AMUNDSEN'S STORY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18416, 24 June 1925, Page 9

AMUNDSEN'S STORY.

OWN ACCOUNT OF FLIGHT. NEARLY caught by ICE. LIFE-BELT WAISTCOATS SAVE EXPLORERS. X(BT CABLS—FHESS ASSOCIATIOX —COPYRIGHT.) ' (AVSTF.ALU.N* A.VD N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) ; LONDON, June 22. A wireless message from King's Bay gives Captain Amundsen's thrilling personal narrative. Jt describes how, soon after setting ont on May 21st, the party traversed in two hours a sunlit expanse of gleaming ice, probably over the 83rd degree, a fresh north-easter curtailing speed. "We came down in the fine calm weather," the narrativo • continues, "and noticed that the ice was most uninviting even for a forced landing. Hard snow .filled tho crevices and ice packs. Therefore ivo recognised that the trip was more hazardous than -we had thought.'

"Hours passed with no sight of land, and it was apparent that wc had gone ovcrfar to the westward, so wo turned eastward. Still thero was no sign of a suitable landing. "Foueht, the mechanic, at 1 o'clock on the morning of ilay 22nd, reported that half his petrol was gone, and it was decided to land and verify our position. Tlio 'piano went down to the 100 metres lovel. : "The ice-floo seemed most attractive landing, - but I'.iiser-Larscn'B cngino backfired, and wo were compelled to alight on tho branch of an ice-lane between lofty wall?. Tho machine, pressing down tho ice blocks with her wings overlapping the walls, camo to a stop at the extreme end of tho lane, with her nose against the ice-floe, but undamaged.

Machine Frozen In. "To remove tho machine to the main ico-lane was most .. fatiguing, and tho walls, coming together like lobster's claws, caught us in a trap. ■ "Dietrichsen, in tho other 'plane, N24, meanwhile thought Riiser-Larsen had gone mad to attempt a descent in such a terrible spot. Dietrichsen alightod on tho main lano unknown to us. "We feared the pack-ice would screw up and destroy 'piano Observations taken during the night showed the position as S7deg 43miii north, lOdeg lDmiu west.

"The 'piano was frozen in by tho and could not bo moved, so wc prepared on May 22nd for a, journey .to Capo Columbia. So far wo had not seen N24, but we had heard a shot. "Wo tried out a path, but it ro-frozo as fast, as we cut it. Therefore, we had to hack a path over a floo. Riisor-Lar-scn used an axe, Foucht an ico anehoT, and I a knife fastened to a ski stave.

"At night time the thermometer read 10J Fahrenheit. We were terribly cold, Bleeping in bags. "Next afternoon we wcro delighted to see a flag mounted on a tall floe, by Which -"-e found the N24 party and exchanged signals. Wo learnt that N24 was leaking, necessitating constant pulnping. Meanwhile, the ice drift brought tho parties closer. One 'Plane Abandoned. "Next da? N24 Was abandoned as inextricable, and her crew began to cross the new ice. Itiiscr-Larsen and myself went out in a canyas boat to help them. Suddenly wo heard Dietrichsen and Oftidal ealling for help. They had gone thfough the ico carrying a heavy load.

"Ellsworth and Dietrichsen togethor saved Omdal just as ho was disappearing- under the ice. Both owed tlieir liVcs to lifo-be.lt waistcoats purchased as ?n after-thought at Tromso. "The combined party of six began making a passage for N25, according to the best road-mttking principles. Firstly ice-blocks were laid down, and then fragments and then snow. The track Was ready by tho evening of May '2Tth. "Though the engines wero running, fite of us had to help as llest as we could to move the machine. Finally, we ieached a long floe clear of any danger Of pinching.

"With rations cut down, wo beeamo enfeebled. Currents drove us southwards and then back. We discussed the possibilities of a further northward flight. Experience had shown tho irnpdjßlbility of . finding a landing-place, 4ttd also of accurately determining the position of the Pole. It would simply have been a continuation of the flight Over the ocean near tho Pole, which was Of doubtful value and not worth the Jtisk.

Ids Closes on 'Plane. "We began on May 30th clearing tho ie 6 afresh, but our first attempt to dethe ice breaking beneath ''The position was now ugly. We Wakened early in the morning to find ico turning tho 'plane around. The Imll Was creaking and groaning, and I *as sure tvo would lose her. Riisor■k&Tßon and Omdal, however, hacked th)o ice away and reduced tho pressure.

"We tried to start on Juno 18th, but the snow was cloggy, so wo had to clear it away. By Juno 17th wo had competed 500 metres of track, hhlf of .Irtish wero flooded through a crack. "Another attempt to start tlic 'plane ttBU unsuccessful, so wo jettisoned everything that could bo dispensed with. Tile temperature became lower, but a kreeiSa was blowing, so we again tried tough patches, and we made 100 and 600 metres, Nearing the end of the iiack our speed was not yet full, but juat sufficient to take the last jump from

to flr. lJiiser-Lnrson skilfully avoided the floe, and we were in the air at last. "Our feelings can be imagined. We munched biscuits-ami chocolate, and began to wonder whether we had enough petrol, but wo soon saw tho heights 0 f Spitzbergen. About this time the stato isation' rudders began to give trouble, and finally the party had to alight in a rough sea. The machine rode over these and reached land on the west side of North Cape. "Setting foot on the hard mountain side, I think we all thanked God for His help during tho month's constant battle for life. We were preparing to oat when a shout, 'Ship ahoy." was heard. We saw the scaler, and all rushed aboard the 'plane and taxied out to the ship, on which we journeyed to King's Bay, where we were royally welcomed. Wo arc now busy filling out the hollow spots between our ribs.' J

ALGARSSON SAILS. N.Z. CHIEF ENGINEER. (AUSTRALIA:: ASD S.;. CABLE ASSOCIATION - .) (Received June 23rd, 7.25 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 22. Mr Gordon, of Dunedin, has been appointed chief engineer of Algarsson's Polar expedition, which left to-day cu route to Spitsbergen.

[Mr Gretter Algarsson intended to race Amundsen to tho Pole, and, as events have turned out, may yet d<> so. Ho is using an air?hip, with a capaeitv of 103.000 cubic. fp"t, which is being curried by steamer b pitzbergen. whence the flight will be nmJe.J