The Staxrud Rescue Expedition: Embarking on the Sledging Trek North to Treurenberg Bay

On April 12, 1913, the Staxrud Rescue Expedition was ready to make the arduous sledging journey north to reach the two stranded expeditioners at Treurenberg Bay and to search for the seven missing expeditioners near Mossel Bay and in Northeast Land; the rescue party comprised Arve Staxrud, Dr. P. W. K. Bøckmann, Daniel Nøis, Hilmar Nøis, Per Hansen, Johannes Kemi, Samuel Klemmetsen, the engineer Jakob Ellingsen, August Stenersen, three or two teams of sledge dogs (18 dogs were part of the expedition according to Staxrud in his Aftenposten telegram article, but the number is later given as 16 according to Staxrud’s published report, 16 according to Daniel Nøis, and 17 according to Hilmar Nøis), and a caravan of draft reindeer (20 reindeer for 19 sledges according to Staxrud, and 19 or 18 reindeer according to Hilmar Nøis), as well as a calculated supply of food, medicine, and equipment.