New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-14
HOME AT LAST.

Tber. WAS a striking contrast between the
two man ION one side the civilized European
I'm an English check suit and high rubber water
boots we'll shaved, we'll groomed bringing with
him a perfume Of scented soap. perceptible to
the wild mans sharpened senses; on the other
side the wild man clad in dirty rags. black with
ou and SCOT with long, uncombed halr ana
shaggy beard, black with smoke win race III
which the natural fair complexion couid not
possibly be discerned through the thlcK layer Vi
fat and SCOT which winters endeaVors WIN
warm water, moss rags ana at last hh'ie naN
sought In vain to remove. 1t was no "ohue'
that at first Jackson did not suspect VINO Nan
CON was Vet the latter and Johansen were both
in splendid physical condition. The photographs
taken at Cape Flora before they had aVaiieo
themselves Of Jackson's hospitality ana DOT
rowed some Of his clothes make them SEEM
indeed. as Nansen would have II, "back, sooty
troglodytes'; but when the men were weisheo
they found that they had laid on considerable
flesh since their departure from the FRAN. Nan
sen had gained twenty-five pounds, ana JONAH
son a little more than thirteen. They had kept
their health and their tempers. the latter being
not altogether the easiest thing in the world to
do under such circumstances Two men cooped
ND together as hansen and Johansen had been
occasional alterations. But Nansen notes that
after their return to Norway some one asked
Johansen how he and his commander had got
ON during the winter since living together 80
long and in such isolation must have been
severe test "Oh no." said Johansen, I'VE didn't
quarrel. the only thing that had the bad
habit of snoring in my sleep and then Nansen
used to kick me in the back" Nansen himself
goes on to say: II cannot deny that this Is the
case: | gave him many well-meant kick. but
fortunately he only shook himself little and
slept calmly on" From the first page to the
last Nansen speaks Of his companions in tone
OF hearty fellowship which is one of the most
prepossessng traits in his character, but his
affection for the Fran Fellows" and his solicit
tude for their safety could not blind him to the
Importance of reaching Norway in advance OF
the ship. To lie idle at Cape Flora was terribly
irksome after the first few days. Jackson's ship,
the Windward, was desperately slow in coming
so slow that Nansen began to think Of pushing
on to Sptzbergen. He knew that IL the Fran
reached Norway before him there would be the
deepest apprehension as TO the whereabouts OF
Johansen and himself; he knew that the strain
would tell heavily upon his wife; and when the
Windward came at last a thrill passed through
his heart which is communicated to the reader
For him to arrive first would cause less anxiety
for the Fran could be relied upon to keep the
absent explorers in security At the end Of his
telegram from VardO to the Norwegian Govern
ment, announcing that he had explored the
region north of Franz Josef Land far as the
sighty-sixth degree, and several miles further
he said. Il expect the Fran to return this
year." and return she did. within a few days
after his own arrival This punctuaity was
itself tribute to Nansens prescience. to his
knowledge of the Arctic drift and there Is moth
ing more Impressive in this book than the con-
fidence which II inspires in the geographical gen.
ius and authority of the author.
Nansen's home coming to his wife and to Nor
way Is fairly pathetic in its poignancy Of fe cling
as described in these simple pages. To have ac-
companied the explorer through his great under
taking IL to have rejoiced with him when he re-
joicCd. to have suffered with him when he SUI
fered To come home with him is to feel. as he
felt. the emotion of reaction and happiness
both too passionate. too moving, to be put into
words. The volumes are laid down with inefface-
able sensations. There Is no break in the long
tension which they reproduce. Circumstanced as
he was, hansen, nevertheless. was indefatigable
in keeping his journal written up from week to
week. often from day To day. and In those bleak
wastes of the Polar basin ne and his companions
found time To take an extraordinarily large num-
Der Of excellent photographs. The narrative il
az compact, smooth, as IL il full and vtalized
| and IL has been admirably translated. II takes
| at once high place In the literature OF Arctic
exploration. and that place II Is destined to keep
| so long men care to read Of heroic deeds
f, spiendidH accomplished.