Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12
SCENE is BRILLIANT
AND IMPRESSIVE ONE
Discoverer of South Pole Expresses
Appreciation Briefly.
OTHER SPEAKERS AT DINNER
DR.. Hiram Bingham Tells of Expedi-
tion to Peru-Ambassador Bryce
Bids Organizations Members
Farewell"

Farewell"
Devoid. indeed. of imagination must
nave been the man or the woman who
could have sat unmoved last night at the
annual banquet Of the National Geo
graphic Society, at the Willard Hotel. for
there Amundsen, the discoverer of the
south pole. was presented by Peary, the
discoverer of the north pole. with the
gold medal Of honor awarded by the so.
ciety to the Norwegian explorer for his
achievement In laying bare the Icy Sc
crets Of the earth's southern axis
The very spirit Of Hudson. Franklin,
De Long. Nansen and Andree. who have
gone before" last night must have looked
down on that modern gathering OF men
and women seated at the table of feast
ing and rejoicing, and thought Of the
scant rations with which they made his
tory, and the sufferings they endured
when they helped to make up the toll
of the arctic seas and blazed the way
for Amundsen and Peary.
Fraught with rejoicing was the oc-
casfon. but So touched by the invisible
hand Of emotion were those who wit
messed the gathering at the capital OF
the United States Of these two, Amund-
sen and Peary, who had come literally
from the ends OF the earth In safety
and with the applause OF the whole
world ringing In their ears. that some
eyes were not entirely dry, as Peary
told Amundsen. in handing him the
society's medal:
Standing here is a man. Look you into
his eyes and try to imagine, II you can.
What those eyes have seen. He forced his
way across and up thousands of miles of
ice. to stand, at last, two miles above the
level Of the sea, with nothing but
desert Of ice stretching away In all di-
rection, at the top Of the earth-at the
south pole! Here 10 Amundsen OF Nor
way!
Medal Is Presented.
tions. resulting in your attainment Of the
south pole, the National Geographic So
ciety has awarded you this special gold
medal.
You already hold the societys other
medal for driving your ship through
the northwest passage and Tor your
relocation OF the magnetic pole. but this
medal Is unique for within its magic
yellow circle is recorded the approval OF
nearly 10000 men and women, the
members Of the National Geographic So
cfety. Health. strength and success be
with you.'
The women who were present. as well
as most of the men. marked and mar
veled at the deeds Of Amundsen, told OF
by Peary. Although Henry Gannett. the
president of the society, presided, Admiral
Peary was toastmaster. and he gave the
distinguished company present. which in
cluded persons prominent In official. dip
lomatic, residential and scientific circles
of society, an opportunity to hear again
Amundsen's own story. But the explorer
would not give IL, and he carried out to
the letter the characterizations of
modesty made of him by James Bryce.
the British ambassador. and Jules de Jus
serand. the French ambassador. who pre-
ceded him in speaking.
II thank the National Geographic So
ciety for the great honor shown me-"
Capt. Amundsen said in reply to Admiral
Peary, as he accepted the gold medal.
1T is not the first time I have been hon
ored by this society. / came here as a
stranger five years ago. and when / went
away / felt toward you all as a good
and dear friend. loaded as 1 had been
with the highest honors by the society.
Followed Peary's Work.
II appreciate very highly this gold
medal, the highest the society can be-
stow. But / am perhaps affected still
more by the manner In which II has been
bestowed. handed to me as 1t has been
by the most illustrious Of living explor-
ers. AS a boy i followed Peary. in my
thoughts. with his work. for I was too
young to follow him in the flesh. was
with him spiritually when he traversed
Greenland in 1890. and j followed him
always, later on, In his work. I saw him,
inch by inch, foot by foot and yard by
yard, attain the north pole and there
plant the Stars and Stripes on the most
difficult part of the globe to attain.
Il am thankful to you, Admiral
Peary. for all the assistance you have
given me, all the examples you have
set me. There is one thing that not all
of you here tonight know. It was Ad-
miral Peary who sent me to the south
pole. for 1 was preparing for my trip
to the north pole regions In 1909. when
1t was not very easy to start an ex-
pedition from Norway. because money
was scarce. when suddenly the news
flashed all over the world that the
north pole had been attained. The
money that had been scarce became as
nothing. l could not get cent. 1 had
almost completed my preparations
when this news came. and then ii was
that took the resolution to go toward
the south pole. which has ended in my
being here tonight.
1t to Peary, he having been the one who
caused me to resolve to search for the
south pole.
Permit me to wish this society every
prosperity in future. Your president and
your toastmaster has said that this So
ciety has a membership of nearly no.
600 members. 1t is by far the largest
one of its kind in the world. / wish il
a still greater growth. and when 1 come
back from the north polar expedition
which / shall begin in July Of next year.
I hope and expect to find that you have
300 600 members / can wish you moth
ing better. I thank you
Tells Of Society's Growth.
There were but five speakers besides
DR.. Gannett, who told of the growth
Of the society. and Admiral Peary and
Capt. Amundsen. DR. Hiram Bingham.
leader of the Yale University-National
Society expedition to Peru.
was the first speaker. telling Of the
work of the expedition. although he kept
his audience in a roar of laughter by
his funny stories.
Dr. Bingham was followed by the Brit
lsh ambassador, James Bryce. who to0l