APPENDIX I 



THE "FRAM" 

 By Commodore Christian Blom 



Colin Archer says in his description of the Fram, in Fridtjof 

 Nansen's account of the Norwegian Arctic Expedition, 1893-1896, 

 that the successful result of an expedition such as that planned and 

 carried out by Dr. Nansen in the years 1893-1896 must depend on 

 the care with which all possible contingencies are foreseen, and 

 precautions taken to meet them, and the choice of every detail of 

 the equipment with special regard to the use to which it will be 

 put. To no part of the equipment, he says, could this apply with 

 greater force than to the ship which was to carry Dr. Nansen and 

 his companions on their adventurous voyage. 



Colin Archer then built the ship — Fram was her name — and she 

 showed — first on Fridtjof Nansen's famous voyage, and afterwards 

 on Sverdrup's long wintering expedition in Ellesmere Land, that 

 she answered her purpose completely, nay, she greatly exceeded the 

 boldest expectations. 



Then Roald Amundsen decided to set out on a voyage not less ad- 

 venturous than the two former, and he looked about for a suitable 

 ship. It was natural that he should think of the Framy but she 

 was old — about sixteen years — and had been exposed to many a 

 hard buffet; it was said that she was a good deal damaged by 

 decay. 



Roald Amundsen, however, did not allow himself to be dis- 

 couraged by these misgivings, but wished to see for himself what 



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