Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-13

til we arrived at Herschel Island. There
We found fleet of whalers. and they
told us it was too late i'm the season to
go very far north, but we set out again
to scout around for the Olga.
Pointing due north from Herschel Is
land. we bore on for three days. then
sighted a little One-masted auxiliary YES
sci. In some excitement. we headed di-
rectly for her We found it not the
Olga. but it was Amundsen, You cannot
conceive of how glad the explorer and his
professors were to meet us. We We're
the first white people they had seen in
more than three years. They told us that
seeing our ship had proIed that they had
just emerged from the northwest pas
sage. They also reported how they had
stopped at the magnetic pole for a year
to make scientific observations, and that
they were bound eventually for San Fran
cisco. They gave some data about the
lands they had left behind. Then we
opened bottle of whisky and drank to
their health and success.
Of the Importance of this meeting. DIR.
Amundsen writes in his book, The
Northwest Passage" Vol. III, page 12J:
AT a m. my watch was finished and
I turned in. When | had been asleep
some time | became conscious of a rush.
ing to and fro on deck. Clearly there was
something the matter, and | felt a bit an
noyed that they should go like that
for the matter of bear or seal. 1t
must be something of that kind, surely.
But then Lieut.. Hansen came rushing
down into the cabin and called out the
ever-memora bic words Vessel in sight.
sir He bolted again Immediately, and
i was alone.
THE northwest passage had been ac-
plShed-my dream from childhood.
This very moment it was fulfilled. l had
d peculiar sensat ton in my throat. I was
somewhat OVerworked and tired, and /
suppose ii was weakness on my part but
| could feel tears coming to my eyes.
Vessel i'm sght.' The words We're mag
zeal. My home and those dear to me
there at once appeared TO me if
stretching out their hands-'Nessel in
sight: There up goes the Amer
lean flag, sang out the Waterman
1t time to tidy ourselves Il
little in preparation for the first meeting.
Four of us were to go on board the ship,
and the other three had to remain on the
Gjod and look after our vessel Our best
clothes We're hurriedly got out We
dressed ourselves according to our indi-
vidual taste. . The American had
stopped his engine and waiting for
With two men ut the oars were
soon alongside of him. A line was thrown
down to us; I caught it, and was again
linked with civilization.
1T did not, however, make its APP
pearance III any great glory. The Charles
Hansen of San Francisco did not seem
to be rugged out in very luxurious man
ncr. oar FIRST impression most
peculiar Every available space deck
was occupied to such extent that it
was nearly impossible to get along
Eskimo women in red dresses and
negroes in the most varlegated costumes
were mnglinS together, just as in the
land of fable.
AN elderly man with a white beard
advanced toward me on the quarter-decK.
lie newly shaven and nicely dress
cd. evidently the master Of the ship.
Are YOU Capt. Amundsen" was his
first remark. was surprised to hear
that We We're known so far away and
answered in the affirmative, owning that
| was the man. is tins the first vessel
YOU nave metz the old man asked. And
when / admitted il was so, his counte-
nance frightened up. We shook hands
long and heartily. i am exceedingly
pleased to he the first one to welcome
YOU on getting through the northwest
passage. =
Capt. James McKenna was the senior
of the American whalers and knew the
North American coast better than any
one else. What we priced particularly
was the set of American charts for the
continuation of our voyage. They were
of more recent date than ours and
contained many new items. He
told US would reach Herschel Island
quite easily. Before going into
winter quarters he intended making
trip as far as Banks Land to look for
whales: so far he had been unlucky and
got none. Mckenna proceeded eastward
to try his luck.
Less than a week later we spoke the
Olga. Capt Mckenna discharged the
skipper, and the Norwegian and l were
transferred at Waving the Charles
Hansen farewell. We turned our course
toward Prince Alberts Land
The crew of the stocky little whaler,
besides the captain and myself. con-
sisted of kanaka mate from Honolu-
lu. man who had been in the whaling
waters for ten or fifteen years and knew
just enough navigation to handlc a yes
sci; George Wilkins. engineer for the
auxiliary putting machine: his helper.
Davis rowing Yankee lad with a yellow
discharge from the navy. and three sea-
men, Detroit, Young S.x-footer. who
had hailed from thai town: Sumner. an
other wandering devil. with n white dis
charge from the army. and Mitch We
had a colored cook. and for a cabin boy
fourteen-year-old lad, known as the
Kid
That made ten of us And a curious
hodge-podge ten il was | am sure that
Of Of