EXPEDITION TO SOUTH POLE AMUNDSEN. 705 



In their selection no mistake had been made. It was now for us to 

 make nse of everything to the best advantage. 



Our sojourn at the station was only a short one. On February 22 

 we were ready again to carry supplies to a more southern depot. We 

 intended to push this depot as far south as possible. On this occasion 

 our expedition consisted of 8 men, 7 sleds, and 42 dogs. Only the 

 cook remained at "Framheim." 



On Februaiy 27 we passed the depot w^hich we had established at 

 80° S.; we found everythmg hi the best of order. On JVIarch 4 we 

 reached the eighty-first parallel and deposited there 1,150 pounds of 

 provisions. Three men returned from here to the station, while the 

 five others contmued toward the south and reached the eighty-second 

 parallel on March 8, depositing there 1,375 pounds of provisions. 

 We then returned, and on March 22 were again at home. Before 

 the winter began we made another excursion to the depot in 80° S., 

 and added to our supplies there 2,400 pounds of fresh salt meat and 

 440 pounds of other provisions. On April 11 we returned from 

 this excursion ; this ended all of our work connected with the estab- 

 lishment of depots. Up to that date we had carried out 6,700 pounds 

 of provisions and had distributed these in three rejiositories. 



The part of the Barrier over which we hatl gone heretofore has an 

 average height of 165 feet and looked like a flat plam which continued 

 with slight undulations ^nthout au}^ marked features that could have 

 served for orientation. It has heretofore been the opinion that on 

 such an endless plam no j^rovisions can be cached without risking 

 their loss. If we were, however, to have the slightest chance of 

 reachmg our goal we had to establish depots, and that to as great an 

 extent as possible. This question was discussed among us, and we 

 decided to establish signs across our route, and not along it, as has 

 been generall}^ done heretofore. W^e therefore set up a row of signs 

 at right angles to our route — that is, in an east-west direction from our 

 depots. Two of these signs were placed on opposite sides of each of 

 the three depots, at a distance of 5.6 miles (9 kilometers) from them; 

 and between the signs and the dei)ot two flags were erected for every 

 kilometer. In addition, all flags were marked so that we might know 

 the direction and distance of the depot to which they referred. This 

 provision proved entu-ely trustworthy; we were able to find our 

 depots even in dense fog. Our compasses and pedometers were 

 tested at the station; we knew that we could rely upon them. 



By our excursions to the depots we had gained a great deal. We 

 had not only carried a large amount of provisions toward the south, 

 but we had also gained valuable experience. That was worth more 

 and was to l)e of value to us on our final advance to the pole. 



The lowest temperature we had observed on these depot excursions 

 was — 50° C. The fact that it was still summer when we recorded 



