The sun., 1909-11-17
HE'D DRIFT TO THE POLE
MERE TO OUTFIT
AN ARCTfC EXPEDITION.

Hopes the ice WIN Bear the FRAN 60 the
Spot, but Int sure-Ocean study
Main Object Of . Five Years Trip
He Believes Ills Friend, Dr. Cook.
Capt Roald Amundsen. the discoverer
OF the northwest passage, was the star
passenger by the Scandinavian-Am American
liner United States. in yesterday from
Copenhagen and Christiansand. He stood
post with the skipper on the bridge on the
ntormy days OF the rough trip.
Capt. Amundsen looks the Viking. He
W tall. blue eyed. blond haired and mus
oalAr. He speaks English with a slight
accent. He said that while he believed.
~ has been published in dispatches from
Norway. that DIR. Cook reached the pole
he was reluctant to say anything more
about the subject except to reiterate his
faith in DR.. Cook. due in part to his per-
conal experience with the doctor in the
Belgian Antarctic expedition.
Some Of Capt. Amundsen's reticence
was accounted for by the fact that before
he was interviewed he had private talk
with the Norwegian Consul in Chicago.
r. Herman Gade, who posted him on the
status OF the Cook-Pesry controversy in
America.
Capt. Amundsen said he had come here
10 make preparations for an expedition
10 the Arctic which he calculated would
kesp him away from civilization probably
more than five years. His primary OBJ
ject viii be to explore the ocean depths
or the region. TO study the currents and
temperatures and the character OF the
ocean bottoms. He will start from San
Francisco in July, 1911, in the 400 ton
easoIcne auxiliary schooner Fran, which
was used by Nansen in his trip to the
uortn and is now in the Norwegian navy
gard. ...s.r. ,-.. .
Capt. Amlndssn said that the second
ary object OF the trip was 70 get a peep
at the north pole, ID tact TO drift across
Il. He Wight fail IN this expectation.
hut he believed the drift would take him
there. .-,l.
Altar leavineC Copenhs gen Capt. Amund-
.sn will round Cape Horn. incidentally
arctic circle ON hhs way to San Francisco.
From San Francisco he will enter the
ice pack by way Of Bering Strait. drift
across the Arctic basin and come out by
the east coast Of Greenland.
Some OF the same men who were with
him on his forty-seven ton slooD Goa
in which he made the double discovery
OF the north magnetic pole and the north
west passage. will accompany him on
this expedition. Hs has received hun
drsds OF Applications from men OF all
nationalities. but as il in distinctively
that breed will 60 The Norwegian
Government has put up $4,000 for the
expedition and there have been many
private subscriptions from well to do
Scandinavians interested in polar ex-
ploration and desirous OF having their
own people win the glory OF discovery.
Cap. EArnundsen says his calculations
In regard to the drift OF the Gjoa were
verified by events, and that he believes
that the Fran will lake the course that
he 10 confident the drift will force her to
take He can assist in making that course
use Of his gasolene engine at periods when
the pack will permit him to steer.
Every ounce Of the food that will be
used on the Fran will be personally ex-
amined by Capt. Amundsen. He will go
20 the Chicago packing house that will put
up most OF his canned stuff and see that
it 10 all that the house has guaranteed.
He has the advice of chemists as to the
best sort of food for the exploring party
The Chicago house alone will put up 800
TONS OF 1000 lot inc CWonJy neu.
Capt Amundsen said that there was a
csrtain fascination in life in the polar
rome and that was doubtless why so many
men who had been there, notwithstanding g
the hardzhips, were 30 anxious to join
his expedition.
Asked IL it were true that he was going
70 Greenland to get proofs In support OF
Dr.. Cooks declaration that he had dis
covered the north pole. Capt. Amundsen
said: Il haven't time for that He said
he bad read-only few lines Of DIR. Cooks
story. His experience with Eskimos was
that they were generally truthful. but he
doubted their ability to understand maps,
especially il the maps marked expanses
Of water. Sextant observations in polar
observation were valuable. and an in
telligent man could master the art of
making them In three months. The truth
% III polar claims to discovery depended
finally on the veracity OF the explorer.
He did not see why DR.. Cook was not COM
peteut to make observations as well as
any other scientist.
Capt. Amundsen went from the ship
tn Hoboken to the Hotel Somerset in West
rty-seventh street, where he was met
by Mr., Lousdale, who greeted the captain
ON behalf OF DR.. Cook, who is not in the
city. ft,wss said that the captain proba-
bly,, would see the doctor before Sunday.
when the captain leaves for Chicago
The captain will attend the Harvard