Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-08-15
After the North Pole.

tut oit'
An expedition with the purpose
OF finding the north pole will set out
from Norway next year. There is
plenty Of money behind the enter
terprise. Mr.. Camel, the merchant
who fitted out the little party which
crossed Greenland last summer un-
der DR.. Nasen, is its chief capitalist.
About $4,000 has been subscribed
and more can be had if needful.
Dr. Nasen has accepted the COM
niand and for the next few months
he will be a busy young man. He
has to write book on his adven-
lures in Greenland, to be published
in Europe and this country. He
has to superlntend building a stout
little vessel for the north pole.
DIR. Nasen says there is only one
route by which the north pole en-
he reached and that route he in
tends to take; but for the present lie
declines to speak more presisely on
this important question. 1t is
learned from other sources, however,
that he hopes to reach q higher
point on the east coast of Greenland
than that attained by the German
expedition, and then advance along
the coast to Lockwood's farthest
point, practically completing the
mapping of Greenland's coast line
and thence finally start over the
frozen sea to the pole.
Many expeditions to the white
north have spent about as much en-
ergy in securing their retreat as in
diminishing the distance betwee n
themselves and the pole. 1t is Ma
sens idea that the only way to get
to the pole is to go there or perish in
the attempt. He says he will waste
no time in securing his retreat. An
old Noise proverb, "There is before
us only heaven or hell, )" is his mot
to. He will establish no base of
operations, but push for the pole.
He remarked IN London the other
day that he expected it would be
"the north pole or DEATH" but he
added incidentally that it might be
the west coast of Greenland. 1t is
quite certain that after his northern
explorations he hopes to cross Green
land in Its broadcast part to the west
coast settlements, having learned in
his recent trip that the difficulties of
this ice-bound country can be over
come by skill and determination
lie does not expect to land on the
east coast till autumn next year, and
the following season will be spent
in explorations.
The north pole quest is q mania
that will will probably afflict dar-
ing young spirits, eager for Arctic
laurels, until the goal has been
reached and photographed. If it is
ever attained it viii. probably be by
small expedition of picked men in
charge of leader like Nasen, who
has plenty of cash, vigor, strength
and intelligenc. If next year proves
to be an unfavorable ice year the
expedition may return to await a
more hopeful occasion; butif Nasen,
finely equipped, has such chance
to steam as far as Leigh Smith en-
joyed on some of his trips to Franz
Josef's land he will be likely to
make notable Arctic journey,
whether he fetches the pole or not.
An exchange remarks: ut takes
a minister two or three minutes to
perform a marriage ceremony. He
makes no charge, but is generally
handed $5 bill, sometimes ten and
a good supper besides. the list of
presents is sent to the editor and re-
quires two or three hours hard work
to put in type. He makes no char
ges and gets no $5. Perhaps he gets
some pieces of dry, broken cake and
sells an extra copy of his paper for
nlckle, but just as probable the par
ties are not even subscribers to his
paper and beg a paper from neigh