The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-06-14

} FALLS, MINNES(
story continued to the effect that another
man spoke up and said in his opinion II
the north pole was ever to be conquered it
would be by an American. This was also
warmly applauded, and then came the
point of the anecdote, for here third man
[bobbed up most conveniently to declare
that II the north pole were ever discovered
Fhe feat would be accomplished by Ameri-
eans and Norwegians together. The en-
Ghusiasm over this expression was very
great, and after that Professor French,
DR.. Mohun, Mr.. Dodge, Professor Oyen,
the writer and others of our party had no
difficulty in rousing the imagination of
our generous Norwegian hosts. We prom
ised them to carry the two flags, those of
the United States and of Norway, as far as
we should be able, to go and to leave them
there together to mark the friendship
which exists between the two peoples. If
the arrival Of daylight ht-daylight comes
provokingly early in this part of the world
had not cut short the number of INSTALL
ments in our speeches, probably we should
ere concluding have promised them to an
mex all the lands in the arctic regions to
the future Norwegian republic.
They have flag question Of their own
over here. There is a flag with q union in
1t, typical Of allegiance to the king of
Sweden and Norway. Another flag has no
union, and 1t is Of course the favorite of
that rising party in this country which IA
vors separation from Sweden and the es-
tablishment of Norwegian republic. It
was easy to see that We were in danger Of
being involved In q flag controversy and
possibly in some international complica.
tions, for there was suspicious curiosity
on all sides to know whether the flag to
be foated from the masthead Of the Ragn-
valid Jarl was to be union or nonunion.
Some of the Norwegian members of our
party are unionists, and some are not and
this made the situation all the more en-
barrassing. We finally decided that with
the politics Of Norway we had nothing to
do. We will keep our political aspirations
till we get to the north pole, and there we
hope to put the ice king to rout and take
possession Of the land in the name of the
Washington Press club. The Norwegian
nag which we carry is the flag of the gov
ernment Of this country, with union. Dr.
Nansen, who is republican, seriously Of
Tended the king by taking his flag without,
but that is a privilege which subject
might dare, but which a foreigner could
not venture upon, even If he were so dis
posed.
The Center of Attraction.
The good luck which has so far attended
us in every part of our enterprise was en-
phasiZed in Aalesund. Contrary to fears
all our shipments arrived in good time and
in gool order. Our precious aluminium
boats and sledges, which the bills of lading
had marked as insecurely packed, con-
tents broken and parts missing" words
which caused Il succession of cold shivers
to run down all our backs, came to hand
in perfect order. Scarcely a bolt was
broken, and tho beautiful aluminium boats
came out of their crates without q scratch
or mar on their long voyage. So with the
slcagcs and their water tight food cases,
which more than ever resemble what we
ourselves have jolingly called them-''a
tank line to the north pole'-now that
we have them all together. The boats in
stantly became a center of attraction in
Aalesund, rivaling most successfully the
best looking and most debonair members
of our party in the affections of the ladies'
The trim little craft, whose sledge bottoms
scarcely dampcned themselves in the blue
water of the ford when put overheard,
wcro at once surrounded by crowds who
came in fleets of boats to see them We
had been a little anxious as to the judg-
menC of the Norwegian boatmen upon our
boats for they are accustomed to the use
of heavy craft with broader beams and
thic,, skins. Beside such boats our little
craft, though obviously of fine model and
superb workmanship, were sure to appear
friil as Coc,,i icshclls.
But the Norwegian boatmen were de-
lighted with the aluminium boats They
rowc,l them to and fro and smiled as the
Shells glided so easily over the water. They
tried in vain to tip one of them over, half
do, ~ men throwing their weight upon
the gIlnwale of the Lockwood, as our boat
No. is named in honor of the gallant
American who made the proud record of
the farthcst north. Our second boat is
named the Parry, after that greatest of all
arctic explorers of this century, Sir Ed
ward Parry, the Englishman who made
the farthest north in 1927 that stood as the
record in polar work for so years. starting
from the same island of Spitzbergen for
which we are now steaming. Our third
or working boat is named the Kane, in
honor of DR.. Kane, the American who
added so much luster to the record of our
countrymen in arctic exploration. The
Norwegian bOatmen cut up all sorts of ca
pers with these little craft and finally gave
their opinion as experts-and there are no
better boatmen in the world-that they
would do the work for which they had
been built, that they were splendid sea
boats that they could be beached through
roaring surf, and that they would do ev-
erything small boat ought to do except
sail to windward. This we already knew,
and it is point without importance in
our scheme. We were therefore much re-
lieved to learn that the verdict of the Jury
Of grizzled boatmen and fishermen was in
our favor.
A Touching Farewell.