Nordenskjold, Adolf Erik

nor'den-sheld, Adolf Erik (1832-1901), a Swedish explorer. He was born at Helsingfors, Finland, and was educated at the university of that name. With his father, a noted mineralogist, he explored the Ural Mountains. Owing to his political views, he was required to leave Finland. He went to Sweden, where he became superintendent of the mineralogical department of the Swedish museum in Stockholm. He was an active man of an adventurous nature. He was employed by the Swedish government in several Arctic explorations. He reached a point in the Arctic Ocean farther north than had been attained by any predecessor. He also penetrated farther into the interior of Greenland than had been attempted previously. June 22, 1878, he set out from Karls-krona to make the attempt of circumnavigating the northern coast of Europe and Asia. He passed along the northern coast eastward, as far as Bering Strait, where he passed the winter. The following spring he continued his journey to Yokohama and returned home by way of the Suez Canal. He was the first white man to accomplish this journey. He published a number of works on early explorations. He died in Sweden. SEE HUDSON; FRANKLIN; KANE; GREELEY; ARCTIC REGIONS.