Evening star., 1925-08-23


ment of which was to ring
all the way around the world
One of the men was Aksel S. Steen,
underdireCtor of the Meteorological
Institute. The other was Roald
Amundsen, i sailor, a friend OF
Steens.
Amundsen had but recently returned
from an Antarctic expedition of two
years under the Belgian, Adrien de
Gerlache. He had served as mate
under de Gerlache.
II believe" he told Underdirector
Steen. that If l had the proper back
ing l could traverse the Northwest
Passage and locate the North Mag
netic Pole
And he went on to tell how, since
boyhood, he had dreamed that one
day he might make this hazardous
undertaking, which TO date had detied
the hardest polar explorers, many of
whom, from Sir John Franklin down,
had sacrificed their lives in the effort
to sail from the Alta ntic to the Pacific
by way of the seas bordering the
North American continent
1t would take years to complete the
voyage, he said, but it must be made
in a much smaller vessel than hitherto
had been used. He described with
conviction the details of his plan.
IF only I were sure that the project
is sufficiently important" he con-
cluded.
Important" exclaimed Steen. 'Of
course, IL is-immensely so.''
He told Amundsen that he would
do well to consult Prof. G. Won Neu-
mayer at Hamburg, Germany.
HE Is the greatest living authority
on terrestrial magnetism" he ex-
planned And he gave the young Nor
wegian-Amundsen was not yet 80
then-a letter to the German. He
was convinced he had made a great
human discovery in the person of the
sailorman.
Won Neumayer, an old man, receiv-
ed Amundsen cordially and beamed
with rapture when he heard of his
plan. His visitor was not in a strict
sense a scientific man, but he> spoke
in a way that denoted great common
sense and stiff determination. The
scientist indorsed his idea and for an
extended period gave him instruction
at the marine observatory, where he
held the position of director.
Amundsen now felt that he was
qualified to undertake the quest of
the North Magnetic Pole and the
Northwest Passage, but there were
obstacles yet to be overcome.
He must have vessel and he must
obtain backing.
He bought the small herring boat,
the Gjoa-by a strange coincidence
she had been built the same year he
was born-with his own savings and
made one or two voyages in her to
satisfy himself that she would serve
his purpose.
Then he sought the Endorsement Of
the celebrated DIR. F'ridtjof Nansen.
He knew that if DIR. Nansen approved
him and his plan he would get back
ing.
DR.. Nansen, himself the hero of
more than one Arctic expedition, oc-
cupied an extremely high pedestal in
the imagination of Amundsen. The
latter felt very insignificant as he
stood In Nansen's villa at Lysaker
and knocked on the door of the great
mans study.
Come in," said strong voice, and
he entered to find his awe dissipated
in the sunshine of a friendly smile.
DR.. Nansen not only gave him un-
qualified approval, but interested him
self in obtaining aid for the young
man. All preparations finally were
completed and in 1903 Amundsen be-
gan his hazardous voyage, Win a
crew of six, in the little Gjoa.
1t took three years for him to do 1t,
but in 1906 he completed his task
something which men had been vainly
trying to do for four centuries.
1t was the obvious prelude to his
subsequent discovery in 1910 of the
South Pole Now, in his 53d year, he
is still planning to cross the North
Pole in an airplane, after an attempt
this Summer which was not success
full
OF course, his first book, "The
Northwest Passage" was dedicated to
DR.. Nansen. From childhood the ex-
plorer had occupied a place in his
mind denied to any other human be-
ing except his mother.
Nansen was making his Arctic voy
ages during the years when Roald
Amundsen was growing to manhood