The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-18

whom the captain presented II.
In talking to Captain Amundsen and
his men about their trip. I could not
help again and again getting back to
that aspect of it which impressed me
most. the dreariness and loneliness OF
it. Dangers are faced by all seamen.
HardShips are matter OF course, but
the unspeatable monotony always
seemed to me more impossible to bear
than anything else. The answer was
always I'VE were too busy to think
about it,"
Besides the regular work in connec-
tion with the observations. the colIec-
lions made of botanical and GEOLOGICAL
specimens, as well as the looking after
the comfort of the expedition and the
preservation of its property. there were
several trips made In the neighbor-
hood of the harbor for the exploration
of unknown territory and the taking
Of magnetic observations. There was
plenty OF work in preparing for these
expeditions and also for those who
We're left in charge >of the vessel and
the instruments
For the leisure hours which must be
passed somehow. there was we'll
stocked library containing not only a
complete collection of books on Arctic
expeditions. but also a number of
books Of general interest. Cards some
Christmas Was Celebrated.
Christmas was never allowed to pass
without such festivities as the circum-
stances would permit. Punch was made
of the strong liquors with which the
expedition was sparfngly provided. and
which were kept for state occasions.
As it is manifestly impossible for a
good Norwegian to pass Christmas Eve
without Christmas tree, sorry sub
stitute was made and hung with gifts.
There were packages brought from
home and labeled Christmas 1903"
Christmas 1904" and so on. These
contained the little things with which
unappreciative men are showered by
their sisters and their cousins and their
aunts at Christmas. Only, these men
were not unappreciative. They had
reached the point where even that spe-
cial denomination of mankind. a pen-
wiper, il made by loving hands at home,
could touch the chords that vibrate
with mingled JOY and pain too keen
for expression
AS the camp was not located far
Their north than IS degrees 81 minutes
there was only six weeks of darkness
in the winter. with six weeks Of light
in the summer The surrounding
country is very fiat. and II seemed to
me that the level stretch of land and
water, unbroken by human habitation.
must have a peculiar beauty of it's
own, whether seen under the rays of
the midnight sun or under the north
ern light in winter The captain. how
ever, confessed TO finding the land
scape tireSome, and even the sunsets
lost their charm in the absence OF the
jagged peaks and deep fjords which
spell beauty to a Norwegian. The north
ern light was not nearly so brilliant
as it often is in Norway, and was
generally of sickIy green color.
Camp life was enlivened by the visits
of hordes OF friendly Eskimos. They
came to get wood and iron, and they
liked the white people so we'll that
they built their houses around the ship
and lived there The gift of petroleum
cases and tin cans meant riches to
them, and the men on the GjOa in
their turn coveted the comfortable
clothes of their visitors. Clothes OF
gray "vadmel." the Norwegian home
spun. made for the occasion of such
extra strength and thickness that 1t
was almost as impenetrable by the wind
as a board. had been brought from
Norway. but this was only for summer
wear on the sea. where fur garments
would be out of place. For winter
a double set of garments made of the
skins of reindeer We're in order. These
were warm and light and allowed the
air to circulate freely around the body
In the spring of 1905 the expedition
broke the camp which had been it's
home for almost two years. When the
low hills showed streaks OF black
when the sun beaped. the birds began
TO sing and the flies to buzz. when all
nature was awakening to the brief
but intense summer OF the Arctics
then the Gjoa set sail from the har-
Dor that had sheltered her so long
There came another summer OF Wrig-
Cling through the drifting ice foes. 1t
was no easy matter for seven men TO
manage the boat IN the difficult
passages They had mapped out their
work in such a way Inar each should
have six hours sleep out of every
twenty-four. but often they got no
sleep at all.
On August 2s the Gjoa sighted the
whaler Charles Hansen. Captain Nc
Kenna- 1t was a delight to meet peo-
pie from the outside world. but time
was precious and Captain Amundsen
decided to continue his voyage after
a brief visit on board the Charles
Hansen Farther on he encountered
other San Francisco whalers. which
were fast in the ice. The Gjoa spent
the winter with them near Herschel
Island, where a comfortable cabin was
built of driftwoOd from the Mackenzie
River.
With her entrance into waters that
are regularly visited by whalers from
San Francisco the Gjoa had practically
completed her voyage OF exploration.
though Captain Amundsen's trip over
land to Eagle City and Lieutenant
Hansen's trip from Nome to San Fran
cisco were perhaps the most difficult