 Section 12 of the South Pole. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Ken Campbell. The South Pole by Roald Amundsen. Translation by A. G. Carter. Section 12, Volume 1, Chapter 5. On the Barrier, Part 2. On January 17th, the carpenters began to dig the foundations of the house. The effect of all that we had heard about the Antarctic storms was that we decided to take every possible precaution to make the house stand on an even keel. The carpenters, therefore, began by digging a foundation four feet down into the barrier. This was not easy work. Two feet below the surface, they came upon hard, smooth ice and had to use pickaxes. The same day a stiff, easterly breeze sprang up, whirling the snow high into the air and filling up the foundations as fast as the men dug them. But it would take more than that to stop those fellows at their work. They built a windscreen of planks and did it so well that they were able to work all day, unhindered by the drifts. Until one evening came they had the whole foundation dug out. There is no difficulty in doing good work when one has such people to work for one. The stormy weather interfered somewhat with our sledging and, as we found, our Alaska harness unsuitable to the conditions. We went on board and began the preparation of Greenland harness for our dogs. All hands worked at it. Our excellent sailmaker, Ronnie, sewed 46 sets of harnesses in the course of the month. The rest of us spliced the ropes and made the necessary tackles, while others spliced wire rope shafts to our sledges. When evening came we had an entirely new set of tackles for all our sledges and dogs. This was very successful and in a few days the whole was working smoothly. We had now divided ourselves into two tents so that five men slept in the lower tent while the two carpenters and I inhabited the upper one. That evening a rather amusing thing happened to us. We were just turning in when suddenly we heard a penguin's cry immediately outside the tent. We were out in a moment. There a few yards from the door sat a big emperor penguin making bow after bow. It gave exactly the impression of having come up simply to pay us respects. We were sorry to repay its attention so poorly. But such is the way of the world. With a final bow it ended its days in the frying pan. On January 18 we began bringing up the materials for the hut. And as soon as they arrived the builders began to put them up. It is no exaggeration to say that everything went like a well-oiled machine. One sledge after another drove up to the site and discharged its load. The dogs worked splendidly and their drivers no less. And as fast as the materials arrived our future home rose into the air. All parts had been marked before leaving Norway and were now discharged from the ship in the order in which they were wanted. Besides which Stuart and himself had built the house so he knew every peg of it. It is with gladness and pride that I look back upon those days. With gladness because no discord was ever heard in the course of this fairly severe labor. With pride because I was at the head of such a body of men. For men they were, in the true sense of the word. Everyone knew his duty and did it. During the night the wind dropped and the morning brought the finest weather, calm and clear. It was a pleasure to work on days like this. Both men and dogs were in the best of spirits. On these journeys between the ship and the station we were constantly hunting seals but we only took those that came in our way. We never had to go far to find fresh meat. We used to come suddenly upon a herd of them. They were then shot, flayed and loaded on the sledges with the provisions and building materials. The dogs feasted in those days. They had as much warm flesh as they wanted. On January 20th we had taken up all the building materials and could then turn our attention to provisions and stores. The work went merrily backwards and forwards and the journey to the Fram in the morning with empty sledges was especially enjoyable. The track was now well worn and hard and resembled a good Norwegian country road more than anything else. The going was splendid. On coming out of the tent at six o'clock in the morning one was instantly greeted with joy by one's own twelve dogs. They barked and they howled in emulation, tugged and jerked at their chains to get their master and jumped and danced about with joy. Then one would first go down the line and say good morning to each of them in turn patting them and saying a few words. Splendid beasts they were. The one who had taken notice of showed every sign of happiness. The most petted of our domestic dogs could not have shown greater devotion than these tamed wolves. All the time the others were yelling and pulling at their chains to get at the one who was being petted, for they are jealous in the extreme. When they had all received their share of attention the harnesses were brought out and then the jubilation broke out afresh. Strange as it may seem I can assert that these animals love their harness. Although they must know that it means hard work they all show signs of the greatest rapture at the sight of it. I must hasten to add, however, that this only happens at home. Long and fatiguing sledge journeys show a very different state of things. When it came to harnessing, the first trouble of the day began. It was impossible to get them to stand still. The full meal of the previous evening followed by the night's rest had given them such a super abundance of energy and joy of life that nothing could make them stand still. They had to have a taste of the whip and it was a pity to start that. After having securely anchored the sledge one was ready at last with one's team of six dogs harnessed. Now it might be thought that all was plain sailing and that one had only to cast off one's moorings and be taken straight down to the ship. But that was far from being the case. Round about the camp a number of objects had collected in a short time such as packing cases, building materials, empty sledges and so on and to steer clear of these was the great problem of the morning. The dog's greatest interest was of course concentrated upon these objects and one had to be extremely lucky to avoid a spill. Let us follow one of these morning drives. The men are already and have their dogs well harnessed. One, two, three and we let them all go at once. We are off like the wind and before one is time to swing the whip one finds himself in the middle of a heap of building materials. The dogs have achieved the desire of their lives to be able to make a thorough investigation of these materials in the way that is so characteristic of the dog and so incomprehensible to us. While this process is going on with the greatest enjoyment the driver has got clear of the sledge and begins to disentangle the traces which have wound themselves round planks and posts and whatever else may be laying handy. He is far from having achieved the desire of his life to judge from the expression he uses. At last he is clear again. He looks round first and finds he is not the only one who has met with difficulties in the way. Over there among the cases he sees the performance going on which makes his heart leap with joy. One of the old hands has come to grief and in so decisive a fashion that it will take him a long time to get clear again. With a triumphant smile he throws himself on the sledge and drives off so long as he is on the barrier as a rule everything goes well. There is nothing here to distract the dogs. It is otherwise when he comes down to the sea ice. Here seals lie scattered about in groups basking in the sunshine. And it may easily happen that his course will be rather crooked. If a team of fresh dogs have made up their minds to turn aside in the direction of the herd of seals it takes a very experienced driver to get them in the right way again. Personally on such occasions I use the only remedy I could see namely capsizing the sledge. In loose snow with the sledge upset they soon fold up. Then if one is wise one puts them on the right course again quietly and calmly hoisting the sledge up on an even keel and went on. But one is not always wise unfortunately. The desire to be revenged on the disobedient rascals gets the upper hand and one begins to deal out punishment but this is not so easy as it seems. So long as you are sitting on the capsized sledge it makes a good anchor. But now without a load it is no use and the dogs know that. So while you are thrashing one the other start off and the result is not always flattering to the driver. If he is lucky he gets on to the capsized sledge again. But we have seen dogs and sledges arrive without drivers. All this trouble in the early morning sets the blood in active circulation when one arrives at the ship drenched with perspiration in spite of the temperature of minus five degrees Fahrenheit. But it sometimes happens that there is no interruption and the drive is soon over. The dogs want no encouragement, they are willing enough. The mile and a quarter from the lower camp to the Fram is then covered in a few minutes. When we came out of the tent on the morning of January 21st we were greatly surprised. We thought we must be mistaken, rubbed our eyes, opened them wider, but no, it was no good. The Fram was no longer to be seen. It had been blowing pretty strongly during the night with snow squalls. Presumably the weather had forced them to put out. We could also hear the roar of the sea dashing against the barrier. Meanwhile we lost no time. The day before Captain Nielsen and Christensen had shot forty seals. Of all these we had brought in half the same day. Now we began to fetch in the rest. During the forenoon while we were flaying and shooting seals we heard the old well-known sound, but, but, but, of the Fram's motor, and presently the crow's nest appeared above the barrier. But she did not get into her old berth before evening. A heavy swell had forced her to go outside. Meanwhile the carpenters were busily constructing the hut. By January 21st the roof was on, and the rest of the work could thus be done under cover. This was a great comfort to the men. At that time their job was undoubtedly the worst of any. Bitterly cold it was for them, but I never heard them talk about it. When I came up to the tent after a day's work one of them was busy cooking. The meal always consisted of pancakes and pitch black strong coffee. How good it tasted! A rivalry soon arose between the two cooked carpenters as to which of them could make the best pancakes. I think they were both clever at it. In the morning we had pancakes again, crisp hot delicate pancakes with the most glorious coffee before I was even out of my sleeping bag. That is what the carpenters had to offer me at five o'clock in the morning. No wonder I enjoyed their society. Nor did the men in the lower camp suffer any privation. Whisting showed himself to be possessed of eminent talents as cooked for the day. His special dish was penguins and skyu, gulls, and cream sauce. It was served under the name of tarmigan, of which it really reminded one. That Sunday we all went on board with the exception of the necessary tent guards for both camps and enjoyed life. We had worked hard enough that week. On Monday, January 23rd, we began to carry up the provisions. In order to save time we had decided not to bring the provisions right up to the hut, but to store them for the time being on the elevation that lay on the other side to the south of Mount Nelson. This spot was not more than 600 yards from the tent, but as the surface was rather rough here we should save a good deal in the long run. Afterwards when the fram had sailed we could take them the rest of the way. As it turned out we never had time for this so that our main store remained here. Sledging up to this point offered some difficulties at first. The dogs who were accustomed to take the road to the lower camp between Nelson and Ronekin could not understand why they might not do the same now. The journey with the empty sledges down to the ship was often particularly troublesome. At this point the dogs could hear their companions on the other side of Nelson in the lower camp and then it appeared more than once that the dogs took command. If they once got in the humor for playing tricks of that sort it was by no means easy to get them under control. We all of us had this experience without exception. Not one of us escaped this little extra turn. As the provisions came up each driver took them off a sledge and laid the cases in the order which they should lie. We began by placing each sort by itself in small groups over the slope. This plan had the advantage that eventually would be easy to find. The load was usually 660 pounds or six cases to each sledge. We had about 900 cases to bring up and reckoned that we should have them all in place in the course of a week. Everything went remarkably well according to our reckoning. By noon on Saturday January 28th the hut was ready and all the 900 cases were in place. The depot of provisions had quite an imposing appearance. Great rows of cases stood in the snow all with their numbers outward so that we could find what we wanted at once and there was the house all finished exactly as it had stood in its native place in Bungeford. But it would be difficult to imagine more different surroundings there. Green pine woods and splashing water, here, ice. Nothing but ice. Both scenes were beautiful. I stood thinking which I preferred. My thoughts traveled far, thousands of miles in a second. It was the forest that gained the day. As I had already mentioned we had everything with us for fastening the hut down to the barrier. But the calm weather we had had all the time led us to suppose that the conditions would not be so bad as we had expected. We were therefore satisfied with the foundation dug in the barrier. The outside of the hut was tarred and the roof covered with tarred paper so that it was very visible against the white surroundings. That afternoon we broke up both camps and moved into our home from Hine. What a snug, cozy and cleanly impression it gave us when we entered the door. Bright new linoleum everywhere in the kitchen as well as our living room. We had good reason to be happy. Our other important point had been got over and in much shorter time than I had ever hoped. Our path to the goal was opened up. We began to have a glimpse of the castle in the distance. The beauty is still sleeping, but the kiss is coming. The kiss that shall wake her. It was a happy party that assembled at the hut the first evening and drank to the future to the music of the gramophone. All the full-grown dogs were now brought up here and were fastened to wire ropes stretching in a square fifty yards on each side. It may be believed that they gave us some music. Collected as they were, they performed under the leadership of some great singer or other daily and what was worse, nightly concerts. Strange Beasts. What can they have meant by this howling? One began, then two, then a few more, and finally the whole hundred as a rule during a concert like this they sit well down, stretch their heads as high in the air as they can, and howl to their hearts content. During this act they seem very preoccupied and are not easily disturbed, but the strangest thing is the way the concert comes to an end. It stops suddenly along the whole line. No stragglers, no one cheer more. What is it that imposes a simultaneous stop? I have observed and studied it time after time without result. One would think it was a song that had been learnt. Do the animals possess a power of communicating with each other? The question is extraordinarily interesting. No one among us who has had the long acquaintance with Eskimo Dogs doubt that they have this power. I learned at last to understand their different sounds so well that I could tell by their voices what was going on without seeing them. Fighting, play, love-making, etc. each had its special sound. If they wanted to express their devotion and affection for their master they would do it in a quite different way. If one of them was doing something wrong, something they knew that they were not allowed to do, such as breaking into the meat store, for example, the others who could not get in ran out and gave vent to a sound quite different from those I had mentioned. I believe most of us learn to distinguish these different sounds. It may be a more interesting animal to observe or one that offers greater variety of study than the Eskimo Dog. From his ancestor the wolf he has inherited the instinct of self-preservation, the right of the stronger, in a far higher degree than our domestic dog. The struggle for life has brought him early maturity and given him such qualities as frugality and endurance in an altogether surprising degree. His intelligence is sharp, clear, and developed for the work he is born to and the conditions in which he is brought up. We must not call the Eskimo Dog slow to learn because he cannot sit up and take sugar when he is told. These are things so widely separated from the serious business of his life that he will never be able to understand them or only with great difficulty. Among themselves the right of the stronger is the only law. The strongest rules and does as he plays readily. Everything belongs to him. The weaker ones get the crumbs. Friendship easily springs up between the animals always combined with respect and fear of the stronger. The weaker with his instinct of self-preservation seeks the protection of the stronger. The stronger accepts the position of protector and thereby secures a trusty helper, always with the thought of one stronger than himself. The instinct of self-preservation is to be found everywhere and it is so too with their relations with man. The dog is learned to value man as his benefactor from whom he receives everything necessary for his support. Affection and devotion seem almost to have their part in these relations, but no doubt on a closer examination the instinct of self-preservation is at the root of it all. As a consequence of this his respect for his master is far greater than our domestic dog with whom respect only exists as a consequence of fear of a beating. I could without hesitation take the food out of the mouth of any one of my twelve dogs. Not one of them would attempt to bite me. And why? Because their respect as a consequence of the fear of getting nothing next time was predominant. With my dogs at home I certainly should not try the same thing. They would at once defend their food and if necessary they would not shrink from using their teeth and this in spite of the fact that these dogs have all appearance the same respect as the others. What then is the reason? Is it that this respect is not based on a serious foundation, the instinct of self-preservation, but simply on the fear of a hiding? A case like this proves that the foundation is too weak. The desire of food overcomes the fear of the stick and the result is a snap. A few days later the last member of the Winnering Party, Adolf Henrik Lindstrom joined us and with his arrival our arrangements might be regarded as complete. He stayed on board hitherto attending to the cooking there, but now he is no longer necessary. His art would be more appreciated among the chatterers. The youngest member of the expedition, the cook Carinius Olsen, took over from that day the whole of the cooking on the Fram and performed this work in an extremely conscientious and capable way until the ship reached Hobart in March of 1912, when he again had assistance. This was well done for a lad of twenty. I wish we had many like him. With Lindstrom then the kitchen and the daily bread were in order. The smoke rose gaily from the shining black chimney and proclaimed that now the barrier was really inhabited. How cozy it was! When we came sledging up after a day's work to see that smoke rising into the air, it is the little things really, but nevertheless it means so much. When Lindstrom came not only food but light and air, both of them his specialties. The luxe lamp was the first thing he rigged up, giving us a light that contributed much to the feeling of comfort and well-being through the long winter. He also provided us with air, but in this he had Stuberant as a partner. Those two together managed to give us the finest, purest barrier air in our room during the whole stay. It is true that this was not done without hard work, but they did not mind that. The ventilation was capricious and liable to fail now and then. This usually happened when there was a dead calm. Many were the ingenious devices employed by the firm to set the business going again. Generally a primus stole was used under the exhaust pipe and ice applied to the supply pipe. While one of them lay on his stomach with the primus under the exhaust drawing up the air that way, the other ran up to the roof and dropped big lumps of snow down the supply to get the air in that way. In this fashion they could keep it going by the hour together without giving up. Finally ended in the ventilation becoming active again without visible cause. There is no doubt that the system of ventilation in a winter station like ours is of great importance both to the health and comfort. I've read of expeditions, the members of which were constantly suffering from cold and damp and resulting sickness. This is nothing but a consequence of bad ventilation. If the supply of fresh air is sufficient, the fuel will be turned to better account and the production of warmth will of course be greater. If the supply of air is insufficient, a great part of the fuel will be lost in an un-consumed state and cold and damp will be the result. There must of course be a means of regulating the ventilation in accordance with requirements. We used only the luxe lamp in our hut beside the stove in the kitchen and with this we kept our room so warm that those of us in the upper berths were constantly complaining of the warmth. Originally there were places for ten bunks in the room but as there were only nine of us, the bunks was removed and the space used for our chronometer locker. This contained three ordinary ship's chronometers. We had in addition six chronometer watches which we wore continually and which were compared throughout the whole winter. The meteorological instruments found a place in the kitchen, the only place we had for them. Lindstrom undertook the position of sub-director of the Farnheim Meteorological Station an instrument maker to the expedition. Under the roof we stowed all of the things that would not stand severe frost such as medicine, syrup, jam, cream, pickles and sauces besides all of our sledge boxes, a place that was also made for the library under the roof. The week beginning on Monday, January 30th was spent in bringing up coal, wood, oil and our whole supply of dried fish. The temperature this summer varied between plus five degrees and minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit, at a grand summer temperature. We also had shot many seals daily and already had a great pile of about a hundred of them lying just outside the door of the hut. One evening as we were sitting at supper Lindstrom came to tell us that we need not go down any more to the sea ice to shoot them as they were coming to us. We went out and found he was right. Not far away and making straight for the hut came a crab eater shining like silver in the sun. He came right up, was photographed and shot. One day I had a rather curious experience. My best dog, Lassison, had his left hind paw frozen quite white. It happened while we were out sledging. Lassison was a lover of freedom and had seen his chance of getting loose when unobserved. He used his freedom like most of these dogs for fighting. They love fighting and cannot resist it. He had picked a quarrel with Odin and Thor and started a battle with him. In the course of the fight, the chains that fastened these two had got wound round Lassison's leg and twisted so that the circulation had stopped. How long he had been standing, so I do not know. But when I came, I saw it once that the dog was in the wrong place. On a closer examination I discovered the frostbite. I then spent half an hour in restoring the circulation. I succeeded in doing this by holding the paw continuously in my warm hand at first there was no feeling in the limb. It went well, but when the blood began to flow back, of course, it was painful, and Lassison became impatient. He wind and motioned with his head towards the affected place, as though he wanted to tell me that he found the operation unpleasant. He made no attempt to snap. The paw swelled a good deal after this treatment, but the next day Lassison was as well as ever, though a little lame in that leg. The entries in my diary at this time are all in telegraphic style, no doubt owing to the amount of work. Thus, an entry in February ends with the following words. An emperor penguin just came on a visit. Soup kettle. He did not give a very long epithet. During this week we relieved the sea party of the last of the dogs, about 20 puppies. There was rejoicing on board when the last of them left the deck, and indeed one could not be surprised. With the thermometer about minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, as it had been lately, it was impossible to keep the deck clean as everything froze at once. After they had all been brought on to the ice, the crew went to work with salt and water, and in a short time we recognized the frame again. The puppies were put into boxes and driven up. We had put up a 16-man tent to receive them. From the very first moment they declined to stay in it, and there was nothing to be done but let them out. The puppies passed a great part of the winter in the open air. So long as the seals' carcasses were lying on the slope, they stayed there. Afterwards they found another place. But the tent, despite the youngsters, came in to be useful after all. Any bitch that was going to have a litter was put in there, and the tent went by the name of the maternity hospital. Then one tent after another was put up, and Fronheim looked quite an important place. Eight of the 16 men teams were set up for our eight teams, two for dried fish, one for fresh meat, one for cases of provisions, and one for coal and wood, 14 altogether. They were arranged according to a plan drawn up beforehand, and when they were all up, they had quite the appearance of a camp. At this time a dog harness underwent important alterations, as one of the members of the expedition had a happy idea of combining the Alaska and the Greenland harness. This result satisfied all requirements. In the future we always used this construction, and we all agreed that it was much superior to any other harness. The dogs also seemed to be more comfortable in it. That they worked better and more easily is certain, and raw places so common with Greenland harness were absolutely unknown. February 4 was an eventful day. As usual we all came down to the Fram, driving our empty sledges at half past six in the morning. When the first man got to the top of the ridge, he began to wave his arms about and gesticulate like a madman. I understood, of course, that he saw something but what? The next man gesticulated even worse and tried to shout to me. But it was no use. I could not make anything of it. Then it was my turn to go over the ridge, and as was natural I began to feel rather curious. I had only a few yards more to go, and then it was explained. Along the edge of the ice, just to the south of the Fram, a large brook laid moored. We had talked of the possibility of meeting the Terra Nova, Captain Scott's vessel, when she was on her way to King Edward VII Land. But it was a great surprise, all the same. Now it was my turn to wave my arms, and I am sure I did it no worse than the first two. And the same thing was repeated with all of us as soon as one reached the top of the ridge. What the last man did I have never been able to find out for certain, but no doubt he waved his arms too. As a stranger had stood and watched us that morning on the ridge, he would have surely taken us for a lot of incurable lunatics. The way seemed long that day. But alas we got there and heard the full explanation. The Terra Nova had come in at midnight. Our watchman had just gone below for a cup of coffee. There was no harm in that. And when he came up again there was another ship lying off the foot of the barrier. He rubbed his eyes, pinched his leg, and tried other means of convincing himself that he was asleep. But it was no good. The pinch especially, he told us afterwards, was horribly painful. And all this led to the conclusion that there really was a second vessel there. Lieutenant Campbell, the leader of the Eastern Party, which was to explore King Edward VII's land, came on board first and paid Nielsen a visit. He brought the news that they had not been able to reach land, and were now on their way back to McMurdo Sound. From thence it was their intentions to go to Cape North and explore the land there. Immediately after my arrival, Lieutenant Campbell came on board again and gave me the news himself. We then loaded our sledges and drove home. At nine o'clock we had the great pleasure of receiving Lieutenant Pernell, the commander of the Terra Nova, Lieutenant Campbell, and the surgeon of the expedition as the first guests in our new home. We spent a couple of very agreeable hours together. Later in the day three of us paid a visit to the Terra Nova and stayed on board to lunch. Our hosts were extremely kind, and offered to take our mail to New Zealand. If I had had time I should have been glad to avail myself of this friendly offer, but every hour was precious. It was no use to think of writing now. At two o'clock in the afternoon the Terra Nova cast off again and left the Bay of Whales. A strange discovery after this visit. Nearly all of us had caught cold. Did not last long, only a few hours, and then it was over. The form it took was sneezing and cold in the head. The next day, Sunday, February 5th, the sea rovers, as we called the Fram Party, were our guests. We had to have them in two detachments as they could not all leave the ship at the same time. Four came to dinner and six to supper. We had not much to offer, but we invited them not so much for the sake of entertainment as to show them our new home and wish them a successful voyage. End of Section 12, End of Volume 1, Chapter 5, on The Barrier. Recorded by Ken Campbell. Section 13 of the South Pole. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jamie Strasenberg. The South Pole. By Rolda Munson. Translation by A.G. Carter. Section 13, Volume 1, Chapter 6, Depot Journeys, Part 1. There was now too little work for eight of us in bringing up stores from the Fram, and it became evident that some of us might be more usefully employed elsewhere. It was therefore decided that four men should bring ashore the little that remained while the other four went southward to latitude eighty degrees south, partly to explore the immediate neighborhood and partly to begin the transport of provisions to the south. This arrangement gave us all enough to do. The four who were to continue the work at the station, Whisting, Hassel, Stubbrud, and Bjaaland, now had as much as their sledges could carry. The rest of us were busy getting ready. For that matter, everything was prepared in advance. But as yet, we had no experience of a long journey. That was what we were going to get now. Our departure was fixed for Friday, February 10th. On the ninth I went on board to say goodbye, as presumably the Fram would have sailed when we came back. I had so much to thank all these plucky fellows for. I know it was hard for them, almost without exception, to have to leave us now at the most interesting time and to go out to sea to battle for months with cold and darkness, ice and storms, and then have the same voyage over again the next year, when they had to come and fetch us. It was certainly a hard task, but none of them complained. They had all promised to do their best to promote our common object, and therefore all went about their duty without grumbling. I left written orders with the commander of the Fram, Captain Nilsson. The substance of these orders may be given in a few words. Carry out our plan in the best way you may think. A capable and honorable second in command I could never have had. I knew the Fram was safe in his hands. Lieutenant Prestred and I made a trip to the south to find a suitable place for ascending the barrier on the other side of the bay. The sea ice was fairly even for this distance, only a few cracks here and there. Far up the bay there were, curiously enough, long rows of old hummocks. What could this mean? This part was really quite protected from the sea that these formations could not be attributed to its action. We hoped to have an opportunity investigating the conditions more closely later on. There was no time for it now. The shortest and most direct way to the south was the one we were on now. The bay was not white here. The distance from the Framheim to this part of the barrier was about three miles. The ascent of the barrier was not difficult. With the exception of a few fissures it was quite easy. It did not take long to get up, except perhaps in the steepest part. The height was sixty feet. It was quite exciting to go up. What should we see at the top? We had never yet had a real interrupted view over the barrier to the south. This was the first time. As it happened we were not surprised at what we saw when we got up. An endless plain that was lost in the horizon on the extreme south. Our course, we could see, would take us just up along the side of the ridge before mentioned. A capital mark for later journeys. The going was excellent. A thin layer of conveniently loose snow was spread over a hard undersurface and it made it very suitable for skiing. The lie of the ground told us at once that we had the right pattern of ski. The kind for level ground, long and narrow. We had found what we wanted. An ascent for our southern journeys and an open road. What was afterwards marked with a flag and went by the name of the starting place. On the way back, as on the way out, we passed large herds of seals lying asleep. They did not take the least notice of us. If we went up and woke them, they raised their heads a little, looked at us for a moment and then rolled over on the other side and went to sleep again. It was very evident that these animals here on the ice have no enemies. They certainly would have said a watch from the north do if they had anything to fear. On this day, we used skin clothing for the first time. Reindeer skin clothes of Eskimo Cut but they proved to be too warm. We had the same experience later and low temperatures, these reindeer clothes are beyond comparison the best but here in the south, we did not as a rule have low temperatures on our sledge journeys. On the few occasions when we experienced any cold we're talking about, we were always on the weekends. We returned in the evening after our reconorting. We had no need of a Turkish bath. On February 10th at 9.30 am the first expedition left for the south. We were four men with three sledges and 18 dogs six for each sledge. The load amounted to about 550 pounds of provisions per sledge besides the provisions and outfit for the journey. We could not tell even how long the journey would take as everything was unknown. The chief thing we took on our sledges was the dogs' pemekin for the depot 350 pounds per sledge. We also took a quantity of seal meat cut into steaks, blubber, dried fish, chocolate, margarine, and biscuits. We had ten long bamboo poles with black flags to mark the way. The rest of our outfit consisted of two three man tents for one man sleeping bags and the necessary cooking utensils. The dogs were very willing and we left Framheim at full gallop. Along the barrier we went well. Going down to the sea ice we had to pass through a number of big hummocks a fairly rough surface. Nor was this without consequences first one sledge, then another swung round, but no harm was done. We got our gear tested and that is always an advantage. We also had to pass rather near several large groups of seals and the temptation was too great. Away went the dogs to one side in full gallop towards the seals but the load this time was heavy and they were too soon tired of the extra work. In the bay we were inside of the Fram. The ice had now given way entirely so that she lay close to the barrier herself. Our four comrades who were to stay at home accompanied us. In the first place they wanted to see us on our way and in the second they would be able to lend us a hand in getting up the barrier for we were rather apprehensive that it would cost us a wet shirt. Finally there were tons seals there was plenty of opportunity here where everyone looked there were seals fat heavy beasts. I had put the home party under Wistings command and given them enough work to do. They were to bring up the remainder of the island house against the western wall of the hut so that we should not have to go directly on the ice from the kitchen. We also intended to use this as a carpenter's workshop but they were not to forget the seal hunting early and late. It was important to us to get the seals enough to enable us all men and dogs to live in plenty and there were enough to be had. If we ran short of fresh meat in the course of winter it was a good thing we had help for the climb short as it was it cost us a good deal of trouble for we had dogs enough and by harnessing a sufficient number we got the sledges up. I should like to know what they thought on board they could see we were already hard to put it to get up there. What would it be like when we had to get on the plateau I did not know whether they thought of the old saying practice makes perfect. We halted at the starting place where we were to separate from our comrades. None of us was particularly sentimental and on a shake of the hand and so goodbye. The order of our march was as follows prestured on the first ski to show the direction and encourage the dogs. We always went better with someone going in front. Next came Helmer Hansen. He came we kept this place on all our journeys the leading sledge. I knew him well from our previous work together and regarded him as the most efficient dog driver I had met. He carried the standard compass on his sledge and checked prestured's direction. After him came Johansen also with the compass. Lastly I came with the sledge meter and compass. I preferred to take the last sledge because it enabled me to see what was happening. However careful one may be it is impossible to avoid dropping things and making a journey. If the last man keeps a look out for such things great inconveniences may often be avoided. I could mention many rather important things that were dropped in the course of our journeys and picked up again by the last man. The hardest work of course falls on the first man. He has to open up the road and drive his dogs forward while we others only have to follow. All honor then to the man who performed this task from the first day to the last Helmer Hansen. The position of forerunner is not a very enviable one either. Of course he escapes all bother with dogs but it is confoundedly tedious to walk there alone staring at nothing. His only diversion is a shout from the leading sledge a little to the right a little to the left. It is not so much the simple words that divert him as the tone in which they are called. Now and then the cry comes in a way that makes him feel he is acquitting himself well sometimes it sends a cold shiver down his back. The speaker might just as well have added the word duffer. There is no mistaking his tone. It is no easy matter to go straight on a surface without landmarks. Imagine an immense plane that you have to cross in thick fog. It is dead calm and the snow lies evenly without drifts. What would you do? An Eskimo can manage it but none of us we should turn to the right or to the left and give the leading dog driver with a standard compass endless trouble. It is strange how this affects the mind. Although the man with the compass knows quite well that the man in front cannot do any better and although he knows that he could not do better himself he nevertheless gets irritated in time and works himself into the belief that the unsuspecting perfectly innocent leader only takes these turns to annoy him. And so as I have said the words to the left imply the unspoken addition perfectly understood on both sides. Duffer I have personal experience on both duties. With the dog driver time passes far more quickly. He has his dogs to look after and he has to say that all are working and none shirking. Many other points about a team claim his attention and he must always keep an eye on the sledge itself. If he does not do this some slight unevenness may throw the runners in the air before he knows where he is. And to write a capsized sledge weighing about 800 weight is no fun. Instead of running this risk he gives his whole attention to what is before him. From the starting place the barrier rises very slightly until at a cross ridge it passes into the perfect level. Here on the ridge we halt once more. Our comrades have disappeared and gone to their work but in the distance the frown lies framed in shining blue-white ice. We are but human. Uncertainly always limits our prospect. Shall we meet again? And if so under what conditions? Much lay between that moment and the next time we should see her. The mighty ocean on one side and the unknown region of ice on the other so many things might happen. Her flag floats out, waves as the last adieu and disappears. We are on our way to the south. This first inland trip to the barrier was undeniably exciting. The ground was absolutely unknown and our outfit untried. What kind of country should we have to deal with? Would it continue in this boundless plain without hindrance of any kind? Or would nature present insurmountable difficulties? We were right into supposing that dogs were the best means of transport in these regions. Or should we have done better to take reindeer, ponies, motor cars, aeroplanes or anything else? We went forward at a rattling pace. The going was perfect. The dog's feet trod on the thin layer of loose snow, just enough to give them a secure hold. The weather conditions were not quite what we should have wished in an unknown country. It is true that it was calm and mild and altogether pleasant for travelling but the light was not good. A grey haze, the most unpleasant of kind after fog, lay upon the landscape, making the barrier and sky merge into one. There was no horizon to be seen. This grey haze, presumably a younger sister of fog is extremely disagreeable. One can never be certain of one's surroundings. There are no shadows, everything looks the same. In a light like this it is a bad thing to be the forerunner. He does not see the inequalities of the ground until too late until he is right on them. This often ends in a fall where he has to put efforts to keep on his feet. It is better for the drivers they can steady themselves with a hand on the sledge, but they also have to be on the lookout for inequalities and see that the sledges do not capsize. This slide is also very trying to the eyes and one often hears of snow blindness after such a day. The cause of this is not only that one strain one's eyes continually it is also brought by carelessness. One is very apt to push one's snow goggles up onto one's head especially if they are fitted with dark glasses. However we always come through it very well. Only a few of us had a little touch of this unpleasant complaint. Curiously enough snow blindness has something in common with seasickness. If you ask a man whether he is seasick in nine cases out of ten he will answer no, not at all, only a little queer in the stomach. It is the same in a slightly different way with snow blindness if a man comes into the tent in the evening with an inflamed eye and you ask him whether he is snow blind you may be sure he is almost offended. Snow blind, is it likely? No, not at all, only a little queer about the eye. We did seventeen miles that day without exertion. We had two tents and slept two in a tent. These tents were made for three men but were too small for four. Cooking was only done in one both for the sake of economy so that we might leave more at the depot and because it was unnecessary as the weather was still quite mild. On this first trip as on all the depot journeys our morning arrangements took far too long. We began to get ready at four but were not on the road until nearly eight. I was always trying some means of remedying this but without success. It will naturally be asked what could be the cause of this and I will answer candidly. It was dawdling and nothing else. On these depot journeys it did not matter so much but on the main journey we had to banish dawdling relentlessly. Next day we did the allotted seventeen miles in six hours and pitched our camp early in the afternoon. The dogs were rather tired as it had been uphill work all day. Today from a distance of twenty-eight miles we could look down into the Bay of Whales. The photos that we had ascended considerably we estimated our camp that evening to be five hundred feet above the sea. We were astonished at this rise but ought not to have been so really since we had already estimated this ridge at five hundred feet when we first saw it from the end of the bay. But however it may be most of us have a strong propensity for setting up theories and inventing something new. What others have seen does not interest us and we took the opportunity I say we because I was one of them of propounding a new theory that of an evenly advancing ice slope from the Antarctic plateau we saw ourselves in our mind's eye ascending gradually to the top and thus avoiding a steep and laborious climb among the mountains. The day had been very warm positive twelve point two degrees Fahrenheit and I had been obliged to throw up everything except the most close. My costume may be guessed from the name I gave to the ascent Singlet Hill. There was a thick fog when we turned out the next morning exceedingly unpleasant. Here every inch was over virgin ground and we had to do it blindly. That day we had a feeling of going downhill. At one o'clock land was reported right ahead from the gesticulations of those in front I made out that it must be uncommonly big. I saw absolutely nothing but that was not very surprising. My sight is not especially good and the land did not exist. The fog lifted and the surface looked a little broken. The imaginary land lasted till the next day when we found out that it had only been a descending bank of fog. That day we put on the pace and did 25 miles instead of our usual 17. We were very lightly clad. There could be no question of skins. They were laid aside at once. Very light when clothing was all we wore over our under clothes. On this journey most of us slept bare-legged in the sleeping bags. Next day we were surprised by brilliantly clear weather and a dead calm. For the first time we had a good view. Towards the south the barrier seemed to continue smooth and even without ascending. Towards the east on the other hand there was a marked rise presumably towards King Edward VII. Land we thought then in the course of the afternoon we passed the first fissure we had met with. It had apparently been filled up long ago. Our distance that day was 23 miles. On these depot journeys we were always very glad of our thermos flasks. In the middle of the day we made a halt and took a cup of scalding hot chocolate and it was very pleasant to be able to get one without any trouble in the middle of the snow plateau. On the final southern journey we did not take thermos flasks. We had no lunch then. On February 14th after a march of 11 and a half miles we reached 80 degrees south. Unfortunately we did not exceed in getting any astronomical observation on this trip. As this the delight we had brought up with us went wrong but later observations on several occasions gave 79 degrees. We had not so bad in fog. We marked out the route up to this point with bamboo poles and flags every 15 kilometers. Now as we had not fixed the position by any astronomical observation we found that the flags would not be sufficient and we had to look for some other means of marking the spot. A few empty cases were broken up and gave a certain number of masks but not nearly enough. Then our eyes fell upon a bundle of dried fish lying on one edge of the sledges and our marking pegs were found. I should like to know whether any road has been marked out with dried fish before. I doubt it. Immediately on our first arrival in latitude 80 degrees at 11 in the morning we began to erect the depot. It was made quite solid and was 12 feet high. The going gear in 80 degrees was quite different from what we had seen in all the rest of the way. Deep loose snow everywhere gave us the impression that it must have fallen into a weather. Generally when we passed by there but not always we found some loose snow. When the depot was finished and had been photographed we threw ourselves on the sledges and began the homeward journey. It was quite a treat to sit and be drawn along. A thing that otherwise never happened. Prestured sat with me. Hansen drove first but as he had now had the old track to follow he wanted no one in front. We had the marking pegs. Prestured kept an eye on the sledge meter and sang out at every half kilometer while at the same time I had stuck a dried fish into the snow. This method of marking the route proved a brilliant one. Not only did the dried fish show us the right way on several occasions but they also came in very useful on the next journey which when we returned was starving dogs. That day we covered 43 miles. We did not get to bed till one o'clock at night but this did not prevent our being up again at four and off at half past seven. At half past nine in the evening we drove into Framheim after covering 62 miles that day. Our reason for driving that distance was not set up any record for the barrier but to get home if possible before the Fram sailed and thus have an opportunity of once more shaking hands with our comrades and wishing them a good voyage. But as we came over the edge of the barrier we saw that in spite of all our pains we had come too late the Fram was not there it gave us a strange and melancholy feeling not easy to understand but the next moment common sense returned and our joy at her having got away from the barrier undamaged after the long stay was soon uppermost. We heard that she had left the bay at noon the same day just as we were spurting our hardest to reach her. This depot journey was quite sufficient to tell us what the future had in store. After this we were justified in seeing in it a rosy light we now had experience of three important factors the lie of the ground, the going and the means of traction and the result was that nothing could be better everything was in the most perfect order I had always had a high opinion of dog as a draw out animal but after this last performance my admiration of these splendid animals to the pitch of enthusiasm let us look at what my dogs accomplished on this occasion. On February 14th they went 11 miles southward with a load of 770 pounds and on the same day 32 miles northward only four of them, the three musketeers and Lassison as Fix and Snepison refused to do any work. The weight they started with being from 80 degrees south was that of the sledge 165 pounds 176 pounds and myself 182 pounds add to this 154 pounds for sleeping bags ski and dried fish and we have a total weight of 677 pounds or about 170 pounds per dog the last day they did 62 miles I think the dog showed on this occasion that they were well suited for sledging on the barrier in addition to this brilliant result we arrived at several other conclusions in the first place the question of the long time spent in our morning preparations thrust itself on our notice this could not be allowed to occur on the main journey at least two hours might be saved I had no doubt of that but how? I should have to take time to think it over what required most alteration was our heavy outfit the sledges were constructed with the view to the most difficult conditions of ground the surface here was of the easiest kind and subsequently permitted the use of the lightest outfit we ought to be able to reduce the weight of the sledges by at least half possibly more our big canvas ski boots were found to need thorough alteration they were too small and too stiff and had to be made larger and softer foot gear had such an important bearing on the success of the whole expedition that we had to do all that it could to be done to get right the four who had stayed at home had accomplished a fine piece of work Framheim was hardly recognizable with the big new addition on its western wall this penthouse was of the same width as the hut, 13 feet and measured about 10 feet the other way windows had been put in two of them and it looked quite bright and pleasant when one came in but this was not to last for long our architects had also dug a passage 5 feet wide around the whole hut and this was now covered over simply by prolonging the sloping roof down to the snow to form a roof over this passage on the side facing east a plank was fixed across the gable at the required height and from this boards were brought down into the snow the lower part of this new extension of the roof was well strengthened and the weight of snow that would probably accumulate upon it in the course of the winter should be very great this passage was connected with the penthouse by a side door in the northern wall the passage was constructed to serve as a place for strong tinned foods and fresh meat besides which its eastern end afforded an excellent place to get snow for melting here Lindstrom could be sure of getting as much clean snow as he wanted which was an impossibility outside the house we had 120 dogs running about and they were not particular as to the purpose for which we might want the snow but here in the snow wall Lindstrom had no need to fear the dogs another great advantage was that we could not have to go out in bad weather darkness and cold and every time he wanted a piece of ice we now had to turn our attention in the first place before the cold weather set in to the arrangement of our dog tents we could not leave them standing as they were on the snow if we did so we should soon find that the dog's teeth are just as sharp as knives besides which they would be droughty and cold for the animals the floor of each tent was sunk 6 feet below the surface of the barrier a great part of the excavation had to be done with the axes as we soon came to the bear ice one of these dog tents when finished had quite an important appearance when one stood at the bottom and looked up it measured 18 feet from the floor to the peak of the tent and the diameter of the floor was 15 feet then 12 posts were driven into the ice floor at equal intervals around the wall of the tent and the dogs were tethered to them from the very first day the dogs took a liking to their quarters and they were right as they were well off there I do not remember once saying frost rime on the coats of my dogs down in the tent they enjoyed every advantage there air without droughts light and sufficient room around the tent pole we left a pillar of snow standing in the middle of the tent to the height of a man it took us 2 days to put our 8 dog in order before the france hailed one of the whale boats had been put ashore on the barrier one never knew if we found ourselves in one of a boat it would be bad to have none and if we did not have to use it there was no great harm done it was brought up on 2 sledges drawn by 12 dogs and it was taken some distance into the barrier the mass stood high in the air and showed us its position clearly besides all their other work the 4 men had found time shooting seals while we were away and large quantities of meat were now stowed everywhere we had to lose no time in getting ready the tent in which we stored our chief supply of seal meat it would not have lasted long if we had left it unprotected on the ground to keep off the dogs we built a 7 feet high wall of large blocks of snow the dogs themselves saw to its covering with ice and for the time being all possibility was removed we did not let the floor grow old under our feet it was time to be off again to the south with more food our departure was fixed for February 22nd and before that time we had a great deal to do all the provisions had first to be brought from the main depot and prepared for the journey then we had to open the cases of pemmican take out the boxes in which it was soldered 4 rations in each cut these open without the tin lining by doing this we saved so much weight and at the same time avoided the trouble of having to do this work later in the cold the tin packing was used for the passage through the tropics where I was afraid the pemmican might possibly melt and run into the hold of the ship this opening and repacking took a long time but we got through it we used the penthouse as a packing shed another thing that took up a great deal of our time was our personal outfit the question of boots was gone into thoroughly most of us were in favor of the other big outer boots but in a revised edition there were a few but extremely few who declared for nothing but soft foot gear in this case it did not make so much difference since they all knew that the big boots would have to be brought on the final journey on account of possible work on glaciers those therefore who wanted to wear a soft foot gear and hang their boots on the sledge might do so if they liked I did not want to force anyone to wear boots he did not care for it might lead to much unpleasantness and responsibility everyone therefore might do as much as he pleased personally I was in favor of boots with stiff soles so long as the uppers could be made soft and sufficiently large to give room for as many stockings as one wish to wear it was a good thing the boot maker could not look in upon us at Framheim just then and many times afterwards for that matter the knife was mercilessly applied to his beautiful work and the canvas plus the quantity of the superfluous leather was cut away as I had no great knowledge of the shoemaker's craft I gladly accepted with Sting's offer to operate online the boots were unrecognizable when I got them back from him as regards shape they were perhaps just as smart before the alteration because this is a very unimportant matter in comparison with ease and comfort I considered them improved by many degrees the thick canvas was torn off and replaced by thin weatherproof fabric big wedges were inserted in the toes and allowed room for several more pairs of stockings besides this one of the many soles was removed thus increasing the available space it appeared to me now that I had foot gear that combined all the qualities I demanded stiff soles on which the felt heuer elfenstein steel buildings could be used and otherwise soft so that the foot was not pinched anywhere in spite of all these alterations my boots were once more in the hands of the operator before the main journey but when they were made perfect the boots of all the others underwent the same transformation and every day our outfit became more complete a minor number of alterations in our wardrobe were also carry out one man was an enthusiast for blinkers on his cap another did not care for them one put on a nose protector and another took his off and if there was a question of which was right each was prepared to defend his idea to the last these were all alterations of minor importance but being due to individual judgment they helped to raise the spirits and increased self confidence patents for braces also became the fashion I invented one myself and was very proud of it for a time indeed I had the satisfaction of seeing it adopted by one of my rivals but that rarely happened each of us wanted to make his own inventions and to be as original as possible any contrivance that resembled something already in use was no good but we found like the farmer that the old way often turned out to be the best by the evening of February 21st we were again ready to start the sledges seven and number stood ready packed and were quite imposing in appearance tempted by the favorable outcome of our former trip we put too much on our sledges this time on some of them in any case mine was overloaded I had to suffer it afterwards or rather my noble animals did on February 22nd at 8.30 am the caravan moved off eight men seven sledges and 42 dogs and the most toilsome part of our whole expedition began as usual we began well from Framheim, Lindstrom who was to stay at home alone and look after things did not stand and wait for wells to us beaming with joy he made for the hut as soon as the last ledge was in motion he was visibly relieved but I knew very well that before long he would begin to take little turns outside to watch the ridge would they soon be coming there was a light breeze from the south and the sky was overcast nearly fallen snow made the going heavy and the dogs had to work hard for their loads our former tracks were no longer visible but we were lucky enough to find the first flag which stood 11 miles inland from there we followed the dried fish which stood out sharply against the white snow and which were very easy to see we pitched our camp at six o'clock in the evening having come a distance of 17 miles our camp was quite imposing four tents for three men a piece with two in each and two of them the housekeeping arrangements were carried on the weather had improved during the afternoon and by evening we had the most brilliant clear sky next day the going was even heavier and the dogs were severely tired we did no more than 12 and a half miles after eight hours march the temperature remained reasonable positive five degrees Fahrenheit we had lost our dried fish and for the last few hours we were going only by compass end of section 13 recording by Jamie Strasenberg Cyprus, California