INTO THE ARCTIC

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 178, 29 June 1937, Page 9

INTO THE ARCTIC

DR NANSEN’S GREAT DRIFT. PRIVATION AND HEROISM. Taking as the basis of liis talk the Arctic exploration experiences and accomplishments of the late Dr Nansen, Mr E. Aagaard, of Palmerston North, yesterday graphically described to the Rotary Club the hardships and privations endured by those Polar explorers who had to proceed on foot . Iho speaker dealt extensively with Dr Nansen’s drift across the North Polar regions in the Irani and his dash toward the Polo, when, however, it had been found advisable to abandon the attempt. The speaker showed the development of the realisation that a study of contemporary Polar conditions would give an indication of conditions of previous ages in Northern Europe. Greenland, with its extensive ice covering, ottered that great opportunity of study. Eourfiftil's of Greenland was covered by glaciers, but of the remainder most was rock and bare earth, with very little else but dwarf birch, willow and juniper. Moss was extensive and grass rare. The glacier on the island was always on the move to the sea, at the rate of about 133 yards a year. As the glacier reached the sea it was broken off by its own buoyancy, or its weight, and formed icebergs. In Greenland the whole glacial process could be discovered and, when there, one was in the glacial workshop, where the surface of the landscape was being formed. Many scientists very early became conscious of the value of Greenland as a place of observation. Among them was Dr Nansen, who had become hardened to outdoor lile. His hobby was zoology, and in 1882, at the age of 21, he made liis first trip to the Arctic to study animals, and visited the area between the north of Spitsbergen and Greenland in a sealing vessel. He saw animals there which made him decide to make a study of them and the Arctic lus life’s calling. At that time it was not thought possible to land on the east coast of Greenland of strong currents and icebergs. A landing was made only a few years later, and Dr Nansen then decided to land on this coast and proceed to the west coast (which nas habitable) with a party on skis. All the geographical societies thought him mad and the Norwegian Government even refused him a grant of £SOO. A friend at Copenhagen found the required money and in 1888 Dr Nansen set out with four Norwegians and two Laplanders, who were very able on skis and had a faculty lor finding the right direction. Actually they were superstitious and proved a nuisance, although all the party made the crossmg. - , , . Once landed, Dr Nansen and Ins companions spent three weeks going along the const to the right point about 200 miles away, from which thenship had drifted, and in two months they crossed the island. On reaching the other side, the party were too late to catch the last boat to Europe. Dr Nansen therefore spent the winter studying the Eskimos and was the first man' who had really understood the Eskimo race. The country which had refused to find him £SOO was ready to do anything for him when lie returned and was received as a hero.

EYES ON NORTH POLE. The success, the speaker added, did not unbalance Dr Nansen, and he decided on his second great expedition, the attempted conquest of the North Pole. Many expeditions had failed previously, but evidences of drifting in the sea in the Polar basin showed that there was a current across the basin. Dr Nansen planned to follow that drift, but the Geographical Society of London did not think the plan practicable. Dr Nansen was not deterred ami planned to build a ship strong enough to carry him across the Polar basin from north of the Behring Straits. Ho secured the financial backing in his own country and built the Eram (meaning “forward”). Actually his drift did not follow the course he expected. The Eram survived the first winter and by the second winter Nansen’s restless spirit began to have its effect and be then discussed crossing the ice to the North Pole on foot with a dog team. In the spring of 1895 iie commenced his famous dash, wishing to reach the coast of Siberia eventually. The dogs began to suffer on the ice and this and other difficulties showed that the party would perish if the advance was continued. Consequently, at 86 degrees 14 minutes, Nansen turned back and landed on Franz Joseph Land in the autumn, having at least reached the furthest north point touched by man. Before the winter, the explorer and liis companion, Lieutenant Johansen, killed enough seals to keep them through the winter in a low cramped hut. lit the spring Nansen set out to look for civilisation of some sort. In about half an hour he found a man with dogs, the man being another explorer, Jackson, who had spent the winter in comfortable quarters only 20 miles away. Dr Nansen and liis companion returned to Norway in a ship which came for Jackson. A week later, the Eram returned and the results ot the expedition were now part of Polar history. Nansen had shown that it was better not to fight against the elements but rather to go with them, from east to west. Nansen’s expedition was the greatest Polar expedition that had ever been carried out, the speaker claimed. It had been used as a model for later expeditions. That was why the explorer must be accounted the greatest Polar explorer of all time. All the others had had relatively comfortable quarters and means of reaching their objective, the more so latterly when aeroplanes had been used. They did not have to go through the hardships faced by the pioneers. A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker on the motion of Mr G. D. Battle.

The chair was occupied by the president, Mr G. G. Priest, and Messrs Geo. Hutchinson (Auckland) and E. Colliuson (Palmerston North) were welcomed as visitors.