The Enlisting of the Amundsens, and the Plight of the Stranded Expeditioners

Upon being selected as the leader of the Rescue Expedition to Spitsbergen, Arve Staxrud immediately began gathering the people, animals, equipment, and vessel to perform the rescue expedition as he had outlined in his letter to the Foreign Minister on February 17, 1913 (Staxrud 17 February 1913). This included securing the seal-hunting vessel from Sandefjord he had mentioned, which would turn out to be the Hertha—the ship he hired for the rescue expedition. Staxrud formally requested sled dogs, supplies, provisions, and personnel.