Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
149
tains extended at least to longitude 150° W advanced the discoveries of Shackleton another
250 miles into the unknown. Although the better part of the distance between Beard-
more and Liv Glaciers had not been seen, Amundsen's connecting the mountain front
between these two areas was reasonable speculation, accounting for a span of mountains
more than 1,000 miles long. The surveying of the line of peaks that Amundsen showed
extending southeast from Mount Thorvald Nilsen was so poorly constrained, however,
that, when the modern maps were made from aerial photography, the locations of many
of the peaks could only be guessed at, and the assignment of names in this area became
arbitrary. The northern portion of these mountains is now called the Nilsen Plateau,
which peters out to the south in a row of subdued peaks at the head of Scott Glacier.
It is possible that some of these distant peaks were visible on the party's return across
the plateau, but they extend barely south of 87° S, rather than to 88° S, as Amundsen
mapped. The nunataks named for the polar party are not shown on his map, although
they are on contemporary maps. Likewise, Mount Ole Engelstad and Mount Wilhelm
Christophersen, two summits in the headreaches of Axel Heiberg Glacier, are mentioned
in Amundsen's text but not placed on his map. Modern mapping has also shown that
Mount Helland Hansen does not exist. A broad undulation of the descending ice cap to
the west of his route may be what was mistaken for mountains. As a guide to future ex-
plorers in the region, Amundsen's map was seriously wanting.
Figure 5.8. (opposite) In this
detail of the continental
map of Antarctica, pub-
lished in 1928 by the Geo-
graphical Society of New
York, Carmen Land is out of
kilter with the other names
on the map, and the eleva-
tion points on Amundsen's
traverse are corrected
using the elevation for the
South Pole determined by
Scott. Reproduced by per-
mission of the American
Geographical Society.
Whither Carmen Land? Byrd's Flight and Gould's Traverse
Not since the United States Exploring Expedition of 1838-1840 commanded by Lieuten-
ant Charles Wilkes had the Americans ventured into the Antarctic arena. But after World
War I and its emergence from isolationist policies, the country was flush with optimism
and a new self-image as international player. Although the South Pole had been reached,
large spaces on the Antarctic map remained blank and unclaimed, so it reasonably fol-
lowed that public interest turned to the “Great White South” as a place to demonstrate
American prowess. Great advances had been made during the war in aviation and in ra-
dio communication, technology that would launch the next era of Antarctic exploration.
From this period emerged a man who for Americans would be synonymous with
Antarctica, as were Scott and Shackleton for the British, Mawson for the Australians,
and Amundsen for the Norwegians. This man was Richard E. Byrd, a naval aviator dur-
ing World War I, who had pioneered in navigational techniques beyond the sight of land.
On May 9, 1926, he navigated the first flight to the North Pole. The following year he
succeeded in a transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Then, in early 1928, Byrd an-
nounced plans to lead an expedition to Antarctica, spearheaded by airborne exploration
of uncharted lands and a flight to the South Pole.
In a nine-month frenzy of promotion and organization, Byrd's expedition took
form. All donations came from the private sector, the principal backers being Edsel Ford
and John D. Rockefeller. The flagship of the expedition was a reconditioned Norwe-
gian whaler recommended to Byrd by Amundsen. Rechristened the City of New York, it
was supported by a steel cargo ship renamed the Eleanor Bolling. Two whaling vessels,
