Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-20

grand cross of the German crown order
In the evening he lectured before the
Gesellschaft fur Erdkunde and the en-
peror attended this lecture dressed in the
uniform of a Norwegian admiral When
Prof DR.. Hellman presented Amundsen
with the golden Nachtigall medal. the
highest honor in the society's gift, the
kaiser rose to his feet and remained stand
Ing during the speech of presentation. the
entire audience of course, following the
example thus set
1t was the first time in the eighty years
existence of the society that German
ruler had ever attended one of its sittings
and the chairman did not neglect his OPP
portunity to thank his majesty.
AT vienna Capt Amundsen was likewise
invited to an audience with the aged EN-
peror Franz Joseph. who conversed with
him for an hour, and at the conclusion Of
the interview handed the captain the
grand cross of the Franz Joseph order
The Italian king in turn decorated him
with the highest degree OF the crown or
der of Italy, while the King of Denmark
chose to give him the gold medal for dis
tinguished service. surmounted with the
royal crown-a distinction which in Dem
mark ranks above all the other orders
and is held by only one more Norwegian
DR.. F'rithjof Nansen.
Gear Not GUARDED
When Amundsen came to ST. Petersburg
to lecture before the geogra phical society
of that city he was invited by the czar
to pay visit to the palace of Tsarsko
Selo. where his imperial majesty spends
most Of his time. and on this occasion
the emperor sent his private railroad train
to fetch the captain.
1t was matter OF surprise to Amund-
sen as well as. to al who heard of II that
cept the car himself and the captain,
and so far as Amundsen could discover
there was no one watching over the
safety of the car. 1t had been the i'm
preston that he always and on al oc-
casions had a bodyguard. consisting at
least of one or two watchers. even If the
visitor was a man as peaceful Capt.
Amundsen.
Amundsens expedition brought back
remarkable collections. For the first
time in history relics were found of the
vessels of the Franklin expedition. the
Erebus and the Terror An cd Eskimo
of King William Land had In his pos
session some iron bolts and two cooking
vessels made from the copper plating off
the ships bottoms. and he related that
the ships had come while he was a young
boy, and they had been crushed by the
ice and left by the crews. The Eskimos
had then naturally helped Themselves 10
anything they found usefu! and could
secure before the vesse $ fina ~ sank 10
the bottom. Capt. Amundsen gave an Old
saw and Ratchet for these things and
they are now installed very valuable
specimens at the historical collection at
the University of Krist!ania. The British
Museum has offered u large sum for them,
yet the Old Eskimo from whom Amundsen
traded the articles disappeared during the
night and never again showed himself
during the expeditions stay. evidently
fearing that Amundsen might regret his
bargain.
Still in Stone Age.
Amundsen met four tribes of Eskimos
at King William Land and none OF these
people had ever seen a white man or In
any way been influenced by our present
civilization. so that having no metals or
any way In which to gain them from
nature they were actually still living In
the stone age. making all their imple-
ment and belongings from stone reindeer
bone and horns. and their clothing en-
tireiy from animal skins and tissues.