1915- ^o. 5- ROALD Amundsen's ANTARCTIC expedition: meteorology. 41 



I. The Route. Courses and Distances. Latitudes and Longitudes. 



I . Courses. 



The steering was regulated by the compass. Some distance ahead 

 of the leading sledge, which carried the compass, there went a > fore- 

 runner« on ski, moving in the direction given by the man at the sledge, 

 and continually checked by him^ 



During the journey to the Pole the variation of the compass was 

 determined b}' means of the altitude and compass-bearing of the Sun. 

 From the altitude and declination of the Sun, and the latitude, was com- 

 puted the azimuth of the Sun; and this, compared with the compass-bea- 

 ring, gave the error or variation of the compass. 



2. Distances. 



The distances accomplished every da}- were measured by 3 sledge- 

 meters fixed aft on the sledges. They consisted of a running vertical 

 wheel, with which was connected a counting mechanism indicating in 

 nautical miles or minutes of arc the distance made. The totals of the 

 distances measured were checked by the latitudes found from astronomi- 

 cal observations. 



The following Table shows, for ever\' day, the hours of starting and 

 camping, the variation of the compass, the courses by compass, except a 

 few true directions, and the latitudes determined from astronomical obser- 

 vations. There is onh' one determination of longitude, on the 17*^* No- 

 vember, 0° 49' E ofFramheim. The Table is a copy of the data in Mr. Sverre 

 Hassel's list and Capt. Amundsen's note-book. The dates are Framheim 

 time. The date was not changed when the >^Fram« passed 180° of longi- 

 tude on the way from Europe. 



' The South Pole, I. p.p. 211— 213. 



