Editing Fridtjof Nansen (section)

=== Planning ===
[[File:A E Nordenskiold.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=Head and shoulders portrait of a middle-aged man, facing half-left. He has dark, neatly brushed hair, a heavy moustache, and is wearing a dark, formal jacket.|[[Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld]], whose 1883 expedition had penetrated {{convert|160|km|mi nmi|sigfig=1}} into the [[Greenland]] [[Ice cap|icecap]]]]
The idea of an expedition across the Greenland icecap grew in Nansen's mind throughout his Bergen years. In 1887, after the submission of his [[doctoral thesis]], he finally began organising this project. Before then, the two most significant penetrations of the Greenland interior had been those of [[Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld]] in 1883, and [[Robert Peary]] in 1886. Both had set out from [[Disko Bay]] on the western coast, and had travelled about {{convert|160|km|mi|sigfig=1}} eastward before turning back.<ref>Huntford, pp. 73–75</ref> By contrast, Nansen proposed to travel from east to west, ending rather than beginning his trek at Disko Bay. A party setting out from the inhabited west coast would, he reasoned, have to make a return trip, as no ship could be certain of reaching the dangerous east coast and picking them up.<ref>Reynolds, pp. 44–45</ref> By starting from the east—assuming that a landing could be made there—Nansen's would be a one-way journey towards a populated area. The party would have no line of retreat to a safe base; the only way to go would be forward, a situation that fitted Nansen's philosophy completely.<ref>Scott, pp. 44–46</ref>

Nansen rejected the complex organisation and heavy manpower of other Arctic ventures, and instead planned his expedition for a small party of six. Supplies would be [[manhauling|manhauled]] on specially designed lightweight sledges. Much of the equipment, including sleeping bags, clothing and cooking stoves, also needed to be designed from scratch.<ref>Huntford, pp. 79–81</ref> These plans received a generally poor reception in the press;<ref>Scott, p. 46</ref> one critic had no doubt that "if [the] scheme be attempted in its present form ... the chances are ten to one that he will ... uselessly throw his own and perhaps others' lives away".<ref>Nansen (1890), p. 8</ref> The Norwegian parliament refused to provide financial support, believing that such a potentially risky undertaking should not be encouraged. The project was eventually launched with a donation from a Danish businessman, Augustin Gamél; the rest came mainly from small contributions from Nansen's countrymen, through a fundraising effort organised by students at the university.<ref>Nansen (1890), p. vii</ref>

Despite the adverse publicity, Nansen received numerous applications from would-be adventurers. He wanted expert skiers, and attempted to recruit from the skiers of the Telemark region, but his approaches were rebuffed.<ref>Huntford, p. 78</ref> Nordenskiöld had advised Nansen that [[Sami people]], from Finnmark in the far north of Norway, were expert snow travellers, so Nansen recruited a pair, [[Samuel Balto]] and [[Ole Nielsen Ravna]]. The remaining places went to [[Otto Sverdrup]], a former sea-captain who had more recently worked as a forester; [[Oluf Christian Dietrichson]], an army officer, and [[Kristian Kristiansen (explorer)|Kristian Kristiansen]], an acquaintance of Sverdrup's. All had experience of outdoor life in extreme conditions, and were experienced skiers.<ref name="Huntford87" /> Just before the party's departure, Nansen attended a formal examination at the university, which had agreed to receive his doctoral thesis. In accordance with custom, he was required to defend his work before appointed examiners acting as [[devil's advocate|"devil's advocates"]]. He left before knowing the outcome of this process.<ref name="Huntford87">Huntford, pp. 87–92</ref>