The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-07

THE Northeast Passage
! Not until July, 1920, did the ice
break up sufficiently to allow the
Maud to get out and Amundsen
then decided to proceed to Nome for
| supplies and minor repairs Some
Of his men got discouraged and left
| him, but Amundsen's spirit could
not be broken; he proceeded with
| three white men and some natives.
The ice caught him again off North
Cape Siberia and his last pro-
] peller was damaged. Fate was
against him. He had no other
choice than to try to get to Seattle
for repairs and new outfit.
u. S. Cutter Saves Ship.
In the spring, 1921. Amundsen
| left the Maud, still solid in the
Ice off East Cape. proceeded south
ward in dog sleighs along the
Siberian coast, crossed to Nome,
and arrived in Seattle. July 4,
1921.
The first thing to be done was
! to get the Maud safely to Seattle.
| The original plan was to charter
| the Roosevelt, Admiral Peary's old
ship and send her up to tow the
Maud in, but the expenses Of this
prevented it. In the meantime the
United States Government in
structed Captain Cochran, of the
u. s. Revenue Cutter Bear, to
find the Maud and render as.
sistance This was done and the
Maud was towed to Dutch Harbor,
about 100 miles north of Seattle,
her engines being incapacitated.
Wintered in Seattle.
| Her engine being incapacitated,
! the Maud proceeded under canvass
on the 1,70O-mile journey and
sailed, or more literally, rolled into
Puget Sound, twenty.seven days
after her, departure from Dutch
Harbor. This remarkable trip con-
stitutes a story in itself.
The Maud wintered in Seattle.
1922. She was repaired, entirely
reoutfitted and took on board suf-
ficient food supplies for seven
years. In addition to Amundsen
and his three loyal followers, ten
men were engaged. In spite of the
long. lonely sojourn in the unknown
Arctic, there came in over 500 ap-
| plications from men who wanted to
| 80 along. Most OF the applicants
| were from the United States and
Canada, but several also from coun-
tries in Europe, Australia and
South Africa.
Another instance of Amundsen's
courage and determination was
shown when he arrived in Seattle.
The expeditions funds were very
low and it was difficult to see how
1t could continue. Amundsen there
fore made up his mind to sell the
Maud, and from the proceeds buy
and equip small fishing schooner,
and in that continue the scheduled
| drift. He never for a second ad-
| mitted he was beaten or thought of
giving up.
The Norwegian government, how
ever, gave him a money grant and
friends proved friends. The result
was Amundsen was able to expand
his plans, and the trans-Polar flight
was added to his original program.
AS far back as 1914 Amundsen
planned to fly in the Arctic and
possibly reach the Pole by airplane
with his drifting ship as a base.
He at that time learned to fly, Sc
cured his pilots certificate and pur-
chased "Fahrman plane" But
the war broke out Amundsen,
forced to give up his plans for the
time being, presented his plane to
the Norwegian government.
Plans Take Shape.
During his stay in Seattle his old
plans about flying took permanent
shape. He was presented with a
| Curtiss Oriole which went with the
Maud az scout plane, and he pur-
chased an all-metaI Junkers mono
plane for his trans-Polar flight
This ship" was considered the
most suitable as it held what was
| then the endurance record of TWEEN
| ty-six hours in the air.
From now on the expedition has
two. separate units: The Maud Drift
and the trans-Polar flight
The Maud is already on her drift
she "froze in" last August south
east or Wrangel Island. She is
no" over 200 miles. to the north Of
carries exceptional scientific eouip-
ment, including several instruments
loaned by the Carnegie institution
OF Washington. She has a power
iul wireless, and can at all times
Keep IN touch with land stations.
one mas Curtiss scout plane and
pIehIy OF dogs and sleighs, and last.
ooL not ieHst, each member has
enough work to do to keen lone
soneness away. Her drift has been
made as safe and comfortable IA
circumstances permit.
ohe H. OF course, going into nm
known and unexplored TERRITORY
mere is over 1000, 900 sousre
miles mics OF It up there, but I'm,
less Inc Eskimo legend of the
Phantom fleet" is true, she ought
to make her drift in less than five
years. The old Eskimo legend tnIIs
OF the frozen north of lost ships
a ina; ventured too far north, and
swings around the north pole voar
in and year out in quest Of peane
vessels have been disappearing into
the unexplored Polar basin ever
CATION nav
In one great swoop the destb.
ranged ice pack in 1878 carried off
thirty whaling ships from the wa.
ss horth OF the American CONT.
nent. Most of the men took to rrs
Lee and eacaped to Point IA rroaw