Norwegian polar explorer, born at Borge, Smaalenene, Norway, on the 16th of July 1872, the son of a shipowner. He was educated at Christiania and afterwards studied medicine for two years. Later, however, he went to sea, and from 1897 to 1899 served as mate on the “Belgica” with Capt. Adrien de Gerlache’s Antarctic expedition. In 1901–02 he made an expedition to the Arctic regions which resulted in some valuable observations, and from 1903 to 1906 was in command of the “Gjöa” on its voyage through the northwest passage between the Arctic and Pacific oceans. The “Gjöa” made a second Arctic expedition between 1910 and 1912. Towards the end of 1910 Amundsen started in Nansen’s famous ship, the “Fram,” for the Antarctic regions. The polar continent was crossed under good conditions, the weather being excellent, while the arrangements for food and transport worked without a hitch. The South Pole was reached between December 14 and 17, 1911, the Norwegian party thus outstripping by about a month the British expedition led by Capt. Scott. In June 1918 Amundsen left Norway in the “Maud” with the intention of drifting across the Arctic ocean, but at the end of 1919 was forced to abandon the attempt. Capt. Amundsen has published The North-West Passage (1907), and The South Pole (1912), and has received many honours from learned societies.
