New Ulm review., 1913-05-07
Big Audience
Hears AInundsen
Noted Norwegian Discoverer
Proves Most Interest
ing Speaker.
Describes Vividly His Con.
quest of the Last I'm
known Land.

Capt. Roald Amundsen is a living
Representative of the old Vikings who
conquered the seas in by-gone ages,
and looking at him as he related the
story of his finding of the last un-
known land, one could understand the
spirit of dauntless courage that COM
manded the good ship "Fram" (Which
by the way, means "Forward') on
it's voyage to the far south. The lee
ture was treat to all who heard
it and the speaker will long be re-
membered as one of the most modest
of men among those who have really
accomplished something of note in
the world.
Capt. Amundsen is a tall, spare
man. He has the skin and hair and
eyes of the Norskmen and his face
is strong, his voice deep and sonor-
Gus, with the musical burr Of the
Scandinavian tongue. He is a very
plain, unostentatious man, despising
pomp and ceremony, and will have
nothing to do with the fuss and frills
of society that would lionize him. He
refuses absolutely to be made the
guest of honor at :,anquets and din
ners and prefers that he be left to
live plainly, all of which endears him
to the American who has no partic-
ular reverence for royalty. Captain
Amundsen is native of Kristiania,
Norway, where he was born some
fifty years ago. His home is call
ed "Uranienborg" and is located on
the Bundafjord, two miles outside Of
Kristiania. 1t was there that Thor
Snilsberg, Asst. Cashier of the Brown
County Bank met and became ac-
quainted. with him at about the time
Of his expedition to the Northwest
Passage in 1907. Mr.. Snilsberg en-
joyed a pleasant visit with Captain
Amundsen at st. Peter, the noted
explorer being glad to meet some
one from his old home.
The lecture was an illustrated one
and Capt. Amundsen began the story
of the trip that ended at the South
Pole by showing map of the seas
and land about the Pole. He de-
scribed very particularly the great
barriers which barred the way of the
"Fram." This ice barrier extended
for hundreds of miles east and west
and rose from one to three hundred
feet above tie sea level Half Of the
ships party scaled the barrier and
set about the business Of establish
ing home to shelter them during the
winter that must elapse before they
could make the dash for the Pole.
After making their winter quarters
they established depots Of supplies
in the 8Oth, 81st and 82nd degrees
of latitude before winter closed in
upon them. The pictures shown made
the work Of the men and dogs very
real to the audience and Capt. Am
undsen spoke in such plain, common
terms with an utter lack of self
glcrifcation so that his listeners sat
with every faculty at attention. The
method Of marking the location Of
the depcts was described fully, that
being most important item. 1t will
be remembered that Capt. Scott, the
gallant English explorer, lost his life
because his party could not find their
way back to their supplies. Captain
Amundsen spoke of Capt. Scott and
described his trip to the Pole also.
In the spring, which came in October,
Capt. Amundsen and his men started
out from their winter quarters and
without unusual Incident made their
way directly to the Pole, reaching
80 degrees of latitude on the 14th of
December. There were four men in
the party that planted the flag Of
Norway triumphantly on the last un-
known spot ard returned to tell the
world of what they had accomplished.
After the lecture was concluded,
two reels of films showing the light-
er incidents of the journey were
thrown on the screen and the audience
dispersed with words Of praise for
the man who had added so mucn to
the knowledge of the world.
Capt. Amundsen expects to return
to Norway shortly where he will fit
out ar expedition for the North Pole
and will probably sail again for the
Polar regions in .!une of 1914.