The South Pole
An Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the "Fram," 1910 -- 1912
By Roald Amundsen
Translated from the Norwegian by A. G. Chater
To
My Comrades, The Brave Little Band That Promised In Funchal Roads To Stand by Me in the Struggle for the
South Pole,
I Dedicate this Book.
Roald Amundsen.
Uranienborg,
August 15, 1912.
Chapter
The First Account Introduction, by Fridtjof Nansen I. The History of the South Pole II. Plan and Preparations III. On the Way to the South IV. From Madeira to the Barrier V. On the Barrier VI. Depot Journeys VII. Preparing for Winter VIII. A Day at Framheim IX. The End of the Winter X. The Start for the Pole XI. Through the Mountains XII. At the Pole XIII. The Return to Framheim XIV. Northward XV. The Eastern Sledge Journey By Lieutenant K. Prestrud XVI. The Voyage of the "Fram" By First-Lieutenant Thorvald Nilsen I. From Norway to the Barrier II. Off the Barrier III. From the Bay of Whales to Buenos Aires IV. The Oceanographical Cruise V. At Buenos Aires VI. From Buenos Aires to the Ross Barrier VII. From the Barrier to Buenos Aires, Via Hobart Appendix I : The "Fram" By Commodore Christian Blom Appendix II. : Remarks on the Meteorological Observations at Framheim By B. J. Birkeland Appendix III: Geology By J. Schetelig Appendix IV.: The Astronomical Observations at the Pole By A. Alexander, with Note by Professor H. Geelmuyden Appendix V.: Oceanography By Professors Bjorn Helland-Hansen and Fridtjof Nansen
List of Illustrations
Roald Amundsen Approximate Bird's-eye View, Drawn from the First Telegraphic Account Reproduced by permission of the Daily Chronicle The Opening of Roald Amundsen's Manuscript Helmer Hanssen, Ice Pilot, a Member of the Polar Party The "Fram's" Pigsty The Pig's Toilet Hoisting the Flag A Patient Some Members of the Expedition Sverre Hassel Oscar Wisting In the North-east Trades In the Rigging Taking an Observation Ronne Felt Safer when the Dogs were Muzzled Starboard Watch on the Bridge Olav Bjaaland, a Member of the Polar Party 136 In the Absence of Lady Partners, Ronne Takes a Turn with the Dogs An Albatross In Warmer Regions A Fresh Breeze in the West Wind Belt The Propeller Lifted in the Westerlies The "Fram's" Saloon Decorated for Christmas Eve Ronne at a Sailor's Job The "Fram" In Drift-ice Drift-ice in Ross Sea A Clever Method of Landing The "Fram" under Sail Cape Man's Head on the Barrier Seal-hunting The "Fram" The Crew of the "Fram" in the Bay of Whales The "Fram" in the Bay of Whales The First Dog-camp Digging the Foundations of Framheim Building the Hut Unloading the Six Sledge-drivers Polar Transport Penguins The Provision Store Framheim, January, 1911 Suggen, Arne, and the Colonel Mikkel, Ravn, and Mas-mas Framheim, February, 1911 Prestrud in Winter Dress Bjaaland in Winter Dress The "Fram" Veteran, Lindstrom: the Only Man Who has Sailed round the Continent of America The Start of the First Depot Journey A Page from the Sledge Diary, Giving Details of Depots I. and II. Framheim, March, 1911 Killing Seals for the Depot The Meat Tent The Meteorological Screen Inside a Dog-tent A Winter Evening at Framheim The Carpenters' Shop Entrance to the Hut Entrance to the Western Workshop Prestrud in His Observatory Wisting at the Sewing-machine Packing Sledges in the "Crystal Palace" Lindstrom with the Buckwheat Cakes On His "Native Heath": A Dog on the Barrier Ice Dogs Exercising Helmer Hanssen on a Seal-hunt Hanssen and Wisting Lashing the New Sledges Passage in the Ice Johansen Packing Provisions in the "Crystal Palace" A Corner of the Kitchen Stubberud Taking it Easy Johansen Packing Biscuits in the "Crystal Palace" Hassel and the Vapour-bath Midwinter Day, June, 1911 Our Ski-binding in its Final Form At Work on Personal Outfit Trying on Patent Goggles Hassel in the Oil-store Deep in Thought Funcho The Loaded Sledges in the Clothing Store Sledges Ready for Use Being Hauled Out of the Store-room At the Depot in Lat. 80deg. S. Some of the Land Party in Winter Costume General Map of the South Polar Region Roald Amundsen in Polar Kit A Snow Beacon on the Barrier Surface Crevassed Surface on the Barrier Depot in 83 Degrees S. Depot in 82 Degrees S. At the Depot in Lat. 84 Degrees S. The Depot and Mountains in Lat. 85 Degrees S. Ascending Mount Betty Mount Fridtjof Nansen, 15,000 Feet Above the Sea At the End of a Day's March: the Pole Expedition The Tent After a Blizzard A Large Filled Crevasse on the Devil's Glacier Hell's Gate on the Devil's Glacier Mount Thorvald Nilsen The Sledges Packed for the Final March Taking an Observation at the Pole At the South Pole: Oscar Wisting and His Team Arrive at the Goal A Page from the Observation Book, December 17, 1911 At the South Pole, December 16 and 17, 1911 Mount Don Pedro Christophersen Framheim on the Return of the Polar Party Lindstrom in the Kitchen Farewell to the Barrier Bjaaland as Tinker Dogs Landed at Hobart for Dr. Mawson's Expedition Members of the Japanese Antarctic Expedition Lieutenant Prestrud An Original Inhabitant of the Antarctic Stubberud Reviews the Situation Camp on the Barrier: Eastern Expedition A Broken-off Cape Off to the East The Junction of the Great Barrier and King Edward Land Improvised Sounding Tackle The Leader of the Eastern Expedition, Prestrud, on Scott's Nunatak First in King Edward Land In King Edward Land: After a Three Days' Storm On Scott's Nunatak Scott's Nunatak The "Fram" at the Ice-edge, January, 1912 The "Kainan Maru" Seals on Sea-ice near the Barrier Seals: Mother and Calf A Group of Adelie Penguins A Quiet Pipe First-lieutenant Thorvald Nilsen, Norwegian Navy The Second in Command Takes a Nap The "Fram" Sighted On the Ice-edge, January, 1911 Our Last Moorings on the Ice-foot A Hunting Expedition at the Foot of the Barrier Beck Steers the "Fram" through Unknown Waters Our Cook, Cheerful and Contented as Usual Sectional Diagrams of the "Fram"
List of Maps and Charts
Fig.
Chart of the Immediate Surroundings of the South Pole to face Chart of the Ross Sea Chart of the Bay of Whales 1. Hypothetical Representation of the Surface Currents in the Northern Atlantic in April 2. The "Fram's" Route from June 20 To July 7, 1910 3. Temperature and Salinity in the "Fram's" Southern Section, June, 1910 4. Temperature and Salinity in the "Fram's" Northern Section, July, 1910 5. The "Fram's" Stations in the South Atlantic (June -- August, 1911) 6. Currents in the South Atlantic (June -- August, 1911) 7. Salinities and Temperatures at the Surface in the South Atlantic (June -- August, 1911) 8. Temperatures (Centigrade) at a Depth of 400 Metres (218 Fathoms) 9. Temperatures at Station 32 (In the Benguela Current, July 22, 1911), and at Station 60 (In the Brazil Current, August 19, 1911) 10. Salinities at Station 32 (In the Benguela Current, July 22, 1911), and at Station 60 (In the Brazil Current, August 19, 1911) 11. Salinities and Temperatures in the Southern Section (June -- July, 1911) 12. Salinities and Temperatures in the Northern Section (July -- August, 1911) 13. Temperatures at one of the "Fram's" and one of the "Challenger's" Stations, to the South of the South Equatorial Current 14. Temperatures at one of the "Fram's" and one of the "Valdivia's" Stations, in the Benguela Current 15. Temperatures at the "Planet's" Station 25, And the "Fram's" Station 39 -- Both in the Neighbourhood of St. Helena 16. Salinities at the "Planet's" Station 25 (March 19, 1906), and the "Fram's" Station 39 (July 29, 1911) Chart of the Antarctic Region
The First Account
On February 10, 1911, we started for the South to establish depots, and continued our journey until April 11. We formed three depots and stored in them 3 tons of provisions, including 22 hundredweight of seal meat. As there were no landmarks, we had to indicate the position of our depots by flags, which were posted at a distance of about four miles to the east and west. The first barrier afforded the best going, and was specially adapted for dog-sledging. Thus, on February 15 we did sixty-two miles with sledges. Each sledge weighed 660 pounds, and we had six dogs for each. The upper barrier ("barrier surface") was smooth and even. There were a few crevasses here and there, but we only found them dangerous at one or two points. The barrier went in long, regular undulations. The weather was very favourable, with calms or light winds. The lowest temperature at this station was -49° F., which was taken on March 4.
When we returned to winter quarters on February 5 from a first trip, we found that the Fram had already left us. With joy and pride we heard from those who had stayed behind that our gallant captain had succeeded in sailing her farther south than any former ship. So the good old Fram has shown the flag of Norway both farthest north and farthest south. The most southerly latitude reached by the Fram was 78° 41'.
Before the winter set in we had 60 tons of seal meat in our winter quarters; this was enough for ourselves and our 110 dogs. We had built eight kennels and a number of connecting tents and snow huts. When we had provided for the dogs, we thought of ourselves. Our little hut was almost entirely covered with snow. Not till the middle of April did we decide to adopt artificial light in the hut. This we did with the help of a Lux lamp of 200 candle-power, which gave an excellent light and kept the indoor temperature at about 68° F. throughout the winter. The ventilation was very satisfactory, and we got sufficient fresh air. The hut was directly connected with the house in which we had our workshop, larder, storeroom, and cellar, besides a single bathroom and observatory. Thus we had everything within doors and easily got at, in case the weather should be so cold and stormy that we could not venture out.