484 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part 11 
Anxious to lose no time, the)' started for their attempt 
on the Pole on September 8th, but it was soon evident 
that it was far too early, the temperature being - 6o° 
Fahr. or thereabouts, and the party returned after 
reaching the first depot in 8o° S. and leaving further 
stores there. 
At length, on October 19th, 1911, the final start was 
made — five men, Amundsen, Bjaaland, Wisting, Hassel, 
and Hanssen, with four sledges, each with 13 dogs. 
Under favourable conditions the pace attained was very 
fast, and 4J miles per hour was covered with the greatest 
ease. They now began the system of putting up beacons 
of snow, 6 ft. high, each of which was numbered and gave 
the distance and direction of the next one to the north. 
They were put up about every 13th or 15th kilometre, 
and 150 of them were erected. After 8i° S. they were 
put up every 9 kilometres. The final depot at 82 0 S. 
was reached and left on November 6th, and the latitude 
of 83 0 on November 8th, and here provisions for 5 men 
and 12 dogs for four days were left. 
On November 10th they approached the great moun- 
tain chain, the mighty peaks of which rose to heights of 
15,000 ft., and on the 12th made their depot in Lat. 84 0 S. 
leaving provisions for 5 men and 12 dogs for five days, 
as well as matches and about 4 gallons of paraffin. Three 
days later they were in 85 0 S. It was from here that 
they decided to make their dash for the Pole — a distance 
there and back of 683 English miles — and it was resolved 
to take 60 days' provisions on the sledges, leaving the 
remainder, 30 days, in depot. The weather was very 
fine, and in this respect they were peculiarly fortunate. 
On the 17th they began their passage through the 
mountain range and found it easier than they had 
expected. The dogs were in admirable condition, and 
nearing 86° S. they found the heat positively disagreeable, 
and " sweated as if they were running races in the tropics/' 
Twenty-four dogs were killed for food on reaching the 
divide, and a rest of five days taken, partly owing to a 
blizzard. Great difficulties now beset them on the 
glacier on the farther side, and one day only 2J miles 
were covered. In Lat. 87 0 , however, things improved, 
and December 4th and following days they progressed at 
