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NANSEN & PEARY
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Nansen w
Peary Several Europeans had visited
Greenland during the leter years of the nineteenth century, but probably
the most famous was a Norwegian called Fridtj of
Nansen. In 1882, Nansen and five other young men set off across
Greenland, with the idea of crossing it at
more northerly point than anyone had ever crossed it before. the whole island was covered with frozen snow, and their only means of
travel was by sledges.
After his journey across Greenland, Nansen decided he would try to reach the North Pole. People realized that there was no land touching this northern most point of the earth. It was surrounded by a great sea of ice, with ice cliffs as high as mountains. All adventurers who had so far tried to reach the Pole had been driven back by this great wall of ice. But Nansen had an idea. "If all that frozen ice is really sea," he said, "it must be moving slowly all the time." He studied the tides, anddecided that if he moved in a certain direction with the slowly-moving ice, he would, in the end, pass right across the North Pole.
For two years, they had moved very slowly northward with the ice. In the Spring of 1895 it seemed unlikely that they would
travel any further, and Nansen decided to try to reach the Pole on foot. He set off with the sledge dogs and one companion, to walk across
the ice. They spent a whole winter together, living on fish, and struggling on through the snow and ice. They could not wash becausethere
was no water which was not frozen hard; and Nansen said that the first thing he noticed when he returned to Norway was the strong smell of soap on people's bodies!
It was a terrible journey. At last Nansen decided they must turn back, as it would be foolish and dangerous to go on. They were six hundred miles nearer the Pole than anyone had ever been before. They turned south again, and it took them four months to get back to Norway.
That was in 1896, and the North Pole was not reached until 1909. An American, Robert Edwin Peary, had made several visits to Greenland. His wife loved this cold north land, too, and spend several winters with him there.
Peary determined to reach the North Pole, and he spent over twenty years making plans and preparations for the journey. He tried seven times to reach the North Pole, but each time he had to turn back; the eighth time he succeeded.
He set off with five chosen companions and forty dogs to pull the sledges. The weather was good and luck was with them. On April 6th, 1909, they found the exact position of the Pole, and Peary placed the American flag there.
The North Pole had been reached at last.
more northerly point than anyone had ever crossed it before. the whole island was covered with frozen snow, and their only means of
travel was by sledges.
After his journey across Greenland, Nansen decided he would try to reach the North Pole. People realized that there was no land touching this northern most point of the earth. It was surrounded by a great sea of ice, with ice cliffs as high as mountains. All adventurers who had so far tried to reach the Pole had been driven back by this great wall of ice. But Nansen had an idea. "If all that frozen ice is really sea," he said, "it must be moving slowly all the time." He studied the tides, anddecided that if he moved in a certain direction with the slowly-moving ice, he would, in the end, pass right across the North Pole.
For two years, they had moved very slowly northward with the ice. In the Spring of 1895 it seemed unlikely that they would
travel any further, and Nansen decided to try to reach the Pole on foot. He set off with the sledge dogs and one companion, to walk across
the ice. They spent a whole winter together, living on fish, and struggling on through the snow and ice. They could not wash becausethere
was no water which was not frozen hard; and Nansen said that the first thing he noticed when he returned to Norway was the strong smell of soap on people's bodies!
It was a terrible journey. At last Nansen decided they must turn back, as it would be foolish and dangerous to go on. They were six hundred miles nearer the Pole than anyone had ever been before. They turned south again, and it took them four months to get back to Norway.
That was in 1896, and the North Pole was not reached until 1909. An American, Robert Edwin Peary, had made several visits to Greenland. His wife loved this cold north land, too, and spend several winters with him there.
Peary determined to reach the North Pole, and he spent over twenty years making plans and preparations for the journey. He tried seven times to reach the North Pole, but each time he had to turn back; the eighth time he succeeded.
He set off with five chosen companions and forty dogs to pull the sledges. The weather was good and luck was with them. On April 6th, 1909, they found the exact position of the Pole, and Peary placed the American flag there.
The North Pole had been reached at last.
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