Nansen's Story

Popular interest iu the coming of a lecturer is seldom so greatly awakened as in the case of Dr. Fridtjof Kansen, who will lecture at University hall on Tueeday evening next in the S. L. A. course. Dr. Nansen's lectores in the east have drawti splendid audiences. He was given an ovation at the leception tendered bim in New York, and if bis greeting in Aun Arbor is on the samo scale University hall will uot be large enough to acconimodate the great crowd that will be present to greet the great Arotic explorer. Ten years ago Dr. Nansen was comparitively unknown. exoept to his own conutry and to a few scientists in England. Be was preparing for a long desired journey on which he had set his thoughts raany years before - an attempt to cross the inland ice-lap of Greenland from east to west, the safe aoconiplishraent of which, in the sumruer of 1888, spread the young Norwegian's f ame f ar and wide. He is desoribed as a most interesting and fascinating man, slim and tall in statnre.being over six feet in height aad very fair; strong, active, determined, fnll of knowledge and resource, a woithy descendant of the vikings, his very name - Fridtjof, an uncommon one in Norway- signifying a viking. He speaijs iu excellent English, with only a slight traoe of the Norwegian vowel sounds, and his voice easily reaches to the limita of a large hall. The lecture and the man are jnst what one wonld have them - strong, simple, rnaoly, without show. The whole civilized world knows about Dr. Nansen's voyage to the Arctio regions in bis remarkable ship, the Fram.on whose peouliar, construction he depended largely foi snceess. All the familiar points of the story of Arctic adventure aie recited, but none prove more than the part of his narrative, so quietly and tberefore so effectively told.describing the drifting away of the kayaks of Nansen and Johansen and their rucovery by the former at the risk of his life.but fortunately to its ultímate salvation and the salvation of his comrades. The public are just beginning to realize the achievement of Dr. Nansen and how much the world and science owe to him. During 280 years previous to 1893 the combined efforta of all the Arotic expeditions succeeded in pen6trating only 150 miles neaier the pole. Dr. Nansen, in three years, pushed 200 miles beyond the farthest point then reaohed. His lectures, giving account of his expedition, possess not only the greatest scientific value but are a thrilling narrative of adventure, absorbing in interest for both old and young.