Of the several explorers who have endeavored to solve the mysteries
of the Arctic regions, none perhaps is better known than Fridtjof
Nansen, a descendant of the old Vikings. He was born in Christiania,
October 10, 1861, and is the son of a lawyer well known in Norwegian
legal circles. After an education, which began at home, he graduated
from the University of Christiania, and immediately began to exhibit
those nomadic tendencies which distinguish the born explorer. His first
trip to the far north was in 1882, when he made a voyage to the seas
surrounding Greenland. Returning with much valuable geological and
zoological data, he was appointed curator of the natural history museum
at Bergen. In 1889 he took his second trip to the Arctic, when he
succeeded in crossing Greenland. Subsequent thereto he was made curator
of the Museum of Comparative Anatomy of Christiania university. His
most memorable undertaking, however, was in 1893, when he endeavored
to reach the North Pole. Although he did not accomplish his object, he
succeeded in getting nearer to it than had any of his predecessors.
On that occasion he spent three years in the Arctic region, and
again returned laden with data which, from a scientific standpoint,
was invaluable. He was next appointed professor of zoology of the
Christiania university. Nansen has published several books dealing
with his life work, including Esquimaux Life, Across Greenland and
Farthest North. He has also written a number of articles for magazines.
He married Eva Sears, who was well known in musical circles of the
continent.