in an ice cave on Inexpressible I. (about lat. 75 S.), the party subsisting mainly on seal meat cooked over blubber lamps devised with much ingenuity. This winter, spent almost without stores, was a triumph of adaptability to the hardest possible conditions, and although there was much illness the whole party was able to march when a start for Cape Evans was possible on Sept. 30 1912. The Drygalski glacier tongue was crossed and the party made its way southward along the sea-ice close to shore. On Oct. 28 Gran- ite Harbour was reached and stores left there by Griffith Taylor allowed of full rations of good food for the first time for nine months. The remainder of the 7o-m. march to Cape Evans was assisted by several depots, and they all arrived at Hut Point on Nov. 6 1912, after triumphing over the most difficult condi- tions ever yet surmounted in the Antarctic.
Scott's Western Party (1911-2). During Jan., Feb. and March 1911 Griffith Taylor, with Frank Debenham, Charles S. Wright and P. O. Edgar Evans, made an extensive geological survey and study of the ice phenomenon of the lower valleys of the Western Mountains, from Butter Point southward to the Koettlitz glacier in lat. 78 20' S., and after the winter at Cape Evans, Griffith Taylor made a second western trip with Debenham, Lt. Tryggve Gran and P. O. Forde, completing the geological survey of the lower mountain slopes W. of McMurdo Sound from Butter Point northward to Granite Harbour in lat. 76 50' S. This journey lasted from Nov. 1911 to Feb. 1912 and was rich in scientific results.
Wilson's Winter Journey (1911). The finest adventure of the first winter at Cape Evans was the daring journey in solstitial darkness via Hut Point to Cape Crozier and back by Dr. Edward A. Wilson, Lt. H. R. Bowers and Mr. Apsley Cherry-Garrard. It lasted for 36 days from June 27 to Aug. i 1911, and the total distance traversed by man-hauled sledges was over 100 m., giving an average of about 4 m. per day out and 7 m. a day home. During a stay of ten days an effort was made to study the nesting habits of the emperor penguin. This journey was made in the lowest temperature ever experienced in the Antarctic: many days had readings below -60 -F. and the worst was as low as -77 F. The snow in places was as granular and hard to pull through as sand, and only one sledge could be moved at a time, so that on some days many hours' work only made 2 m. in distance.
Scott's Journey to the South Pole (1911-2). The main object of Capt. Scott's expedition being the great southern journey, steps were taken at the earliest date to lay out depots for the main expedition of the following year. The vital point being transport, means had been taken to provide three alternatives to man-haulage. There were landed at Cape Evans 17 Siberian
