xviii THE FIRST ACCOUNT 



as was humanly possible with the instruments at our 

 disposal. We had a sextant and artificial horizon calcu- 

 lated for a radius of 8 kilometres. 



On December 17 we were ready to go. We raised 

 on the spot a little circular tent, and planted above it 

 the Norwegian flag and the Fram's pennant. The 

 Norwegian camp at the South Pole was given the 

 name of ' Polheim." The distance from our winter 

 quarters to the Pole was about 870 English miles, so 

 that we had covered on an average 15^ miles a day. 



We began the return journey on December 17. The 

 weather was unusually favourable, and this made our 

 return considerably easier than the march to the Pole. 

 We arrived at ' Framheim," our winter quarters, in 

 January, 1912, with two sledges and eleven dogs, all 

 well. On the homeward journey we covered an average 

 of 22i miles a day. The lowest temperature we ob- 

 served on this trip was - 24 F., and the highest 

 + 23 F. 



The principal result besides the attainment of the 

 Pole is the determination of the extent and character 

 of the Ross Barrier. Next to this, the discovery of a 

 connection between South Victoria Land and, probably, 

 King Edward VII. Land through their continuation in 

 huge mountain-ranges, which run to the south-east and 

 were seen as far south as lat. 88 8', but which in all 

 probability are continued right across the Antarctic 

 Continent. We gave the name of " Queen Maud's 



