XVI. NANSEN CROSSES GREENLAND
1888
Schwatka had explored the interior of Alaska, but the
interior of Greenland remained as great a mystery as ever.
The only man who had attempted to cross the inland
region was Nordenskjöld, who had penetrated only a few
miles.
In 1888 a young Norwegian named Fridtjof Nansen determined to cross the ice cap of Greenland.
Nansen was an expert in the use of the ski. Ski are Norwegian snowshoes. They consist of long, narrow strips of wood, which are fastened to the shoes in about the same way in which we fasten skates. The ski are about eight feet in length and three or four inches in breadth. In front they are slightly pointed and curved up; often the back is pointed also. A man who is skillful in the use of ski can travel over the snow by means of them at a rate of eight or nine miles an hour. In Norway and in some other cold countries, where the snow lies deep a larger part of the year, ski are much used for traveling.
The people of Norway love the sport of ski-löbning. During the long winter the boys and the girls go to and from school on ski. At recess they take a run on their ski, and often the teacher goes with them.
Nansen learned to use the ski when a boy, and after he was grown up he took great pleasure in strapping
