DR NANSEN'S WIPE,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5768, 12 January 1897, Page 2

DR NANSEN'S WIPE,

♦ {Strand Magazine.) Mrs Nansen comes from one of the best families of Norway. She is the youngest; daughter of the late Professor M. Sars, a Norwegian naturalist of great eminence; was born in Christiania in 1858, and was married in September, 1889. Her father was the talented author of " Fauna Littoralis Norwegioe." Her mother is a sister of the Norwegian poet Welhaven, a contemporary of Vergeland. The Sarß salon is a centre of the intellectual world of the Norwegian capital, both artistic, scientific, and political, reminding one of those Parisian centres of talent and wit of the days of Louis Quatorze. The family consists of four — two brothers and two sisters. Ernest, the eldest, has won distinction in literature. He is-.classed among Norway's most celebrated historians j and he and the famous Bjornstjorne Bjornson are the chief Radical leaders in Norway. Ossian, the younger son, has trodden his father's footsteps, is looked upon as an undoubted authority in matters relating to natural history, and is the present Professor of Zoology at the University of Ohri6tiania. A few of these facts were modestly given by Mrs Nansen as we looked at the family photographs. There were several oilpaintings from the brushes of Dr and Mrs Nansen on the walls. But among the pictures which were treasured most were two instantaneous photographs, taken at the time of his departure on the now celebrated trip, the first depicting Dr Nausen gazing through a pair of glasses at his wife from tho bridge of the Pram, as the vessel steamed slowly down the fjord on its way to the sea ; the second showing him in the act of waving his hat to her in a last farewell. We then showed our hostess a photograph of her husband which had been purchased in Christiania, but when she saw it she shook her head. "It is very poor. This is the only real portrait of the doctor." And she handed a cabinet to me. adding, " I will give it to you." It was evident that it did not disturb Mrs Nansen in the least to talk of her absent husband. At the present moment, when the wanderer has returned, and the happy reunion has come, the long moments of waiting have been forgotten. But at the time of our visit, tho strain must have been particularly hard, yet in her words there was a trustfulness and sweet content. They were prophetic, too. "Not for a moment," said Mrs Nansen, " clo I doubt his return. Why, if I had not indeed the greatest confidence in his success, I should never have been foolish enough to let him go. The Pram may be crushed, but they have special boats in case of that disaster. If they, too, are lost, then they have thoir lighter boats and strong portable silk tents and sleeping-bags to place on the ice, in which to live, as they drift on or travel over the ice on their ski, for, as in tho crossing of Greenland, these will form a special feature of locomotion should tho ship be deserted. When lie comes back," she continued, " he will be quite exhausted. He was tired out after his trip to Greenland and his lecture tour in England. I shall take him away to our mountains, and, perhaps, we may go to England." Then, after a pause, " I love your England. I was there for a few weeks on my wedding tour, and I should like to go again to learn th language perfectly." For a few seconds we chatted about languages. "I find German the easiest to learn, and English next. But, French — oh ! it is so difficult to me." We were now seated in the drawing-room, and looking through the open window on the spreading waters' of the fjord. The little brighteyed child was playing in a far-off corner, and did not hear the mother's soft remark: "Liv was only a baby when her father went away. Won't ho be surprised when he gets back to see how big she has grown !" We then asked Mrs Nansen if it was true that she had been on the very point of accompanying her husband to the Pole. " Yes, quite true. It v was his intention to let me go, but at the last moment Captain Sverdrup asked him to leave me at home, and the crow, although they really thought I could stand the voyage, joined the captain in his request. So I stayed at home, and since then have spent my time singing and teaching. But I often think that I might have stood tho trip." There was a good reason for this remark, For Mrs Nan3en, despite her small f ranie, is one of the most athletic women of the North. Her skill as a skilobor is recognised throughout Scandinavia, aud she has accompanied her husband in many of his winter ski runs in tho mountains and valleys of their beloved Norway. "Ho candidly confesses," she laughed, " that ho never saw me ' done up ' but onco, and that was after twenty-four hours' severe hillclimbing on ski." Before thoir marriage, Dr Nansen and his fiancee agreed that tho modes of life of neither should be materially changed; that he should not abandon his scheme of exploration, and that she should continue her teaching. And once, when she was nsked if she had no desire to accompauy her husband, sho .m.-v.-crod, "No, indeed, that would bo ou'r«ide the sphere of woman." Tho desire grew Btrong, how3ver, and it was but natural that she should want to accompany tho explorer into Sanger. For of such material Are wifely women made.