nt of his great ambition, and in organizing every detail
of his expedition.

The chief circumstance in which Nansen differs from all his
predecessors is, that he prepares no line of retreat. To the common
question, "But how are you to come back?" his reply in word and deed
has always been, "I will never come back. I shall go through to the
other side." Thus, in crossing Greenland in 1888, he started from the
uninhabited east coast, so that he and his companions had to go
forward--retreat meant destruction. Such determination is only
redeemed from obstinacy by the forethought which inspires it. Before
setting out to cross Greenland, Nansen crossed the mountains of Norway
from Bergen to Christiania in winter, thus proving his mastery of the
ski or Norwegian snow-shoes, and testing his power of withstanding
cold and fatigue. Just as the crossing of the Norwegian mountains
proved his competence for the splendid feat of crossing Greenland,
that journey by its success establishes his ability for enduring the
severest privations which his new expedition may be called upon to
undergo.

[Illustration: FRIDTJOF NANSEN.]

A careful study of all the known phenomena of the Arctic Basin, and
the records of all the exploring, whaling, and sealing voyages in
these waters which were accessible, impressed two facts upon him--one,
that the currents of the Polar Basin were more regular and more
powerful agents than had been previously supposed; the other, that the
failure of the great expeditions to the north was in most cases due to
the great number of men carried, and the labor involved in keeping
open a line of retreat. The moral of this is simple enough: to sail as
far as possible with the currents, to take as few men as possible, and
these in thorough training for Arctic work, and to make no provision
for retreat. For the valor and heroic efforts of the earlier Arctic
explorers there can never be anything but praise; those men fought
against the most terrific odds, and stood their ground without
flinching, and their opinion on all matters connected with Arctic
travel carries the utmost weight. Nansen breaks away from all
tradition; he goes right against every cherished principle of all the
older Arctic men. He will secure no line of retreat, he will carry
only eleven men with him, every one of whom is inured to hardship and
expert in ice-travel. He is bound by no orders, but has perfect
freedom to alter his plans should circumstan