The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-14
FUND BI DK. NANSEN
NORTH POLE DISCOVERED BY THE
HARDY NORWEGIAN EXPLORER.
Boreas, the lee King, and All the
Other Terrors Controlled by HENS
Successfully Braved.
DETAILS ARE VERY MEAGER
But Is SAID THE EXPLORER FOUND
LAND AT THE LONG HUNTED POLE.
He Is Also Reported to BE Returning
to His Home, Having Been Alb
sent Since June, 1893.
NEWS BROUGHT BY A TRADER
WHO SUPPLIED NANsEN WITH DOGS
WHEN HE SAILED IN THE FRAN.
Scientists AnSiousIy Awaiting Contir-
nation of the RepOrt-The story
Doubted by Lieut.. Brainerd.

been discovered at last. DR.. Fridtjof Nam
sen has accomplished what Perry, Ross,
Franklin, Kane. Peterman, Hall, Mares, De
Long, Greedy. Peary and a host of other
daring explorers failed to do. Self-sacrific-
ing Americans and Engiisnmen have fruit
lessly given their lives to attain an end that
has finally been reached by the Norwegian
scientists. This assertion is based on the
following telegram from st. Petersburg:
"A teegraphic dispatch received here to-
day from Irkutsk, Siberia, says that ST.
berian trader named Kouchnareff, who is
the agent OF DR.. Fridtjof Nansen, the Nor
wegian explorer, who sailed IN the Fran,
June "a. 1893 for the Arctic regions, has re-
Nansen has reached the north pole. has
found land there and is now returning to-
wards civilization
The news created great interest in scien-
tifc circles here. and it's confirmation will
oe almost impatiently awaited by people
who have made a study of Arctic explora-
tions. The first organized expedition that
ventured into the ice-bound region was for
the purpose of discovering connection be-
tween the North Atlantic and North Pacific
oceans. The idea that such a passage ex-
listed has prevailed for many years. but was
generally abandoned after the failure OF nu-
merous expeditions to find an open polar sea
chief interest now in discovering the north
pole is the benefit that may be derived to
science from observations taken on that
mysterious spot. Nansen was we'll equipped
for taking astronomical, meteorological and
magnetic observations, and if he has sue
ceeded in his enterprise there is no doubt
science will be enriched by his discoveries.
THE NEWS MAY BE TRUE.
pointPd out here i'm well-inforuned
circles that If the news thatDr. Nansen is
returning from the north pole turns out to
be correct, 1T indicates that the explorer has
made his way back to New Siberia from the
Arctic regions, and is there awaiting favor
able conditions before commencing his
homeward journey. Kouchnareff, the man
mentioned in the dispatch from Irkutsk as
the agent of DR.. Nansen, Is the doctors dog
supplier. He resides near the mouth of the
Lena river. The people Of that locality pay
frequent visits to New Siberia, and may in
this manner have brought the news to
Kouchnareff.
DR.. Nansen's companions on his journey
north were: Captain Otto Sverdrup ship
master; Sigurd Scott Hansen, lieutenant in
the Norwegian navy and director of the as
Economical, meteorology and MAGNETIC OBJ
servations; Henrik Blessing surgeon and
botanist; Theodore c. Jacobsen, mate Peder
Hendriksen, harpooner; Anton Amundsen,
chief engineer; Lars Peterson, second engi-
neer; Hjalmar Johannesen, officer in the
Norwegian army, fireman; Bernard Nordahl,
electrician; Ivan Mogatad carpenter and
Adolf Juell, steward.
On Sept. 16, 1895, Mr. A. Balm, of Sheffield.
an Arctic explorer. received the following
letter from Christiana:
The steamship Hertha, freighted by the
furniture TO the Danish trade colony lang
megsalik), which was established last year
on the east coast of Greenland, arrived there
on Aug. 20. Petersen, the, manager of the
colony. then reported that different Esqui-
maux twice saw, at the end of July, a three
masted vessel stuck fast in the ice. The ship
had a short foremast 1t was first seen in
the Sermiligak fjord, 60 degrees 20 minutes
north latitude, 38 minutes longitude They
had seen no smoke from the ship The re-
port is quite trustworthy. We can get no
more until next year The Frams forenast
was extraordinarily short, so that the de-
scription agrees SO far. From the state
ment OF the Esquimaux should I'm that
case not hear from the Fran until next
year; meanwhile we must be patient and not
feel quite certain that We have to do with
In April last the Figaro, of Paris. circu
lated rumor that DIR. Nansen had found
the north pole. and that it is situated on
a chain of mountains. IT was then added
that he had planted the Norwegian flag
there. The story was generally regarded
as being without foundation. On Sept II
of last year advces were received in Lon
don from the Danish trading station of
Angmagsalik, on the east coast of Green
land. that ship supposed to be Dr. Nan
sens Fran, had been sighted at the end
of July. stuck fast in an ice drift Finally.
on Dec s, dispatch from Christiana: Nor
ceived a letter by carrier-pigeon. reporting
that the expedition was doing well. AS
the Nansen psrtV THIS renort afen 1na north by
ly inaccurate. but ii was published for
what ii was worth.
NANSEN'S CAREER.
DR.. Fritjof Nansen is a distinguished sci
enlist of Norway and an enthusiastic be-
lever In the possibility of finding the
north pole. He is about thirty-hve years
of age. He entered the University of
Christiana in 1850. and two years later went
on sealing trip to Denmark straits on
the east coast of Greenland in the Viking.
Later. in 1882, Nansen was appointed
curator of the museum at Bergen. which
position he retained until 1883, when he led
a small expedition of six men to Green
land, crossing the southern part of that
portion OF the globe. 1t was probably DUR
ing this trip that Nansen conceived the
plan of making an attempt to reach the
north pole in vessel constructed spe-
cially for such an undertaking. In any
case. after his return to Norway, Nansen
took the preliminary steps toward fitting
out this expedition, and the Fran was
planned and constructed. She is generally
classed as a three-masted sailing schooner,
but she had a 160-horse-power steam en-
gine. in addition to her sails Her dis
placement was 500 tons, and her sides were
so constructed as to force all ice meeting
the vessel to pass underneath her. thus
preventing "pinclhng'' and ..screwing"
The Norwegian Parliament allowed Nansen
about $52. coo to fit out his craft. and, in ad-
dition he was assisted in his work by
many private Subscriptions. including one
of $1,000 from King Oscar
The Fran was launched Oct. 26, 1892 at
Iaurwik near Christiana- Norwegian
paper, describing the shtting out OF the
Fran. said Bread Is the principal nour-
ishment OF Nansen and his people. The
bread Is q kind OF q biscuit, large and