THE SOUTH POLE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14308, 20 March 1912, Page 10

THE SOUTH POLE.

AMUNDSEN AT HOBART

INFORMATION BY MAIL,

Files of the Hobart "Mercury" to hand by yesterday's mail contain some interesting supplementary information about Amundsen's expedition. Tho "Mercury" of Tuesday of last week says: — » Tho embargo placed upon the Fram sinco her arrival in Hobart was removed yesterday afternoon, when Captain Amundsen very kindly invited a •'Mercury" reporter to visit the vessel aud inspect her. The central object of interest on board, of course, were tho men and dogs who went to the South Polo and tlie records of their feat, but there was much else to be seen ,on board the vessel, and the time proved all too short for the purpose. The four men who accompanied Captain Amundsen to the Pole are thickly-set, strongly—built Norwegians, with a bronzed and healthy appearance. Their names are Bjaaland, Hansen, Haasel, and Wisting. Bjaaland has . won many prizes in Norway by his skill in tho use of the skis, or Norwegian snow-shoes, on which tbo trip to tho Pole was made, and has to his credit leaps of well, over a hundred feet in length, and Hansen, who accompanied Captain Amundsen on his-voyage through the North-West Passage, is described by his leader as the best dog-driver ho has ever seen. Wisting is an ex-petty officer in the Norwegian Navy, and Hansel was formerly a Customs House official in Norway. "Bettor comrades than I had," said Captain Amundsen, "one could not wish to have. To them and to tho doss and to tho skis our success was really due." The opinion of his followers appeared to be, however, that it was to Captain Amundsen himself, to his energy, unbounded capacity for work, and, above all, to his organising capacity, that the success of the journey must largely bo credited. Tho members of the expedition, .n----cludinc: the crew of the Fram. aro Norwegians, with the exception of the firat engineer, and even he is a Scandinavian, being a Swede by birth. Two of thoso with Captain Amundsen on tho present expedition also accompanied him on his voyage round the north of America through the North-West Passage. These aro Johannsen, who was also with Nansen "Furthest North," and Lindestrom, one of the crew of the Fram. Hansen and Beck, other members of tho crew, . who acted as "ice-pilots" for the Fram, are both from the north of Norway, and have had much experience in working ships amongst ice, having both been captains of sealing vessels ongaged in'the Arctic-seas. The Fram is externally much cleaner than one would expect after a. long voyage, perhaps in consequence of tho ice-cold' wator of tho Antarctic, which is said to bring the barnacles off. Once on board, it is noted at once that sho has a very neat and spic and span appearance, ; which certainly does groat credit to her crew. Tho interior arrangements of the Fram seem more comfortable and convenient than one would look for in a ship of her size and build. A rather unusual feature in shipboard accommodation, is- that every member of tho ship's company, has a. separate cabin. These aro square rooms, about six feet by six, so it is as well that no member of the party is of gigantic.proportions. ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC COMPARED. Captain Johannsen, whoso, title, by the way, is a military, not. a naval one, as ho is a'captain in the Norwegian Army, has' (says the "Mercury"), like other members of Captain Amundsen's expedition, travelled far and wide in Arctic regions in addition to his more recent Antarctic , experiences, having been Nansen's companion in his furthest North trip. Questioned regarding the relative difficulties of Arctic and Antarctic travelling, Captain Johannsen said:—"Thero is really no' comparison. As' far as my experience goes, it is far arid away easier to travel in tho Antarctic. As you know,"l was one of. tho eastern party which went to King Edward Land. We had no hardships, and difficulties anything like those wh ; ch Nansen and I met with in the far North. In the Arctic tEo ice is all sea, , and it is broken by water lanes and weak places, which have to be avoided, while often the surface is very rowdr. In the south the ice is solid • land ice, with a good hard surface, and with dogs and skis you can-go along splendidly, and feel that:every yard you go is a yard towards your goal. There is no twisting and turning. " Our trip" Edward Land was really a pleasure trip. "Of. course 'you know Nansen well. Is Amundsen anything liko him?" Cantnin Johannsen was asked. "Well," he replied, "I know Nansen as well as ono man can know another. He and Amundsen have many points- in common, and both are born explorers with great powers of endurance." "You have been exploring for many years now, and must have seen much of polar regions," was tho next remark. "Yes." said Captain Johannsen. "I went with Nanso'n in the Fram on her first voyage, in 1893, and I have seen much of "the Arctic since that. I have been along the Siberian coast—and a terrible,. desolate coast it is. I havo been exploring in Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land, and away with. Nansen over ihe'Polar ice. Arid now I have been away to the south," and I think tint, for the time ber'na;, anyway, T hove done enough, and will to Norway."