Amundsen speaks with King Haakon before the Fram's departure. Behind the King, Queen Maud stands with Nansen (partly obscured) and a group of visitors. Thorvald Nilsen stands outboard behind Amundsen. Photo: Anders Beer Wilse. [1]King Haakon and Queen Maud visited the Fram on the Christiania waterfront. "We were warned in advance of Their Majesties' arrival," Amundsen wrote, "and we tried as best we could to bring a little order into the chaos on board. I am not sure whether we had much luck." [2]
Stowing the ship had taken over a month, for not only would there be no opportunity to take on stores on the journey, as the Terra Nova would have, but Fram's stores had to be loaded in such a way that once she reached the ice, each item was available in the correct order.
Notes:
[1] GalleriNOR, Norske Folkemuseum.
[2] Roald Amundsen, quoted by Roland Huntford in The Amundsen Photographs (London : Hodder & Stoughton, c1987), p.49.
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