Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-04-23
NORTHWEST PASSAGE.
How Captain RoaId Amundsen Prepar.
ed For lts Discovery.

How Captain RoaId Amundsen Prepar.
cd For It's Discovery.
Capt. Roald Amundsen, in Harper's
for April, tells for the first time the
story Of the successful voyage Of his
little vessel through the Northwest
Passage and his discovery Of the north
magnetic pole:
"The sloop Gjoa-a vessel 73 feet
long, 20 feet beam, drawing II feet
Of water when laden, and Of AZ tons
net burden-was built in Norway, in
the Hardanger district, in 1872. Orig
inally not intended for the Arctic, she
subsequently drifted into the sealing
trade, and for several years sailed
from Tromso in that capacity.
ION my purchase of her had her
entire fittings removed, and strength
ened her with number Of stout
wooden and iron beams and cross
ties; and as we'll as other necessary
improvements, she also received an
outside skin Of two-inch oak plank
ing, reaching from the keels on to the
wateriine. Finally I put in a petro-
leum engine Of thirty nine indicated
horsepower, with a two-bladed pro-
peller, such as is customary In ves-
sells intended for Arctic waters. A
special apparatus was placed near the
man at the tiller, enabling him to con-
troll the engine, to start or reverse 1t
as occasion required, and this proved
invaluable and Of almost constant ne
cessity after we had entered the ice.
The engine was also fitted to hoist
sails and anchor, run the pump. and
haul In the deep-sea lead line. The
last, however. proved to be useless
through the shallow waters Of the
Northwest Passage. The propeller, I
should explain, was only to be con-
sidered in the light of an auxiliary.
the sails being intended as the prin-
cipal motive power Of the vessel. as
indeed they were throughout the voy-
age.
my provisions consisted mainly of
timed foods, which were packed In
tin-lined cases Of uniform size, copper
nails being used In their construction,
so that the empty wooden cases might
be utilized in the building Of the mag
netic observation stations without af-
fecting the magnetic needle. In this
way I solved problem which had
long puzzled me, my vessel being too
small to carry an extra load Of build
L. -l4I al fr ha
a perfect one. With the empty wood
en- boxes filled with sand we con-
structed not only excellent observa-
ton stations, but also comfortable
dwellings, which did service and sur
passed all expectations.
1.-THE wearing apparel for the MEM
bers of my expedition consisted Of
pure wooden underclothing, with out
side garments OF reindeer and seal
skin. With regard to the former
may mention that followed their
manufacture from the carding Of the
wool to the completion Of the product,
thereby guarding against adulteration,
and securing a superior make OF warm
garments for my people.
sour tents were made after q pat
tern invented by my friend DR.. Fred
erick A. Cook, Of Brooklyn, and my
self. and may be said to have contain
ed the results Of our experiences with
the Belgian Antartic expedition. Of
which we both were members during
the years 1S97-ss. These tents, which
somewhat resemble those Of the Es-
quimau, were intended for the use Of
two persons, were built of light duck.
and could be pitched by one man even
when a gale was blowing.
"It may sound almost incredible
when state that our small vessel
contained provisions and ammunition
for five years Nevertheless such was
the case; and the Gjoa brought back
with her considerable quantities OF
nearly every kind of provisions and
stores, despite the fact that I gave
some icebound whalers at Herschel
island some $500 pounds Of -four.
For fuel, lighting and cooking pur-
poses took with me about 1000 gal
Ions of refined petroleum Of the high
est grade. OF this we stiil had about
80 per cent left on our arrival at San
Francisco. Gun cotton, Ice saws. ex-
ira fine and strong hawsers, several
hundred volumes Of books and many
games to help while away the time
during the long Arctic nights, as well
as everything else necessary to we'll
equipped Arctic expedition, completed
our outfit on board the Gjoa. The
games for some reason or other were
never taken into use by the members
of the expedition, but were eagerly
accepted by our many Eskimo friends,
who became quite adopts at some OF
them"