A MOUNTAIN PLATEAU.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1018, 12 March 1912, Page 3

A MOUNTAIN PLATEAU.

On the fourth day from the barrier they reached a vast plateau of 10,600 feet. Here they were compelled to kill 24 dogs, retaining x 8 for the dash south. BAD WEATHER. Bad weather delayed the departure four days, and they restarted on November 25th, and encountered a furious blizzard and dense snow drills, and their faces were badly frozen. Gradually descending, they passed the 85th degree, and momentarily saw a mighty mountain through the snow drift shining in the sunlight. They established a depot at the foot of the Devil’s Glac'er. TOWERING PEAKS.

Many towering peaks were seen beautifully illuminated in the bright sun. The Devil’s Glacier was negotiated in three days, and on quitting it on December 3rd, they proceeded onward over an ice plateau which resembled a frozen sea and sounded hollow to the tread. One man and two dogs fell through. They reached their greatest altitude of 10,750 feet on December 6th, in 87.40 from 88.25 degrees. THE GOAL. IN SIGHT. The plateau gradually sloped downwards, and after five days of easy travelling the goal was sighted on the afternoon of December 14th, in beautiful weather, and a light southerly breeze blowing. The temperature was minus 23 degrees Celsuis. The ground was perfect. HOISTING THE FLAG. At three o’clock all gathered round the silken Norwegian flag, which was raised on a vast plain, alike in all directions stretching mile after mile. During the night they circled the camp in a radius several kilometers, and for three days they took a series of careful observations, and got the position of the Pole as close as is humanly possible with a sextant and artificial horizon. “ POLHEIM.”

They erected a little hut at the precise spot, surmounted by the Norwegian flag and the Fram’s pennant, and named the place “Polheim.” The distance from the Pole to the winter quarters was fourteen hundred kilometres.

The 1 return was accomplished under favourable conditions, the party reaching the base on January 25th with two sledges and eleven dogs. The entire length of the newlydiscovered mountains is 805 kilometres. They were named the Queen Maud Ranges.

THE KING EDWARD'S LAND EXPEDITION.

The expedition to King Edward’s Land confirmed Captain Scott’s discoveries. CONGRATULATIONS. Christiania, March 10, King Haakon, the Norwegian Government and the Norwegian Geographical Society have telegraphed congratulations to Captain Amundsen.

The city is gay with flags flying in honour of Amundsen and his party.

THE SCOTT RUMOUR

Hobart, March y

Denying responsibility for the rumour that Captain Scott had reached the Pole, Captain Amundsen declared; “I know nothing of Captain Scott’s movements.” Captain Amundsen told the secretary of Dr. Mawson’s expedition that the weather conditions in the Antarctic were favourable for Dr. Mawson’s observations. DR. COOK SPEAKS.

Nkw York, March y

Professor Osborne, head ot the Museum of Natural History, believes that Captain Amundsen would not make a claim that he had reached the Pole unless he had actually got there.

Dr. Cook declares that it is extremely probable that both men were at the Pole almost at the same time.

SIR E. SHACKLETON’S VIEW.

London, March y

Sir Ernest Shackletou, speaking at the Mansion House, said it was very likely that Captain Scott had also reached the Pole.

MR KINSEY’S VIEW

Christchurch, March 9,

Mr Kinsey, Captain Scott’s New Zealand representative, interviewed regarding Captain Amundsen’s expedition, said he still believed, that if Captain Amundsen had reached the Pole on December 14th, Captain Scott was there before that date. He had complete confidence that with the experience Captain Scott had on the ice, man for man and equipment for equipment, it would be found that the Englishman had reached the Pole first.

NO DEFINITE STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN.

Hobart, March y. Captain Amundsen is not yet prepared to confirm or deny the statement reported by cable that Ca ptaiu Scott has discovered the Pole.

SCOTT MAY HAVE REACHED

THE POLE FIRST.

Hobart, March u. Late last night Amundsen con

seated to be interviewed. He declared that he had not much to add. His base was four hundred miles from Scott's. He did not know when Scott made the dash for the Pole.

Amundsen camped nearer the Pole than Scott. The latter preferred dry land for travel. Amundsen elected to make his way over the barrier.

He siucerly hoped that Scott had reached the Pole. He might have done so before Amundsen, since it was his second attempt. Amundsen added that he had received hundreds of congratulatory messages, including one from King George.

A RECORD JOURNEY

Sydney, March 11

Professor David considers Amundsen’s the most wonderful story ever brought back by an explorer. The most striking fact is that Amundsen did not use Shackleton’s old tracks by the way of Beardmore Glacier, but did the sporting thing and what was by far the most important thing in the interests of science—he struck south from his winter quarters. The parly was extraordinarly favoured regarding the weather.

Amundsen had mentioned that one man and two dogs fell through the ice. In the case of Shackletou almost every one fell through the lids of crevasses every day. Evidently the details were far more favourable on the Beardmore for sledging from Point Frew. Travelling at the speed of Amundsen’s famous march was seldom equalled and never surpassed.

The discovery that Irom 88.25 degrees to the Pole the plateau sloped downwards was, scientifically, extremely interesting. It showed no important range of mountains such as would check the outflow of ice lying midway between Adele Land and the Weddell Sea.

SHACKLETON’S SUMMING

A TWICE NAMED LOCALITY

London, March 10

The Chronicle congratulates the Pacific Cable Board on its expeditious and excellent transmission of the cablegram from Amundsen, which filled a newspaper page. Mr W. G. Stead, editor of the Review of Reviews, congratulates the Chronicle on demolishing Cook in connection with the North Pole, and establishing Amundsen at the South Pole.

Sir Ernest Shackletou, in an article, says that Amundsen undoubtedly reached the geographicil pole by easy travelling in fine weather. He adds that the plateau which Amundsen has christened Haakon Plateau is the same as that which he (Shackletou) named King Edward the Seventh Laud during his recent expedition.