Danco was a lieutenant in the Belgian artillery who had trained at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. He was also a good friend of Adrien de Gerlache, and in 1895 the two came to Norway to search for a vessel suitable for de Gerlache’s planned Antarctic expedition. Danco’s training had included instruction in geodesy whilst on secondment to the military geographical institute of Vienna, so when de Gerlache made him the expedition’s first recruit, he gave him the role of geophysicist. Danco studied geomagnetism and meteorology in preparation and learned to ski in Norway while Belgica was being refitted in Sandefjord.
In fact, Danco’s participation had been in some doubt: the military authorities were reluctant to grant him authorization because of his fragile health, and it had taken an intervention from the Archbishop of Mechelen, no less, to persuade them to release him.
In their report on Belgica’s departure from Antwerp in August 1897, a Norwegian newspaper wrote, “Lieutenant Danco, who offers this expedition perhaps not only his life, but also material assistance, will carry out magnetic research and photography and make pendulum observations.” 📜
In the National Library of Norway’s archives there is a letter from Danco and de Gerlache that thanks an unknown recipient for instruction of some kind, and also two of Danco’s visiting cards and a photograph. 📜
“Med hilsen og mange tusind tak fra Deres forbundne elever Danco og de Gerlache (With greetings and many thousand thanks from your faithful students Danco and de Gerlache).
Xania [Christiania/Oslo], 16-12-97.” Photo: National Library of Norway.
Émile Danco’s card and portrait photograph. Photo: National Library of Norway.
Danco took part in several excursions during the first period in Antarctica, notably in early February 1898, when he joined de Gerlache, Amundsen, Cook and Arctowski on the expedition’s first camping trip, to an island west of the Antarctic Peninsula they named Brabant Island.
As winter approached, Danco established the magnetic observatory on the ice outside the ship, but by March he was already struggling with breathing difficulties. By May, Danco was seriously ill, and as the crew enjoyed some of the sun’s last rays on May 18, he remained on board the ship. According to the ship’s doctor, Frederick Cook, they could see then that Danco wouldn’t live to see the sun rise again. On May 30, Amundsen wrote in his diary, “Danco has been unwell recently. It has taken a serious turn, so the worst can be feared. It is a heart defect.” 📜
At the end of May 1898, Cook doubted that Danco would survive another month if his condition failed to improve. In his book, Through the first Antarctic night, he describes Danco’s heart problem and his prospects: “He has an old heart lesion, a leak of one of the valves, which has been followed by an enlargement of the heart and a thickening of its walls. In ordinary conditions, when there was no need for an unusual physical or mental strain, and when liberal fresh food and bright sunshine were at hand, he felt no defect. But these conditions are now changed. The hypertrophied muscular tissue is beginning to weaken, and atrophy of the heart is the result, dilating and weakening [not weaking] with a sort of measured step, which, if it continues at the present rate, will prove fatal within a month.” 📜
Danco’s condition did not improve much, but he complained little, and on June 5, 1898, he slipped quietly away. Two days later, his body was lowered into the ice-cold sea, as Amundsen’s diary records: “Danco was buried yesterday at midday. Every man was present. It was a rare sight. At the head, the sledge with the body, then a crowd of silent, serious men. The moon casts its sad light over the moving scene.” 📜
The expedition named both Danco Island (64° 44′ S, 62° 36′ W) and a 200 km stretch of the Antarctic Peninsula coast, Danco Coast (64–65° S, 61–64° W) in his memory.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.