The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-14

Baron Adolph Erik Nordenskjold the
Swedish naturalist and explorer. was
bora in HeIsingfors. the capital of Fin
land, November IS, 1852. Descended from
a Swedish family long eminent in scien-
tific pursuits. he had his inherent tastes
developed alike by his surroundings at
his home in Frugard, which contained
an extensive mineral and natural history
collection. and by his journeys with his
father. Nils Gustaf. who was chief of the
Finland Mining Department. Thus the
lad cared more for practical than TOT
theoretical learning when he first went
to the gymnasium at Borgo, and on en-
tering the University of HelsinSfofS III
1S49 devoted himself almost entirely TO
scientific studies, spending his vacations
in excursions to the rich mineral locah-
ties OF Finland. He soon became eminent
in this branch of science and was noml-
mated to several appointments. but ne
unluckiiy incurred the suspicion OF the
Russian authorities by participation IN
various students meetings, and time ar
ter tim, lost his appointments. and was
obliged to leave the country. For some
years he was unable to obtain passport
to return to Finland
He therefore, settled in Sweden, ana IN
1858 first entered on his Arctic travels py
accompanying Torell to Spitzbergen- On
his return to Stockholm, Nordensk1oid
was nominated Director of the Minera-
logical Department for various geo
graphical and scientific researches, and for
making a preliminary accommodating OF the
measurement of an arc of the meridian.
The work was not then finished, and ac-
cordingiy, three years later NordenskJold
headed an expedition which successfully
CONNECTED the accommodating, and marked
the southern part of Spitzbergen The eN-
plorers, however, met with some ship
wrecked walrus- hunters, and were obilg-
cd to return, their provisions being IN
adequate to maintain so large an ADDITION
to the party. Thus disappointed, Nord-
ensk jold now endeavored to organize
fresh expedition, and he eventually start
ed In 1868 in the Government steamer Sofia,
which managed to attain the high lati-
tude of 81 degrees AZ minutes-a
latitude exceeded only by Halls American
| and Parrys and Mares British Arctic
expeditions, ard never exceeded by sail
ing vessel in the old hemisphere.
This success convinced Nordenskjold
that he could reach much higher lati-
tude by wintering in Spitzbergen and uti-
| liZing sledges Accordingly. after an in
|
| ish Diet. and Travelled in Greenland to as
| certain the respective value of dogs and
| reindeer as beasts of burden for sledge
| journeys-Nordenskjo sailed in 1872 to
| Spitzbergen in the Polhem, accompanied
| by two tenders. He made during this
voyage the first serious attempt to pene-
| trate on the inland ice in the interior. and
| discovered at Ovifak the largest known
| blocks of native iron, and brought home
collections of fossil plants of great i'm
! portance to the history OF climatology
/ during former geological epochs. The win
| ter was unusually early, and the ice shut
| in the tenders, which We're to have re-
\ turned home. thereby straitening the
| provisions through extra mouths; the
| reindeer We're lost, and the men suffered
greatly from scurvy.
| Nevertheless. Nordenskjold and Lieuton-
| ant Palender successfully surveyed part
| OF Northeast Land, and III the following
July the vessels were eXtricated from
| their winter quarters, Mussel Bay, on the
/ north coast of SpitZbergen, and returned
home richly laden with important scien-
| tific collections. NordenskjOld now turn
ed his attention to Siberian exploration,
and in 1875 sailed through the Kara Sea
to the Yennissei, and assembled the river
/ in a small boat, returning home over
| land. 1t was the first time that any ship
| had succeeded in penetrating from the
Atlantic to the great Siberian rivers
He introduced in the following year,
| after a flying visit to the Philadelphia
| Exhibition. the first merchandises by sea
| to Siberia, returning in the autumn with
| his steamer via Kara Sea and Matotsch-
| kim Sound. These experiences gave Nor
| denskjold a reasonable hope of accom-
! plishing the Northeast Passage. The King
| of Sweden Mr.. Oscar Dickson. and Mr..
| Sbiriakon at once lent their aid to the
| project. ana in July, 1873. Prof. NOrdens-
| kjold started in the Vega She was the
| first vessel to double the most northern
| point of the Old World. Cape Tchelyus-
| kin; she wintered near Behring's Strait;
| and once more free in July, 1873, reach
| ed Japan on September 2. On his arrival
| in Europe, Nordenskjold was enthusias-
| tically welcomed and laden with honors.
| He was created a baron april 1880, and
| appointed a commander of the "Nordst-
| jerne Order" tOrder of North starr.
| In 1883 Nordenskjold made his second
| voyage to the interior of Greenland, and
| succeeded in penetrating with a ship
| through the dangerous ice-barrier along
| the east coast of that country south of
| the polar circle, teat in vain attempted
| during three hundred years by different
| Arctic expeditions. He also busted him
| self with project for an expedition TO
| the South pole. He wrote meteorological
| memoirs; The Voyage of the Vega
| Round Asia" 1881; The Second Swedish
| Expedition to Greenland" 1885; Fac
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