EXPEDITION TO SOUTH POLE — AMUNDSEN". 715 



We found all of our 10 provision depots again. The provisions, 

 of which we finally had a superabundance, were taken with us to 

 the eightieth parallel and cached there. From the eighty-sLxth 

 parallel on we did not need to apportion our rations; everyone 

 could eat as much as he desired. 



After an absence of 99 days we reached our winter quarters, 

 "Framheim," on January 25. We had, therefore, covered the 

 journe}' of 864 miles in 39 days, during which we <lid not allow 

 Qui'selves any days of rest. Our mean daily march, therefore, 

 amounted to 22.1 miles. At the end of our journey two of our sleds 

 were in good comlition and 11 dogs healthy and happy. Not once 

 had we needed to help our dogs and to push the sleds ourselves. 



Our provisions consisted of pemmican, biscuits, desiccated milk, 

 and chocolate. We therefore did not have very much variety, but it 

 was healthful and robust nourishment which built up the body, and 

 it was of course just this that we needed. The best proof of this 

 was that we felt well during the whole time and never had reason to 

 complain of our food, a condition which has occurred so often on 

 long sledge journeys and must be considered a sure indication of 

 improper nourishment. 



During our absence, Lieut. Prestrud with his two companions had 

 done excellent work toward the east and in the vicinity of the Bay 

 of Wliales. They succeeded in reaching King Edward VII Land, 

 which Scott had discovered, and in confirming what we had seen. 

 It was found that the Alexandra Mountains are a range entirely 

 snow covered and with an elevation of 1,230 feet. They run in a 

 southeasterly diiection as far as the eye can roach and are bounded 

 on the north Ijy mountams 2 000 feet high, which were named 

 "Nutakar" by Scott. 



The observations made on this expedition in the neighborhood of 

 ' ' Framheim ' ' are of great interest. They resulted in determining that 

 the Bay of Whales has a snow-covered bottom. 



Simultaneously with our work on land, scientific observations 

 were made on board the Fram by Capt. NUsen and his companions 

 which probably stamp this expedition as the most valuable of all. 

 The Fram made a voyage from Buenos Ahes to the coast of Africa 

 and back, covering a distance of 8,000 nautical miles, during which 

 a series of oceanographical observations was made at no less than 

 60 stations. The total length of the Fram's journey equaled twice 

 the circumnavigation of the globe. The Fram has successfully 

 braved dangerous voyages which made high demands u])on her crew. 

 The trip out of the ice region in the fall of 1911 was of an especially 

 serious character. Her whole complement then comprised only 10 

 men. Through night and fog, through storm and hurricane, through 



