Book Notices

Southland Times, Issue 13739, 28 April 1897, Page 2

Book Notices

Nansen’s “Farthest North”; with an appendix by Otto Sverdrup. (Two. volumes.) Macmillan’s Colonial Library

The return of Dr Nansen from the expedition of discovery on which he set out in the Fram in 1893 meant much to science and to literature. Nansen was not an unknown man when he promulgated his theory of Arctic currents and set the scientific world agog with his scheme for the utilisation of these to accomplish no less an object than reaching the North Pole. His name was already connected with a daring journey across Greenland; but in spite oi the character of a shrewd, skilful and intrepid explorer which that expedition had earned for him, his conceptions of Polar difficulties and means of defeating them were sceptically received by those who knew. In the introduction to this work he quotes the adverse opinions of authorities like Markham, Greeley, Young and Richards —men whoso judgment, the result of experience and study, was accepted by many as a final dictum. But in spite of all obstructions and the cold blasts of adverse criticism Nansen persisted, and finally the Fram left Norway, to reach, before returning, a region in which the presence of man had not hitherto been known. As everyone knows the Fram came back to Norway under Captain Sverdrup, and Nansen, with a companion, returned by sledge. But beyond these facts the history of the voyage is unknown to the majority, and to these a perusal of these volumes is recommended. As a record of scientific observations the book is of course invaluable to savants, but it has a fascination for ordinary readers as the story of a man who has proved himself a giant of courage and resolution, and of an experience without parallel. When Nansen simply stated bis opinion that a current ran right across the Polar Sea, and that it was his intention te take his ship into that current, jam it into the ice and let it drift, there were not wanting those who pronounced such a step virtual suicide and .Lieut. Greeley characterised it as an illogical scheme of selfdestruction. Ice had been the destroyer of previous expeditions, the terror of navigators who traversed these regions and yet here was a man who proposed to force his ship into the very position that men of experience said would bring inevitable destruction. His plan of building the Fram so that she could “flout in the face” the dangers of ice pinching was generally regarded with scoffs and jeers and yet we know that the Fram sailed back to Norway, and those who read the book will see how admirably she fulfilled all the expectations of her architect. Nansen's literary style is above the average and many of the chapters read like prose poems, for besides being an intensely practical explorer, he is at times something of the dreamer and speculative thinker. The Home papers bring us news of the manner in which Nansen was lionised in England, of the enthusiasm with which he was received in all circles ; but many will never sea the explorer and his book will be to these the medium of their acquaintance with him. Dr Nansen’s story needs no furth r recommendation than that it is a skilful narrative of one of the most stupendous deeds of thia or any other century.