Abstract
This is an account of the Fram’s stop at Madeira on September 6, 1910, ostensibly to take on provisions, but, in actuality, to enable Roald Amundsen to meet his brother Leon, who will release the news to the world that Amundsen is actually headed to the South Pole rather than the North Pole. This chapter includes Amundsen’s grand announcement to his crew regarding their true destination and his enlisting their support, the presence of the sled dogs proving to be a major factor in some of the men’s agreeing to accompany Amundsen on this clandestine mission; a comical confrontation with the dogs, the handing over of letters and telegrams Amundsen has prepared for his supporters and his rival Robert Falcon Scott, and the birth of puppies to one of Amundsen’s favorite dogs, Maren. Also described are the Fram’s travels through the tropics, including the adverse effects of the extreme heat, rolling ship, and lack of drinking water on the more than 100 dogs; the men’s written comments about the dogs’ health; and the dire circumstances of some of the dogs.
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References
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Tahan, M.R. (2019). Maren and Her Sons in Madeira: Enduring the Heat. In: Roald Amundsen’s Sled Dogs. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02692-9_11
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