New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20
BOUND FOR THE NORTH POLE
DIT. NANSEN AND HIS ARCTIC VENTURE
FROM Az OCCASIONAL CoRREsPoNDEA. OF TIE TRIBUNE
Chrstiania July ,.

were TO search the world over, III WOuiu nc uo"i'
10 find A man better fitted for such task thah
Dr. Frjthiof Nansen. What Mr.. Stanley is TO the
tropics, he is to the polar regions. lhdeeu' He
greatly resembles the African explorer III many
respects not the least noteworthy OF which Is MS
deep and earnest vein of spirituality and trust l"
God Communion with the vast solitudes of the
glaciers and mountain peaks, of the ice plains Oh
central Greenland, and above all, the pine forests
of his native and much-loved Norway, has greatly
developcd and intensified this trait g love the
pine forests. lie often cXclaims; they are so
solemn and so spiritual" Like ColcridSc' ne
hears soft and sou-likc sounds in the signing
of the evergreen woods. At the same time, he
is 10 dreamer, but of the most practical oil
men lie has for some years been curator 81 inc
museum AT Bergen, which contains the finest col
lection of whales in the world. This collection
was made entirely by Dr. Nansen, and he per
sonaiy prepared and classified the whole. WINE
engaged in the work Of collection he was frozen
up in tie Arctic Ocean for six months win
company Of whacrs. lie put the time to good
USE however. shooting with his own rifle no less
than fourteen white bears. His little home AZ
Bergen stands in o narrsw open space, between the
sea and the pine forests and is itself verltaolc
trcasurc-house stored with trophies Of his adj
ventures lie won his doctors degree by nota-
blc treatise on nerve centres, which he wrote In
English and which has since been translated into
several other languages. DR.. Nausen himself
speaks English. French and German as tuentlI
as Norwegian. and is wcll-verscd in the literature
of the world. He has long been an enthusiastic
hobby-riGer on the subject OF the higher ciuca-
ton and social emancipation Of women, and his
recent marriage to a particularly pretty and ac'
complish2 girl has still further intensified his
zeal in NAT direction.
DR.. Nanscns first notable feat in exploration
was to cross in midwintcr the vast mountain
range from Christiauia to Bergen. Up to that
time it had been deemed an impossible feat, and,
indeed. DO not think any one else has ever ven
turcd TO follow in his footsteps. But this ven
turesomc Young man set out chcerfullY. all alone
save for his big dog and trampcd the whole way
on lis snowshocs. Many nights be slept half
buried in snow drifts with his dog caspcd IN
lis arms. lie made the pcTilous Journey in entire
safety until he was in sight OF Bergcn. rs he
stood the summit of the PERCEPTIONS craes that
surrounded That place, hc determined TO make his
descent with distinction. so. standing erect on
lis suow-shocs he started to coast down the steep
dccliyity This sort Of coasting, known as ski
ing, is as much a rational sport in Norway as
skating Is in Holland or tobolIauing in Canada.
Bat the pluchy doctor on this occasion undcrtooN
10 " SKI on too great scale He sped down the
slope at lightning speed for hall mile or 50 and
then went smashing into crevas-c. The faI!
bruised and shook him up pretty badly but he
was able To- make his way home, and soon re
covered entirely. Thcnccfortn his ncishbors
looked upon h.m as possessing charmed life. Had
he not accomplished tie impossible Pcrhap, one
secret OF his wonderful powers of endurance -
his temperance. for ne uses no tobacco nor alco-
ho.ic drinks Still. lie is not tie equal II tie
Inplaudcrs in enduring cold lie relates that just
before hc sct o.t on IFS famous tramp acros,
Greenland he had two sleeping bags made Of gu-
dressed skins Into one Of them he and tNo OF
his Norwegian comrades crcpt and so spent "a
night in tie snow by way Of experiment, the
IApus engaged for the expedition laid themselves
down IN tine second. Then the mouths Of the
bags were closed, leaving only the slccpers heads
exposed. NcNt morning DR.. Nonscn awoilc early
feeling very c.l and To his surprise found tie
ucighboriug bag cccrtcd. On looking round o
corner Ac c,p.cd tie Laps fast asleep on the snow
end on rousin- them they explained We were SO
bot IN the bog. wc came out here, and have had
comfortable night
Tie plan adopted by DR.. Narscn Tor the North
Pole expedition Is briefly stated MS follows: lie
viii t,<c a small ship-or boat-of only l'o tons.
80 constructed that IL cannot be crushed by tie
ice but Il mined Will simply he forced up out
.. ...... ,,.,, ,t., ,..,. 81, Ga. flo WIN tti.
W "' '"'' "i'' 49, go.
ne VIII go iAiod1H lT"ilN- -" lu'' 'Hc y, "'
Ocean, and let the currents carry him where they
., a., i..i,.,. ,,,.. H. . ,.,., r,,,,,,i,,., fro,,
"'" ~ 70 -, D.. ....,. ,t..
the SIBERIAN coast 10 "Ic'h'"d " way ~ ''''
North Pole. and lie expects II 70 carry him and
his boat. The circumstances upon which these
... -. 49,. ,.,.,, l... l.c, d..cr,.cd in de-
Nv" H'l.H "t' '" "- ",
tliI ~ NJ NOM, oI TIE dc'co4VIDe4'' I"S' :, ,"'
81 Chrishau1' VI. hoc'%'n'i; "r'.ie uic ''''
geographical SJc.ciy ana VI. Jdc'',S'u' i'll ""ic'
1854 exactly thIce years ailcr lhc Je"hhe'' sum
there were found near JuliansiH'h, IN Hf'ehi'nd'
scycIal articles which f4'd belonged 10 the Jean
nctic aA0 mad been Abandoned at inc thc ol l'S
wreck bs the crew, ana winch ma" zee" CIllcu
10 the COAST OF Greenland, iFom lir opposite sue
OF ihr ROAR N'a' OF Pe'f oi ,Ir lals nioJ %.
once aroused c"II"S',H :, ''. 'ia'! "0, "
th't WcId ana hyS'I''t> JriorH go, f
AI'uo Vcc'n' "uo an I", '"' ','I'' i.i sr,
Ai re e"i'I5 '.'. D''t 80 r. n.' ,,
a.d "iret rI"G ger ~ '' NiV,., D.''n r i
Is