The times., 1898-05-22
"Farthest North.r


copy. will be glad to know that another
edition, in one volume, at popular price,
has appeared. The print is excellent, the
binding dainty and artistic. there are sew
ersl fine Illustrations, and the book itself
Is the clear, concise and picturesque style
on the first page
The most notable thing about this book
is the clear, concise and picturesque style
3n which h Is written Other men have
hsd adventure In the Arctic zone, but
few have written of them in such a fas-
cinating way as Nsnsen. There is no self
consciousness about his style, although
he must perforct make himself the prin-
cipal character IN this work. He is sim
pie. direct aad forceful in his narrative,
and some of his work In this book Is as
interesting as any novel that ever was
written. This IS not unnatural. He comes
OF the race of the Vikings people who
from time immemOrial, have been accus-
toned not only to seek adventures but TO
tell Of them. The gift of action and the
gift of speech IN them went hand In hand.
In the Norwegian villages the youths and
maidens are still accustomed to make
impromptu rhymes and songs for amuse-
ment, and in the blood of the Norseman
still lives the wild yearning for adven-
ture, the desire of fame. They were of the
same stock If one traces the people back
far enough, as the English and Nansen
says in his Introduction that, as in the
case OF the English, the early Morse
seamen were impelled TO undertake their
expeditions by the necessity Of discover
ing new countries for the many restless
beings that could find no room in Norway.
He adds:
Furthermore they stimulated by real
interest for knowledge. 0thaT, who, about 49,
resided in England at Alfred's court. set out
an erTznd Of geographical investigation. or. Is
he says himself, lie felt an inspiration and =
desire 10 learn, 10 know, and to demonstrate hos
far the land stretched toward she north, and IL
there were any regions inhabited by north
ward beyond the desert waste" He lived IN
the northeInmost part Of Helgeland, probably at
bjarkoi, and sailed round the North Cape AMI
eastward, even to the White Sea.
Adam OF Bremen relates OF Harold Hardrada,
''the experienced king Of the Mortimer, " that n
undertook voyage out into the towards the
north, and explored the expanse Of the north
ern ocean with his ships but darkness spread
over the verge where the world falls away, ami
he put about barely in time 10 escape being sUal-
lowed In the vast ahvss. This was GinnungaCap
the abyss at the worlds end" How far he went
one knows. but at all events he deserves rec
ognition Of the first Of the polar naviga
tors that were animated by pure love of knowl
edge Naturally, these Mortimer not free
from the superEtitious idea about the polar
gions prevalent in their times There. indeed.
they placed their Ginnungagap. their Nivlheim,
Helheim, and later Trollebotn; but even these
mythical and poetieal ideas contained 50 large
kernel Of observation that our fathers may be
said 70 have possessed a remarkably clear con-
ception a the true nature OF things. How So
berly and correctly they observed may best be
seen couple Of hundred years later in Konges-
pellet fThe Mirror OF Kings. the most scientific
treatise al ancient literature, where il is said
that ''as soon as one has tr@vcrsed the greater
part uf the Wild sea, one comes upon such huge
quantity q ice that nowhere IN the whole world
has the Ike been known. Some OF the ice is
fat that il looks as If il frozen the
sea itself; It Is from eight 10 ten feet thick, and
extends far cut into the that il would
take journey Of four or more days to reach the
land cvor it. But this zee lies TO the north
east north, beyond the limits Of the land, than
te the south and southwest or wCst.
''Ihs ice is q wonderful nature. II lies at
times quite STILL would expect. with open
ings or large for1s in il; but sometimes its
movement is strong and rapid as 10 equal
that Of ship running before the wind, and it
drifts against the wind often with it
Nansen goes on to make few remarks
concerning the Dutch and English ad-
venturers who followed the Mortimer
In their quest Of the Pole. and recoun-s
the history of the various attempts which
were made by boat and by sledge He then
quotes an address which he made in 1890
before the Christiania Geographical So
ciety. in which he stated his theory OF the
conditions OF the Polar regions and his
plan for reaching the Pole. 1t was his
Idea that the usefulness OF such an ex-
pedition would not lie in the discovery of
the Pole so much as IN the observation
Of the great unknown region that sur
rounds It. and he was Of the opinion that
by the study Of natural forces working
IN this region and by the construction of
g vessel which would be able 10 resist the
ice, IT would be possible not only to reach
the Pole itself, but to make a somewhat
protracted stay In the vicinity with re-
suits which would be valuable TO science.
The preparations for the expedition are
then described, and plan OF the Fran
given, with a list and short account of
the twelve members of the crew. The
narrative Of the expedition proper begins
IN the third chapter The journey along
the Norway coast is described. and then
begins the weird, wonderful Journey
through the Arctic seas. A great part of
The book consists of extracts from the
Journal Of the explorer and without ap-
pear1ng TO be written for effect, they are
yet wonderfully effective. Nansen says,
under the date Of December 10:
Another peaceful Sunday. The motto for the
day in the English almanac is ''He is happy
whose Circumstances suit his temper: but he Is
more excellent who can suit his temper TO any
circumstance" (aume-) Very true and exactly
the philosophy am uracticing at this rnonoenf
] am lying on my berth in the light of the cleo
trc lamp eating cake and drinking beer. while
am writing my journal; presently shall take
uooA ana setile down 10 read and sleep. The are
lamp has shone like sun today a happy
company We have no difficulty now in dis
tnguishing hearts from diamonds on our dirty
cards. Ii is wonderful what an effect light has
] believe am becoming a fre-worshiper. II is
strange enough that fre-worshp should not exist
IN the Arctic countries.
A little later he gives an account of
q newspaper which appeared on board,
with some quotations from its columns
He says:
Framsjaa news Of, OF outlook from, the Franz |
Is lis name and doctor is its irresponsible |
editor. The first number was read aloud this |
evening, and gave occasion Sc much merriment |
Among its contents are:
WINTER IN THE ICE
Contribution TO the Infant Framsjaa)
Far in the ice there lies ship bows
Mast and sail ice TO the very tip, boys;
But, perfectly clear
II you listen and hear
There are life and fun on board that ship, boys |
What il be?
Come along and see
1t Is Nan.en and hi. men that laugh. boys
WARNING!
think it is my duty to warn the public that
travelling matchmaker has been making the |
rounds Of this neighborhood lately getting watch
ss 10 repair and not returning them to their own
ers. How long is this TO be allowed 10 90 on |
under the eyes Of the authoriaes2
The watchmaker's appearance Is as follows: |
Middle height, fair, gray eyes, brown full beard |
round shoulders, and generally delicatelooking. |
A JUELL
terday. asking for work. and we consider il |
right TO add the following particulars as COM |
pleting his description: He generally goes about
with pack Of mongrel ours at his heels: he /
eheHs tobacco, snd OF this his beard shows traces
This is al have 10 say, as we did not con- /
Gider ourselves either entitled or called upon to
put him under the micrcscope--Ed. Framsjaa.