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diff --git a/34120-0.txt b/34120-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..85694cc --- /dev/null +++ b/34120-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,15224 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Farthest North, by Fridtjof Nansen + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: Farthest North + Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship 'Fram' + 1893-1896 + +Author: Fridtjof Nansen + +Contributor: Otto Sverdrup + +Release Date: October 23, 2010 [eBook #34120] +[Most recently updated: December 23, 2022] + +Language: English + +Produced by: Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg. + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FARTHEST NORTH *** + + + + + FARTHEST NORTH + + Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship "Fram" + 1893-96 and of a Fifteen Months' Sleigh Journey by Dr. Nansen and + Lieut. Johansen + + By + + Dr. FRIDTJOF NANSEN + + With an Appendix by Otto Sverdrup Captain of the Fram + + + About 120 Full-page and Numerous Text Illustrations 16 Colored + Plates in Facsimile from Dr. Nansen's Own Sketches, Etched Portrait, + and Photogravures + + In two volumes + + Vol. II. + + New York and London + Harper & Brothers Publishers + + + + + + + Copyright, 1897, by Harper & Brothers. + + All rights reserved. + + + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOL. II. + + + CHAP. PAGE + + I. We Prepare for the Sledge Expedition 1 + II. The New Year, 1895 41 + III. We Make a Start 90 + IV. We Say Good-bye to the "Fram" 132 + V. A Hard Struggle 157 + VI. By Sledge and Kayak 236 + VII. Land at Last 308 + VIII. The New Year, 1896 454 + IX. The Journey Southward 487 + + + APPENDIX + + Report of Captain Otto Sverdrup on the Drifting + of the "Fram" from March 14, 1895. + + I. March 15 to June 22, 1895 601 + II. June 22 to August 15, 1895 633 + III. August 15 to January 1, 1896 648 + IV. January 1 to May 17, 1896 668 + V. The Third Summer 683 + Conclusion 707 + Index 715 + + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. II. + + + PAGE. + + Sailing Kayaks (Photogravure) Frontispiece + Hjalmar Johansen Facing p. 2 + At the Supper-table (February 14, 1895) 9 + Scott-Hansen's Observatory 17 + Musical Entertainment in the Saloon 35 + Captain Sverdrup in His Cabin 49 + The "Fram" in the Ice (Photogravure) Facing p. 54 + "All Hands on Deck!" 56 + "A Most Remarkable Moon" 65 + The "Fram" After an Ice-pressure (January 10, 1895) 67 + The Winter Night (January 14, 1895) 71 + A Whist-party in the Saloon (February 15, 1895) 79 + Upper End of the Supper-table (February 15, 1895) 83 + Stopping a Dog-fight 85 + Lower End of Supper-table 87 + The Crew of the "Fram" after Their Second Winter + (About February 24, 1895) 93 + The "Fram" in the Ice (1895) 103 + Sunday Afternoon on Board 107 + The Cooking Apparatus 122 + The Start from the "Fram" (March 14, 1895) 133 + Our Last Camp before Parting from Our Comrades 137 + A Night Camp on the Journey North 154 + Tailpiece 156 + Northward through the Drift-snow (April, 1895) 159 + Nothing but Ice, Ice to the Horizon (April 7, 1895) + Facing p. 162 + Over Difficult Pressure-mounds (April, 1895) 165 + "I Went on Ahead on Snow-shoes" 169 + "On Tolerably Good Ground" 171 + Our Northernmost Camp, 86° 13.6' N. Lat. (April 8, 1895) 173 + "Baro," the Runaway Facing p. 178 + Rest (April, 1895) 181 + Johansen Carving our Names in a Stock of Driftwood 185 + Peculiar Ice Stratification (April, 1895) 187 + "We Made Fairly Good Progress" 203 + Repairing the Kayaks 240 + A Coign of Vantage. Packed Ice 251 + "A Curdled Sea" 257 + Channels in the Ice in Summer (june, 1895) 263 + "Suggen." "Kaifas" 277 + Crossing a Crack in the Ice 287 + Johansen Sitting in the Sleeping-bag in the Hut 293 + Channels in the Ice (June 24, 1895) 297 + My Last Dog, "Kaifas" 307 + "Incredibly Slow Progress" 323 + "This Inconceivable Toil" 327 + "You Must Look Sharp!" 330 + We Reach the Open Water (August 6, 1895) 337 + Iceberg on the North Side of Franz Josef Land 351 + A Paddle along the Edge of the Ice 359 + Glazier--Franz Josef Land 361 + A Camp on the Coast of Franz Josef Land 367 + Crack in the Ice 375 + "Sailing along the Coast" 378 + A Fight against the Storm to Reach Land (August 29, + 1895) 381 + Walruses 387 + We Build Our First Hut 390 + Walruses 397 + "In the Water Lay Walruses" 409 + "I Photographed Him and the Walrus" 417 + "It Gazed Wickedly at Us" 419 + At Our Winter Quarters 431 + An Illegible Page from Diary 437 + Our Winter Hut (December 31, 1895) 451 + "Life in Our Hut" 456 + "Johansen Fired through the Opening" 468 + "Our Winter Lair" 489 + Southward (May, 1896) 491 + Over the Ice towards the Island (May, 24, 1896) 495 + A Sail with Sledges. South of Cape Richthofen (June 6, + 1896) 507 + "I Managed to Swing One Leg Up" 515 + "It Tried to Upset Me" 520 + Our Last Camp 523 + Franz Josef Land 528 + Meeting of Jackson and Nansen 531 + Mr. Jackson's Station at Cape Flora 535 + Nansen at Cape Flora 537 + A Chat after Dinner 541 + The Wounded Bear 543 + Johansen at Cape Flora 545 + A Visitor 547 + Jackson on Cape Flora 551 + Basaltic Rock 554 + A Strange Rock of Basalt 559 + Plant Fossils 561 + Kittiwake on Her Nest 565 + Basaltic Cliffs 567 + Mr. Jackson at Elmwood 569 + Johansen in Jackson's Saloon 571 + Cape Flora. Farewell to Franz Josef Land 577 + "We Stood Looking over the Sea" 580 + Arrival at Hammerfest 587 + The "Windward" Leaving Tromsö 591 + Tailpiece 597 + Original Map of Kaiser Franz Josef Land 599 + + + APPENDIX + + Digging Out the "Fram" (March, 1895) 603 + The "Fram" when Dug Out of the Pressure-mound at the + End of March, 1895 607 + Fitting the Hand-sledges with Runners (July, 1895) 611 + View over the Drift-ice. Depot in Foreground 615 + Pressure-mound near the "Fram" (April, 1895) 621 + Ice-smithy (May, 1895) 625 + The "Fram" Before Her Release 627 + The Procession (May 17, 1895) 629 + Tailpiece 632 + Channel Astern of the "Fram" (June, 1895) 635 + Movable Meteorological Station on the Ice (July, 1895) 639 + Observation with Sextant and Artificial Horizon (July, + 1895) 645 + Cleaning the Accumulators before Stowing Away (July, + 1895) 653 + Workshop on Deck (July, 1895) 659 + Pettersen and Blessing on a Hummock (April, 1895) 673 + Lars Pettersen on Snow-shoes 679 + Tailpiece 682 + Flaying Walruses 697 + Tailpiece 706 + The Members of the Expedition after Their Return to + Christiania 709 + + + COLORED PLATES IN VOL. II. + + Facing p. + + IX. Light Phenomena in the Polar Night (November 22, 1893) 96 + X. The Polar Night (November 24, 1893) 176 + XI. Moon-ring with Mock Moons, and a Suggestion + of Horizontal Axes (November 24, 1893) 248 + XII. Moonlight Phenomena at the Beginning of the + Polar Night (November, 1893) 320 + XIII. Streamers of Aurora Borealis (November 28, 1893) 400 + XIV. Ice near the "Fram" (July 4, 1894) 472 + XV. Aurora Borealis (October 18, 1894) 584 + XVI. An Auroral Crown (December, 1894) 664 + + + + + + +FARTHEST NORTH + + +CHAPTER I + +WE PREPARE FOR THE SLEDGE EXPEDITION + + +Who are to be the two members of the expedition? Sverdrup and I have +tested each other before at this sort of work, and we could manage +very well; but we cannot both leave the Fram: that is perfectly clear +without further argument. One of us must remain behind to take on +himself the responsibility of bringing the others home in safety; +but it is equally clear that one of us two must conduct the sledge +expedition, as it is we who have the necessary experience. Sverdrup +has a great desire to go; but I cannot think otherwise than that +there is more risk in leaving the Fram than in remaining on board +her. Consequently if I were to let him go, I should be transferring +to him the more dangerous task, while keeping the easier one to +myself. If he perished, should I ever be able to forgive myself for +letting him go, even if it was at his own desire? He is nine years +older than I am; I should certainly feel it to be a very uncomfortable +responsibility. And as regards our comrades, which of us would it be +most to their interest to keep on board? I think they have confidence +in both of us, and I think either of us would be able to take them +home in safety, whether with or without the Fram. But the ship is +his especial charge, while on me rests the conduct of the whole, +and especially of the scientific investigations; so that I ought to +undertake the task in which important discoveries are to be made. Those +who remain with the ship will be able, as aforesaid, to carry on the +observations which are to be made on board. It is my duty therefore, +to go, and his to remain behind. He, too, thinks this reasonable. + +I have chosen Johansen to be my companion, and he is in all respects +well qualified for that work. He is an accomplished snow-shoer, and +few can equal his powers of endurance--a fine fellow, physically and +mentally. I have not yet asked him, but think of doing so soon, in +order that he may be prepared betimes. Blessing and Hansen also would +certainly be all eagerness to accompany me; but Hansen must remain +behind to take charge of the observations, and Blessing cannot desert +his post as doctor. Several of the others, too, would do quite well, +and would, I doubt not, be willing enough. + +This expedition to the north, then, is provisionally decided on. I +shall see what the winter will bring us. Light permitting, I should +prefer to start in February. + +"Sunday, November 18th. It seems as if I could not properly realize +the idea that I am really to set out, and that in three months' +time. Sometimes I delude myself with charming dreams of my return +home after toil and victory, and then all is clear and bright. Then +these are succeeded by thoughts of the uncertainty and deceptiveness +of the future and what may be lurking in it, and my dreams fade away +like the northern lights, pale and colorless. + + + "'Ihr naht euch wieder, schwankende Gestalten.' + + +"Ugh! These everlasting cold fits of doubt! Before every decisive +resolution the dice of death must be thrown. Is there too much to +venture, and too little to gain? There is more to be gained, at all +events, than there is here. Then is it not my duty? Besides, there +is only one to whom I am responsible, and she...? I shall come back, +I know it. I have strength enough for the task. 'Be thou true unto +death, and thou shalt inherit the crown of life.' + +"We are oddly constructed machines. At one moment all resolution, +at the next all doubt.... To-day our intellect, our science, all our +'Leben und Treiben,' seem but a pitiful Philistinism, not worth a pipe +of tobacco; to-morrow we throw ourselves heart and soul into these very +researches, consumed with a burning thirst, to absorb everything into +ourselves, longing to spy out fresh paths, and fretting impatiently +at our inability to solve the problem fully and completely. Then down +we sink again in disgust at the worthlessness of it all. + +"'As a grain of dust on the balance is the whole world; as a drop of +morning dew that falls on the ground.' If man has two souls, which +then is the right one? + +"It is nothing new to suffer from the fact that our knowledge can +be but fragmentary, that we can never fathom what lies behind. But +suppose, now, that we could reckon it out, that the inmost secret of +it all lay as clear and plain to us as a rule-of-three sum, should +we be any the happier? Possibly just the reverse. Is it not in the +struggle to attain knowledge that happiness consists? I am very +ignorant, consequently the conditions of happiness are mine. + +"Let me fill a soothing pipe and be happy. + +"No, the pipe is not a success. Twist tobacco is not delicate enough +for airy dreams. Let me get a cigar. Oh, if one had a real Havana! + +"H'm! as if dissatisfaction, longing, suffering, were not the very +basis of life. Without privation there would be no struggle, and +without struggle no life, that is as certain as that two and two make +four. And now the struggle is to begin; it is looming yonder in the +north. Oh, to drink delight of battle in long, deep draughts! Battle +means life, and behind it victory beckons us on. + +"I close my eyes. I hear a voice singing to me: + + + "'In amongst the fragrant birch, + In amongst the flowers' perfume, + Deep into the pine-wood's church.' + + +"Monday, November 19th. Confounded affectation all this Weltschmerz; +you have no right to be anything but a happy man. And if you feel out +of spirits, it ought to cheer you up simply to go on deck and look at +these seven puppies that come frisking and springing about you, and +are ready to tear you to pieces in sheer enjoyment of life. Life is +sunshine to them, though the sun has long since gone, and they live on +deck beneath a tent, so that they cannot even see the stars. There is +'Kvik,' the mother of the family, among them, looking so plump and +contented as she wags her tail. Have you not as much reason to be +happy as they? Yet they too have their misfortunes. The afternoon of +the day before yesterday, as I was sitting at work, I heard the mill +going round and round, and Peter taking food to the puppies, which, +as usual, had a bit of a fight over the meat-pan; and it struck +me that the axle of the mill whirling unguarded on the deck was +an extremely dangerous affair for them. Ten minutes later I heard +a dog howling, a more long-drawn, uncomfortable kind of howl than +was usual when they were fighting, and at the same moment the mill +slowed down. I rushed out. There I saw a puppy right in the axle, +whirling round with it and howling piteously, so that it cut one to +the soul. Bentzen was hanging on to the brake-rope, hauling at it +with all his might and main; but still the mill went round. My first +idea was to seize an axe that was lying there to put the dog out of +its misery, its cries were so heartrending; but on second thoughts I +hurried on to help Bentzen, and we got the mill stopped. At the same +moment Mogstad also came up, and while we held the mill he managed +to set the puppy free. Apparently there was still some life in it, +and he set to work to rub it gently and coax it. The hair of its +coat had somehow or other got frozen on to the smooth steel axle, +and the poor beast had been swung round and bumped on the deck at +every revolution of the wheel. At last it actually raised its head, +and looked round in a dazed way. It had made a good many revolutions, +so that it is no wonder if it found some difficulty in getting its +bearings at first. Then it raised itself on its fore-paws, and I took +it aft to the half-deck and stroked and patted it. Soon it got on all +four legs again, and began shambling about, without knowing where it +was going. + +"'It is a good thing it was caught by the hair,' said Bentzen, +'I thought it was hanging fast by its tongue, as the other one +did.' Only think of being fixed by the tongue to a revolving axle--the +mere notion makes one shudder! I took the poor thing down into the +saloon and did all I could for it. It soon got all right again, +and began playing with its companions as before. A strange life to +rummage about on deck in the dark and cold; but whenever one goes +up with a lantern they come tearing round, stare at the light, and +begin bounding and dancing and gambolling with each other round it, +like children round a Christmas-tree. This goes on day after day, and +they have never seen anything else than this deck with a tarpaulin +over it, not even the clear blue sky; and we men have never seen +anything else than this earth! + +"The last step over the bridge of resolution has now been taken. In +the forenoon I explained the whole matter to Johansen in pretty +much the same terms as I have used above; and then I expatiated on +the difficulties that might occur, and laid strong emphasis on the +dangers one must be prepared to encounter. It was a serious matter--a +matter of life or death--this one must not conceal from one's self. He +must think the thing well over before determining whether he would +accompany me or not. If he was willing to come I should be glad to +have him with me; but I would rather, I said, he should take a day +or two to think it well over before he gave me his answer. He did +not need any time for reflection, he said; he was quite willing +to go. Sverdrup had long ago mentioned the possibility of such an +expedition, and he had thought it well over, and made up his mind +that if my choice should fall on him he would take it as a great +favor to be permitted to accompany me. 'I don't know whether you'll +be satisfied with this answer, or whether you would like me still +to think it over; but I should certainly never change my mind.' 'No, +if you have already thought it seriously over--thought what risks you +expose yourself to--the chance, for instance, that neither of us may +ever see the face of man again--and if you have reflected that even +if we get through safe and sound you must necessarily face a great +deal of hardship on an expedition like this--if you have made up your +mind to all this I don't insist on your reflecting any longer about +it.' 'Yes, that I have.' 'Well, then, that is settled. To-morrow +we shall begin our preparations for the trip. Hansen must see about +appointing another meteorological assistant.' + +"Tuesday, November 20th. This evening I delivered an address to the +whole ship's company, in which I announced the determination that had +been arrived at, and explained to them the projected expedition. First +of all, I briefly went through the whole theory of our undertaking, +and its history from the beginning, laying stress on the idea on +which my plans had been built up--namely, that a vessel which got +frozen in north of Siberia must drift across the Polar Sea and +out into the Atlantic, and must pass somewhere or other north of +Franz Josef Land and between it and the Pole. The object of the +expedition was to accomplish this drift across the unknown sea, +and to pursue investigations there. I pointed out to them that these +investigations would be of equal importance whether the expedition +actually passed across the Pole itself or at some distance from +it. Judging from our experiences hitherto, we could not entertain any +doubt that the expedition would solve the problem it had set before it; +everything had up to the present gone according to our anticipations, +and it was to be hoped and expected that this would continue to be +the case for the remainder of the voyage. We had, therefore, every +prospect of accomplishing the principal part of our task; but then the +question arose whether more could not be accomplished, and thereupon +I proceeded to explain, in much the same terms as I have used above, +how this might be effected by an expedition northward. + +"I had the impression that every one was deeply interested in the +projected expedition, and that they all thought it most desirable +that it should be attempted. The greatest objection, I think, they +would have urged against it, had they been asked, would have been +that they themselves could not take part in it. I impressed on them, +however, that while it was unquestionably a fine thing to push on +as far as possible towards the north, it was no whit less honorable +an undertaking to bring the Fram safe and sound right through the +Polar Sea, and out on the other side; or if not the Fram, at all +events themselves without any loss of life. This done, we might say, +without fear of contradiction, that it was well done. I think they +all saw the force of this, and were satisfied. So now the die is cast, +and I must believe that this expedition will really take place." + +So we set about our preparations for it in downright earnest. I have +already mentioned that at the end of the summer I had begun to make +a kayak for a single man, the frame of which was of bamboo carefully +lashed together. It was rather slow work, and took several weeks, +but it turned out both light and strong. When completed the framework +weighed 16 pounds. It was afterwards covered with sail-cloth by +Sverdrup and Blessing, when the whole boat weighed 30 pounds. After +finishing this I had intrusted Mogstad with the task of building +a similar one. Johansen and I now set to work to make a cover for +it. These kayaks were 3.70 metres (12 feet) long, about O.7 metre (28 +inches) wide in the middle, and one was 30 centims. (12 inches) and +the other 38 centims. (15 inches) deep. This is considerably shorter +and wider than an ordinary Eskimo kayak, and consequently these boats +were not so light to propel through the water. But as they were chiefly +intended for crossing over channels and open spaces in the ice, and +coasting along possible land, speed was not of much importance. The +great thing was that the boats should be strong and light, and should +be able to carry, in addition to ourselves, provisions and equipments +for a considerable time. If we had made them longer and narrower, +besides being heavier they would have been more exposed to injury in +the course of transport over the uneven ice. As they were built they +proved admirably adapted for our purpose. When we loaded them with +care we could stow away in them provisions and equipment for three +months at least for ourselves, besides a good deal of food for the +dogs; and we could, moreover, carry a dog or two on the deck. In +other respects they were essentially like the Eskimo kayaks, full +decked, save for an aperture in the middle for a man to sit in. This +aperture was encircled by a wooden ring, after the Eskimo fashion, +over which we could slip the lower part of our sealskin jackets, +specially adjusted for this purpose, so that the junction between +boat and jacket was water-tight. When these jackets were drawn tight +round the wrists and face the sea might sweep right over us without a +drop of water coming into the kayak. We had to provide ourselves with +such boats in case of having to cross open stretches of sea on our +way to Spitzbergen, or, if we chose the other route, between Franz +Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya. Besides this aperture in the middle, +there were small trap-doors fore and aft in the deck, to enable us +to put our hands in and stow the provisions, and also get things out +more readily, without having to take out all the freight through the +middle aperture, in case what we wanted lay at either extremity. These +trap-doors, however, could be closed so as to be quite water-tight. To +make the canvas quite impervious to water, the best plan would have +been to have sized it, and then painted it externally with ordinary +oil paint; but, on the one hand, it was very difficult to do this +work in the extreme cold (in the hold the temperature was -20° C., -4° +Fahr.), and, on the other hand, I was afraid the paint might render the +canvas too hard and brittle, and apt to have holes knocked in it during +transport over the ice. Therefore I preferred to steep it in a mixture +of paraffin and tallow, which added somewhat to the weight of the +kayaks, so that altogether they came to weigh about 36 pounds apiece. + +I had, moreover, some hand-sledges made especially for this expedition; +they were supple and strong, designed to withstand the severe tests +to which an expedition with dogs and heavy freights over the uneven +drift-ice would necessarily expose them. Two of these sledges were +about the same length as the kayaks--that is, 12 feet. I also made +several experiments with respect to the clothes we should wear, +and was especially anxious to ascertain whether it would do to go in +our thick wolfskin garments, but always came to the conclusion that +they were too warm. Thus, on November 29th I write: "Took another +walk northward in my wolfskin dress; but it is still too mild (-37.6° +C.). I sweated like a horse, though I went fasting and quite gently. It +is rather heavy going now in the dark when one cannot use snowshoes. I +wonder when it will be cold enough to use this dress." + +On December 9th again we went out on snow-shoes. "It was -41° +C. (-41.8° Fahr.). Went in wolfskin dress, but the perspiration poured +down our backs enough to turn a mill. Too warm yet; goodness knows +if it ever will be cold enough." + +Of course, we made some experiments with the tent and with the cooking +apparatus. On December 7th I write: "I pitched the silk tent we are +going to take, and used our cooking apparatus in it. From repeated +trials it appeared that from ice of -35° C. (-31° Fahr.), we boiled +3 litres of water (5 1/4 pints), and at the same time melted 5 litres +(8 3/4 pints) in an hour and a half, with a consumption of about 120 +grammes of snowflake petroleum. Next day we boiled 2 1/2 litres of +water (over 4 pints), and melted 2 1/2 litres in one hour with 100 +grammes of snowflake petroleum. Yesterday we made about two litres of +excellent oatmeal porridge, and at the same time got some half-melted +ice and a little water in little over half an hour, with 50 grammes +of snowflake petroleum. Thus there will be no very great consumption +of fuel in the day." + +Then I made all kinds of calculations and computations in order to +find out what would be the most advantageous kind of provisions for +our expedition, where it was of the greatest moment that the food +both for dogs and men should be nutritious, and yet should not weigh +more than was absolutely necessary. Later on, in the list of our +equipments, I shall give the final result of my deliberations on this +matter. Besides all this, we had, of course, to consider and test the +instruments to be taken with us, and to go into many other matters, +which, though perhaps trifles in themselves, were yet absolutely +necessary. It is on the felicitous combination of all these trifles +that ultimate success depends. + +We two passed the greater portion of our time in these preparations, +which also kept many of the others pretty busy during the +winter. Mogstad, for instance, found steady employment in making +sledges and fitting them with runners, etc. Sverdrup busied himself +in making sleeping-bags and many other things. Juell was appointed +dog-tailor, and when he was not busy in the galley, his time was +devoted to taking the measurements of the dogs, making harness +for them and testing it. Blessing, too, fitted up for us a small, +light medicine-chest, containing selected drugs, bandages, and such +other things as might be of use. One man was constantly employed +in copying out all our journals and scientific observations, etc., +etc., on thin paper in a contracted form, as I wanted, by way of +doubly assuring their preservation, to take a copy of them along +with me. Hansen was occupied in preparing tabular forms necessary +for our observations, curves of the movement of our chronometers, +and other such things. Besides this, he was to make a complete chart +of our voyage and drifting up to the present time. + +I could not, however, lay too great a claim on his valuable +time, as it was necessary that he should continue his scientific +observations without interruption. During this autumn he had greatly +increased the comfort of his work by building, along with Johansen, an +observation-hut of snow, not unlike an Eskimo cabin. He found himself +very much at his ease in it, with a petroleum lamp hanging from the +roof, the light of which, being reflected by the white snow walls, +made quite a brilliant show. Here he could manipulate his instruments +quietly and comfortably, undisturbed by the biting wind outside. He +thought it quite warm there, too, when he could get the temperature up +to something like 20° below freezing-point, so that he was able without +much inconvenience to adjust his instruments with bare hands. Here he +worked away indefatigably at his observations day after day, watching +the often mysterious movements of the magnetic needle, which would +sometimes give him no end of trouble. One day--it was November 24th--he +came into supper a little after 6 o'clock quite alarmed and said, +"There has just been a singular inclination of the needle to 24°, and, +remarkably enough, its northern extremity pointed to the east. I cannot +remember ever having heard of such an inclination." He also had several +others of about 15°. At the same time, through the opening into his +observatory he noticed that it was unusually light out-of-doors, and +that not only the ship, but the ice in the distance, was as plainly +visible as if it had been full moonlight. No aurora, however, could +be discerned through the thick clouds that covered the sky. It would +appear, then, that this unusual inclination was in some way connected +with the northern lights, though it was to the east and not to the +west, as usual. There could be no question of any disturbance of the +floe on which we were lying; for everything had been perfectly still +and quiet, and it is inconceivable that a disturbance which could +cause such a remarkable oscillation of two points and back again in +so short a space of time should not have been noticed and heard on +board. This theory, therefore, is entirely excluded, and the whole +matter seems to me, for the present, to be incomprehensible. Blessing +and I at once went on deck to look at the sky. Certainly it was so +light that we could see the lanes in the ice astern quite plainly; +but there was nothing remarkable in that, it happened often enough. + +"Friday, November 30th. I found a bear's track on the ice in front +of our bow. The bear had come from the east, trotting very gently +along the lane, on the newly frozen ice, but he must have been scared +by something or other ahead of the vessel, as he had gone off again +with long strides in the same direction in which he had come. Strange +that living creatures should be roaming about in this desert. What +can they have to do here? If only one had such a stomach one could +at least stand a journey to the Pole and back without a meal. We +shall probably have him back again soon--that is, if I understand +his nature aright--and then perhaps he will come a little closer, +so that we may have a good look at him. [1] + +"I paced the lane in front of the port bow. It was 348 paces across, +and maintained the same width for a considerable distance eastward; +nor can it be much narrower for a great distance to the west. Now, +when one bears in mind that the lane behind us is also of considerable +width, it is rather consoling, after all, to think that the ice does +permit of such large openings. There must be room enough to drift, +if we only get wind--wind which will never come. On the whole, +November has been an uncommonly wretched month. Driven back instead +of forward--and yet this month was so good last year. But one can +never rely on the seasons in this dreadful sea; taking all in all, +perhaps, the winter will not be a bit better than the summer. Yet, +it surely must improve--I cannot believe otherwise. + +"The skies are clouded with a thick veil, through which the stars +barely glisten. It is darker than usual, and in this eternal night +we drift about, lonely and forsaken, 'for the whole world was filled +with a shining light and undisturbed activity. Above those men alone +brooded nought but depressing night--an image of that gloom which +was soon to swallow them up.' + +"This dark, deep, silent void is like the mysterious, unfathomable +well into which you look for that something which you think must +be there, only to meet the reflection of your own eyes. Ugh! the +worn-out thoughts you can never get rid of become in the end very +wearisome company. Is there no means of fleeing from one's self, to +grasp one single thought--only a single one, which lies outside one's +self--is there no way except death? But death is certain; one day it +will come, silent and majestic; it will open Nirvana's mighty portal, +and we shall be swept away into the sea of eternity. + +"Sunday, December 2d. Sverdrup has now been ill for some days; +during the last day or two he has been laid up in his berth, and +is still there. I trust it is nothing serious; he himself thinks +nothing of it, nevertheless it is very disquieting. Poor fellow, +he lives entirely on oatmeal gruel. It is an intestinal catarrh, +which he probably contracted through catching cold on the ice. I am +afraid he has been rather careless in this respect. However, he is +now improving, so that probably it will soon pass off; but it is a +warning not to be over-confident. I went for a long walk this morning +along the lane; it is quite a large one, extending a good way to the +east, and being of considerable breadth at some points. It is only +after walking for a while on the newly frozen ice, where walking is +as easy and comfortable as on a well-trodden path, and then coming up +to the snow-covered surface of the old ice again, that one thoroughly +appreciates for the first time what it means to go without snow-shoes; +the difference is something marvellous. Even if I have not felt warm +before, I break out into a perspiration after going a short distance +over the rough ice. But what can one do? One cannot use snow-shoes; +it is so dark that it is difficult enough to grope one's way about +with ordinary boots, and even then one stumbles about or slips down +between great blocks of ice. + +"I am now reading the various English stories of the polar expeditions +during the Franklin period, and the search for him, and I must admit +I am filled with admiration for these men and the amount of labor +they expended. The English nation, truly, has cause to be proud of +them. I remember reading these stories as a lad, and all my boyish +fancies were strangely thrilled with longing for the scenery and +the scenes which were displayed before me. I am reading them now as +a man, after having had a little experience myself; and now, when +my mind is uninfluenced by romance, I bow in admiration. There was +grit in men like Parry, Franklin, James Ross, Richardson, and last, +but not least, in M'Clintock, and, indeed, in all the rest. How +well was their equipment thought out and arranged, with the means +they had at their disposal! Truly, there is nothing new under the +sun. Most of what I prided myself upon, and what I thought to be new, +I find they had anticipated. M'Clintock used the same thing forty +years ago. It was not their fault that they were born in a country +where the use of snow-shoes is unknown, and where snow is scarcely +to be found throughout the whole winter. Nevertheless, despite the +fact that they had to gain their experience of snow and snow travel +during their sojourn up here; despite the fact that they were without +snow-shoes and had to toil on as best they could with sledges with +narrow runners over uneven snow-covered drift-ice--what distances did +they not cover, what fatigues and trials did they not endure! No one +has surpassed and scarcely any one approached them, unless, perhaps, +the Russians on the Siberian coast; but then they have the great +advantage of being natives of a country where snow is not uncommon. + +"Friday, December 14th. Yesterday we held a great festivity in honor +of the Fram as being the vessel which has attained the highest latitude +(the day before yesterday we reached 82° 30' north latitude). + +"The bill of fare at dinner was boiled mackerel, with parsely-butter +sauce; pork cutlets and French pease; Norwegian wild strawberries, +with rice and milk; Crown malt extract; afterwards coffee. For supper: +new bread and currant cake, etc., etc. Later in the evening, a grand +concert. Sweets and preserved pears were handed round. The culminating +point of the entertainment was reached when a steaming hot and fragrant +bowl of cherry-punch was carried in and served round amidst general +hilarity. Our spirits were already very high, but this gave color to +the whole proceedings. The greatest puzzle to most of them was where +the ingredients for the punch, and more particularly the alcohol, +had come from. [2] + +"Then followed the toasts. First, a long and festive one to 'The +Fram,' which had now shown what she was capable of. It ran somewhat +to this effect: 'There were many wise men who shook their heads +when we started, and sent us ominous farewell greetings. But their +head-shakings would have been less vigorous and their evil forebodings +milder if they could have seen us at this moment, drifting quietly +and at our ease across the most northerly latitudes ever attained by +any vessel, and still farther northward. And the Fram is now not only +the most northerly vessel on the globe, but has already passed over +a large expanse of hitherto unknown regions, many degrees farther +north than have ever been reached in this ocean on this side of the +Pole. But we hope she will not stop here; concealed behind the mist of +the future there are many triumphs in store for us--triumphs which will +dawn upon us one by one when their time has come. But we will not speak +of this now; we will be content with what has hitherto been achieved, +and I believe that the promise implied in Björnson's greeting to us +and to the Fram, when she was launched, has already been fulfilled, +and with him we can exclaim: + + + "'"Hurrah for the ship and her voyage dread! + Where never before a keel has sped, + Where never before a name was spoken, + By Norway's name is the silence broken.'" + + +"'We could not help a peculiar feeling, almost akin to shame, when +comparing the toil and privation, and frequently incredible sufferings, +undergone by our predecessors in earlier expeditions with the easy +manner in which we are drifting across unknown expanses of our globe +larger than it has been the lot of most, if not all, of the former +polar explorers to travel over at a stretch. Yes, truly, I think we +have every reason to be satisfied with our voyage so far and with the +Fram, and I trust we shall be able to bring something back to Norway +in return for the trust, the sympathy, and the money which she has +expended on us. But let us not on this account forget our predecessors; +let us admire them for the way in which they struggled and endured; +let us remember that it is only through their labors and achievements +that the way has been prepared for the present voyage. It is owing to +their collective experience that man has now got so far as to be able +to cope to some extent with what has hitherto been his most dangerous +and obstinate enemy in the Arctic regions--viz., the drift-ice--and to +do so by the very simple expedient of going with it and not against it, +and allowing one's self to be hemmed in by it, not involuntarily, but +intentionally, and preparing for it beforehand. On board this vessel +we try to cull the fruits of all our predecessors' experiences. It +has taken years to collect them; but I felt that with these I should +be enabled to face any vicissitude of fate in unknown waters. I think +we have been fortunate. I think we are all of the opinion that there +is no imaginable difficulty or obstacle before us that we ought not +to be able to overcome with the means and resources we possess on +board, and be thus enabled to return at last to Norway safe and sound, +with a rich harvest. Therefore let us drink a bumper to the Fram!' + +"Next there followed some musical items and a performance by Lars, +the smith, who danced a pas seul, to the great amusement of the +company. Lars assured us that if he ever reached home again and were +present at a gathering similar to those held at Christiania and Bergen +on our departure, his legs should be taxed to their uttermost. This +was followed by a toast to those at home who were waiting for us +year after year, not knowing where to picture us in thought, who +were vainly yearning for tidings of us, but whose faith in us and +our voyage was still firm--to those who consented to our departure, +and who may well be said to have made the greatest sacrifice. + +"The festivity continued with music and merriment throughout the +evening, and our good humor was certainly not spoiled when our +excellent doctor came forward with cigars--a commodity which is +getting highly valued up here, as, unfortunately it is becoming very +scarce. The only cloud in our existence is that Sverdrup has not yet +quite recovered from his catarrh. He must keep strict diet, and this +does not at all suit him, poor fellow! He is only allowed wheaten +bread, milk, raw bear's flesh, and oatmeal porridge; whereas if he +had his own way he would eat everything, including cake, preserves, +and fruit. But he has returned to duty now, and has already been out +for a turn on the ice. + +"It was late at night when I retired to my cabin, but I was not yet +in a fit mood to go to sleep. I felt I must go out and saunter in the +wonderful moonlight. Around the moon there was, as usual, a large ring, +and above it there was an arc, which just touched it at the upper edge, +but the two ends of which curved downward instead of upward. It looked +as if it were part of a circle whose centre was situated far below +the moon. At the lower edge of the ring there was a large mock moon, +or, rather, a large luminous patch, which was most pronounced at the +upper part, where it touched the ring, and had a yellow upper edge, +from which it spread downward in the form of a triangle. It looked +as if it might be an arc of a circle on the lower side of, and in +contact with, the ring. Right across the moon there were drifting +several luminous cirrus streaks. The whole produced a fantastic effect. + +"Saturday, December 22d. The same southeasterly wind has turned into a +regular storm, howling and rattling cheerily through the rigging, and +we are doubtless drifting northward at a good rate. If I go outside +the tent on deck, the wind whistles round my ears, and the snow +beats into my face, and I am soon covered with it. From the snow-hut +observatory, or even at a lesser distance, the Fram is invisible, and +it is almost impossible to keep one's eyes open, owing to the blinding +snow. I wonder whether we have not passed 83°? But I am afraid this +joy will not be a lasting one; the barometer has fallen alarmingly, +and the wind has generally been up to 13 or 14 metres (44 or 50 feet) +per second. About half-past twelve last night the vessel suddenly +received a strong pressure, rattling everything on board. I could +feel the vibration under me for a long time afterwards while lying +in my berth. Finally, I could hear the roaring and grating caused by +the ice-pressure. I told the watch to listen carefully, and ascertain +where the pressure was, and to notice whether the floe on which we +were lying was likely to crack, and whether any part of our equipment +was in danger. He thought he could hear the noise of ice-pressure +both forward and aft, but it was not easy to distinguish it from +the roar of the tempest in the rigging. To-day about 12.30 P.M. the +Fram received another violent shock, even stronger than that we had +experienced during the night. There was another shake a little later; +I suppose there has been a pressure aft, but could hear nothing for +the storm. It is odd about this pressure: one would think that the wind +was the primary cause; but it recurs pretty regularly, notwithstanding +the fact that the spring-tide has not yet set in; indeed, when it +commenced a few days ago it was almost a neap-tide. In addition to +the pressure of yesterday and last night, we had pressure on Thursday +morning at half-past nine and again at half-past eleven. It was so +strong that Peter, who was at the sounding-hole, jumped up repeatedly, +thinking that the ice would burst underneath him. It is very singular, +we have been quiet for so long now that we feel almost nervous when +the Fram receives those shocks; everything seems to tremble as if in +a violent earthquake. + +"Sunday, December 23d. Wind still unchanged, and blowing equally +fresh, up to 13 or 14 metres (44 or 47 feet). The snow is drifting +and sweeping so that nothing can be distinguished; the darkness is +intense. Abaft on the deck there are deep mounds of snow lying round +the wheel and the rails, so that when we go up on deck we get a genuine +sample of an Arctic winter. The outlook is enough to make you shudder, +and feel grateful that instead of having to turn out in such weather, +you may dive back again into the tent, and down the companionway into +your warm bunk; but soon, no doubt, Johansen and I will have to face +it out, day and night, even in such weather as this, whether we like +it or not. This morning Pettersen, who has had charge of the dogs +this week, came down to the saloon and asked whether some one would +come out with him on the ice with a rifle, as he was sure there +was a bear. Peter and I went, but we could not find anything. The +dogs left off barking when we arrived on the scene, and commenced to +play with each other. But Pettersen was right in saying that it was +'horrid weather,' it was almost enough to take away one's breath to +face the wind, and the drifting snow forced its way into the mouth +and nostrils. The vessel could not be distinguished beyond a few +paces, so that it was not advisable to go any distance away from her, +and it was very difficult to walk; for, what with snow-drifts and +ice-mounds, at one moment you stumbled against the frozen edge of +a snow-drift, at another you tumbled into a hole. It was pitch-dark +all round. The barometer had been falling steadily and rapidly, but +at last it has commenced to rise slightly. It now registers about +726 mm. (28.6 inches). The thermometer, as usual, is describing the +inverse curve. In the afternoon it rose steadily until it registered +-21.3°C. Now it appears to be falling again a little, but the wind +still keeps exactly in the same quarter. It has surely shifted us +by now a good way to the north, well beyond the 83d degree. It is +quite pleasant to hear the wind whistling and rattling in the rigging +overhead. Alas! we know that all terrestrial bliss is short-lived. + +"About midnight the mate, who has the watch, comes down and reports +that the ice has cracked just beyond the thermometer house, between +it and the sounding-hole. This is the same crack that we had in +the summer, and it has now burst open again, and probably the whole +floe in which we are lying is split from the lane ahead to the lane +astern of us. The thermograph and other instruments are being brought +on board, so that we may run no risk of losing them in the event of +pressure of ice. But otherwise there is scarcely anything that could +be endangered. The sounding apparatus is at some distance from the +open channel, on the other side. The only thing left there is the +shears with the iron block standing over the hole. + +"Thursday, December 27th. Christmas has come round again, and we +are still so far from home. How dismal it all is! Nevertheless, I am +not melancholy. I might rather say I am glad; I feel as if awaiting +something great which lies hidden in the future; after long hours +of uncertainty I can now discern the end of this dark night; I have +no doubt all will turn out successfully, that the voyage is not in +vain and the time not wasted, and that our hopes will be realized. An +explorer's lot is, perhaps, hard and his life full of disappointments, +as they all say; but it is also full of beautiful moments--moments +when he beholds the triumphs of human faith and human will, when he +catches sight of the haven of success and peace. + +"I am in a singular frame of mind just now, in a state of sheer +unrest. I have not felt inclined for writing during the last few days; +thoughts come and go, and carry me irresistibly ahead. I can scarcely +make myself out, but who can fathom the depths of the human mind. The +brain is a puzzling piece of mechanism: 'We are such stuff as dreams +are made of.' Is it so? I almost believe it--a microcosm of eternity's +infinite 'stuff that dreams are made of.' + +"This is the second Christmas spent far away in the solitude of night, +in the realm of death, farther north and deeper into the midst of +it than any one has been before. There is something strange in the +feeling; and then this, too, is our last Christmas on board the +Fram. It makes one almost sad to think of it. The vessel is like a +second home, and has become dear to us. Perhaps our comrades may spend +another Christmas here, possibly several, without us who will go forth +from them into the midst of the solitude. This Christmas passed off +quietly and pleasantly, and every one seems to be well content. By no +means the least circumstance that added to our enjoyment was that the +wind brought us the 83d degree as a Christmas-box. Our luck was, this +time, more lasting than I had anticipated; the wind continued fresh +on Monday and Tuesday, but little by little it lulled down and veered +round to the north and northeast. Yesterday and to-day it has been in +the northwest. Well, we must put up with it; one cannot help having +a little contrary wind at times, and probably it will not last long. + +"Christmas-eve was, of course, celebrated with great feasting. The +table presented a truly imposing array of Christmas confectionery: +'Poor man's' pastry, 'Staghorn' pastry, honey-cakes, macaroons, +'Sister' cake, and what not, besides sweets and the like; many may +have fared worse. Moreover, Blessing and I had worked during the day +in the sweat of our brow and produced a 'Polar Champagne 83d Degree,' +which made a sensation, and which we two, at least, believed we had +every reason to be proud of, being a product derived from the noble +grape of the polar regions--viz., the cloudberry (multer). The others +seemed to enjoy it too, and, of course, many toasts were drunk in +this noble beverage. Quantities of illustrated books were then brought +forth; there was music, and stories, and songs, and general merriment. + +"On Christmas day, of course, we had a special dinner. After dinner +coffee and curaçao made here on board, and Nordahl then came forward +with Russian cigarettes. At night a bowl of cloudberry punch was +served out, which did not seem by any means unwelcome. Mogstad +played the violin, and Pettersen was electrified thereby to such a +degree that he sang and danced to us. He really exhibits considerable +talent as a comedian, and has a decided bent towards the ballet. It +is astonishing what versatility he displays: engineer, blacksmith, +tinsmith, cook, master of ceremonies, comedian, dancer, and, last +of all, he has come out in the capacity of a first-class barber and +hair-dresser. There was a grand 'ball' at night; Mogstad had to play +till the perspiration poured from him; Hansen and I had to figure +as ladies. Pettersen was indefatigable. He faithfully and solemnly +vowed that if he has a pair of boots to his feet when he gets home +he will dance as long as the soles hold together. + +"Day after day, as we progressed with a rattling wind, first from +S.E. and later on E.S.E. and E., we felt more anxious to know how far +we had got; but there had always been a snow-storm or a cloudy sky, +so that we could not make any observations. We were all confident that +we must have got a long way up north, but how far beyond the 83d degree +no one could tell. Suddenly Hansen was called on deck this afternoon +by the news that the stars were visible overhead. All were on the +tiptoe of expectation. But when he came down he had only observed +one star, which, however, was so near the meridian that he could +calculate that, at any rate, we were north of 83° 20' north latitude, +and this communication was received with shouts of joy. If we were +not yet in the most northerly latitude ever reached by man, we were, +at all events, not far from it. This was more than we had expected, and +we were in high spirits. Yesterday, being 'the Second Christmas-day,' +of course, both on this account and because it was Juell's birthday, we +had a special dinner, with oxtail soup, pork cutlets, red whortleberry +preserve, cauliflowers, fricandeau, potatoes, preserved currants, also +pastry, and a wonderful iced-almond cake with the words 'Glædelig Jul' +(A Merry Christmas) on it, from Hansen, baker, Christiania, and then +malt extract. We cannot complain that we are faring badly here. About +4 o'clock this morning the vessel received a violent shock which made +everything tremble, but no noise of ice-packing was to be heard. At +about half-past five I heard at intervals the crackling and crunching +of the pack-ice which was surging in the lane ahead. At night similar +noises were also heard; otherwise the ice was quiet, and the crack +on the port-side has closed up tight again. + +"Friday, December 28th. I went out in the morning to have a look at the +crack on the port side which has now widened out so as to form an open +lane. Of course, all the dogs followed me, and I had not got far when +I saw a dark form disappear. This was 'Pan,' who rolled down the high +steep edge of the ice and fell into the water. In vain he struggled +to get out again; all around him there was nothing but snow slush, +which afforded no foothold. I could scarcely hear a sound of him, +only just a faint whining noise now and then. I leaned down over +the edge in order to get near him, but it was too high, and I very +nearly went after him head-first; all that I could get hold of was +loose fragments of ice and lumps of snow. I called for a seal-hook, +but before it was brought to me 'Pan' had scrambled out himself, and +was leaping to and fro on the floe with all his might to keep himself +warm, followed by the other dogs, who loudly barked and gambolled +about with him, as though they wished to demonstrate their joy at +his rescue. When he fell in they all rushed forward, looking at me +and whining; they evidently felt sorry for him and wished me to help +him. They said nothing, but just ran up and down along the edge until +he got out. At another moment, perhaps, they may all unite in tearing +him to pieces; such is canine and human nature. 'Pan' was allowed to +dry himself in the saloon all the afternoon. + +"A little before half-past nine to-night the vessel received a +tremendous shock. I went out, but no noise of ice-packing could be +heard. However, the wind howled so in the rigging that it was not +easy to distinguish any other sound. At half-past ten another shock +followed; later on, from time to time, vibrations were felt in the +vessel, and towards half-past eleven the shocks became stronger. It +was clear that the ice was packing at some place or other about us, +and I was just on the point of going out when Mogstad came to announce +that there was a very ugly pressure-ridge ahead. We went out with +lanterns. Fifty-six paces from the bow there extended a perpendicular +ridge stretching along the course of the lane, and there was a terrible +pressure going on at the moment. It roared and crunched and crackled +all along; then it abated a little and recurred at intervals, as +though in a regular rhythm; finally it passed over into a continuous +roar. It seemed to be mostly newly frozen ice from the channels which +had formed this ridge; but there were also some ponderous blocks of +ice to be seen among it. It pressed slowly but surely forward towards +the vessel; the ice had given way before it to a considerable distance +and was still being borne down little by little. The floe around us +has cracked, so that the block of ice in which the vessel is embedded +is smaller than it was. I should not like to have that pressure-ridge +come in right under the nose of the Fram, as it might soon do some +damage. Although there is hardly any prospect of its getting so far, +nevertheless I have given orders to the watch to keep a sharp lookout; +and if it comes very near, or if the ice should crack under us, he is +to call me. Probably the pressure will soon abate, as it has now kept +up for several hours. At this moment (12.45 A.M.) there have just +been some violent shocks, and above the howling of the wind in the +rigging I can hear the roar of the ice-pressure as I lie in my berth." + + + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE NEW YEAR, 1895 + + +"Wednesday, January 2, 1895. Never before have I had such strange +feelings at the commencement of the new year. It cannot fail to bring +some momentous events, and will possibly become one of the most +remarkable years in my life, whether it leads me to success or to +destruction. Years come and go unnoticed in this world of ice, and +we have no more knowledge here of what these years have brought to +humanity than we know of what the future ones have in store. In this +silent nature no events ever happen; all is shrouded in darkness; +there is nothing in view save the twinkling stars, immeasurably +far away in the freezing night, and the flickering sheen of the +aurora borealis. I can just discern close by the vague outline of +the Fram, dimly standing out in the desolate gloom, with her rigging +showing dark against the host of stars. Like an infinitesimal speck, +the vessel seems lost amidst the boundless expanse of this realm of +death. Nevertheless, under her deck there is a snug and cherished home +for thirteen men undaunted by the majesty of this realm. In there, +life is freely pulsating, while far away outside in the night there +is nothing save death and silence, only broken now and then, at long +intervals, by the violent pressure of the ice as it surges along in +gigantic masses. It sounds most ominous in the great stillness, and +one cannot help an uncanny feeling as if supernatural powers were at +hand, the Jötuns and Rimturser (frost-giants) of the Arctic regions, +with whom we may have to engage in deadly combat at any moment; +but we are not afraid of them. + +"I often think of Shakespeare's Viola, who sat 'like Patience on +a monument.' Could we not pass as representatives of this marble +Patience, imprisoned here on the ice while the years roll by, awaiting +our time? I should like to design such a monument. It should be a +lonely man in shaggy wolfskin clothing, all covered with hoar-frost, +sitting on a mound of ice, and gazing out into the darkness across +these boundless, ponderous masses of ice, awaiting the return of +daylight and spring. + +"The ice-pressure was not noticeable after 1 o'clock on Friday night +until it suddenly recommenced last night. First I heard a rumbling +outside, and some snow fell down from the rigging upon the tent +roof as I sat reading; I thought it sounded like packing in the ice, +and just then the Fram received a violent shock, such as she had not +received since last winter. I was rocked backward and forward on the +chest on which I was sitting. Finding that the trembling and rumbling +continued, I went out. There was a loud roar of ice-packing to the +west and northwest, which continued uniformly for a couple of hours +or so. Is this the New-year's greeting from the ice? + +"We spent New-year's-eve cozily, with a cloudberry punch-bowl, pipes, +and cigarettes. Needless to say, there was an abundance of cakes +and the like, and we spoke of the old and the new year and days +to come. Some selections were played on the organ and violin. Thus +midnight arrived. Blessing produced from his apparently inexhaustible +store a bottle of genuine 'linje akkevit' (line eau-de-vie), and +in this Norwegian liquor we drank the old year out and the new year +in. Of course there was many a thought that would obtrude itself at +the change of the year, being the second which we had seen on board the +Fram, and also, in all probability, the last that we should all spend +together. Naturally enough, one thanked one's comrades, individually +and collectively, for all kindness and good-fellowship. Hardly one +of us had thought, perhaps, that the time would pass so well up +here. Sverdrup expressed the wish that the journey which Johansen +and I were about to make in the coming year might be fortunate and +bring success in all respects. And then we drank to the health and +well-being in the coming year of those who were to remain behind on +board the Fram. It so happened that just now at the turn of the year we +stood on the verge of an entirely new world. The wind which whistled +up in the rigging overhead was not only wafting us on to unknown +regions, but also up into higher latitudes than any human foot had +ever trod. We felt that this year, which was just commencing, would +bring the culminating-point of the expedition, when it would bear its +richest fruits. Would that this year might prove a good year for those +on board the Fram; that the Fram might go ahead, fulfilling her task +as she has hitherto done; and in that case none of us could doubt that +those on board would also prove equal to the task intrusted to them. + +"New-year's-day was ushered in with the same wind, the same stars, +and the same darkness as before. Even at noon one cannot see the +slightest glimmer of twilight in the south. Yesterday I thought I +could trace something of the kind; it extended like a faint gleam of +light over the sky, but it was yellowish-white, and stretched too +high up; hence I am rather inclined to think that it was an aurora +borealis. Again to-day the sky looks lighter near the edge, but this +can scarcely be anything except the gleam of the aurora borealis, +which extends all round the sky, a little above the fog-banks on the +horizon, and which is strongest at the edge. Exactly similar lights may +be observed at other times in other parts of the horizon. The air was +particularly clear yesterday, but the horizon is always somewhat foggy +or hazy. During the night we had an uncommonly strong aurora borealis; +wavy streamers were darting in rapid twists over the southern sky, +their rays reaching to the zenith, and beyond it there was to be +seen for a time a band in the form of a gorgeous corona, casting +a reflection like moonshine across the ice. The sky had lit up its +torch in honor of the new year--a fairy dance of darting streamers in +the depth of night. I cannot help often thinking that this contrast +might be taken as typical of the Northman's character and destiny. In +the midst of this gloomy, silent nature, with all its numbing cold, +we have all these shooting, glittering, quivering rays of light. Do +they not typify our impetuous 'spring-dances,' our wild mountain +melodies, the auroral gleams in our souls, the rushing, surging, +spiritual forces behind the mantle of ice? There is a dawning life in +the slumbering night, if it could only reach beyond the icy desert, +out over the world. + +"Thus 1895 comes in: + + + "'Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; + Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; + Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. + + "'Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; + Frown and we frown, the lords of our own hands; + For man is man and master of his fate.' + + +"Thursday, January 3d. A day of unrest, a changeful life, +notwithstanding all its monotony. But yesterday we were full of plans +for the future, and to-day how easily might we have been left on the +ice without a roof over our heads! At half-past four, in the morning +a fresh rush of ice set in in the lane aft, and at five it commenced +in the lane on our port side. About 8 o'clock I awoke, and heard the +crunching and crackling of the ice, as if ice-pressure were setting +in. A slight trembling was felt throughout the Fram, and I heard +the roar outside. When I came out I was not a little surprised to +find a large pressure-ridge all along the channel on the port side +scarcely thirty paces from the Fram; the cracks on this side extended +to quite eighteen paces from us. All loose articles that were lying +on the ice on this side were stowed away on board; the boards and +planks which, during the summer, had supported the meteorological +hut and the screen for the same were chopped up, as we could not +afford to lose any materials; but the line, which had been left out +in the sounding-hole with the bag-net attached to it, was caught in +the pressure. Just after I had come on board again shortly before +noon the ice suddenly began to press on again. I went out to have a +look; it was again in the lane on the port side; there was a strong +pressure, and the ridge was gradually approaching. A little later on +Sverdrup went up on deck, but soon after came below and told us that +the ridge was quickly bearing down on us, and a few hands were required +to come up and help to load the sledge with the sounding apparatus, +and bring it round to the starboard side of the Fram, as the ice had +cracked close by it. The ridge began to come alarmingly near, and, +should it be upon us before the Fram had broken loose from the ice, +matters might become very unpleasant. The vessel had now a greater +list to the port side than ever. + +"During the afternoon various preparations were made to leave the ship +if the worst should happen. All the sledges were placed ready on deck, +and the kayaks were also made clear; 25 cases of dog-biscuits were +deposited on the ice on the starboard side, and 19 cases of bread +were brought up and placed forward; also 4 drums, holding altogether +22 gallons of petroleum, were put on deck. Ten smaller-sized tins had +previously been filled with 100 litres of snowflake oil, and various +vessels containing gasoline were also standing on deck. As we were +sitting at supper we again heard the same crunching and crackling +noise in the ice as usual, coming nearer and nearer, and finally +we heard a crash proceeding from right underneath where we sat. I +rushed up. There was a pressure of ice in the lane a little way off, +almost on our starboard beam. I went down again, and continued my +meal. Peter, who had gone out on the ice, soon after came down and +said, laughing as usual, that it was no wonder we heard some crackling, +for the ice had cracked not a sledge-length away from the dog-biscuit +cases, and the crack was extending abaft of the Fram. I went out, +and found the crack was a very considerable one. The dog-biscuit +cases were now shifted a little more forward for greater safety. We +also found several minor cracks in the ice around the vessel. I then +went down and had a pipe and a pleasant chat with Sverdrup in his +cabin. After we had been sitting a good while the ice again began to +crack and jam. I did not think that the noise was greater than usual; +nevertheless, I asked those in the saloon, who sat playing halma, +whether there was any one on deck; if not, would one of them be kind +enough to go and see where the ice was packing. I heard hurried steps +above; Nordahl came down and reported that it was on the port side, +and that it would be best for us to be on deck. Peter and I jumped +up and several followed. As I went down the ladder Peter called out +to me from above: 'We must get the dogs out; see, there is water on +the ice!' It was high time that we came; the water was rushing in +and already stood high in the kennel. Peter waded into the water up +to his knees and pushed the door open. Most of the dogs rushed out +and jumped about, splashing in the water; but some, being frightened, +had crept back into the innermost corner and had to be dragged out, +although they stood in water reaching high up their legs. Poor brutes, +it must have been miserable enough, in all conscience, to be shut +up in such a place while the water was steadily rising about them, +yet they are not more noisy than usual. + +"The dogs having been put in safety, I walked round the Fram to see +what else had happened. The ice had cracked along her to the fore, near +the starboard bow; from this crack the water had poured aft along the +port side, which was weighed down by the weight of the ridge steadily +pressing on towards us. The crack has just passed under the middle of +the portable forge, which was thus endangered, and it was therefore +put on a sledge and removed to the great hummock on the starboard +quarter. The pemmican--altogether 11 cases--the cases of dog-biscuits, +and 19 cases of bread were conveyed to the same place. Thus we have +now a complete depot lying over there, and, I trust, in entire safety, +the ice being so thick that it is not likely to give way. This has +brought life into the lads; they have all turned out. We took out 4 +more tin cans of petroleum to the hummock, then proceeded to bring up +from the hold and place on deck ready for removal 21 cases of bread, +and a supply of pemmican, chocolate, butter, 'vril-food,' soup, etc., +calculated to last us 200 days. Also tents, cooking apparatus, and the +like, were got ready, so that now all is clear up there, and we may +sleep securely; but it was past midnight before we had done. I still +trust that it is all a false alarm, and that we shall have no occasion +for these supplies now, at any rate; nevertheless, it is our duty to +keep everything ready in case the unthinkable should happen. Moreover, +the watch has been enjoined to mind the dogs on the ice and to keep +a sharp lookout in case the ice should crack underneath our cases +or the ice-pressure should recommence; if anything should happen we +are to be called out at once, too early rather than too late. While +I sit here and write I hear the crunching and crackling beginning +again outside, so that there must still be a steady pressure on the +ice. All are in the best spirits; it almost appears as if they looked +upon this as a pleasant break in the monotony of our existence. Well, +it is half-past one, I had better turn into my bunk; I am tired, +and goodness knows how soon I may be called up. + +"Friday, January 4th. The ice kept quiet during the night, but all +day, with some intervals, it has been crackling and settling, and +this evening there have been several fits of pressure from 9 o'clock +onward. For a time it came on, sometimes rather lightly, at regular +intervals; sometimes with a rush and a regular roar; then it subsided +somewhat, and then it roared anew. Meanwhile the pressure-ridge +towers higher and higher and bears right down upon us slowly, while +the pressure comes on at intervals only, and more quickly when the +onset continues for a time. One can actually see it creeping nearer and +nearer; and now, at 1 o'clock at night, it is not many feet--scarcely +five--away from the edge of the snow-drift on the port side near the +gangway, and thence to the vessel is scarcely more than ten feet, +so that it will not be long now before it is upon us. Meanwhile the +ice continues to split, and the solid mass in which we are embedded +grows less and less, both to port and starboard. Several fissures +extend right up to the Fram. As the ice sinks down under the weight +of the ridge on the port side and the Fram lists more that way, more +water rushes up over the new ice which has frozen on the water that +rose yesterday. This is like dying by inches. Slowly but surely the +baleful ridge advances, and it looks as if it meant going right over +the rail; but if the Fram will only oblige by getting free of the +ice she will, I feel confident, extricate herself yet, even though +matters look rather awkward at present. We shall probably have a hard +time of it, however, before she can break loose if she does not do +so at once. I have been out and had a look at the ridge, and seen +how surely it is advancing! I have looked at the fissures in the ice +and noted how they are forming and expanding round the vessel; I have +listened to the ice crackling and crunching underfoot, and I do not +feel much disposed to turn into my berth before I see the Fram quite +released. As I sit here now I hear the ice making a fresh assault, +and roaring and packing outside, and I can tell that the ridge is +coming nearer. This is an ice-pressure with a vengeance, and it +seems as if it would never cease. I do not think there is anything +more that we can do now. All is in readiness for leaving the vessel, +if need be. To-day the clothing, etc., was taken out and placed ready +for removal in separate bags for each man. + +"It is very strange; there is certainly a possibility that all our +plans may be crossed by unforeseen events, although it is not very +probable that this will happen. As yet I feel no anxiety in that +direction, only I should like to know whether we are really to take +everything on to the ice or not. However, it is past 1 o'clock, +and I think the most sensible thing to do would be to turn in and +sleep. The watch has orders to call me when the hummock reaches the +Fram. It is lucky it is moonlight now, so that we are able to see +something of all this abomination. + +"The day before yesterday we saw the moon for the first time just +above the horizon. Yesterday it was shining a little, and now we have +it both day and night. A most favorable state of things. But it is +nearly 2 o'clock, and I must go to sleep now. The pressure of the ice, +I can hear, is stronger again. + +"Saturday, January 5th. To-night everybody sleeps fully dressed, and +with the most indispensable necessaries either by his side or secured +to his body, ready to jump on the ice at the first warning. All other +requisites, such as provisions, clothing, sleeping-bags, etc., etc., +have been brought out on the ice. We have been at work at this all +day, and have got everything into perfect order, and are now quite +ready to leave if necessary, which, however, I do not believe will +be the case, though the ice-pressure has been as bad as it could be. + +"I slept soundly, woke up only once, and listened to the crunching +and jamming and grinding till I fell asleep again. I was called at +5.30 in the morning by Sverdrup, who told me that the hummock had now +reached the Fram, and was bearing down on us violently, reaching as +high as the rail. I was not left in doubt very long, as hardly had I +opened my eyes when I heard a thundering and crashing outside in the +ice, as if doomsday had come. I jumped up. There was nothing left +for it but to call all hands, to put all the remaining provisions +on the ice, and then put all our furs and other equipment on deck, +so that they could be thrown overboard at a moment's notice if +necessary. Thus the day passed, but the ice kept quiet. Last of all, +the petroleum launch, which was hanging in the davits on the port +side, was lowered, and was dragged towards the great hummock. At +about 8 o'clock in the evening, when we thought the ice-pressure +had subsided, it started thundering and crashing again worse than +ever. I hurried up. Masses of snow and ice rushed on us, high above +the rail amidships and over the tent. Peter, who also came up, seized +a spade and rushed forward outside the awning as far as the forepart +of the half-deck, and stood in the midst of the ice, digging away, +and I followed to see how matters stood. I saw more than I cared +to see; it was hopeless to fight that enemy with a spade. I called +out to Peter to come back, and said, 'We had better see to getting +everything out on to the ice.' Hardly had I spoken, when it pressed +on again with renewed strength, and thundered and crashed, and, +as Peter said, and laughed till he shook again, 'nearly sent both +me and the spade to the deuce.' I rushed back to the main-deck; on +the way I met Mogstad, who hurried up, spade in hand, and sent him +back. Running forward under the tent towards the ladder, I saw that +the tent-roof was bent down under the weight of the masses of ice, +which were rushing over it and crashing in over the rail and bulwarks +to such an extent that I expected every moment to see the ice force +its way through and block up the passage. When I got below, I called +all hands on deck; but told them when going up not to go out through +the door on the port side, but through the chart-room and out on the +starboard side. In the first place, all the bags were to be brought +up from the saloon, and then we were to take those lying on deck. I +was afraid that if the door on the port side was not kept closed +the ice might, if it suddenly burst through the bulwarks and tent, +rush over the deck and in through the door, fill the passage and rush +down the ladder, and thus imprison us like mice in a trap. True, the +passage up from the engine-room had been cleared for this emergency, +but this was a very narrow hole to get through with heavy bags, +and no one could tell how long this hole would keep open when the +ice once attacked us in earnest. I ran up again to set free the dogs, +which were shut up in 'Castle-garden'--an enclosure on the deck along +the port bulwark. They whined and howled most dolefully under the tent +as the snow masses threatened at any moment to crush it and bury them +alive. I cut away the fastening with a knife, pulled the door open, +and out rushed most of them by the starboard gangway at full speed. [3] + +Meantime the hands started bringing up the bags. It was quite +unnecessary to ask them to hurry up--the ice did that, thundering +against the ship's sides in a way that seemed irresistible. It was a +fearful hurly-burly in the darkness; for, to cap all, the mate had, +in the hurry, let the lanterns go out. I had to go down again to get +something on my feet; my Finland shoes were hanging up to dry in the +galley. When I got there the ice was at its worst, and the half-deck +beams were creaking overhead, so that I really thought they were all +coming down. + +"The saloon and the berths were soon cleared of bags, and the deck +as well, and we started taking them along the ice. The ice roared +and crashed against the ship's side, so that we could hardly hear +ourselves speak; but all went quickly and well, and before long +everything was in safety. + +"While we were dragging the bags along, the pressure and jamming of +the ice had at last stopped, and all was quiet again as before. + +"But what a sight! The Fram's port side was quite buried under the +snow; all that could be seen was the top of the tent projecting. Had +the petroleum launch been hanging in the davits, as it was a few +hours previously, it would hardly have escaped destruction. The +davits were quite buried in ice and snow. It is curious that both +fire and water have been powerless against that boat; and it has +now come out unscathed from the ice, and lies there bottom upward +on the floe. She has had a stormy existence and continual mishaps; +I wonder what is next in store for her? + +"It was, I must admit, a most exciting scene when it was at its +worst, and we thought it was imperative to get the bags up from the +saloon with all possible speed. Sverdrup now tells me that he was +just about to have a bath, and was as naked as when he was born, +when he heard me call all hands on deck. As this had not happened +before, he understood there was something serious the matter, and he +jumped into his clothes anyhow. Amundsen, apparently, also realized +that something was amiss. He says he was the first who came up with +his bag. He had not understood, or had forgotten, in the confusion, +the order about going out through the starboard door; he groped his +way out on the port side and fell in the dark over the edge of the +half-deck. 'Well, that did not matter,' he said; 'he was quite used +to that kind of thing;' but having pulled himself together after +the fall, and as he was lying there on his back, he dared not move, +for it seemed to him as if tent and all were coming down on him, +and it thundered and crashed against the gunwale and the hull as if +the last hour had come. It finally dawned on him why he ought to have +gone out on the starboard and not on the port side. + +"All that could possibly be thought to be of any use was taken +out. The mate was seen dragging along a big bag of clothes with +a heavy bundle of cups fastened outside it. Later he was stalking +about with all sorts of things, such as mittens, knives, cups, etc., +fastened to his clothes and dangling about him, so that the rattling +noise could be heard afar off. He is himself to the last. + +"In the evening the men all started eating their stock of cakes, +sweetmeats, and such-like, smoked tobacco, and enjoyed themselves in +the most animated fashion. They evidently thought it was uncertain when +they should next have such a time on board the Fram, and therefore +they thought it was best to avail themselves of the opportunity. We +are now living in marching order on an empty ship. + +"By way of precaution we have now burst open again the passage on +the starboard side which was used as a library and had therefore +been closed, and all doors are now kept always open, so that we +can be sure of getting out, even if anything should give way. We do +not want the ice-pressure to close the doors against us by jamming +the doorposts together. But she certainly is a strong ship. It is +a mighty ridge that we have in our port side, and the masses of ice +are tremendous. The ship is listing more than ever, nearly 7°; but +since the last pressure she has righted herself a little again, so +that she must surely have broken away from the ice and begun to rise, +and all danger is doubtless over. So, after all, it has been a case of +'Much ado about nothing.' + +"Sunday, January 6th. A quiet day; no jamming since last night. Most +of the fellows slept well on into the morning. This afternoon all have +been very busy digging the Fram out of the ice again, and we have +now got the rail clear right aft to the half-deck; but a tremendous +mass had fallen over the tent. It was above the second ratline in the +fore-shrouds, and fully six feet over the rail. It is a marvel that +the tent stood it; but it was a very good thing that it did do so, +for otherwise it is hard to say what might have become of many of the +dogs. This afternoon Hansen took a meridian observation, which gave 83° +34' north latitude. Hurrah! We are getting on well northward--thirteen +minutes since Monday--and the most northern latitude is now reached. It +goes without saying that the occasion was duly celebrated with a bowl +of punch, preserved fruits, cakes, and the doctor's cigars. + +"Last night we were running with the bags for our lives; to-night we +are drinking punch and feasting: such are, indeed, the vicissitudes +of fate. All this roaring and crashing for the last few days has been, +perhaps, a cannonade to celebrate our reaching such a high latitude. If +that be so, it must be admitted that the ice has done full honor to +the occasion. Well, never mind, let it crash on so long as we only +get northward. The Fram will, no doubt, stand it now; she has lifted +fully one foot forward and fully six inches aft, and she has slipped a +little astern. Moreover, we cannot find so much as a single stanchion +in the bulwarks that has started, yet to-night every man will sleep +fully prepared to make for the ice. + +"Monday, January 7th. There was a little jamming of the ice +occasionally during the day, but only of slight duration, then all +was quiet again. Evidently the ice has not yet settled, and we have +perhaps more to expect from our friend to port, whom I would willingly +exchange for a better neighbor. + +"It seems, however, as if the ice-pressure had altered its direction +since the wind has changed to S.E. It is now confined to the ridges +fore and aft athwart the wind; while our friend to port, lying almost +in the line of the wind, has kept somewhat quieter. + +"Everything has an end, as the boy said when he was in for a +birching. Perhaps the growth of this ridge has come to an end now, +perhaps not; the one thing is just as likely as the other. + +"To-day the work of extricating the Fram is proceeding; we will +at all events get the rails clear of the ice. It presents a most +imposing sight by the light of the moon, and, however conscious +of one's own strength, one cannot help respecting an antagonist +who commands such powers, and who, in a few moments, is capable +of putting mighty machinery into action. It is rather an awkward +battering-ram to face. The Fram is equal to it, but no other ship +could have resisted such an onslaught. In less than an hour this ice +will build up a wall alongside us and over us which it might take us a +month to get out of, and possibly longer than that. There is something +gigantic about it; it is like a struggle between dwarfs and an ogre, +in which the pygmies have to resort to cunning and trickery to get out +of the clutches of one who seldom relaxes his grip. The Fram is the +ship which the pygmies have built with all their cunning in order to +fight the ogre; and on board this ship they work as busily as ants, +while the ogre only thinks it worth while to roll over and twist his +body about now and then, but every time he turns over it seems as +though the nutshell would be smashed and buried, and would disappear; +but the pygmies have built their nutshell so cleverly that it always +keeps afloat, and wriggles itself free from the deadly embrace. The +old traditions and legends about giants, about Thor's battles in the +Jötunheim, when rocks were split and crags were hurled about, and the +valleys were filled with falling boulders, all come back to me when I +look at these mighty ridges of ice winding their way far off in the +moonlight; and when I see the men standing on the ice-heap cutting +and digging to remove a fraction of it, then they seem to me smaller +than pygmies, smaller than ants; but although each ant carries only +a single fir-needle, yet in course of time they build an ant-hill, +where they can live comfortably, sheltered from storm and winter. + +"Had this attack on the Fram been planned by the aid of all the +wickedness in the world, it could not have been a worse one. The floe, +seven feet thick, has borne down on us on the port side, forcing itself +up on the ice, in which we are lying, and crushing it down. Thus the +Fram was forced down with the ice, while the other floe, packed up on +the ice beneath, bore down on her, and took her amidships while she +was still frozen fast. As far as I can judge, she could hardly have +had a tighter squeeze; it was no wonder that she groaned under it; +but she withstood it, broke loose, and eased. Who shall say after +this that a vessel's shape is of little consequence? Had the Fram +not been designed as she was, we should not have been sitting here +now. Not a drop of water is to be found in her anywhere. Strangely +enough, the ice has not given us another such squeeze since then; +perhaps it was its expiring grip we felt on Saturday. + +"It is hard to tell, but it was terrific enough. This morning Sverdrup +and I went for a walk on the ice, but when we got a little way from +the ship we found no sign of any new packing; the ice was smooth +and unbroken as before. The packing has been limited to a certain +stretch from east to west, and the Fram has been lying at the very +worst point of it. + +"This afternoon Hansen has worked out yesterday's observations, the +result being 83° 34.2' north latitude and 102° 51' east longitude. We +have therefore drifted north and westward; 15 miles west, indeed, +and only 13.5 north since New-year's-eve, while the wind has been +mostly from the southwest. It seems as if the ice has taken a more +decided course towards the northwest than ever, and therefore it is +not to be wondered at that there is some pressure when the wind blows +athwart the course of the ice. However, I hardly think we need any +particular explanation of the pressure, as we have evidently again +got into a packing-centre with cracks, lanes, and ridges, where the +pressure is maintained for some time, such as we were in during the +first winter. We have constantly met with several similar stretches +on the surrounding ice, even when it has been most quiet. + +"This evening there was a most remarkable brightness right under the +moon. It was like an immense luminous haycock, which rose from the +horizon and touched the great ring round the moon. At the upper side +of this ring there was a segment of the usual inverted arc of light." + +The next day, January 8th, the ice began grinding occasionally, +and while Mogstad and I stood in the hold working on hand sledges we +heard creakings in the ship both above and below us. This was repeated +several times; but in the intervals it was quiet. I was often on the +ice listening to the grinding and watching how it went on, but it did +not go beyond crackling and creaking beneath our feet and in the ridge +at our side. Perhaps it is to warn us not to be too confident! I am +not so sure that it is not necessary. It is in reality like living on +a smoking volcano. The eruption that will seal our fate may occur at +any moment. It will either force the ship up or swallow her down. And +what are the stakes? Either the Fram will get home and the expedition +be fully successful, or we shall lose her and have to be content with +what we have done, and possibly on our way home we may explore parts +of Franz Josef Land. That is all; but most of us feel that it would +be hard to lose the ship, and it would be a very sad sight to see +her disappear. + +"Some of the hands, under Sverdrup, are working, trying to cut away +the hummock ice on the port side, and they have already made good +headway. Mogstad and I are busy getting the sledges in order, and +preparing them for use as I want them, whether we go north or south. + +"Liv is two years old to-day. + +"She is a big girl now. I wonder if I should be able to recognize +her? I suppose I should hardly find a single familiar feature. They are +sure to celebrate the day, and she will get all kinds of presents. Many +a thought will be sent northward, but they know not where to look +for us; are not aware that we are drifting here embedded in the ice +in the highest northern latitudes ever reached, in the deepest polar +night ever penetrated." + +During the following days the ice became steadily quieter. In the +course of the night of the 9th of January the ice was still slightly +cracking and grinding; then it quite subsided, and on the 10th of +January the report is "ice perfectly quiet, and if it were not for +the ridge on the port side one would never have thought there had +ever been any breach in the eternal stillness, so calm and peaceful +is it." Some men went on cutting away the ice, and little by little +we could see it was getting less. Mogstad and I were busily engaged +in the hold with the new sledges, and during this time I also made an +attempt to photograph the Fram by moonlight from different points. The +results surpassed my expectations; but as the top of the pressure-ridge +had now been cut away, these photos do not give an exact impression of +the pack-ice, and of how it came hurtling down upon the Fram. We then +put in order our depot on the great hummock on the starboard quarter, +and all sleeping-bags, Lapland boots, Finn shoes, wolfskin clothing, +etc., were wrapped in the foresail and placed to the extreme west, +the provisions were collected into six different heaps, and the rifles +and guns were distributed among three of the heaps and wrapped up in +boat-sails. Next, Hansen's instrument-case and my own, together with +a bucketful of rifle-cartridges, were placed under a boat-sail. Then +the forge and the smith's tools were arranged separately, and +up on the top of the great hummock we laid a heap of sledges and +snow-shoes. All the kayaks were laid side by side bottom upward, +the cooking apparatus and lamps, etc., being placed under them. They +were spread out in this way, so that in the improbable event of the +thick floe splitting suddenly our loss would not be so great. We knew +where to find everything, and it might blow and drift to its heart's +content without our losing anything. + +On the evening of January 14th I wrote in my diary: "Two sharp +reports were heard in the ship, like shots from a cannon, and then +followed a noise as of something splitting--presumably this must be +the cracking of the ice, on account of the frost. It appeared to me +that the list on the ship increased at that moment, but perhaps it +was only imagination." + +As time passed on we all gradually got busy again preparing for the +sledge expedition. On Tuesday, January 15th, I say: "This evening +the doctor gave a lesson to Johansen and myself in bandaging and +repairing broken limbs. I lay on the table and had a plaster-of-Paris +bandage put round the calf of my leg, while all the crew were looking +on. The very sight of this operation cannot fail to suggest unpleasant +thoughts. An accident of this nature out in the polar night, with 40° +to 50° of cold, would be anything but pleasant, to say nothing of +how easily it might mean death to both of us. But who knows? We might +manage somehow. However, such things must not be allowed to happen, +and, what is more, they shall not." + +As January went on we could by noon just see the faint dawn of +day--that day at whose sunrise we were to start. On January 18th I say: +"By 9 o'clock in the morning I could already distinguish the first +indications of dawn, and by noon it seemed to be getting bright; +but it seems hardly credible that in a month's time there will be +light enough to travel by, yet it must be so. True, February is a +month which all 'experienced' people consider far too early and much +too cold for travelling; hardly any one would do so in the month of +March. But it cannot be helped; we have no time to waste in waiting for +additional comfort if we are to make any progress before the summer, +when travelling will be impossible. I am not afraid of the cold; +we can always protect ourselves against that. + +"Meantime all preparations are proceeding, and I am now +getting everything in order connected with copying of diaries, +observation-books, photographs, etc., that we are to take with +us. Mogstad is working in the hold making maple guard-runners to +put under the sledges. Jacobsen has commenced to put a new sledge +together. Pettersen is in the engine-room, making nails for the +sledge-fittings, which Mogstad is to put on. In the meantime some of +the others have built a large forge out on the ice with blocks of ice +and snow, and to-morrow Sverdrup and I will heat and bend the runners +in tar and stearine at such a heat as we can produce in the forge. We +trust we shall be able to get a sufficient temperature to do this +important work thoroughly, in spite of the 40° of frost. Amundsen is +now repairing the mill, as there is something wrong with it again, +the cog-wheels being worn. He thinks he will be able to get it all +right again. Rather chilly work to be lying up there in the wind +on the top of the mill, boring in the hard steel and cast-iron by +lantern-light, and at such a temperature as we are having now. I stood +and watched the lantern-light up there to-day, and I soon heard the +drill working; one could tell the steel was hard; then I could hear +clapping of hands. 'Ah,' thought I, 'you may well clap your hands +together; it is not a particularly warm job to be lying up there in +the wind.' The worst of it is one cannot wear mittens for such work, +but has to use the bare hands if one is to make any progress, and +it would not take long to freeze them off; but it has to be done, +he says, and he will not give in. He is a splendid fellow in all +he undertakes, and I console him by saying that there are not many +before him who have worked on the top of a mill in such frost north +of 83°. On many expeditions they have avoided out-of-door work when +the temperature got so low. 'Indeed,' he says, 'I thought that other +expeditions were in advance of us in that respect. I imagined we had +kept indoors too much.' I had no hesitation in enlightening him on +this point; I know he will do his best in any case. + +"This is, indeed, a strange time for me; I feel as if I were preparing +for a summer trip and the spring were already here, yet it is still +midwinter, and the conditions of the summer trip may be somewhat +ambiguous. The ice keeps quiet; the cracking in it and in the Fram +is due only to the cold. I have during the last few days again read +Payer's account of his sledge expedition northward through Austria +Sound. It is not very encouraging. The very land he describes as the +realm of Death, where he thinks he and his companions would inevitably +have perished had they not recovered the vessel, is the place to which +we look for salvation; that is the region we hope to reach when our +provisions have come to an end. It may seem reckless, but nevertheless +I cannot imagine that it is so. I cannot help believing that a land +which even in April teems with bears, auks, and black guillemots, +and where seals are basking on the ice, must be a Canaan, 'flowing +with milk and honey,' for two men who have good rifles and good eyes; +it must surely yield food enough not only for the needs of the moment, +but also provisions for the journey onward to Spitzbergen. Sometimes, +however, the thought will present itself that it may be very difficult +to get the food when it is most sorely needed; but these are only +passing moments. We must remember Carlyle's words: 'A man shall +and must be valiant; he must march forward, and quit himself like +a man--trusting imperturbably in the appointment and choice of the +Upper Powers.' I have not, it is true, any 'Upper Powers'; it would +probably be well to have them in such a case, but we nevertheless are +starting, and the time approaches rapidly; four weeks or a little more +soon pass by, and then farewell to this snug nest, which has been our +home for eighteen months, and we go out into the darkness and cold, +out into the still more unknown: + + + "'Out yonder 'tis dark, + But onward we must, + Over the dewy wet mountains, + Ride through the land of the ice-troll; + We shall both be saved, + Or the ice-troll's hand + Shall clutch us both.'" + + +On January 23d I write: "The dawn has grown so much that there was +a visible light from it on the ice, and for the first time this year +I saw the crimson glow of the sun low down in the dawn." We now took +soundings with the lead before I was to leave the vessel; we found 1876 +fathoms (3450 metres). I then made some snow-shoes down in the hold; it +was important to have them smooth, tough, and light, on which one could +make good headway; "they shall be well rubbed with tar, stearine, and +tallow, and there shall be speed in them; then it is only a question +of using one's legs, and I have no doubt that can be managed. + +"Tuesday, January 29th. Latitude yesterday, 83° 30'. (Some days +ago we had been so far north as 83° 40', but had again drifted +southward.) The light keeps on steadily increasing, and by noon it +almost seems to be broad daylight. I believe I could read the title +of a book out in the open if the print were large and clear. I take +a stroll every morning, greeting the dawning day, before I go down +into the hold to my work at the snowshoes and equipment. My mind +is filled with a peculiar sensation, which I cannot clearly define; +there is certainly an exulting feeling of triumph, deep in the soul, a +feeling that all one's dreams are about to be realized with the rising +sun, which steers northward across the ice-bound waters. But while I +am busy in these familiar surroundings a wave of sadness sometimes +comes over me; it is like bidding farewell to a dear friend and to +a home which has long afforded me a sheltering roof. At one blow all +this and my dear comrades are to be left behind forever; never again +shall I tread this snow-clad deck, never again creep under this tent, +never hear the laughter ring in this familiar saloon, never again +sit in this friendly circle. + +"And then I remember that when the Fram at last bursts from her bonds +of ice, and turns her prow towards Norway, I shall not be with her. A +farewell imparts to everything in life its own tinge of sadness, +like the crimson rays of the sun, when the day, good or bad, sinks +in tears below the horizon. + +"Hundreds of times my eye wanders to the map hanging there on the +wall, and each time a chill creeps over me. The distance before us +seems so long, and the obstacles in our path may be many; but then +again the feeling comes that we are bound to pull through: it cannot +be otherwise; everything is too carefully prepared to fail now, +and meanwhile the southeast wind is whistling above us, and we are +continually drifting northward nearer our goal. When I go up on deck +and step out into the night with its glittering starry vault and the +flaring aurora borealis, then all these thoughts recede, and I must, +as ever, pause on the threshold of this sanctuary--this dark, deep, +silent space, this infinite temple of nature, in which the soul +seeks to find its origin. Toiling ant, what matters it whether you +reach your goal with your fir-needle or not? Everything disappears +none the less in the ocean of eternity, in the great Nirvana; and as +time rolls on our names are forgotten, our deeds pass into oblivion, +and our lives flit by like the traces of a cloud, and vanish like +the mist dispelled by the warm rays of the sun. Our time is but a +fleeting shadow, hurrying us on to the end--so it is ordained; and +having reached that end, none ever retraces his steps. + +"Two of us will soon be journeying farther through this immense waste, +into greater solitudes and deeper stillness. + +"Wednesday, January 30th. To-day the great event has happened, that +the windmill is again at work for the first time after its long +rest. In spite of the cold and the darkness, Amundsen had got the +cog-wheels into order, and now it is running as smoothly and steadily +as gutta-percha." + +We have now constant northeast winds, and we again bore northward. On +Sunday, February 3d, we were at 83° 43'. The time for our departure +approached, and the preparations were carried on with great +activity. The sledges were completed, and I tried them under various +conditions. I have alluded to the fact that we made maple guards +to put under the fixed nickel-plated runners. The idea of this was +to strengthen both the sledges and the runners, so that they would +at the beginning of the journey, when the loads were heavy, be less +liable to breakage from the jolting to which they would probably be +exposed. Later on, when the load got lighter, we might, if we thought +fit, easily remove them. These guards were also to serve another +purpose. I had an idea that, in view of the low temperature we had +during the winter, and on the dry drift-snow which then covered the +ice-floes, metal would glide less easily than smooth wood, especially +if the latter were well rubbed with rich tar and stearine. By February +8th one of the sledges with wooden guard-runners was finished, so that +we could make experiments in this direction, and we then found that +it was considerably easier to haul than a similar sledge running on +the nickel-plate, though the load on each was exactly the same. The +difference was so great that we found that it was at least half as +hard again to draw a sledge on the nickel runners as on the tarred +maple runners. + +Our new ash sledges were now nearly finished and weighed 30 pounds +without the guard-runners. "Everybody is hard at work. Sverdrup is +sewing bags or bolsters to put on the sledges as beds for the kayaks +to rest on. To this end the bags are to be made up to fit the bottoms +of the boats. Johansen with one or two other men are stuffing the bags +with pemmican, which has to be warmed, beaten, and kneaded in order +to give it the right form for making a good bed for our precious +boats. When these square, flat bags are carried out into the cold +they freeze as hard as stone, and keep their form well. Blessing +is sitting up in the work-room, copying the photographs of which I +have no prints. Hansen is working out a map of our route so far, and +copying out his observations for us, etc., etc. In short, there is +hardly a man on board who does not feel that the moment for departure +approaches; perhaps the galley is the only place where everything +goes on in the usual way under the management of Lars. Our position +yesterday was 83° 32.1' north latitude and 102° 28' east longitude, +so we are southward again; but never mind, what do a couple of miles +more or less matter to us? + +"Sunday, February 10th. To-day there was so much daylight that at 1 +o'clock I could fairly well read the Verdens Gang, when I held the +paper up towards the light; but when I held it towards the moon, +which was low in the north, it was no go. Before dinner I went for +a short drive with 'Gulen' and 'Susine' (two of the young dogs) and +'Kaifas.' 'Gulen' had never been in harness before, but yet she went +quite well; she was certainly a little awkward at first, but that soon +disappeared, and I think she will make a good dog when she is well +trained. 'Susine,' who was driven a little last autumn, conducted +herself quite like an old sledge-dog. The surface is hard, and easy +for the dogs to haul on. They get a good foothold, and the snow is +not particularly sharp for their feet; however, it is not over-smooth; +this drift-snow makes heavy going. The ice is smooth, and easy to run +on, and I trust we shall be able to make good day-journeys; after all, +we shall reach our destination sooner than we had expected. I cannot +deny that it is a long journey, and scarcely any one has ever more +effectually burned his boats behind him. If we wished to turn back +we have absolutely nothing to return to, not even a bare coast. It +will be impossible to find the ship, and before us lies the great +unknown. But there is only one road, and that lies straight ahead, +right through, be it land or sea, be it smooth or rough, be it mere ice +or ice and water. And I cannot but believe that we must get through, +even if we should meet with the worst--viz., land and pack-ice. + +"Wednesday, February 13th. The pemmican bolsters and dried-liver pie +are now ready; the kayaks will get an excellent bedding, and I venture +to say that such meat-bolsters are an absolute novelty. Under each +kayak there are three of them, they are made to fit the sledge, and, +as already stated, are moulded to the shape of the kayak. They weigh +100 to 120 pounds each. The empty sacks weigh 2 or 3 pounds each, so +that altogether the meat (pemmican and liver pie) in these three bags +will weigh about 320 pounds. We each had our light sleeping-bags of +reindeer-skin, and we tried to sleep out in them last night, but both +Johansen and I found it rather cold, although it was only 37° Fahr. of +frost. We were, perhaps, too lightly clad under the wolfskin clothing; +we are making another experiment with a little more on to-night. + +"Saturday, February 16th. The outfitting is still progressing; +but there are various small things yet to do which take time, +and I do not know whether we shall be ready to start on Wednesday, +February 20th, as I originally intended. The day is now so light +that, so far as that is concerned, we might quite well start then; +but perhaps we had better wait a day or two longer. Three sledge-sails +(for single sledges) are now finished; they are made of very light +calico, and are about 7 feet 2 inches broad by 4 feet 4 inches long; +they are made so that two of them may be laced together and used +as one sail for a double sledge, and I believe they will act well; +they weigh a little over one pound each. Moreover, we have now most +of the provisions ready stowed away in bags." + + + + + + +CHAPTER III + +WE MAKE A START + + +"Tuesday, February 26th. At last the day has arrived, the great day, +when the journey is to commence. The week has passed in untiring work +to get everything ready. We should have started on the 20th, but it +has been postponed from day to day; there was always something still +to do. My head has been full night and day, with all that was to be +done and that must not be forgotten. Oh, this unceasing mental strain, +which does not allow a minute's respite in which to throw off the +responsibility, to give loose rein to the thoughts, and let the dreams +have full sway! The nerves are in a state of tension from the moment +of awaking in the morning till the eyes close late at night. Ah! how +well I know this state, which I have experienced each time I have been +about to set out and retreat was to be cut off--never, I believe, +more effectually than now! The last few nights I did not get to bed +before half-past three or half-past four o'clock in the morning. It is +not only what we ought to take with us that has to be taken care of, +but we have to leave the vessel; its command and responsibility have +to be placed in other hands, and care must be taken that nothing is +forgotten in the way of instructions to the men who remain, as the +scientific observations will have to be continued on the same lines +as they have been carried on hitherto, and other observations of all +kinds will have to be made, etc., etc." + +The last night we were to spend on board the Fram eventually arrived, +and we had a farewell party. In a strange, sad way, reminiscences were +revived of all that had befallen us here on board, mingled with hope +and trust in what the future would bring. I remained up till far into +the night; letters and remembrances had to be sent to those at home, +in case the unforeseen should happen. Among the last things I wrote +were the following instructions to Sverdrup, in which I handed over +to him the command of the expedition: + + + +"Captain Otto Sverdrup, Commander of the Fram: + +"As I am now leaving the Fram, accompanied by Johansen, to undertake +a journey northward--if possible, to the Pole--and from there to +Spitzbergen, most likely via Franz Josef Land, I make over to you +the command of the remaining part of the expedition. From the day +I leave the Fram, all the authority which hitherto was vested in me +shall devolve upon you to an equal extent, and the others will have to +render absolute obedience to you, or to whomsoever you may depute as +their leader. I consider it superfluous to give any orders about what +is to be done under various contingencies, even if it were possible +to give any. I am certain you will know best yourself what ought to +be done in any emergency, and I therefore consider that I may with +confidence leave the Fram. + +"The chief aim of the expedition is to push through the unknown +Polar Sea from the region around the New Siberian Islands, north of +Franz Josef Land, and onward to the Atlantic Ocean, near Spitzbergen +or Greenland. The most essential part of this task, I consider, +we have already accomplished; the remainder will be achieved as the +expedition gets farther west. In order to make the expedition still +more fruitful of results, I am making an attempt to push farther up +north with the dogs. Your task will then be to convey home, in the +safest manner possible, the human lives now confided to your care, +and not to expose them to any unnecessary danger, either out of +regard for the ship or cargo, or for the scientific outcome of the +expedition. No one can tell how long it may take before the Fram +drifts out into open water. You have provisions for several years to +come; if for any unknown reason it should take too long, or if the +crew should begin to suffer in health, or if from other reasons you +should think it best to abandon the vessel, it should unquestionably +be done. As to the time of the year when this should be done, and +the route to be chosen, you yourself will be best able to judge. If +it should be necessary, I consider Franz Josef Land and Spitzbergen +favorable lands to make for. If search is made for the expedition +after the arrival home of Johansen and myself, it will be made there +first. Wherever you come to land, you should, as often as you can, +erect conspicuous beacons on promontories and projecting headlands, +and place within the beacons a short report of what has occurred, +and whither you are going. In order to distinguish these beacons from +others, a small beacon should be erected 4 metres from the larger +one in the direction of the magnetic North Pole. The question as +to what outfit would be most advantageous in case the Fram should +have to be abandoned is one which we have so frequently discussed +that I consider it superfluous to dwell on it here. I know that you +will take care that the requisite number of kayaks for all the men, +sledges, snow-shoes, 'truger,' and other articles of outfit are +put in complete order as soon as possible, and kept in readiness, +so that such a journey home over the ice could be undertaken with +the greatest possible ease. Elsewhere I give you directions as to +the provisions which I consider most suitable for such a journey, +and the quantity necessary for each man. + +"I also know that you will hold everything in readiness to abandon the +Fram in the shortest possible time in the event of her suffering sudden +damage, whether through fire or ice-pressure. If the ice permits it, +I consider it advisable that a depot, with sufficient provisions, +etc., should be established at a safe place on the ice, such as we +have lately had. All necessaries which cannot be kept on the ice +ought to be so placed on board that they are easy to get at under +any circumstances. As you are aware, all the provisions now in the +depot are concentrated foods for sledging journeys only; but as it may +happen that you will have to remain inactive for a time before going +farther, it would be highly desirable to save as much tinned meat, +fish, and vegetables as possible; should troublous times come then, +I should consider it advisable to have a supply of these articles +ready on the ice. + +"Should the Fram while drifting be carried far to the north of +Spitzbergen, and get over into the current under the east coast of +Greenland, many possibilities may be imagined which it is not easy to +form an opinion on now; but should you be obliged to abandon the Fram +and make for the land, it would be best for you to erect beacons there, +as stated above (with particulars as to whither you are going, etc.), +as search might possibly be made there for the expedition. Whether in +that case you ought to make for Iceland (which is the nearest land, +and where you should be able to get in the early part of summer, +if following the edge of the ice), or for the Danish colonies west +of Cape Farewell, you will be best able to judge on considering all +the circumstances. + +"As regards what you ought to take with you in the event of abandoning +the Fram, besides the necessary provisions, I may mention weapons, +ammunition, and equipment, all scientific and other journals and +observations, all scientific collections that are not too heavy, or, +if too heavy, small samples thereof; photographs, preferably the +original plates (or films); or should these prove too heavy, then +prints taken from them; also the 'Aderman' aerometer, with which most +of the observations on the specific gravity of sea-water are taken; +as well as, of course, all journals and memoranda which are of any +interest. I leave behind some diaries and letters, which I would +request you to take special care of and deliver to Eva if I should +not return home, or if, contrary to all expectation, you should return +home before us. + +"Hansen and Blessing will, as you know, attend to the various +scientific expeditions and to the collecting of specimens. You yourself +will attend to the soundings, and see that they are taken as frequently +as possible and as the condition of the line permits. I should consider +at least once in every 60 miles covered to be extremely desirable; +if it can be done oftener so much the better. Should the depth become +less than now and more variable, it goes without saying that soundings +should be taken more frequently. + +"As the crew was small before, and will now be still further reduced +by two men, more work will probably fall to each man's lot; but I know +that, whenever you can, you will spare men to assist in the scientific +observations, and make them as complete as possible. Please also see +that every tenth day (the first, tenth, and twentieth of every month) +the ice is bored through, and the thickness measured, in the same +way as has been done hitherto. Henriksen has for the most part made +these borings, and is a trustworthy man for this work. + +"In conclusion, I wish all possible success to you, and to those +for whom you are now responsible, and may we meet again in Norway, +whether it be on board of this vessel or without her. + + +"Yours affectionately, + +"Fridtjof Nansen. + +"On board the Fram, + +"February 25, 1895." + + + +"Now at last the brain was to get some rest, and the work for the +legs and arms to commence. Everything was got ready for the start this +morning. Five of our comrades, Sverdrup, Hansen, Blessing, Henriksen, +and Mogstad, were to see us off on our way, bringing a sledge and a +tent with them. The four sledges were got ready, the dogs harnessed +to them, lunch, with a bottle of malt extract per man, was taken +just before starting, and then we bade the last hearty farewell to +those left behind. We were off into the drifting snow. I myself took +the lead with 'Kvik' as leading dog, in the first sledge, and then +sledge after sledge followed amid cheers, accompanied by the cracking +of whips and the barking of dogs. At the same time a salute was fired +from the quarter-deck, shot after shot, into the whirling drift. The +sledges moved heavily forward; it was slow travelling uphill, and +they came to a dead stop where the ascent was too steep, and we all +had to help them along--one man alone could not do it; but over level +ground we flew along like a whirlwind, and those on snow-shoes found it +difficult enough to keep pace with the sledges. I had to strike out as +best I could when they came up to me to avoid getting my legs entangled +in the line. A man is beckoning with his staff far in the rear. It is +Mogstad, who comes tearing along and shouting that three 'flöitstokker' +[4] (crossbars) had been torn off a sledge in driving. The sledge, +with its heavy load, had lurched forward over an upright piece of ice, +which struck the crossbars, breaking all three of them, one after the +other; one or two of the perpendicular supports of the runners were +also smashed. There was nothing for it but to return to the ship to +get it repaired and have the sledges made stronger. Such a thing ought +not to happen again. During the return one of the sledges lurched +up against another, and a cane in the bow snapped. The bows would, +therefore, also have to be made stronger. [5] + +"The sledges have again been unloaded and brought on board in order +that this may be done, and here we are again to-night. I am glad, +however, that this happened when it did; it would have been worse +to have had such an experience a few days later. I will now take +six sledges instead of four, so that the load on each may be less, +and so that it will be easier to lift them over the irregularities +of the ground. I shall also have a broad board fitted lengthwise to +the sledge, underneath the crossbars, so as to protect them against +projecting pieces of ice. As a great deal of time is saved in the +end by doing such things thoroughly before starting, we shall not be +ready to start before the day after to-morrow. It seemed strange to +be on board again after having said good-bye, as I thought, forever, +to these surroundings. When I came up on the after-deck, I found the +guns lying there in the snow, one of them turned over on its back, +the other had recoiled a long way aft, when saluting us; from the +mizzen-top the red and black flag was still waving. + +"I am in wonderfully high spirits, and feel confident of success; +the sledges seemed to glide so easily, although carrying 200 pounds +more than was originally intended (about 2200 pounds altogether), +and everything looks very promising. We shall have to wait a couple +of days, but as we are having a southeasterly wind all day long we +are no doubt getting on towards the north, all the same. Yesterday +we were 83° 47'; to-day I suppose we are at least 83° 50'." + +At last, on Thursday, February 28th, we started again with our six +sledges. Sverdrup, Hansen, Blessing, Henriksen, and Mogstad saw us +off. When we started, most of the others also accompanied us some +distance. We soon found that the dogs did not draw as well as I had +expected, and I came to the conclusion that with this load we should +get on too slowly. We had not proceeded far from the ship before +I decided to leave behind some of the sacks with provisions for the +dogs, and these were later on taken back on board by the others. + +At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when we stopped, our odometer [6] +showed that we had gone about 4 miles from the Fram. We had a pleasant +evening in the tent, together with our friends who were going back the +next day. To my surprise a punch-bowl was prepared, and toasts were +proposed for those who were starting and those who remained behind. It +was not until 11 o'clock that we crept into our sleeping-bags. + +There were illuminations in our honor that night on board the +Fram. The electric arc lamp was hoisted on the maintop, and the +electric light for the first time shone forth over the ice masses of +the Polar Sea. Torches had also been lit, and bonfires of oakum-ends +and other combustibles were burning on several floes around the Fram +and making a brilliant show. Sverdrup had, by-the-way, given orders +that the electric light or a lantern should be hoisted on the maintop +every night until he and the others had returned, for fear they might +lose their way if the tracks should be obliterated by bad weather. It +would then be very difficult to find the ship; but such a light can +be seen a long distance over these plains, where by merely standing +on a hummock one can easily get a view for many miles round. + +I was afraid that the dogs, if they got loose, would go back to +the Fram, and I therefore got two steel lines made, to which short +leashes were fastened a little distance apart, so that the dogs could +be secured to these lines between two sticks or sledges. In spite of +this, several of the dogs got loose; but, strange to say, they did +not leave us, but remained with their comrades and us. There was, +of course, a doleful howling round the tents the first night, and +they disturbed our sleep to some extent. + +The next morning (Friday, March 1st) it took one of our comrades three +hours to make the coffee, being unaccustomed to the apparatus. We +then had a very nice breakfast together. Not before 11.30 A.M. did +we get under way. Our five comrades accompanied us for an hour or +two and then turned to get back to the Fram the same evening. "It +was certainly a most cheerful good-bye," says the diary, "but it is +always hard to part, even at 84°, and maybe there was a tearful eye +or two." The last thing Sverdrup asked me when sitting on his sledge, +just as we were about to part, was, if I thought I should go to the +South Pole when I got home; for if so, he hoped I would wait till he +arrived; and then he asked me to give his love to his wife and child. + +And so we proceeded, Johansen and I, but it was slow work for us +alone with six sledges, which were impeded on their way by all sorts +of obstacles and inequalities. Besides this, the ice became rougher, +so that it was difficult to get on during the afternoon on account +of the darkness, the days being still very short and the sun was not +yet above the horizon. We therefore camped rather early. + +"Wednesday, March 6th. We are again on board the Fram to make a +fresh start, for the third time, and then, I suppose, it will be in +earnest. On Saturday, March 2d, we proceeded with the six sledges after +I had been a trip to the northward and found it passable. Progress was +slow, and we had to do nearly six turns each, as the sledges stopped +everywhere and had to be helped along. I saw now too clearly that we +should never get on in this manner; a change would have to be made, +and I decided to camp in order to have a look at the ice northward +and consider the matter. Having tied up the dogs, I set out, while +Johansen was to feed the dogs and put up the tent. They were fed once +in every 24 hours, at night, when the day's march was done. + +"I had not gone far when I came upon excellent spacious plains; +good progress could be made, and so far everything was all right; +but the load had to be diminished and the number of sledges +reduced. Undoubtedly, therefore, it would be best to return to the +Fram to make the necessary alterations on board, and get the sledges +we were to take with us further strengthened, so as to have perfect +confidence in their durability. + +"We might, of course, have dragged along somehow towards the north +for a while, and the load would gradually have decreased; but it +would have been slow work, and before the load would be sufficiently +lightened the dogs would perhaps be worn out. It was cold for them at +night; we heard many of them howling most of the night. If, however, +we diminished the load, and consequently allowed a shorter time for +the journey, it would be preferable to wait, and not start till a +little later in the month, when we could make more out of the time, +as the days would be lighter and not so cold and the snow-surface +better. Having spent another night in the tent--into which it was +a hard job to get, dressed in a fur that was stiff with frost, and +then into a bag that was also hard frozen--I decided next morning +(Sunday, March 3d) to return to the Fram. I harnessed a double team +of dogs to one of the sledges, and off they went over pressure-ridges +and all other obstacles so rapidly that I could hardly keep up with +them. In a few hours I covered the same distance which had taken us +three days when we started out. The advantage of a lighter load was +only too apparent. + +"As I approached the Fram I saw, to my surprise, the upper edge of +the sun above the ice in the south. It was the first time this year, +but I had not expected it as yet. It was the refraction caused by +the low temperature which made it visible so soon. The first news I +heard from those who came to meet me was that Hansen had the previous +afternoon taken an observation, which gave 84° 4' north latitude. + +"It was undoubtedly very pleasant once more to stretch my limbs on the +sofa in the Fram's saloon, to quench my thirst in delicious lime-juice +with sugar, and again to dine in a civilized manner. In the afternoon +Hansen and Nordahl went back to Johansen with my team of dogs, to keep +him company overnight. When I left him it was understood that he was +to start on the return journey as best he could, until I came with +others to help him. The dogs lost no time, and the two men reached +Johansen's tent in an hour and twenty minutes. At night both they +and we had rejoicings in honor of the sun, and the 84th degree. + +"The next morning three of us went off and fetched the sledges +back. Now, when we made for the ship, the dogs dragged much better, +and in a short time we should have been on board had it not been for a +long lane in the ice which we could see no end to, and which stopped +us. Finally we left the sledges and, together with the dogs, managed +to cross over on some loose pieces of ice and got on board. Yesterday +we twice tried to fetch the sledges, but there had evidently been +some movement in the lane, and the new ice was still so thin that we +dared not trust it. We have, however, to-day got them on board, and +we will now for the last time, it is to be hoped, prepare ourselves +for the journey. I will now plan out the journey so as to take the +shortest possible time, using light sledges and tearing along as fast +as legs and snowshoes will carry us. We shall be none the worse for +this delay, provided we do not meet too much pack-ice or too many +openings in the ice. + +"I have weighed all the dogs and have come to the conclusion that +we can feed them on each other and keep going for about fifty days; +having, in addition to this, dog provisions for about thirty days, +we ought to be able to travel with dogs for eighty days, and in that +time it seems to me we should have arrived somewhere. And, besides, +we have provisions for ourselves for one hundred days. This will be +about 440 pounds on each sledge if we take three, and with nine dogs +per sledge we ought to manage it." + +So here we were again, busy with preparations and improvements. In the +meantime the ice moved a little, broke up, and lanes were formed in +various directions. On March 8th I say: "The crack in the large floe +to starboard, formed while we were away, opened yesterday into a broad +lane, which we can see stretching with newly frozen ice towards the +horizon, both north and south. It is odd how that petroleum launch is +always in 'hot water' wherever it is. This crack formed underneath it, +so it was hanging with the stern over the water when they found it in +the morning. We have now decided to cut it up and use the elm-boards +for the sledge-runners. That will be the end of it. + +"Wednesday, March 13th. 84° north latitude, 101° 55' +east longitude. The days have passed, working again at the +equipment. Everything is now in order. Three sledges are standing +ready out on the ice, properly strengthened in every way, with iron +fastenings between uprights and crossbars. These last-mentioned are +securely strengthened with extra top-pieces of ash, and protected +underneath by boards. This afternoon we tried the dogs with sledges +loaded, and they went as easily as could be, and to-morrow we start +again for the last time, full of courage and confidence and with the +sun up, in the assurance that we are going towards ever brighter days. + +"To-night there has been a great farewell feast, with many hearty +speeches, and to-morrow we depart as early as possible, provided our +dissipation has not delayed us. I have to-night added the following +postscript to Sverdrup's instructions: + + + +"'P.S.--In the foregoing instructions, which I wrote rather hurriedly +on the night of February 25th, I omitted to mention things that should +have been alluded to. I will restrict myself here to stating, further, +that should you sight unknown land, everything ought, of course, to be +done in order to ascertain and examine it, as far as circumstances will +permit. Should the Fram drift so near that you think it can be reached +without great risk, everything that can be done to explore the land +would be of the greatest interest. Every stone, every blade of grass, +lichen, or moss, every animal, from the largest to the smallest, +would be of great importance; photographs, and an exact description +should not be neglected; at the same time, it should be traversed to +the greatest possible extent, in order to ascertain its coast-line, +size, etc. All such things should, however, only be done, provided +they can be accomplished without danger. If the Fram is adrift in the +ice, it is clear that only short excursions should be made from her, +as the members of such expeditions might encounter great difficulties +in reaching the vessel again. Should the Fram remain stationary for +any time, such expeditions should still be undertaken only with great +discretion, and not be extended over any great length of time, as no +one can foresee when she may commence to drift again, and it would +be very undesirable for all concerned if the crew of the Fram were +to be still further reduced. + +"'We have so often spoken together about the scientific researches, +that I do not consider it necessary to give any further suggestions +here. I am certain that you will do everything in your power to make +them as perfect as possible, so that the expedition may return with +as good results as the circumstances will permit. And now once again, +my wishes for all possible success, and may we meet again before long. + + +"'Your affectionate, + +"'Fridtjof Nansen. + +"'The Fram, March 13, 1895.'" + + + +Before leaving the Fram for good I ought, perhaps, to give a short +account of the equipment we finally decided on as the most likely to +suit our purposes. + +I have already mentioned the two kayaks that had been made during the +course of the winter, and that we required to have with us in order to +cross possible channels and pools, and also for use when we should come +to open sea. Instead of these kayaks, I had at first thought of taking +ready-made canvas boat-covers, and of using the sledges as frames to +stretch them over. By this means a craft perfectly capable of carrying +us over lanes and short bits of open sea could have been rigged up in +a very short space of time. I subsequently gave up this idea, however, +and decided on the kayak, a craft with which I was familiar, and which +I knew would render valuable assistance in several respects. Even if +we had been able to contrive a cover for the sledges in such a manner +that a boat could have been got ready in a short space of time, it +would not have been such quick work as simply launching a ready-made +kayak. Added to this, the craft would, necessarily, have been heavy +to row; and when it was a question of long distances in open water, +such as along the coasts of Franz Josef Land, or across thence to +Spitzbergen, much time would have been lost. One consideration indeed, +and that of some moment, was the saving in weight if the sledges were +made use of; but even this was not of so much importance as it seemed, +as the covers of both kinds of craft would have weighed about the +same, and what would have been saved in the weight of the frames was +not much, if one remembers that a whole kayak-frame only weighs about +16 pounds. Then, too, if kayaks were used, some weight would be saved +by being able to carry our provisions and other impedimenta in bags +of thin material, which could be stowed away in the kayaks, and the +latter lashed to the sledges. Our provisions would thus be protected +against all risk of attack by dogs, or of being cut by sharp pieces +of ice. The other alternative--the canvas cover--which would have +required fitting on and folding up again after being in the water, +would, necessarily, in the low temperatures we had to expect, have +become spoiled and leaky. Last, but not least, the kayak, with its +tightly covered deck, is a most efficient sea-boat, in which one can +get along in any kind of weather, and is also an admirable craft for +shooting and fishing purposes. The boat which one could have contrived +by the other expedient could with difficulty have been made any way +satisfactory in this respect. + +I have also mentioned the sledges which I had made for this +expedition. They were of the same pattern as those built for the +Greenland one; somewhat resembling in shape the Norwegian "skikjelke," +[7] which is a low hand-sledge on broad runners, similar to our +ordinary "ski." But instead of the broad, flat runners we used in +Greenland, I had the runners made in this case about the same in +width (3 1/6 inches), but somewhat convex underneath, like those +to be found on the "skikjelke" of Österdalen and elsewhere. These +convex runners proved to move very easily on the kind of country +which we had to travel over, and they enabled the long sledges +to be turned with ease, which was particularly convenient in the +drift-ice, where the many irregularities often necessitated a very +zigzag route. The runners were covered with a thin plate of German +silver, which, as it always keeps bright and smooth and does not rust, +answered its purpose well. As I mentioned before, there were thin, +loose, well-tarred guard-runners of a kind of maple (Acer platonides) +underneath the German-silver ones. The sledges were also prepared in +various other ways, which have been treated of before, for the heavy +loads they were to carry at the beginning. The result of this was that +they were somewhat heavier than I had intended at first; but in return +I had the satisfaction of their being fit for use during the whole +journey, and not once were we stopped or delayed by their breaking +down. This has hardly been the case with former sledge journeys. + +I have referred several times to our clothes, and our trial-trips +in them. Although we had come to the conclusion that our wolfskin +garments were too warm for travelling in, we took them with us all +the same on our first trip, and wore them too, to a certain extent; +but we soon discovered that they were always too warm, and caused +undue perspiration. By absorbing all the moisture of the body they +became so heavy that they made an appreciable difference in the +weight of our loads, and on our return from our three days' absence +from the vessel were so wet that they had to be hung for a long time +over the saloon stove to dry. To this was added the experience that +when we took them off in the cold, after having worn them for a time, +they froze so stiff that it was difficult to get them on again. The +result of all this was that I was not very favorably disposed towards +them, and eventually made up my mind to keep to my woollen clothes, +which I thought would give free outlet to the perspiration. Johansen +followed my example. Our clothes then came to consist of about +the following: On the upper part of the body two woollen shirts +(Jaeger's); outside these I had a camel's-hair coat, and last of all +a thick, rough jersey. Instead of the jersey, Johansen wore what is +called on board ship an "anorak," of thick homespun, provided with +a hood, which he could pull forward in front of his face, and made +after an Eskimo pattern. On our legs we had, next our skin, woollen +drawers, and over these knickerbockers and loose gaiters of close +Norwegian homespun. To protect us from wind and fine-driven snow, +which, being of the nature of dust, forces itself into every pore of +a woollen fabric, we wore a suit which has been mentioned before, +made of a thin, close kind of cotton canvas, and consisting of an +upper garment to pull over the head, provided with a hood in Eskimo +fashion, and a lower one in the shape of a pair of wide overalls. + +An important item in an outfit is the foot-gear. Instead of wearing +long stockings, I preferred to use loose stocking-legs and socks, +as these are easy to dry on one's chest when asleep at night. On a +journey of this kind, where one is continually travelling over snow +and in a low temperature, whether it be on "ski" or not, my experience +is that Finn shoes are, without doubt, the most satisfactory covering +for the feet in every way, but they must be made of the skin of the +hind-legs of the reindeer buck. They are warm and strong, they are +always flexible, and are easy to put on and take off. They require +careful management, however, if they are not to be spoiled at the +outset, and one must try as well as one can to dry them when asleep at +night. If it be sunny and good drying weather outside, the best plan +is to hang them on a couple of "ski" staffs, or something of the kind, +in the wind outside the tent, preferably turned inside out, so that the +skin itself can dry quickly. If one does not take this precaution the +hair will soon begin to fall out. In severe cold, such as we had on +the first part of our journey, it was impossible to dry them in this +way, and our only resource was then to dry them on the feet at night, +after having carefully brushed and scraped them free from snow and +moisture. Then the next process is to turn them inside out, fill them +with "sennegraes," or sedge, if one have it, thrust one's feet in, +and creep into the sleeping-bag with them on. [8] For milder weather +later on we had provided ourselves with leather boots of the "komager" +type, such as the Lapps use in summer. In this case they were made of +under-tanned ox-hide, with soles of the skin of the blue seal (Phoca +barbara); well rubbed in with a composition of tar and tallow, they +make a wonderfully strong and water-tight boot, especially for use +in wet weather. Inside the "finsko" we used, at the beginning of our +journey, this "sennegraes" (Carex æsicaria), of which we had taken +a supply. This is most effective in keeping the feet dry and warm, +and if used Lapp-wise, i.e., with bare feet, it draws all moisture to +itself. At night the wet "sennegraes" must be removed from the boots, +well pulled out with the fingers, so that it does not cling together, +and then dried during the night by being worn inside the coat or +trousers-leg. In the morning it will be about dry, and can be pressed +into the boots again. Little by little, however, it becomes used up, +and if it is to last out a long journey a good supply must be taken. + +We also had with us socks made of sheep's wool and human hair, which +were both warm and durable. Then, too, we took squares of "vadmel," or +Norwegian homespun, such as are used in our army, which we wore inside +our "komager" (particularly myself) on the latter part of the journey, +when the snow was wet. They are comfortable to wear and easy to dry, +as one can spread them out under one's coat or trousers at night. + +On our hands we wore large gloves of wolfskin, in addition to ordinary +woollen mittens underneath, neither of them having separate divisions +for the fingers. Exactly the same drying process had to be gone through +with the gloves as with the foot-gear. Altogether the warmth of one's +unfortunate body, which is the only source of heat one has for this +sort of work, is chiefly expended in the effort to dry one's various +garments; and we spent our nights in wet compresses, in order that +the morrow might pass in a little more comfort. + +On our heads we wore felt hats, which shaded the eyes from the dazzling +light, and were less pervious to the wind than an ordinary woollen +cap. Outside the hat we generally had one or two hoods of cloth. By +this means we could regulate the warmth of our heads to a certain +extent, and this is no unimportant thing. + +It had been my original intention to use light one-man sleeping-bags, +made of the skin of the reindeer calf. As these, however, proved +to be insufficiently warm, I had to resort to the same principle +we went on in Greenland, i.e., a double bag of adult reindeer-skin; +a considerable increase of warmth is thus attained by the fact that +the occupants warm each other. Furthermore, a bag for two men is not +a little lighter than two single bags. An objection has been raised to +joint bags on the score that one's night's rest is apt to be disturbed, +but this I have not found to be the case. + +Something which, in my opinion, ought not to be omitted from a sledge +journey is a tent. Even if thin and frail, it affords the members of +an expedition so much protection and comfort that the inconsiderable +increase in weight to the equipment is more than compensated for. The +tents that I had had made for the expedition were of strong undressed +silk and very light. They were square at the base and pointed at the +top, and were pitched by means only of a tent-pole in the middle, +on the same principle as the four-man tents used in our army. Most +of them had canvas floors attached. On our first start we took with +us a tent of this kind, intended to hold four men and weighing a +little over 7 pounds. The floor is a certain advantage, as it makes +the whole tent compact and is quick to put up, besides being more +impervious to wind. The whole tent is sewed in one piece, walls and +floor together, and the only opening a little split through which to +crawl. One drawback, however, to it is, that it is almost impossible +not to carry in with one a certain amount of snow on the feet. This +melts during the night from the heat of one's body lying on it, +and the floor absorbs the moisture, thereby causing the tent to be +always a good deal heavier than the figures given here. + +I accordingly relinquished all idea of a tent of this kind, and took +with me one of about the same dimensions, but without a floor, and of +the same silk material as the other. It took a little longer to put up, +but the difference was not great. The walls were kept down by pegs, +and when all was finished we would bank it carefully round with snow +to exclude wind and draughts. Then came the actual pitching of the +tent, which was accomplished by crawling in through the entrance and +poking it up with a "ski" staff, which also served as tent-pole. It +weighed a fraction over 3 pounds, including 16 pegs, lasted the whole +journey through--that is to say, until the autumn--and was always a +cherished place of refuge. + +The cooking apparatus we took with us had the advantage of utilizing +to the utmost the fuel consumed. With it we were able, in a very short +space of time, to cook food and simultaneously melt an abundance of +drinking-water, so that both in the morning and in the evening we were +able to drink as much as we wished, and even a surplus remained. The +apparatus consisted of two boilers and a vessel for melting snow or ice +in, and was constructed in the following manner: Inside a ring-shaped +vessel was placed the boiler, while underneath this again was the +lamp. The entire combustion output was thus forced to mount into the +space between the boiler and the ring-shaped vessel. Over this was a +tight-fitting lid with a hole in the middle, through which the hot air +was obliged to pass before it could penetrate farther and reach the +bottom of a flat snow-melter, which was placed above it. Then, after +having delivered some part of its heat, the air was forced down again +on the outside of the ring-shaped vessel by the help of a mantle, +or cap, which surrounded the whole. Here it parted with its last +remaining warmth to the outer side of the ring-vessel, and finally +escaped, almost entirely cooled, from the lower edge of the mantle. + +For the heating was used a Swedish gas-petroleum lamp, known as the +"Primus," in which the heat turns the petroleum into gas before +it is consumed. By this means it renders the combustion unusually +complete. Numerous experiments made by Professor Torup at his +laboratory proved that the cooker in ordinary circumstances yielded +90 to 93 per cent. of the heat which the petroleum consumed should, +by combustion, theoretically evolve. A more satisfactory result, I +think, it would be difficult to obtain. The vessels in this cooker +were made of German silver, while the lid, outside cap, etc., were +of aluminium. Together with two tin mugs, two tin spoons, and a tin +ladle, it weighed exactly 8 pounds 13 ounces, while the lamp, the +"Primus," weighed 4 1/2 ounces. + +As fuel, my choice this time fell on petroleum ("snowflake"). Alcohol, +which has generally been used before on Arctic expeditions, has +several advantages, and, in particular, is easy to burn. One decided +drawback to it, however, is the fact that it does not by any means +generate so much heat in comparison with its weight as petroleum when +the latter is entirely consumed, as was the case with the lamp used +by us. As I was afraid that petroleum might freeze, I had a notion +of employing gas-oil, but gave up the idea, as it escapes so easily +that it is difficult to preserve, and is, moreover, very explosive. We +had no difficulties with our "snowflake" petroleum on account of the +cold. We took with us rather more than 4 gallons, and this quantity +lasted us 120 days, enabling us to cook two hot meals a day and melt +an abundance of water. + +Of snow-shoes we took several pairs, as we had to be prepared for +breakages in the uneven drift-ice; besides this, they would probably +get considerably worn in the summer-time when the snow became wet +and granular. Those we took with us were particularly tough, and slid +readily. They were, for the most part, of the same kind of maple as +the sledges, and of birch and hickory. They had all been well rubbed +in with a concoction of tar, stearine, and tallow. + +As we calculated to subsist, in a measure, on what we could shoot +ourselves, it was necessary for us to have firearms. The most important +gun for this kind of work is, naturally, the rifle; but as, in all +likelihood, we should have to go across large expanses of snow, where +probably there would be little big game, and whereas, on the other +hand, birds might very likely come flying over our heads, I thought +shot-guns would be the most serviceable to us. Therefore we decided +on the same equipment in this respect as we had in Greenland. We +took with us two double-barrelled guns (büchsflints); each of them +having a shot-barrel of 20-bore and a barrel for ball (Express) of +about .360 calibre. Our supply of ammunition consisted of about 180 +rifle cartridges and 150 shot cartridges. + +Our instruments for determining our position and for working sights +were: a small, light theodolite, specially constructed for the purpose, +which, with its case (this I had also had made to act as a stand) only +weighed a little over two pounds. We had, furthermore, a pocket sextant +and an artificial glass horizon, a light azimuth compass of aluminium, +and a couple of other compasses. For the meteorological observations we +had a couple of aneroid barometers, two minimum spirit-thermometers +and three quicksilver sling-thermometers. In addition to these, +we had a good aluminium telescope, and also a photographic camera. + +The most difficult, but also, perhaps, the most important, point in +the equipment of a sledge expedition is thoroughly good and adequate +victualling. I have already mentioned, in the Introduction to this +book, that the first and foremost object is to protect one's self +against scurvy and other maladies by the choice of foods, which, +through careful preparation and sterilization, are assured against +decomposition. On a sledge expedition of this kind, where so much +attention must be paid to the weight of the equipment, it is hardly +possible to take any kinds of provisions, except those of which the +weight has been reduced as much as possible by careful and complete +drying. As, however, meat and fish are not so easily digested when +dried, it is no unimportant thing to have them in a pulverized +form. The dried food is, in this manner, so finely distributed +that it can with equal facility be digested and received into the +organism. This preparation of meat and fish was, therefore, the only +kind we took with us. The meat was muscular beef, taken from the ox, +and freed from all fat, gristle, etc.; it was then dried as quickly +as possible, in a completely fresh condition, and thereupon ground +and mixed with the same proportion of beef suet as is used in the +ordinary preparation of pemmican. This form of food, which has been +used for a considerable time on sledge expeditions, has gained for +itself much esteem, and rightly; if well prepared, as ours was, it is +undeniably a nourishing and easily digested food. [9] One ought not, +however, to trust to its always being harmless, as, if carelessly +prepared--i.e., slowly or imperfectly dried--it may also be very +injurious to the health. + +Another item of our provisions, by which we set great store, was Våge's +fish flour. It is well prepared and has admirable keeping qualities; +if boiled in water and mixed with flour and butter or dried potatoes, +it furnishes a very appetizing dish. Another point which should be +attended to is that the food be of such a kind that it can be eaten +without cooking. Fuel is part of an equipment, no doubt; but if for +some reason or other this be lost or used up, one would be in a bad +case indeed, had one not provided against such a contingency by taking +food which could be eaten in spite of that. In order to save fuel, too, +it is important that the food should not require cooking, but merely +warming. The flour that we took with us had therefore been steamed, +and could, if necessary, have been eaten as it was, without further +preparation. Merely brought to a boil, it made a good hot dish. We +also took dried boiled potatoes, pea-soup, chocolate, vril-food, +etc. Our bread was partly carefully dried wheaten biscuits, and partly +aleuronate bread, which I had caused to be made of wheat flour mixed +with about 30 per cent. of aleuronate flour (vegetable albumen). + +We also took with us a considerable quantity of butter (86 pounds) +which had been well worked on board in order to get out all superfluous +water. By this means not only was considerable weight saved, but the +butter did not become so hard in the cold. On the whole, it must be +said that our menus included considerable variety, and we were never +subjected to that sameness of food which former sledge expeditions +have complained so much of. Finally, we always had ravenous appetites, +and always thought our meals as delicious as they could be. + +Our medicine-chest consisted, on this occasion, of a little bag, +containing, naturally, only the most absolutely necessary drugs, +etc. Some splints and some ligatures, and plaster-of-Paris bandages, +for possible broken legs and arms; aperient pills and laudanum for +derangements of the stomach, which were never required; chloroform +in case of an amputation, for example, from frost-bite; a couple of +small glasses of cocaine in solution for snow-blindness (also unused); +drops for toothache, carbolic acid, iodoform gauze, a couple of curved +needles, and some silk for sewing up wounds; a scalpel, two artery +tweezers (also for amputations), and a few other sundries. Happily +our medicines were hardly ever required, except that the ligatures +and bandages came in very handily the following winter as wicks +for our train-oil lamps. Still better for this purpose, however, +is Nicolaysen's plaster, of which we had taken a supply for possible +broken collar-bones. The layer of wax we scraped carefully off and +found it most satisfactory for calking our leaky kayaks. + + + +LIST OF THE EQUIPMENT + +Sledge No. 1 (with Nansen's Kayak) + + Lbs. Oz. Kilos. + Kayak 41 2 18.7 + Pump (for pumping kayaks in case of + leakage) 1 2 0.5 + Sail 1 9 0.7 + Axe and geological hammer 1 5 0.6 + Gun and case 7 4 3.3 + Two small wooden rods belonging to cooker 0 14 0.4 + Theodolite and case 4 13 2.2 + Three reserve cross-pieces for sledges 0 0.9 + Some pieces of wood 0 11 0.3 + Harpoon line 0 8.4 0.24 + Fur gaiters 1 3 0.55 + Five balls of cord 2 9 1.17 + Cooker, with two mugs, ladle, and two + spoons 8 13 4.0 + Petroleum lamp (Primus) 0 4 1/2 0.1 + Pocket-flask 0 6 0.17 + Bag, with sundry articles of clothing 8 13 4.0 + Blanket 4 6 2.0 + Jersey 2 8 1.15 + Finn shoes filled with grass 3 1 1.4 + Cap for fitting over opening in kayak 0 7 0.2 + One pair "komager" 2 1 0.95 + Two pair kayak gloves and one harpoon + and line 1 5 0.6 + One waterproof sealskin kayak overcoat 3 1 1.4 + Tool-bag 2 10 1.2 + Bag of sewing materials, including + sailmaker's palm, sail needles, and + other sundries 2 10 1.2 + Three Norwegian flags 0 4 0.1 + Medicines, etc. 4 15 2.25 + Photographic camera 4 10 2.1 + One cassette and one tin box of films 3 14 1.75 + One wooden cup 0 3 0.08 + One rope (for lashing kayak to sledge) 2 0 0.9 + Pieces of reindeer-skin to prevent kayaks + from chafing 3 15 1.8 + Wooden shovel 2 3 1.0 + Ski-staff with disk at bottom 1 9 0.7 + One bamboo staff 1 0 0.45 + Two oak staffs 2 10 1.2 + Seven reserve dog harnesses and two + reserve hauling ropes 2 10 1.2 + One coil of rope 0 6 0.18 + Four bamboo poles for masts and for + steering sledges 8 13 4.0 + One bag of bread 5 15 2.7 + ,, ,, whey-powder 3 5 1.5 + ,, ,, sugar 2 3 1.0 + ,, ,, albuminous flour 1 12 0.8 + ,, ,, lime-juice tablets 1 10 0.73 + ,, ,, Frame-food stamina tablets 2 7 1.1 + + As boat's grips, under the sledges, were: + + Three sacks of pemmican (together) 238 1 108.2 + One sack "leverpostei," or pâté made + of calf's liver 93 15 42.7 + + +Sledge No. 2. On this were carried, in strong sacks: + + Lbs. Oz. Kilos. + + Albuminous flour 14 15 6.8 + Wheat flour 15 6 7.0 + Whey-powder 16 15 7.7 + Corn flour 8 13 4.0 + Sugar 7 1 3.2 + Vril-food 31 4 14.2 + Australian pemmican 13 0 5.9 + Chocolate 12 12 5.8 + Oatmeal 11 0 5.0 + Dried red whortleberries 0 14 0.4 + Two sacks of white bread (together) 69 5 31.5 + One sack of aleuronate bread 46 10 21.2 + "Special food" (a mixture of pea flour, + meat-powder, fat, etc.) 63 13 29.0 + Butter 85 13 39.0 + Fish flour (Våge's) 34 2 15.5 + Dried potatoes 15 3 6.9 + One reindeer-skin sleeping-bag 19 13 9.0 + Two steel-wire ropes, with couples for + twenty-eight dogs 11 0 5.0 + One pair hickory snow-shoes 11 0 5.0 + Weight of sledge 43 5 19.7 + + +Sledge No. 3 (with Johansen's Kayak) + + Lbs. Oz. Kilos. + + Kayak 41 6 18.8 + Two pieces of reindeer-skin, to prevent + chafing 1 12 0.8 + A supply of dog-shoes 1 3 0.55 + One Eskimo shooting-sledge with sail + (intended for possible seal-shooting + on the ice) 1 10 0.73 + Two sledge sails 2 10 1.2 + Pump 0 14 0.4 + Oar-blades (made of canvas stretched on + frames, and intended to be lashed to + the ski-staffs) 1 2 0.5 + Gun 7 2.7 3.26 + Flask 0 5.9 0.17 + Net (for catching crustacea in the sea) 0 5.2 0.15 + One pair "komager" 1 15.7 0.9 + Waterproof kayak overcoat of sealskin 2 3 1.0 + Fur gaiters 0 7.3 0.21 + Two reserve pieces of wood 0 9.8 0.28 + Two tins of petroleum (about 5 gallons) 40 0.6 18.2 + Several reserve snow-shoe fastenings 0 15.1 0.43 + Lantern for changing plates, etc. 1 1.2 0.49 + Artificial glass horizon 0 10.2 0.29 + Bag with cords and nautical almanac 0 4.6 0.13 + Pocket sextant 0 13.7 0.39 + Two packets of matches 0 13.7 0.39 + One reserve sheet of German silver (for + repaving plates under sledge-runners) 0 7.4 0.21 + Pitch 0 3.5 0.1 + Two minimum thermometers in cases 0 7.4 0.21 + Three quicksilver thermometers in cases 0 4.9 0.14 + One compass 0 8.8 0.25 + One aluminium compass 0 8.4 0.24 + ,, ,, telescope 1 8.6 0.7 + "Sennegraes" or sedge for Finn shoes 0 7 0.2 + Bag with cartridges 26 1 11.85 + Leather pouch with reserve shooting + requisites, parts for gun-locks, + reserve cocks, balls, powder, etc. 3 1 1.4 + Leather pouch with glass bottle, one + spoon, and five pencils 0 10.6 0.3 + Bag with navigation tables, nautical + almanac, cards, etc. 2 7 1.1 + Tin box with diaries, letters, + photographs, observation-journals, + etc. 3 10 1.65 + One cap for covering hole in deck of + kayak 0 8 0.23 + One sack of meat-chocolate 17 10 8.0 + One bag of soups 6 10 3.0 + ,, ,, cocoa 7 6 3.35 + ,, ,, fish flour 3 12 1.70 + ,, ,, wheat flour 2 0 0.90 + ,, ,, chocolate 4 6 2.0 + ,, ,, oatmeal 4 6 2.0 + ,, ,, vril-food 4 6 2.0 + + As grips under the sledge were: + + One sack of oatmeal 29 1 13.2 + ,, ,, pemmican 115 1 52.3 + ,, ,, liver pâté 111 12 50.8 + + + +A list of our dogs and their weights on starting may be of interest: + + + Lbs. Kilos. + + Kvik 78 35.7 + Freia 50 22.7 + Barbara 49 1/2 22.5 + Suggen 61 1/2 28.0 + Flint 59 1/2 27.0 + Barrabas 61 1/2 28.0 + Gulen 60 1/2 27.5 + Haren 61 1/2 28.0 + Barnet 39 17.7 + Sultan 68 31.0 + Klapperslangen 59 1/2 27.0 + Blok 59 26.8 + Bjelki 38 17.3 + Sjöliget 40 18.0 + Katta 45 1/2 20.7 + Narrifas 46 21.0 + Livjægeren 38 1/2 17.5 + Potifar 57 26.0 + Storræven 70 31.8 + Isbjön 61 1/2 28.0 + Lilleræven 59 26.7 + Kvindfolket 37 26.0 + Perpetuum 63 28.6 + Baro 60 1/2 27.5 + Russen 58 26.5 + Kaifas 69 31.5 + Ulenka 57 26.0 + Pan 65 29.5 + + + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +WE SAY GOOD-BYE TO THE "FRAM" + + +At last by midday on March 14th we finally left the Fram to the noise +of a thundering salute. For the third time farewells and mutual good +wishes were exchanged. Some of our comrades came a little way with us, +but Sverdrup soon turned back in order to be on board for dinner at +1 o'clock. It was on the top of a hummock that we two said good-bye +to each other; the Fram was lying behind us, and I can remember how I +stood watching him as he strode easily homeward on his snow-shoes. I +half wished I could turn back with him and find myself again in the +warm saloon; I knew only too well that a life of toil lay before us, +and that it would be many a long day before we should again sleep and +eat under a comfortable roof; but that that time was going to be so +long as it really proved to be, none of us then had any idea. We all +thought that either the expedition would succeed, and that we should +return home that same year, or--that it would not succeed. + +A little while after Sverdrup had left us, Mogstad also found it +necessary to turn back. He had thought of going with us till the next +day, but his heavy wolfskin trousers were, as he un-euphemistically +expressed it, "almost full of sweat, and he must go back to the fire +on board to get dry." Hansen, Henriksen, and Pettersen were then the +only ones left, and they labored along, each with his load on his +back. It was difficult for them to keep up with us on the flat ice, +so quickly did we go; but when we came to pressure-ridges we were +brought to a standstill and the sledges had to be helped over. At one +place the ridge was so bad that we had to carry the sledges a long +way. When, after considerable trouble, we had managed to get over +it, Peter shook his head reflectively, and said to Johansen that we +should meet plenty more of the same kind, and have enough hard work +before we had eaten sufficient of the loads to make the sledges run +lightly. Just here we came upon a long stretch of bad ice, and Peter +became more and more concerned for our future; but towards evening +matters improved, and we advanced more rapidly. When we stopped at +6 o'clock the odometer registered a good 7 miles, which was not so +bad for a first day's work. We had a cheerful evening in our tent, +which was just about big enough to hold all five. Pettersen, who had +exerted himself and become over-heated on the way, shivered and groaned +while the dogs were being tied up and fed, and the tent pitched. He, +however, found existence considerably brighter when he sat inside it, +in his warm wolfskin clothes, with a pot of smoking chocolate before +him, a big lump of butter in one hand and a biscuit in the other, and +exclaimed, "Now I am living like a prince!" He thereafter discoursed +at length on the exalting thought that he was sitting in a tent in +the middle of the Polar Sea. Poor fellow, he had begged and prayed to +be allowed to come with us on this expedition; he would cook for us +and make himself generally useful, both as a tinsmith and blacksmith; +and then, he said, three would be company. I regretted that I could +not take more than one companion, and he had been in the depths of +woe for several days, but now found comfort in the fact that he had, +at any rate, come part of the way with us, and was out on this great +desert sea, for, as he said, "not many people have done that." + +The others had no sleeping-bag with them, so they made themselves a +cozy little hut of snow, into which they crawled in their wolfskin +garments, and had a tolerably good night. I was awake early the next +morning; but when I crept out of the tent I found that somebody else +was on his legs before me, and this was Pettersen, who, awakened by +the cold, was now walking up and down to warm his stiffened limbs. He +had tried it now, he said; he never should have thought it possible +to sleep in the snow, but it had not been half bad. He would not +quite admit that he had been cold, and that that was the reason why +he had turned out so early. Then we had our last pleasant breakfast +together, got the sledges ready, harnessed the dogs, shook hands +with our companions, and, without many words being uttered on either +side, started out into solitude. Peter shook his head sorrowfully +as we went off. I turned round when we had gone some little way, +and saw his figure on the top of the hummock; he was still looking +after us. His thoughts were probably sad; perhaps he believed that +he had spoken to us for the last time. + +We found large expanses of flat ice, and covered the ground quickly, +farther and farther away from our comrades, into the unknown, where +we two alone and the dogs were to wander for months. The Fram's +rigging had disappeared long ago behind the margin of the ice. We +often came on piled-up ridges and uneven ice, where the sledges had +to be helped and sometimes carried over. It often happened, too, +that they capsized altogether, and it was only by dint of strenuous +hauling that we righted them again. Somewhat exhausted by all this +hard work, we stopped finally at 6 o'clock in the evening, and had +then gone about 9 miles during the day. They were not quite the +marches I had reckoned on, but we hoped that by degrees the sledges +would become lighter and the ice better to travel over. The latter, +too, seems to have been the case at first. On Sunday, March 17th, I +say in my diary: "The ice appears to be more even the farther north +we get; came across a lane, however, yesterday which necessitated +a long detour. [10] At half-past six we had done about 9 miles. As +we had just reached a good camping-ground, and the dogs were tired, +we stopped. Lowest temperature last night, -45° Fahr. (-42.8° C.)." + +The ice continued to become more even during the following days, and +our marches often amounted to 14 miles or more in the day. Now and +then a misfortune might happen which detained us, as, for instance, +one day a sharp spike of ice which was standing up cut a hole in a sack +of fish flour, and all the delicious food ran out. It took us more +than an hour to collect it all again and repair the damages. Then +the odometer got broken through being jammed in some uneven ice, +and it took some hours to mend it by a process of lashing. But on +we went northward, often over great, wide ice-plains which seemed +as if they must stretch right to the Pole. Sometimes it happened +that we passed through places where the ice was "unusually massive, +with high hummocks, so that it looked like undulating country covered +with snow." This was undoubtedly very old ice, which had drifted in +the Polar Sea for a long time on its way from the Siberian Sea to +the east coast of Greenland, and which had been subjected year after +year to severe pressure. High hummocks and mounds are thus formed, +which summer after summer are partially melted by the rays of the +sun, and again in the winters covered with great drifts of snow, so +that they assume forms which resemble ice-hills rather than piles of +sea-ice resulting from upheaval. + +Wednesday, March 20th, my diary says: "Beautiful weather for travelling +in, with fine sunsets; but somewhat cold, particularly in the bag, +at nights (it was -41.8° and -43.6° Fahr., or -41° and -42° C.). The +ice appears to be getting more even the farther we advance, and in +some places it is like travelling over 'inland ice.' If this goes +on the whole thing will be done in no time." That day we lost our +odometer, and as we did not find it out till some time afterwards, +and I did not know how far we might have to go back, I thought it was +not worth while to return and look for. It was the cause, however, +of our only being able subsequently to guess approximately at the +distance we had gone during the day. We had another mishap, too, +that day. This was that one of the dogs (it was "Livjægeren") had +become so ill that he could not be driven any longer, and we had to +let him go loose. It was late in the day before we discovered that he +was not with us; he had stopped behind at our camping-ground when we +broke up in the morning, and I had to go back after him on snow-shoes, +which caused a long delay. + +"Thursday, March 21st. Nine in the morning, -43.6° Fahr., or -42° +C. (Minimum in the night, -47.2° Fahr., or -44° C.) Clear, as it has +been every day. Beautiful, bright weather; glorious for travelling +in, but somewhat cold at nights, with the quicksilver continually +frozen. Patching Finn shoes in this temperature inside the tent, +with one's nose slowly freezing away, is not all pure enjoyment. + +"Friday, March 22d. Splendid ice for getting over; things go better +and better. Wide expanses, with a few pressure-ridges now and then, +but passable everywhere. Kept at it yesterday from about half-past +eleven in the morning to half-past eight at night; did a good 21 miles, +I hope. We should be in latitude 85°. The only disagreeable thing +about it now is the cold. Our clothes are transformed more and more +into a cuirass of ice during the day, and wet bandages at night. The +blankets likewise. The sleeping-bag gets heavier and heavier from the +moisture which freezes on the hair inside. The same clear, settled +weather every day. We are both longing now for a change; a few clouds +and a little more mildness would be welcome." The temperature in the +night, -44.8° Fahr. (-42.7° C.). By an observation which I took later +in the forenoon, our latitude that day proved to be 85° 9' N. + +"Saturday, March 23d. On account of observation, lashing the loads +on the sledges, patching bags, and other occupations of a like kind, +which are no joke in this low temperature, we did not manage to get +off yesterday before 3 o'clock in the afternoon. We stuck to it till +nine in the evening, when we stopped in some of the worst ice we have +seen lately. Our day's march, however, had lain across several large +tracts of level ice, so I think that we made 14 miles or so all the +same. We have the same brilliant sunshine; but yesterday afternoon +the wind from the northeast, which we have had for the last few days, +increased, and made it rather raw. + +"We passed over a large frozen pool yesterday evening; it looked +almost like a large lake." It could not have been long since this +was formed, as the ice on it was still quite thin. It is wonderful +that these pools can form up there at that time of the year. + +From this time forward there was an end of the flat ice, which it +had been simple enjoyment to travel over; and now we had often great +difficulties to cope with. On Sunday, March 24th, I write: "Ice not +so good; yesterday was a hard day, but we made a few miles--not more, +though, than seven, I am afraid. This continual lifting of the heavily +loaded sledges is calculated to break one's back; but better times +are coming, perhaps. The cold is also appreciable, always the same; +but yesterday it was increased by the admixture of considerable wind +from the northeast. We halted about half-past nine in the evening. It +is perceptible how the days lengthen, and how much later the sun sets; +in a few days' time we shall have the midnight sun. + +"We killed 'Livjægeren' yesterday evening, and hard work it was +skinning him." This was the first dog which had to be killed; but +many came afterwards, and it was some of the most disagreeable work +we had on the journey, particularly now at the beginning, when it +was so cold. When this first dog was dismembered and given to the +others, many of them went supperless the whole night in preference +to touching the meat. But as the days went by and they became more +worn out, they learned to appreciate dog's flesh, and later we were +not even so considerate as to skin the butchered animal, but served +it hair and all. + +The following day the ice was occasionally somewhat better; but as +a rule it was bad, and we became more and more worn out with the +never-ending work of helping the dogs, righting the sledges every +time they capsized, and hauling them, or carrying them bodily, over +hummocks and inequalities of the ground. Sometimes we were so sleepy in +the evenings that our eyes shut and we fell asleep as we went along. My +head would drop, and I would be awakened by suddenly falling forward on +my snow-shoes. Then we would stop, after having found a camping-ground +behind a hummock or ridge of ice, where there was some shelter from +the wind. While Johansen looked after the dogs, it generally fell to +my lot to pitch the tent, fill the cooker with ice, light the burner, +and start the supper as quickly as possible. This generally consisted +of "lobscouse" one day, made of pemmican and dried potatoes; another +day of a sort of fish rissole substance known as "fiskegratin" in +Norway, and in this case composed of fish-meal, flour, and butter. A +third day it would be pea, bean, or lentil soup, with bread and +pemmican. Johansen preferred the "lobscouse," while I had a weakness +for the "fiskegratin." As time went by, however, he came over to my way +of thinking, and the "fiskegratin" took precedence of everything else. + +As soon as Johansen had finished with the dogs, and the different +receptacles containing the ingredients and eatables for breakfast +and supper had been brought in, as well as our bags with private +necessities, the sleeping-bags were spread out, the tent door carefully +shut, and we crept into the bag to thaw our clothes. This was not very +agreeable work. During the course of the day the damp exhalations of +the body had little by little become condensed in our outer garments, +which were now a mass of ice and transformed into complete suits of +ice-armor. They were so hard and stiff that if we had only been able +to get them off they could have stood by themselves, and they crackled +audibly every time we moved. These clothes were so stiff that the arm +of my coat actually rubbed deep sores in my wrists during our marches; +one of these sores--the one on the right hand--got frost-bitten, the +wound grew deeper and deeper, and nearly reached the bone. I tried +to protect it with bandages, but not until late in the summer did it +heal, and I shall probably have the scar for life. When we got into our +sleeping-bags in the evening our clothes began to thaw slowly, and on +this process a considerable amount of physical heat was expended. We +packed ourselves tight into the bag, and lay with our teeth chattering +for an hour, or an hour and a half, before we became aware of a little +of the warmth in our bodies which we so sorely needed. At last our +clothes became wet and pliant, only to freeze again a few minutes after +we had turned out of the bag in the morning. There was no question of +getting these clothes dried on the journey so long as the cold lasted, +as more and more moisture from the body collected in them. + +How cold we were as we lay there shivering in the bag, waiting for +the supper to be ready! I, who was cook, was obliged to keep myself +more or less awake to see to the culinary operations, and sometimes +I succeeded. At last the supper was ready, was portioned out, and, +as always, tasted delicious. These occasions were the supreme moments +of our existence--moments to which we looked forward the whole day +long. But sometimes we were so weary that our eyes closed, and we +fell asleep with the food on its way to our mouths. Our hands would +fall back inanimate with the spoons in them and the food fly out on +the bag. After supper we generally permitted ourselves the luxury of +a little extra drink, consisting of water, as hot as we could swallow +it, in which whey-powder had been dissolved. It tasted something like +boiled milk, and we thought it wonderfully comforting; it seemed to +warm us to the very ends of our toes. Then we would creep down into +the bag again, buckle the flap carefully over our heads, lie close +together, and soon sleep the sleep of the just. But even in our dreams +we went on ceaselessly, grinding at the sledges and driving the dogs, +always northward, and I was often awakened by hearing Johansen calling +in his sleep to "Pan," or "Barrabas," or "Klapperslangen": "Get on, +you devil, you! Go on, you brutes! Sass, sass! [11] Now the whole +thing is going over!" and execrations less fit for reproduction, +until I went to sleep again. + +In the morning I, as cook, was obliged to turn out to prepare the +breakfast, which took an hour's time. As a rule, it consisted one +morning of chocolate, bread, butter, and pemmican; another of oatmeal +porridge, or a compound of flour, water, and butter, in imitation of +our "butter-porridge" at home. This was washed down with milk, made +of whey-powder and water. The breakfast ready, Johansen was roused; +we sat up in the sleeping-bag, one of the blankets was spread out as +a table-cloth, and we fell to work. We had a comfortable breakfast, +wrote up our diaries, and then had to think about starting. But how +tired we sometimes were, and how often would I not have given anything +to be able to creep to the bottom of the bag again and sleep the +clock round. It seemed to me as if this must be the greatest pleasure +in life, but our business was to fight our way northward--always +northward. We performed our toilets, and then came the going out +into the cold to get the sledges ready, disentangle the dogs' traces, +harness the animals, and get off as quickly as possible. I went first +to find the way through the uneven ice, then came the sledge with my +kayak. The dogs soon learned to follow, but at every unevenness of +the ground they stopped, and if one could not get them all to start +again at the same time by a shout, and so pull the sledge over the +difficulty, one had to go back to beat or help them, according as +circumstances necessitated. Then came Johansen with the two other +sledges, always shouting to the dogs to pull harder, always beating +them, and himself hauling to get the sledges over the terrible ridges +of ice. It was undeniable cruelty to the poor animals from first to +last, and one must often look back on it with horror. It makes me +shudder even now when I think of how we beat them mercilessly with +thick ash sticks when, hardly able to move, they stopped from sheer +exhaustion. It made one's heart bleed to see them, but we turned our +eyes away and hardened ourselves. It was necessary; forward we must go, +and to this end everything else must give place. It is the sad part +of expeditions of this kind that one systematically kills all better +feelings, until only hard-hearted egoism remains. When I think of all +those splendid animals, toiling for us without a murmur, as long as +they could strain a muscle, never getting any thanks or even so much +as a kind word, daily writhing under the lash until the time came when +they could do no more and death freed them from their pangs--when I +think of how they were left behind, one by one, up there on those +desolate ice-fields, which had been witness to their faithfulness +and devotion, I have moments of bitter self-reproach. It took us two +alone such a long time to pitch the tent, feed the dogs, cook, etc., +in the evening, and then break up again and get ready in the morning, +that the days never seemed long enough if we were to do proper day's +marches, and, besides, get the sleep we required at night. But when +the nights became so light, it was not so necessary to keep regular +hours any longer, and we started when we pleased, whether it was night +or day. We stopped, too, when it suited us, and took the sleep which +might be necessary for ourselves and the dogs. I tried to make it a +rule that our marches were to be of nine or ten hours' duration. In +the middle of the day we generally had a rest and something to eat--as +a rule, bread-and-butter, with a little pemmican or liver pâté. These +dinners were a bitter trial. We used to try and find a good sheltered +place, and sometimes even rolled ourselves up in our blankets, but +all the same the wind cut right through us as we sat on the sledges +eating our meal. Sometimes, again, we spread the sleeping-bag out on +the ice, took our food with us, and crept well in, but even then did +not succeed in thawing either it or our clothes. When this was too +much for us we walked up and down to keep ourselves warm, and ate our +food as we walked. Then came the no less bitter task of disentangling +the dogs' traces, and we were glad when we could get off again. In +the afternoon, as a rule, we each had a piece of meat-chocolate. + +Most Arctic travellers who have gone sledge journeys have complained +of the so-called Arctic thirst, and it has been considered an almost +unavoidable evil in connection with a long journey across wastes of +snow. It is often increased, too, by the eating of snow. I had prepared +myself for this thirst, from which we had also suffered severely when +crossing Greenland, and had taken with me a couple of india-rubber +flasks, which we filled with water every morning from the cooker, and +which by carrying in the breast could be protected from the cold. To my +great astonishment, however, I soon discovered that the whole day would +often pass by without my as much as tasting the water in my flask. As +time went by, the less need did I feel to drink during the day, and at +last I gave up taking water with me altogether. If a passing feeling +of thirst made itself felt, a piece of fresh ice, of which, as a rule, +there was always some to be found, was sufficient to dispel it. [12] +The reason why we were spared this suffering, which has been one of +the greatest hardships of many sledge expeditions, must be attributed +in a great measure to our admirable cooking apparatus. By the help +of this we were able, with the consumption of a minimum of fuel, +to melt and boil so much water every morning that we could drink all +we wished. There was even some left over, as a rule, which had to be +thrown away. The same thing was generally the case in the evening. + +"Friday, March 29th. We are grinding on, but very slowly. The ice is +only tolerable, and not what I expected from the beginning. There are +often great ridges of piled-up ice of dismal aspect, which take up a +great deal of time, as one must go on ahead to find a way, and, as a +rule, make a greater or less detour to get over them. In addition, the +dogs are growing rather slow and slack, and it is almost impossible to +get them on. And then this endless disentangling of the hauling-ropes, +with their infernal twists and knots, which get worse and worse to +undo! The dogs jump over and in between one another incessantly, +and no sooner has one carefully cleared the hauling-ropes than they +are twisted into a veritable skein again. Then one of the sledges is +stopped by a block of ice. The dogs howl impatiently to follow their +companions in front; then one bites through a trace and starts off +on his own account, perhaps followed by one or two others, and these +must be caught and the traces knotted; there is no time to splice them +properly, nor would it be a very congenial task in this cold. So we +go on when the ice is uneven, and every hour and a half, at least, +have to stop and disentangle the traces. + +"We started yesterday about half-past eight in the morning, and stopped +about five in the afternoon. After dinner the northeasterly wind, +which we have had the whole time, suddenly became stronger, and the +sky overcast. We welcomed it with joy, for we saw in it the sign of +a probable change of weather and an end to this perpetual cold and +brightness. I do not think we deceived ourselves either. Yesterday +evening the temperature had risen to -29.2° Fahr. (-34° C.), and we +had the best night in the bag we have had for a long time. Just now, +as I am getting the breakfast ready, I see that it is clear again, +and the sun is shining through the tent wall. + +"The ice we are now travelling over seems, on the whole, to be old; +but sometimes we come across tracts, of considerable width, of uneven +new ice, which must have been pressed up a considerable time. I cannot +account for it in any other way than by supposing it to be ice from +great open pools which must have formed here at one time. We have +traversed pools of this description, with level ice on them, several +times." That day I took a meridian observation, which, however, did +not make us farther north than 85° 30'. I could not understand this; +thought that we must be in latitude 86°, and, therefore, supposed +there must be something wrong with the observation. + +"Saturday, March 30th. Yesterday was Tycho Brahe's day. At first +we found much uneven ice, and had to strike a devious route to +get through it, so that our day's march did not amount to much, +although we kept at it a long time. At the end of it, however, and +after considerable toil, we found ourselves on splendid flat ice, +more level than it had been for a long time. At last, then, we had +come on some more of the good old kind, and could not complain +of some rubble and snow-drifts here and there; but then we were +stopped by some ugly pressure-ridges of the worst kind, formed by the +packing of enormous blocks. The last ridge was the worst of all, and +before it yawned a crack in the thick ice about 12 feet deep. When +the first sledge was going over all the dogs fell in and had to be +hauled up again. One of them--'Klapperslangen'--slipped his harness +and ran away. As the next sledge was going over it fell in bodily, +but happily was not smashed to atoms, as it might have been. We had +to unload it entirely in order to get it up again, and then reload, +all of which took up a great deal of time. Then, too, the dogs had to +be thrown down and dragged up on the other side. With the third sledge +we managed better, and after we had gone a little way farther the +runaway dog came back. At last we reached a camping-ground, pitched +our tent, and found that the thermometer showed -45.4° Fahr. (-43° +C.). Disentangling dog-traces in this temperature with one's bare, +frost-bitten, almost skinless hands is desperate work. But finally we +were in our dear bag, with the 'Primus' singing cozily, when, to crown +our misfortunes, I discovered that it would not burn. I examined it +everywhere, but could find nothing wrong. Johansen had to turn out +and go and fetch the tools and a reserve burner while I studied the +cooker. At last I discovered that some ice had got in under the lid, +and this had caused a leakage. Finally we got it to light, and at 5 +o'clock in the morning the pea-soup was ready, and very good it was. At +three in the afternoon I was up again cooking. Thank Heaven, it is warm +and comfortable in the bag, or this sort of life would be intolerable! + +"Sunday, March 31st. Yesterday, at last, came the long-wished-for +change of weather, with southerly wind and rising temperature. Early +this morning the thermometer showed -22° Fahr. (-30° C.), regular +summer weather, in fact. It was, therefore, with lightened hearts +that we set off over good ice and with the wind at our backs. On +we went at a very fair pace, and everything was going well, when a +lane suddenly opened just in front of the first sledge. We managed +to get this over by the skin of our teeth; but just as we were going +to cross the lane again after the other sledges, a large piece of ice +broke under Johansen, and he fell in, wetting both legs--a deplorable +incident. While the lane was gradually opening more and more, I went +up and down it to find a way over, but without success. Here we were, +with one man and a sledge on one side, two sledges and a wet man +on the other, with an ever-widening lane between. The kayaks could +not be launched, as, through the frequent capsizing of the sledges, +they had got holes in them, and for the time being were useless. This +was a cheerful prospect for the night, I on one side with the tent, +Johansen, probably frozen stiff, on the other. At last, after a long +detour, I found a way over; and the sledges were conveyed across. It +was out of the question, however, to attempt to go on, as Johansen's +nether extremities were a mass of ice and his overalls so torn that +extensive repairs were necessary." + + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A HARD STRUGGLE + + +"Tuesday, April 3d. There are many different kinds of difficulty to +overcome on this journey, but the worst of all, perhaps, is getting +all the trifles done and starting off. In spite of my being up by +7 o'clock on Monday evening to do the cooking, it was nearly two +this morning before we got clear of our camping-ground. The load +on Johansen's sledge had to be relashed, as the contents of one +grip had been eaten up, and we had to put a sack of bread in its +place. Another grip had to be sewed together, as it was dripping +pemmican. Then the sledge from which the bread-sack had been taken +had to be lashed secure again, and while we had the ropes undone it +was just as well to get out a supply of potatoes. [13] During this +operation we discovered that there was a hole in the fish-flour sack, +which we tied up, but no sooner had we done so than we found another +large one which required sewing. When we came to pack the potato-sack, +this too had a hole in it, which we tied up, and so on. Then the dogs' +traces had to be disentangled; the whole thing was in an inextricable +muddle, and the knots and twists in the icy, frozen rope got worse and +worse to deal with. Johansen made haste and patched his trousers before +breakfast. The south wind had become what on board the Fram we should +have called a 'mill breeze' (i.e., 19 to 23 feet in the second); and, +with this at our back, we started off in driving snow. Everything went +splendidly at first, but then came one pressure-ridge after another, +and each one was worse than the last. We had a long halt for dinner at +eight or nine in the morning, after having chosen ourselves a sheltered +place in the lee of a ridge. We spread out the sleeping-bag, crept +down into it with our food, and so tired was I that I went to sleep +with it in my hand. I dreamed I was in Norway, and on a visit to some +people I had only seen once in my life before. It was Christmas-day, +and I was shown into a great empty room, where we were intended to +dine. It was very cold in it, and I shivered, but there were already +some hot dishes steaming on the table, and a beautiful fat goose. How +unspeakably did I look forward to that goose! Then some other visitors +began to arrive; I could see them through the window, and was just +going out to meet them when I stumbled into deep snow. How it all +happened, in the middle of the dining-room floor, I know not. The +host laughed in an amused way, and--I woke up and found myself +shivering in a sleeping-bag on the drift-ice in the far north. Oh, +how miserable I felt! We got up, packed our things silently together, +and started off. Not until 4 o'clock that afternoon did we stop, +but everything was dull and cheerless, and it was long before I got +over my disappointment. What would I not have given for that dinner, +or for one hour in the room, cold as it was! + +"The ridges and the lanes which had frozen together again, with rubble +on either side, became worse and worse. Making one's way through +these new ridges is desperate work. One cannot use snow-shoes, +as there is too little snow between the piled-up blocks of ice, +and one must wade along without them. It is also impossible to see +anything in this thick weather--everything is white--irregularities +and holes; and the spaces between the blocks are covered with a thin, +deceptive layer of snow, which lets one crashing through into cracks +and pitfalls, so that one is lucky to get off without a broken leg. It +is necessary to go long distances on ahead in order to find a way; +sometimes one must search in one direction, sometimes in another, and +then back again to fetch the sledges, with the result that the same +ground is gone over many times. Yesterday, when we stopped, I really +was done. The worst of it all, though, was that when we finally came +to a standstill we had been on the move so long that it was too late +to wind up our watches. Johansen's had stopped altogether; mine was +ticking, and happily still going when I wound it up, so I hope that it +is all right. Twelve midday, -24.6° Fahr. (-31.5° C). Clear weather, +southeasterly wind (13 feet in the second). + +"The ice seems to be getting worse and worse, and I am beginning to +have doubts as to the wisdom of keeping northward too long. + +"Wednesday, April 3d. Got under way yesterday about three in the +afternoon. The snow was in first-rate condition after the southeast +wind, which continued blowing till late in the day. The ice was +tolerably passable, and everything looked more promising; the weather +was fine, and we made good progress. But after several level tracts +with old humpy ice came some very uneven ones, intersected by lanes +and pressure-ridges as usual. Matters did not grow any better as time +went on, and at midnight or soon after we were stopped by some bad +ice and a newly frozen lane which would not bear. As we should have +had to make a long detour, we encamped, and 'Russen' was killed (this +was the second dog to go). The meat was divided into 26 portions, +but 8 dogs refused it, and had to be given pemmican. The ice ahead +does not look inviting. These ridges are enough to make one despair, +and there seems to be no prospect of things bettering. I turned +out at midday and took a meridian observation, which makes us in +85° 59' N. It is astonishing that we have not got farther; we seem +to toil all we can, but without much progress. Beginning to doubt +seriously of the advisability of continuing northward much longer. It +is three times as far to Franz Josef Land as the distance we have +now come. How may the ice be in that direction? We can hardly count +on its being better than here, or our progress quicker. Then, too, +the shape and extent of Franz Josef Land are unknown, and may cause +us considerable delay, and perhaps we shall not be able to find any +game just at once. I have long seen that it is impossible to reach +the Pole itself or its immediate vicinity over such ice as this and +with these dogs. If only we had more of them! What would I not give +now to have the Olenek dogs? We must turn, sooner or later. But +as it is only a question of time, could we not turn it to better +account in Franz Josef Land than by travelling over this drift-ice, +which we have now had a good opportunity of learning to know? In all +probability it will be exactly the same right to the Pole. We cannot +hope to reach any considerable distance higher before time compels us +to turn. We certainly ought not to wait much longer. Twelve midday, +-20.8° Fahr. (-29.4° C), clear weather, 3 feet wind from east; twelve +midnight, -29.2° Fahr. (-34° C), clear and still." + +It became more and more of a riddle to me that we did not make +greater progress northward. I kept on calculating and adding up our +marches as we went along, but always with the same result; that is +to say, provided only the ice were still, we must be far above the +eighty-sixth parallel. It was becoming only too clear to me, however, +that the ice was moving southward, and that in its capricious drift, +at the mercy of wind and current, we had our worst enemy to combat. + +"Friday, April 5th. Began our march at three yesterday morning. The +ice, however, was bad, with lanes and ridges, so that our progress +was but little. These lanes, with rubble thrown up on each side, +are our despair. It is like driving over a tract of rocks, and delays +us terribly. First I must go on ahead to find a way, and then get my +sledge through; then, perhaps, by way of a change, one falls into the +water; yesterday, I fell through twice. If I work hard in finding a +way and guiding my sledge over rough places, Johansen is no better off, +with his two sledges to look after. It is a tough job to get even one +of them over the rubble, to say nothing of the ridges; but he is a +plucky fellow, and no mistake, and never gives in. Yesterday he fell +into the water again in crossing a lane, and got wet up to his knees. I +had gone over on my snow-shoes shortly before and did not notice that +the ice was weak. He came afterwards without snow-shoes, walking +beside one of the sledges, when suddenly the ice gave, and he fell +through. Happily he managed to catch hold of the sledge, and the dogs, +which did not stop, pulled him up again. These baths are not an unmixed +pleasure, now that there is no possibility of drying or changing one's +clothes, and one must wear a chain mail of ice until they thaw and +dry on the body, which takes some time in this temperature. I took +an observation for longitude and a magnetic observation yesterday +morning, and have spent the whole forenoon to-day in calculations +(inside the bag) to find out our exact position. I find our latitude +yesterday was 86° 2.8' N. This is very little, but what can we do when +the ice is what it is? And these dogs cannot work harder than they do, +poor things. I sigh for the sledge-dogs from the Olenek daily now. The +longitude for yesterday was 98° 47.15'', variation 44.4°. + +"I begin to think more and more that we ought to turn back before +the time we originally fixed. [14] It is probably 350 miles or so +to Petermann's Land (in point of fact it was about 450 miles to +Cape Fligely); but it will probably take us all we know to get over +them. The question resolves itself into this: Ought we not, at any +rate, to reach 87° N.? But I doubt whether we can manage it if the +ice does not improve. + +"Saturday, April 6th. Two A.M., -11.4° Fahr. (-24.2° C). The ice grew +worse and worse. Yesterday it brought me to the verge of despair, +and when we stopped this morning I had almost decided to turn back. I +will go on one day longer, however, to see if the ice is really as +bad farther northward as it appears to be from the ridge, 30 feet in +height, where we are encamped. We hardly made 4 miles yesterday. Lanes, +ridges, and endless rough ice, it looks like an endless moraine +of ice-blocks; and this continual lifting of the sledges over every +irregularity is enough to tire out giants. Curious this rubble-ice. For +the most part it is not so very massive, and seems as if it had been +forced up somewhat recently, for it is incompletely covered with thin, +loose snow, through which one falls suddenly up to one's middle. And +thus it extends mile after mile northward, while every now and then +there are old floes, with mounds that have been rounded off by the +action of the sun in the summer--often very massive ice. + +"I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that we are not doing any good +here. We shall not be able to get much farther north, and it will be +slow work indeed if there be much more of this sort of ice towards +Franz Josef Land. On the other hand, we should be able to make much +better use of our time there, if we should have any over. 8.30 P.M., +-29.2° Fahr. (-34° C.). + +"Monday, April 8th. No; the ice grew worse and worse, and we got no +way. Ridge after ridge, and nothing but rubble to travel over. We made +a start at 2 o'clock or so this morning, and kept at it as long as we +could, lifting the sledges all the time; but it grew too bad at last. I +went on a good way ahead on snowshoes, but saw no reasonable prospect +of advance, and from the highest hummocks only the same kind of ice +was to be seen. It was a veritable chaos of ice-blocks, stretching +as far as the horizon. There is not much sense in keeping on longer; +we are sacrificing valuable time and doing little. If there be much +more such ice between here and Franz Josef Land, we shall, indeed, +want all the time we have. + +"I therefore determined to stop, and shape our course for Cape Fligely. + +"On this northernmost camping-ground we indulged in a banquet, +consisting of lobscouse, bread-and-butter, dry chocolate, stewed +'tytlebær,' or red whortleberries, and our hot whey drink, and +then, with a delightful and unfamiliar feeling of repletion, crept +into the dear bag, our best friend. I took a meridian observation +yesterday, by which I see that we should be in latitude 86° 10' +N., or thereabouts. [15] This morning I took an observation for +longitude. At 8.30 A.M., -25.6° Fahr. (-32° C.). + +"Tuesday, April 9th. Yesterday's was our first march homeward. We +expected the same impracticable ice, but, to our amazement, had not +gone far before we came on tolerably good ground, which improved +steadily, and, with only a few stoppages, we kept at it till this +morning. We came upon ridges, to be sure, but they always allowed +themselves to be negotiated pretty easily, and we did well. Started +yesterday about two in the afternoon, and kept going until one this +morning. + +"Thursday, April 11th. Better and better. Found nothing but beautiful +level tracks of ice yesterday, with a few ridges, which were easy +to get over, and some lanes, with young ice on, which gave us rather +more trouble. They ran, however, about in our direction (our course +is now the magnetic S. 22° W., or about the true W.S.W.), and we +could go alongside them. At last, however, we had to make a crossing, +and accomplished it successfully, although the ice bent under us and +our sledges more than was desirable. Late in the afternoon we came +across a channel, which we proposed to cross in the same way. We +reached the other side with the first sledge safely enough, but not +so with the other. Hardly had the leaders of the team got out to the +dangerous place where the ice was thinnest, and where some water had +come up on to it, when they stopped and warily dipped their paws in +the water. Then through went one of them, splashing and struggling to +get out. The ice began to sink under the weight of the other dogs and +the sledge, and the water came flowing up. I dragged dogs and sledge +back as quickly as possible, and succeeded in driving them all on to +the firm ice again in safety. We tried once again at another place, I +running over first on snow-shoes and calling to the dogs, and Johansen +pushing behind, but the result was no better than the first time, as +'Suggen' fell in, and we had to go back. Only after a long detour, +and very much fagged, did we finally succeed in getting the last +two sledges over. We were lucky in finding a good camping-place, +and had the warmest night and the most comfortable (I might almost +say cozy) morning--spent, be it said, in repairs--that we have had +on the trip. I think we did the longest day's march yesterday that +we have yet achieved--about 15 miles. Two in the afternoon, -17.6° +Fahr. (-27.6° C.). + +"Saturday, April 13th. We have traversed nothing but good ice for +three days. If this goes on, the return journey will be quicker than I +thought. I do not understand this sudden change in the nature of the +ice. Can it be that we are travelling in the same direction with the +trend of the ridges and irregularities, so that now we go along between +them instead of having to make our way over them? The lanes we have +come across seem all to point to this; they follow our course pretty +closely. We had the misfortune yesterday to let our watches run down; +the time between our getting into the bag on the previous night and +encamping yesterday was too long. Of course we wound them up again, +but the only thing I can now do to find Greenwich mean time is take a +time-observation and an observation for latitude, and then estimate +the approximate distance from our turning-point on April 8th, when +I took the last observation for longitude. By this means the error +will hardly be great. + +"I conclude that we have not gone less than 14 miles a day on an +average the last three days, and have consequently advanced 40 or +more miles in a direction S. 22° W. (magnetic). When we stopped +here yesterday 'Barbara' was killed. These slaughterings are not +very pleasant episodes. Clear weather; at 6.30 this morning -22° +Fahr. (-30° C.); wind south (6 to 9 feet). + +"April 14th. Easter-day. We were unfortunate with lanes yesterday, +and they forced us considerably out of our course. We were stopped at +last by a particularly awkward one, and after I had gone alongside it +to find a crossing for some distance without success, I thought we +had better, in the circumstances, pitch our tent and have a festive +Easter-eve. In addition, I wished to reckon out our latitude, +longitude, our observation for time, and our variation; it was a +question of getting the right time again as quickly as possible. The +tent up, and Johansen attending to the dogs, I crept into the bag; +but lying thawing in this frozen receptacle, with frozen clothes and +shoes, and simultaneously working out an observation and looking up +logarithms, with tender, frost-bitten fingers, is not pleasurable, +even if the temperature be only -22° Fahr. It is slow work, and +Easter-day has had to be devoted to the rest of the calculation, +so that we shall not get off before this evening. Meanwhile we had a +festive Easter-eve and regaled ourselves with the following delicacies: +hot whey and water, fish au gratin, stewed red whortleberries, and +lime-juice grog (i.e., lime-juice tablets and a little sugar dissolved +in hot water). Simply a splendid dinner; and, having feasted our fill, +we at last, at 2 o'clock, crept in under the cover. + +"I have calculated our previous latitudes and longitudes over again +to see if I can discover any mistake in them. I find that we should +yesterday have come farther south than 86° 5.3' N.; but, according +to our reckoning, assuming that we covered 50 miles during the three +days, we should have come down to 85 degrees and 50 odd minutes. I +cannot explain it in any other manner than by the surmise that we +have been drifting rapidly northward, which is very good for the Fram, +but less so for us. The wind has been southerly the last few days. I +assume that we are now in longitude 86° E., and have reckoned the +present reading of our watches accordingly. [16] The variation here I +find to be 42.5°. Yesterday we steered S. 10° W. (magnetic); to-day +I will keep S. 5° W., and to-morrow due south. By way of a change +to-day the sky has been overcast; but this evening, when we partook +of our second breakfast, the sun was shining cheerily in through the +tent-wall. Johansen has patched clothes to-day, while I have made +calculations and pricked out the courses. So mild and balmy it has +not been before. 10 P. M. -14° Fahr. (-25.6° C.). + +"Tuesday, April 16th. As we were about to start off at 1 o'clock +yesterday morning, 'Baro' sneaked away before we could harness him; +he had seen a couple of the other dogs being put to, and knew what +was coming. As I did not wish to lose the dog--he was the best I +had in my team--this caused some delay. I called and called, and +went peering round the hummocks in search of him, but saw nothing, +only the ice-pack, ridge upon ridge disappearing towards the horizon, +and farthest north the midnight sun shining over all. The world of +ice was dreaming in the bright, cool morning light. We had to leave +without the dog, but, to my great delight, I soon caught sight of +him far behind us in our wake; I thought I had seen his good face +for the last time. He was evidently ashamed of himself, and came and +stood quite still, looking up at me imploringly when I took him and +harnessed him. I had meant to whip the dog, but his eyes disarmed me. + +"We found good passable ice, if not always quite flat, and made +satisfactory progress. Some ridges, however, forced us west of +our course. Later on in the morning I discovered that I had left +my compass behind at some place or other where I had had it out +to take our bearings. It could not be dispensed with, so I had to +return and look for it. I found it, too, but it was a hard pull-back, +and on the way I was inconvenienced for the first time by the heat; +the sun scorched quite unpleasantly. When I at last got back to the +sledges I felt rather slack; Johansen was sitting on the kayak fast +asleep, basking in the sun. Then on again, but the light and warmth +made us drowsy and slack, and, try as we would, we seemed to lag; +so at ten in the forenoon we decided to camp, and I was not a little +surprised, when I took the meteorological observation, to find that +the swing-thermometer showed -15.2° Fahr. (-26.2° C.). The tent was +accordingly pitched in the broiling sun, and nice and warm it soon +was inside. We had a comfortable Easter dinner, which did service for +both Easter-day and Easter-Monday. I reckon the distances we covered +on Easter-eve and yesterday at about 15 miles, and we should thus be +altogether 60 miles on our way home. + +"Wednesday, April 17th. -18.4° Fahr. (-28° C.). Yesterday, without +doubt, we did our longest day's march. We began at half-past seven in +the morning, and ended at about nine at night, with a couple of hours' +rest in the bag at dinner-time. The ice was what I should previously +have called anything but good; it was throughout extremely uneven, +with pressed-up, rather new ice, and older, rounded-off ridges. There +were ridges here and there, but progress was possible everywhere, +and by lanes, happily, we were not hindered. The snow was rather +loose between all the irregularities of the ice; but the dogs hauled +alone everywhere, and there is no cause to complain of them. The ice +we are now stopping in seems to me to be something like that we had +around the Fram. We have about got down to the region where she is +drifting. I am certain we did 20 miles yesterday, and the distance +homeward should now be altogether 368 miles. + +"The weather is glorious nowadays, not so cold as to inconvenience +one, and continual clear sunshine, without any wind to signify. There +is remarkable equableness and stagnancy in the atmosphere up here, +I think. We have travelled over this ice for upward of a month now, +and not once have we been stopped on account of bad weather--the +same bright sunshine the whole time, with the exception of a couple +of days, and even then the sun came out. Existence becomes more and +more enjoyable; the cold is gone, and we are pressing forward towards +land and summer. It is no trial now to turn out in the mornings, +with a good day's march before one, and cook, and lie snug and warm +in the bag and dream of the happy future when we get home. Home...? + +"Have been engaged on an extensive sartorial undertaking to-day; +my trousers were getting the worse for wear. It seems quite mild +now to sit and sew in -18° Fahr. in comparison with -40° Fahr. Then +certainly it was not enjoyable to ply one's needle. + +"Friday, April 19th. We now have provender for the dogs for two or +three days more, but I think of saving it a little longer and having +the worst dogs eaten first. Yesterday 'Perpetuum' was killed. This +killing of the animals, especially the actual slaughtering, is a +horrible affair. We have hitherto stuck them with a knife, but it +was not very satisfactory. Yesterday, however, we determined to try +a new method--strangulation. According to our usual custom, we led +the dog away behind a hummock, so that the others should not know +what was going on. Then we put a rope round the animal's neck, and +each pulled with all his might, but without effect, and at last we +could do no more. Our hands were losing all sense of feeling in the +cold, and there was nothing for it but to use the knife. Oh, it was +horrible! Naturally, to shoot them would be the most convenient and +merciful way, but we are loath to expend our precious ammunition on +them; the time may come when we shall need it sorely. + +"The observations yesterday show that we have got down to 85° 37.8' +N., and the longitude should be 79° 26' E. This tallies well with +our reckoning. We have gone 50 miles or so since the last observation +(April 13th), just what I had assumed beforehand. + +"Still the same brilliant sunshine day and night. Yesterday the wind +from the north freshened, and is still blowing to-day, but does not +trouble us much, as it is behind us. The temperature, which now keeps +from about 4° to 22° below zero (Fahr.), can only be described as +agreeable. This is undoubtedly fortunate for us; if it were warmer +the lanes would keep open a longer time. My greatest desire now is +to get under land before the lanes become too bad. What we shall do +then must be decided by circumstances. + +"Sunday, April 21st. At 4 o'clock yesterday we got under way. During +the night we stopped to have something to eat. These halts for dinner, +when we take our food and crawl well down to the bottom of the bag, +where it is warm and comfortable, are unusually cozy. After a good +nap we set off again, but were soon stopped by the ugliest lane we +have yet come across. I set off along it to find a passage, but only +found myself going through bad rubble. The lane was everywhere equally +broad and uncompromising, equally full of aggregated blocks and brash, +testifying clearly to the manner in which, during a long period, +the ice here has been in motion and been crushed and disintegrated by +continual pressure. This was apparent, too, in numerous new ridges of +rubble and hummocky ice, and the cracks running in all directions. I +finally found a crossing, but when, after a long circuit, I had +conveyed the caravan there, it had changed in the interval, and I +did not think it advisable to make the attempt. But though I went +'farther than far,' as we say, I only found the same abominable lane, +full of lumps of ice, grinning at one, and high pressure-ridges on +each side. Things were becoming worse and worse. In several cases +these lumps of ice were, I noticed, intermixed with earthy matter. In +one place the whole floe, from which blocks had been pressed up into a +ridge, was entirely dark-brown in color, but whether this was from mud +or from organic matter I did not get near enough to determine. The +ridges were fairly high in some places, and reached a height of +25 feet or so. I had a good opportunity here of observing how they +assume forms like ice-mountains with high, straight sides, caused by +the splitting of old ridges transversely in several directions. I +have often on this journey seen massive high hummocks with similar +square sides, and of great circumference, sometimes quite resembling +snow-covered islands. They are of 'palæocrystic ice,' as good as any +one can wish. [17] + +"I was constrained at last to return with my mission +unaccomplished. Nearly the most annoying thing about it was that +on the other side of the lane I could see fine flat ice stretching +southward--and now to be obliged to camp here and wait! I had, however, +already possessed my soul in patience, when, on coming back to our +original stopping-place, I found a tolerably good crossing close +by it. We eventually got to the other side, with the ice grinding +under our feet the while, and by that time it was 6 o'clock in the +morning. We kept at it a little while longer over beautiful flat ice, +but the dogs were tired, and it was nearly 48 hours since they had +been fed. As we were hastening along we suddenly came across an immense +piece of timber sticking up obliquely from the surface of the ice. It +was Siberian larch, as far as I could make out, and probably raised in +this manner through pressure long ago. Many a good meal could we have +cooked with it had we been able to drag it with us, but it was too +heavy. We marked it 'F. N., H. J., 85° 30' N.,' and went on our way. + +"Plains of ice still before us. I am looking forward to getting +under way. Gliding over this flat surface on one's snow-shoes almost +reaches the ideal; land and home are nigher, and as one goes along +one's thoughts fly southward to everything that is beautiful. Six in +the morning, -22° Fahr. (-30° C.). + +"Monday, April 22d. If we have made good progress the previous days, +yesterday simply outdid itself. I think I may reckon our day's march +at 25 miles, but, for the sake of certainty, lump the two last days +together and put them down at 40 miles. The dogs, though, are beginning +to get tired; it is approaching the time for us to camp. They are +impatient for food, and, grown more and more greedy for fresh dog's +flesh, throw themselves on it like wolves as soon as a smoking piece, +with hair and all on, is thrown to them. 'Kvik' and 'Barnet' only +still keep back as long as the flesh is warm, but let it become frozen, +and they eat it voraciously. Twelve midnight, -27.8° Fahr. (-33.3° C.). + +"Friday, April 26th. -24.7° Fahr. (-31.5° C.). Minimum temperature, +-32° Fahr. (-35.7° C.). I was not a little surprised yesterday +morning when I suddenly saw the track of an animal in the snow. It +was that of a fox, came about W. S. W. true, and went in an easterly +direction. The trail was quite fresh. What in the world was that fox +doing up here? There were also unequivocal signs that it had not been +entirely without food. Were we in the vicinity of land? Involuntarily +I looked round for it, but the weather was thick all day yesterday, +and we might have been near it without seeing it. It is just as +probable, however, that this fox was following up some bear. In +any case, a warm-blooded mammal in the eighty-fifth parallel! We +had not gone far when we came across another fox-track; it went +in about the same direction as the other, and followed the trend +of the lane which had stopped us, and by which we had been obliged +to camp. It is incomprehensible what these animals live on up here, +but presumably they are able to snap up some crustacean in the open +waterways. But why do they leave the coasts? That is what puzzles +me most. Can they have gone astray? There seems little probability +of that. I am eager to see if we may not come across the trail of a +bear to-day. It would be quite a pleasure, and it would seem as if we +were getting nearer inhabited regions again. I have just pricked out +our course on the chart according to our bearings, calculating that +we have gone 69 miles in the four days since our last observation, +and I do not think this can be excessive. According to this, it should +not be much more than 138 miles to Petermann's Land, provided it lie +about where Payer determined it. I should have taken an observation +yesterday, but it was misty. + +"At the end of our day, yesterday, we went across many lanes and +piled-up ridges; in one of the latter, which appeared to be quite +new, immense pieces of fresh-water ice had been pressed up. They were +closely intermixed with clay and gravel, the result of infiltration, +so that at a distance the blocks looked dark-brown, and might easily +be taken for stone; in fact, I really thought they were stone. I can +only imagine that this ice is river ice, probably from Siberia. I +often saw huge pieces of fresh-water ice of this kind farther north, +and even in latitude 86° there was clay on the ice. + +"Sunday, April 28th. We made good way yesterday, presumably 20 +miles. We began our march about half-past three in the afternoon the +day before yesterday, and kept at it till yesterday morning. Land +is drawing nigh, and the exciting time beginning, when we may expect +to see something on the horizon. Oh, how I am longing for land, for +something under one's feet that is not ice and snow; not to speak +of something to rest one's eyes on. Another fox-track yesterday; it +went in about the same direction as the previous ones. Later in the +day 'Gulen' gave in; it seemed to be a case of complete exhaustion, +he could hardly stand on his legs, reeled over, and when we placed +him on one of the loads he lay quite still without moving. We had +already decided to kill him that day. Poor beast; faithfully he worked +for us, good-tempered and willing to the end, and then, for thanks, +when he could do no more, to be killed for provender! He was born on +the Fram on December 13, 1893, and, true child of the polar night, +never saw aught but ice and snow. + +"Monday, April 29th, -4°Fahr. (-20° C.). We had not gone far yesterday +when we were stopped by open water--a broad pool or lane which lay +almost straight across our course. We worked westward alongside it for +some distance, until it suddenly began to close violently together +at a place where it was comparatively narrow. In a few minutes the +ice was towering above us, and we got over by means of the noisy +pressure-ridge, which was thundering and crashing under our feet. It +was a case of bestirring ourselves and driving dogs and sledges +quickly over if we did not wish to get jammed between the rolling +blocks of ice. This ridge nearly swallowed up Johansen's snow-shoes, +which had been left behind for a minute while we got the last sledge +over. When at last we got to the other side of the lane the day was +far spent, and such work naturally deserved reward in the shape of +an extra ration of meat-chocolate. + +"Annoying as it is to be stopped in the midst of beautiful flat ice +by a lane, when one is longing to get on, still, undeniably, it is a +wonderful feeling to see open water spread out in front of one, and the +sun playing on the light ripples caused by the wind. Fancy open water +again, and glittering waves, after such a long time. One's thoughts fly +back to home and summer. I scanned in vain to see if a seal's head were +not visible above the surface, or a bear along the side. The dogs are +beginning now to be very much reduced in strength and are difficult +to urge on. 'Barnet' was quite done (he was killed this evening), +and several of the others are very jaded. Even 'Baro,' my best dog, +is beginning to cool in his zeal, to say nothing of 'Kvik'; perhaps I +ought to cater a little more generously for them. The wind which was +about southeast in the morning subsequently went over to an easterly +direction, and I expect, to use Pettersen's customary expression on +board for a good southeaster which drove us northward to some purpose, +'a regular devil of a hiding.' I am only surprised the temperature +still seems low. I had noticed a thick bank of clouds for a long time +along the horizon in the south and southwest, and thought that this +must mean land. It now began to grow higher and come nearer us in +a suspicious manner. When, after having had dinner, we crept out of +the bag, we saw that the sky was entirely clouded over; and that the +'devil of a hiding' had come we felt when we went on. + +"I saw another fox-track yesterday; it was almost effaced by the +snow, but went in about the same direction as the others. This is the +fourth we have come across, and seeing so many of them make me begin +to believe seriously in the proximity of land. Yes, I expect to see +it every minute; perhaps, though, it will be some days yet. [18] + +"Tuesday, April 30th. -6.7° Fahr. (-21.4° C.). Yesterday, in +spite of everything, was a bad day. It began well, with brilliant +sunshine; was warm (4° below zero Fahr.), and there, bathed in the +slumbering sunlight and alluring us on, were stretches of beautiful +flat ice. Everything tended to predict a good day's work; but, alas, +who could see the ugly dark cracks which ran right across our course, +and which were destined to make life a burden to us. The wind had +packed the snow well together, and made the surface firm and good, +so that we made rapid progress; but we had not gone far before we were +stopped by a lane of entirely open water which stretched right across +our course. After following it some little distance we eventually +found a way across. [19] Not long afterwards we came across another +lane running in about the same direction. After a fairly long detour +we got safely over this too, with the minor misfortune that three dogs +fell into the water. A third lane we also got over, but the fourth was +too much for us altogether. It was broad, and we followed it a long way +in a westerly direction, but without finding a suitable crossing. Then +I continued some three or four miles alone to scan the country, but +as I could see no chance of getting over, I returned to Johansen and +the sledges. It is a fruitless task, this following a lane running +at right angles to one's course. Better to camp and make one's self +some good pemmican soup, à la Julienne (it was highly delectable), +and then give one's self up to sleep, in the hope of better things +in the future. Either the lanes will close together again or they +will freeze, now that it is tolerably cold. The weather is quiet, so +it is to be hoped new ones will not form. [20] If it keep like this +during the days we require to reach land, it will be a good thing; +when once we are on land as many lanes may form as they like. Should +matters become too bad before that time, there is nothing for us to +do but to mend and patch our kayaks. As they are now they will not +float. The continual capsizing of the sledges has cut holes in many +places, and they would fill the instant they were put on the water." + +I ought perhaps to explain here that I had deferred mending the kayaks +as long as possible. This was partly because the work would take a +long time, and the days were precious, now that it was a question +of gaining land before the ice became impracticable; partly, too, +because, in the temperature we now had, it would have been difficult +to do the work properly; and also because the chances were that they +would soon get holes in them again from being upset. In addition to +this I was undesirous of crossing lanes at present; they were still +covered with young ice, which it would have been difficult to break +through, even had it been possible to protect the bows of the kayaks +from being cut, by means of a plate of German silver and some extra +canvas. As I have mentioned before, not the least drawback was the +fact that any water entering the kayaks would immediately have frozen +and have been impossible to remove, thus increasing the weight of our +loads at each crossing. It was undoubtedly a better plan to go round, +even if the way was long, than to incur the hinderances and casualties +that the other alternative would, most probably, have occasioned. + +To continue quoting from my diary for the same day, I write: "The +dogs were at one of our precious pemmican grips last night; they +have torn off a corner of the bag and eaten some of its contents, +but happily not much. We have been fortunate, inasmuch as they have +let the provisions alone hitherto; but now hunger is becoming too +much for them, and nature is stronger than discipline. + +"Wednesday, May 1st. -12.6° Fahr. (-24.8° C.). I 'half-soled' my +Finn shoes to-day with sail-cloth, so I hope they will last a while; +I feel as if I could hold my own again now. I have two pairs of Finn +shoes, so that for once one pair can be dried in the sun. They have +been wet the whole way, and it has made them the worse for wear." + +The ice was now growing very bad again and our marches shorter. On +Friday, May 3d, I write in my diary: "We did not do so good a day's +work yesterday as we expected, although we made some progress. The +ice was flat and the going good at one time, and we kept steadily at +it for four hours or so; but then came several reaches with lanes +and rubble-ice, which, however, we managed to pull through, though +the ice was often packing under our feet. By degrees the wind from +the southeast increased, and while we were having dinner it veered +round to an easterly direction and became rather strong. The ice, +too, grew worse, with channels and rubble, and when the wind reached +a velocity of 29 to 33 feet in the second, and a driving snow-storm +set in, completely obliterating everything around us, stumbling +along through it all became anything but attractive. After being +delayed several times by newly formed rubble, I saw that the only +sensible thing to be done was to camp, if we could find a sheltered +spot. This was easier said than done, as the weather was so thick we +could hardly see anything; but at last we found a suitable place, and, +well content to be under shelter, ate our 'fiskegratin,' and crept into +the bag, while the wind rattled the tent walls and made drifts round +us outside. We had been constrained to pitch our tent close beside a +new ridge, which was hardly desirable, as packing might take place, +but we had no choice; it was the only lee to be found. Before I went +to sleep the ice under us began to creak, and soon the pressure-ridge +behind us was packing with the well-known jerks. I lay listening +and wondering whether it would be better for us to turn out before +the ice-blocks came tumbling on to us, but as I lay listening went +fast asleep and dreamed about an earthquake. When I woke up again, +some hours afterwards, everything was quiet except the wind, which +howled and rattled at the tent walls, lashing the snow up against them. + +"Yesterday evening 'Potifar' was killed. We have now sixteen dogs +left; the numbers are diminishing horribly, and it is still so far +to land. If only we were there! + +"Saturday, May 4th. Did fourteen miles yesterday; but the lanes +become worse and worse. When we got under way in the afternoon--after +having reloaded my sledge and kayak, and readjusted the dunnage +under Johansen's kayak--the wind had fallen, and it was snowing +quietly and silently, with big flakes, just as it does on a winter +day at home. It was bad in one way, however, as in such a light it +is difficult to see if the lay of the ground is against or with us; +but the going was fairly good, and we made progress. It was heavenly +to work in this mild weather, + 11.8° Fahr. (-11.3° C.), and be able +to use one's frost-bitten hands bare, without suffering torture untold +every time they came in contact with anything. + +"Our life, however, was soon embittered by open water-ways. By means +of a circuitous route, and the expenditure of much valuable time, +we at last succeeded in getting over them. Then came long stretches +of good ice, and we went cheerfully on our way; by-and-bye, too, +the sun peeped out. It is wonderful what such encouragement does for +one. A little while ago, when I was ploughing alongside a horrible +lane, through rubble and over ridges, without a sign of any means +of getting on, I was ready to sink from exhaustion at every step; +no pleasure then could compare with that of being able to crawl into +the bag; and now, when luck again sheds her smiles on one and progress +is before one, all weariness is suddenly dissipated. + +"During the night the ice began to be bad in earnest, lane after +lane, the one worse than the other, and they were only overcome by +deviations and intricate by-ways. It was terrible work, and when the +wind increased to a good 'mill-breeze' matters became desperate. This +is indeed toil without ceasing; what would I not give to have land, +to have a certain way before me, to be able to reckon on a certain +day's march, and be free from this never-ending anxiety and uncertainty +about the lanes. Nobody can tell how much trouble they may yet cause +us, and what adversities we may have to go through before we reach +land; and meanwhile the dogs are diminishing steadily. They haul all +they can, poor things, but what good does it do? I am so tired that I +stagger on my snow-shoes, and when I fall down only wish to lie there +to save myself the trouble of getting up again. But everything changes, +and we shall get to land in time. + +"At five this morning we came to a broad lane, and as it was almost +impossible to get the dogs on any farther, we camped. Once well down +in the bag with a pot of savory-smelling lobscouse in front of one, +a feeling of well-being is the result, which neither lanes nor anything +else can disturb. + +"The ice we have gone through has, on the whole, been flat, with +the exception of the newly formed lanes and rubble. These appear, +however, for the most part in limited stretches, with extensive +flat ice between, as yesterday. All the channels seem in the main to +go in the same direction--about straight across our course, with a +little deflection towards the southwest. They run about northeast +to west-southwest (by compass). This morning the temperature had +again sunk to +0.1° Fahr. (-17.8° C.), after having been up at +12.2° +Fahr. (-11° C.), and therefore I am still in hopes that the water may +freeze within a reasonable time. Perhaps it is wrong of us to curse +this wind, for on board the Fram they are rejoicing that a southeaster +has at last sprung up. However, in spite of our maledictions, I am +really glad for their sake, although I could wish it deferred till +we reach land. + +"Wednesday, May 8th. The lanes still appear regularly in certain +places--as a rule, where the ice is very uneven, and where there are +old and new ridges alternately; between these places there are long, +flat stretches of ice without lanes. These are often perfectly even, +almost like 'inland ice.' The direction of the lanes is, as before, +very often athwart our course, or a little more southwesterly. Others, +again, seem to go in about the same direction as we do. This ice is +extraordinary; it seems to become more and more even as we approach +land, instead of the contrary, as we expected. If it would only keep +so! It is considerably flatter than it was about the Fram, it seems to +me. There are no really impracticable places, and the irregularities +there are seen to be of small dimensions--rubble-ice, and so forth; +no huge mounds and ridges, as we had farther north. Some of the lanes +here are narrow, and so far new that the water was only covered with +brash. This can be deceptive enough; it appears to be even ice, but +thrust one's staff in, and it goes right through and into the water. + +"This morning I made out our latitude and longitude. The former was +(Sunday, May 5th) 84° 31' N., and the latter 66° 15' E. We were not +so far south as I expected, but considerably farther west. It is the +drift which has put us back and westward. I shall, therefore, for the +future, steer a more southerly course than before, about due south +(true), as we are still drifting westward, and, above everything, +I am afraid of getting too far in that direction. It is to be hoped +that we shall soon have land in sight, and we shall then know where +to steer. We undoubtedly ought to be there now. + +"No dog was killed yesterday, as there were two-thirds left of 'Ulenka' +from the previous day, which provided an abundant repast. I now only +intend to slaughter one every other day, and perhaps we shall soon +come across a bear. + +"Thursday, May 9th. +9° Fahr. (-13.3° C.). Yesterday was a fairly +good day. The ice was certainly not first-rate, rather rubbly, and the +going heavy, but all the same we are making steady way forward. There +were long, flat stretches every now and then. The weather had become +quite fine when we got under way, about 3 o'clock this morning. The sun +was shining through light cumulus clouds. It was hard work, however, +making head against the ice, and soon the fog came down with the wind, +which still blew from the same direction (N.N.E.). + +"The work of hauling becomes heavier and heavier for the dogs, +in proportion as their numbers diminished. The wooden runners, too +(the under-runners), do not seem to ride well. I have long thought +of taking them off, and to-day really decided to try the sledges +without them. In spite of everything the dogs keep a very even pace, +with only a halt now and then. Yesterday there were only four dogs +for my sledge. One of them, 'Flint,' slipped his harness and ran away, +and we did not get hold of him again before the evening, when he was +killed by way of punishment. The ice was all along more uneven than +it has been the last few days. In the afternoon the weather thickened, +and the wind increased till, at about 3 o'clock, a regular snow-storm +was raging. No way was to be seen, only whiteness everywhere, except +in places where the pointed blue ice from the ridges stuck up through +the snow-drifts. After a while the ice grew worse, and I went headlong +on to ridges and irregularities without even seeing them. I hoped this +was only rough ice which we should pass through, but matters did not +improve, and we thought there was no sense in going on. Luckily we +had just then dropped on a good sheltered camping-ground; otherwise +it would have been difficult enough to find one in such weather, +where nothing could be discerned. Meanwhile we are getting southward, +and are more and more surprised at not seeing signs of land. We reckon +now to have left the eighty-fourth parallel behind us. + +"Friday, May 10th. +16.2° Fahr. (-8.8° C.). Our life has many +difficulties to combat. Yesterday promised to be a good day, but thick +weather hindered our advance. When we crept out of the tent yesterday +forenoon it was fine, the sun was shining, the going was unusually +good, and the ice appeared to be unusually even. We had managed in +the snow-storm of the previous evening to get into a belt of foul +ice, which was merely local. Before we started we thought of taking +the removable wooden runners off the sledges, but on trying mine +beforehand found that it ran well as it was. I decided, therefore, +to wait a little longer, as I was afraid that removing the wooden +runners might weaken the sledge. Johansen, meanwhile, had taken them +off the middle sledge; but as we then discovered that one of the birch +runners had split right across under one of the uprights, there was +nothing for it but to put it on again. It was a pity, though, as the +sledge would have run much better on the newly tarred runners than on +the scratched under-runners. We made fairly good progress, in spite of +there being only 13 dogs left--4 to my sledge, 4 to the birch sledge, +and 5 to Johansen's. But later in the afternoon the weather thickened +rapidly and snow began to fall, which prevented our seeing anything +before us. The ice, however, was fairly even, and we kept going. We +came across a lane, but this we crossed by means of a detour. Not long +afterwards again we got among a number of abominable pressure-ridges, +and ran right into high mounds and over steep brinks without seeing +them. Wherever one turned there were sudden drops and pitfalls, +although everything looked so fair and even under its covering of +still-falling snow. As there seemed to be little good in continuing, +we decided to camp, have our dinner of savory hot lobscouse, make out +our longitude, and then pass the time until it should clear again; +and if this did not take place soon, then have a good sleep and be +ready to get under way as soon as the weather should permit. After +having slept for a couple of hours (it was 1 o'clock in the morning), +I turned out of the tent and was confronted with the same thick, +overcast weather, with only a strip of clear blue sky down by the +horizon in the southwest, so I let Johansen sleep on and reckoned +out our longitude, which proved to be 64° 20' E. We have drifted +considerably westward since I last made it out, if my calculations +be right. While I was thus occupied I heard a suspicious gnawing +noise outside in the direction of the kayaks. I listened, and--quite +right--it was the dogs up in Johansen's kayak. I ran out, caught +'Haren,' who was just lying gnawing at the portions of fresh dogs' +flesh destined for to-morrow's consumption, and gave him a good +thrashing for his pains. The casing over the opening in the kayak +was then properly secured, and snow-shoes and sticks piled on. + +"The weather is still the same, overcast and thick; but the wind has +veered round to a more southerly direction, and the clear strip of blue +sky in the southwest has risen a little higher from the ice-margin--can +there be a west wind in prospect? Welcome, indeed, would it be, and +longing were the glances I directed towards that blue strip--there lay +sunshine and progress; perhaps even land was beneath it. I could see +the cumulus clouds sailing through the blue atmosphere, and thought +if only we were there, only had land under us, then all our troubles +would sink into oblivion. But material needs must not be forgotten, +and, perhaps, it would be better to get into the bag and have a good +sleep while waiting. Many times in the morning did I peep out of the +tent, but always saw the same cloudy sky and the same white prospect +wherever the eye turned. Down in the west and southwest was always the +same strip of clear blue sky, only that now it was lower again. When +we at last turned out in the forenoon the weather was just the same, +and the azure strip on the horizon in the southwest was still there. I +think it must have something to do with land, and it gives me hope +that this may not be so far off. It is a tougher job than we thought, +this gaining land, but we have had many enemies to make headway +against--not only foul ice and bad going, but also wind, water, and +thick weather--all of them equally obdurate adversaries to overcome. + +"Sunday, May 12th. +0.6° Fahr. (-17.5° C.). Yesterday we had a better +time than we expected. Overcast and thick it was the whole time, +and we felt our way rather than saw it. The ice was not particularly +good either, but we pressed onward, and had the satisfaction now and +then of travelling over several long stretches of flat ice. A couple +of channels which had partly opened hindered us somewhat. Curiously +enough the strip of clear sky was still there in the S.S.W. (true), +and as we went along rose higher in the heavens. We kept expecting it +to spread, and that the weather would clear; we needed it sorely to +find our way; but the strip never rose any higher, and yet remained +there equally clear. Then it sank again, and only a small rim was +left visible on the margin of the sky. Then this also disappeared. I +cannot help thinking that this strip must have had something to do +with land. At 7 o'clock this morning we came to a belt of ice as bad, +almost, as I have ever seen it, and as I thought it unadvisable to +make an onslaught in such thick weather, we encamped. I hope we did +our 14 miles, and can reckon on only 90 more to land, if it lie in +83° latitude. The ice is undoubtedly of a different character from +what it was previously: it is less even, and old lanes and new ones, +with ridges and rubble, are more frequent--all seeming to point to +the vicinity of land. + +"Meanwhile time is going, and the number of dogs diminishing. We +have now 12 left; yesterday 'Katta' was killed. And our provisions +are also gradually on the decrease, though, thank Heaven, we have a +good deal remaining. The first tin of petroleum (2 1/2 gallons) came +to an end three days ago, and we shall soon have finished our second +sack of bread. We do nothing but scan the horizon longingly for land, +but see nothing, even when I climb up on to the highest hummocks with +the telescope. + +"Monday, May 13th. +8.6° Fahr. (-13° C.); minimum +6.6° Fahr. (-14.2° +C.). This is, indeed, a toilsome existence. The number of the dogs, and +likewise their hauling powers, diminish by degrees, and they are inert +and difficult to urge on. The ice grows worse and worse as we approach +land, and is, besides, covered with much deeper and looser snow than +before. It is particularly difficult to get on in the broken-up ice, +where the snow, although it covers up many irregularities, at the +same time lets one sink through almost up to one's thighs between the +pieces of ice as soon as one takes one's snow-shoes off to help the +sledge. It is extremely tiring and shaky on this sort of surface to +use one's snow-shoes not firmly secured to the feet, but one cannot +have them properly fastened on when one has to help the dogs at any +moment or pull and tug at these eternal sledges. I think in snow such +as this Indian snow-shoes would be preferable, and I only wish I had +some. Meanwhile, however, we covered some ground yesterday, and if +I reckon 20 miles for yesterday and to-day together I do not think +I shall be very far out. We should thus have only about 50 miles to +the 83d parallel and the land which Payer determined. We are keeping +a somewhat southerly course, about due south (true), as this continual +east wind is certainly driving us westward, and I do not like the idea +of drifting west past land. It is beginning to be tolerably warm inside +the bag at night now, and last night I could hardly sleep for heat. + +"Tuesday, May 14th. +6.8° Fahr. (-14° C.). Yesterday was a cozy day +of rest. Just as we were about to get under way after breakfast it +clouded over, and a dense snow-storm set in, so that to start out in +such weather, in the uneven ice we have now before us, would not have +been worth while. I therefore made up my mind to halt for the time +being and get some trifles done, and in particular the shifting of +the load from the birch sledge on to the two others, and so at last +get rid of this third sledge, for which we can no longer spare any +dogs. This took some time; and as it was absolutely necessary to do +it, we lost nothing by stopping for a day. + +"We had now so much wood from the sledge, together with broken +snow-shoe staves and the results of other casualties, that I thought +we should be able to use it as fuel for some time to come, and so +save the petroleum. We accordingly made a fire of it to cook the +supper with, contrived a cooking-pot out of the empty petroleum tin, +and hung it over in the approved fashion. At the first start-off we +lighted the fire just outside the tent door, but soon gave that up, +as, for the first thing, we nearly burned up the tent, and, secondly, +the smoke came in till we could hardly see out of our eyes. But it +warmed well and looked wonderfully cheerful. Then we moved it farther +off, where it could neither burn up the tent nor smoke us out; but +therewith all the joy of it was departed. When we had about burned +up the whole sledge and succeeded in getting a pot of boiling water, +with the further result of having nearly melted the floe through on +which we were living, I gave up the idea of cooking with sledges +and went back to our trusty friend, the 'Primus'--and a sociable +and entertaining friend, too, which one can have by one's side as +one lies in the bag. We have as much petroleum, I should imagine, +as we shall require for the journey before us, and why bother about +anything else? If the petroleum should come to an end too soon, why, +then we can get as much train-oil from bear and seal and walrus +as we shall require. I am very anxious to see the result of our +reloading. Our two kayak sledges have undoubtedly become somewhat +heavier, but then we shall have six dogs to each as long as they +last. Our patience has been rewarded at last with the most brilliant +sunshine and sparkling sky. It is so warm in the tent that I am lying +basking in the heat. One might almost think one's self under an awning +on a summer's day at home. Last night it was almost too warm to sleep." + +The ice kept practicable to a certain extent during these days, +though the lanes provided us with many an obstacle to overcome. Then, +in addition to this, the dogs' strength was failing, they were +ready to stop at the slightest unevenness, and we did not make much +way. On Thursday, May 16th, I write in my diary: "Several of the +dogs seem to be much exhausted. 'Baro' (the leader of my team) gave +in yesterday. He could hardly move at last, and was slaughtered for +supper. Poor animal. He hauled faithfully to the end. + +"It was Johansen's birthday yesterday; he completed his twenty-eighth +year, and of course a feast was held in honor of the occasion. It +consisted of lobscouse, his favorite dish, followed by some good hot +lime-juice grog. The midday sun made it warm and comfortable in the +tent. 6 A.M., +3.6° Fahr. (-15.8° C.). + +"Have to-day calculated our latitude and longitude for yesterday, and +find it was 83° 36' N. and 59° 55' E. Our latitude agrees exactly with +what I supposed, according to the dead reckoning, but our longitude is +almost alarmingly westerly, in spite of the fact that our course has +been the whole time somewhat southerly. There appears to be a strong +drift in the ice here, and it will be better for us to keep east of +the south, in order not to drift past land. To be quite certain, +I have again reckoned out our observations of April 7th and 8th, +but find no error, and cannot think otherwise than that we are about +right. Still it seems remarkable that we have not yet seen any signs +of land. 10 P.M., +1.4° Fahr. (-17° C.). + +"Friday, May 17th. +12.4° Fahr. (-10.9° C.); minimum, -19° C. To-day +is the 'Seventeenth of May'--Constitution-day. I felt quite certain +that by to-day, at any rate, we should have been on land somewhere +or other, but fate wills otherwise; we have not even seen a sign of +it yet. Alas! here I lie in the bag, dreaming day-dreams and thinking +of all the rejoicings at home, of the children's processions and the +undulating mass of people at this moment in the streets. How welcome +a sight to see the flags, with their red bunting, waving in the blue +spring atmosphere, and the sun shining through the delicate young green +of the leaves. And here we are in drifting ice, not knowing exactly +where we are, uncertain as to our distance from an unknown land, +where we hope to find means of sustaining life and thence carve our +way on towards home, with two teams of dogs whose numbers and strength +diminish day by day, with ice and water between us and our goal which +may cause us untold trouble, with sledges which now, at any rate, are +too heavy for our own powers. We press laboriously onward mile by mile; +and meanwhile, perhaps, the drift of the ice is carrying us westward +out to sea, beyond the land we are striving for. A toilsome life, +undeniably, but there will be an end to it some time; some time we +shall reach it, and meanwhile our flag for the 'Seventeenth of May' +shall wave above the eighty-third parallel, and if fate send us the +first sight of land to-day our joy will be two-fold. + +"Yesterday was a hard day. The weather was fine, even brilliant, the +going splendid, and the ice good, so that one had a right to expect +progress were it not for the dogs. They pull up at everything, and +for the man ahead it is a continual going over the same ground three +times: first to find a way and make a track, and then back again to +drive on the dogs; it is slow work indeed. Across quite flat ice the +dogs keep up to the mark pretty well, but at the first difficulty +they stop. I tried harnessing myself in front of them yesterday, +and it answered pretty well; but when it came to finding the way in +foul ice it had to be abandoned. + +"In spite of everything, we are pushing forward, and eventually shall +have our reward; but for the time being this would be ample could we +only reach land and land-ice without these execrable lanes. Yesterday +we had four of them. The first that stopped us did not cause immoderate +trouble; then we went over a short bit of middling ice, though, with +lane after lane and ridges. Then came another bad lane, necessitating +a circuit. After this we traversed some fairly good ice, this time +considerably more of it than previously, but soon came to a lane, or +rather a pool, of greater size than we had ever seen before--exactly +what the Russians would call a 'polynja.' It was covered with young +ice, too weak to bear. We started confidently alongside it in a +southwesterly direction (true), in the belief that we should soon find +a way across; but 'soon' did not come. Just where we expected to find +a crossing, an overwhelming sight presented itself to our gaze; the +pool stretched away in a southwesterly direction to the very horizon, +and we could see no end to it! In the mirage on the horizon, a couple +of detached blocks of ice rose above the level of the pool; they +appeared to be floating in open water, changed constantly in shape, +and disappeared and reappeared. Everything seemed to indicate that the +pool debouched right into the sea in the west. From the top of a high +hummock I could, however, with the glass, see ice on the other side, +heightened by the looming. But it was anything but certain that it +really was situated at the western end of the pool; more probably, +it indicated a curve in the direction of the latter. What was to be +done here? To get over seemed for the moment an impossibility. The +ice was too thin to bear and too thick to set the kayaks through, +even if we should mend them. How long it might take at this time of +year for the ice to become strong enough to bear, I did not know, +but one day would scarcely do it. To settle down and wait, therefore, +seemed too much. How far the pool extended and how long we might +have to travel along it before we found a crossing and could again +keep to our course no one could tell; but the probability was a long +time--perhaps days. On the other hand, to retreat in the direction +whence we came seemed an unattractive alternative; it would lead +us away from our goal, and also perhaps necessitate a long journey +in an opposite direction before we could find a crossing. The pool +extended true S. 50° W. To follow it would undoubtedly take us out +of our course, which ought now properly to be east of south; but on +the whole this direction was nearest the line of our advance, and +consequently we decided to try it. After a short time we came to a new +lane running in a transverse direction to the pool. Here the ice was +strong enough to bear, and on examining the ice on the pool itself +beyond the confluence of this lane I found a belt where the young +ice had, through pressure, been jammed up in several layers. This +happily was strong enough to bear, and we got safely over the pool, +the trend of which we had been prepared to follow for days. Then on we +went again, though in toil and tribulation, until at half-past eight +in the evening we again found ourselves confronted by a pool or lane +of exactly the same description as the former one, with the exception +only that this time the view to the 'sea' opened towards the northeast, +while in the southwest the sky-line was closed in by ice. The lane also +was covered with young ice, which in the middle was obviously of the +same age as that on the last pool. Near the edge there was some thicker +and older ice, which would bear, and over which I went on snowshoes +to look for a crossing, but found none as far as I went. The strip +of ice along the middle, sometimes broad and sometimes narrow, was +everywhere too thin to risk taking the sledges over. We consequently +decided to camp and wait till to-day, when it is to be hoped the ice +will be strong enough to bear. And here we are still with the same lane +in front of us. Heaven only knows what surprises the day will bring. + +"Sunday, May 19th. The surprise which the Seventeenth brought us +was nothing less than that we found the lanes about here full of +narwhals. When we had just got under way, and were about to cross +over the lane we had been stopped by the previous day, I became aware +of a breathing noise, just like the blowing of whales. I thought at +first it must be from the dogs, but then I heard for certain that the +sound came from the lane. I listened. Johansen had heard the noise +the whole morning, he said, but thought it was only ice jamming +in the distance. No, that sound I knew well enough, I thought, +and looked over towards an opening in the ice whence I thought it +proceeded. Suddenly I saw a movement which could hardly be falling +ice, and--quite right--up came the head of a whale; then came the +body; it executed the well-known curve, and disappeared. Then up came +another, accompanied by the same sound. There was a whole school of +them. I shouted that they were whales, and, running to the sledge, +had my gun out in a second. Then came the adjusting of a harpoon, and +after a little work this was accomplished, and I was ready to start in +pursuit. Meanwhile the animals had disappeared from the opening in the +ice where I had first seen them, though I heard their breathing from +some openings farther east. I followed the lane in that direction, +but did not come within range, although I got rather near them once or +twice. They came up in comparatively small openings in the ice, which +were to be found along the whole length of the lane. There was every +prospect of being able to get a shot at them if we stopped for a day +to watch the holes; but we had no time to spare, and could not have +taken much with us had we got one, as the sledges were heavy enough +already. We soon found a passage over, and continued our journey +with the flags hoisted on the sledges in honor of the day. As we +were going so slowly now that it was hardly possible for things to +be worse, I determined at our dinner-hour that I really would take +off the under-runners from my sledge. The change was unmistakable; it +was not like the same sledge. Henceforth we got on well, and after a +while the under-runners from Johansen's sledge were also removed. As +we furthermore came on some good ice later in the day, our progress +was quite unexpectedly good, and when we stopped at half-past eleven +yesterday morning, I should think we had gone 10 miles during our +day's march. This brings us down to latitude 83° 20' or so. + +"At last, then, we have come down to latitudes which have been reached +by human beings before us, and it cannot possibly be far to land. A +little while before we halted yesterday we crossed a lane or pool +exactly like the two previous ones, only broader still. Here, too, I +heard the blowing of whales, but although I was not far from the hole +whence the noise presumably came, and although the opening there was +quite small, I could perceive nothing. Johansen, who came afterwards +with the dogs, said that as soon as they reached the frozen lane they +got scent of something and wanted to go against the wind. Curious +that there should be so many narwhals in the lanes here. + +"The ice we are now travelling over is surprisingly bad. There are few +or no new ridges, only small older irregularities, with now and then +deep snow in between, and then these curious broad, endless lanes, +which resemble each other, and run exactly parallel, and are all +unlike those we have met before. They are remarkable from the fact +that, while formerly I always observed the ice on the north side +of the lane to drift westward, in comparison with that which lay on +the south side, the reverse was here the case. It was the ice on the +south side which drifted westward. + +"As I am afraid that we are continually drifting rapidly westward, I +have kept a somewhat easterly course--S.S.E. or east of that, according +as the drift necessitates. We kept the Seventeenth of May--on the +18th, it is true--by a feast of unsurpassed magnificence, consisting +of lobscouse, stewed red whortleberries mixed with vril-food, and +stamina lime-juice mead (i.e., a concoction of lime-juice tablets +and Frame Food stamina tablets dissolved in water), and then, having +eaten our fill, crawled into our bag." + +As we gradually made our way southward the ice became more +impracticable and difficult to travel over. We still came across +occasional good flat plains, but they were often broken up by broad +belts of jammed-up ice, and in a measure by channels, which hindered +our advance. On May 19th I write: "I climbed to the top of the highest +hummock I have yet been up. I measured it roughly, and made it out to +be about 24 feet above the ice whence I had climbed up; but, as this +latter was considerably above the surface of the water, the height +was probably 30 feet or so. It formed the crest of quite a short and +crooked pressure-ridge, consisting of only small pieces of ice." + +That day we came across the first tracks of bears which we had seen +on our journey over the ice. The certainty that we had got down +to regions where these animals are to be found, and the prospect +of a ham, made us very joyous. On May 20th there was a tremendous +snow-storm, through which it was impossible to see our way on the +uneven ice. "Consequently there is nothing for it but to creep under +the cover again and sleep as long as one can. Hunger at last, though, +is too much for us, and I turn out to make a stew of delicious liver +'pâté.' Then a cup of whey drink, and into the bag again, to write +or slumber as we list. Here we are, with nothing to do but to wait +till the weather changes and we can go on. + +"We can hardly be far from 83° 10' N., and should have gained +Petermann's Land if it be where Payer supposed. Either we +must be unconscionably out of our bearings, or the country very +small. Meanwhile, I suppose, this east wind is driving us westward, +out to sea, in the direction of Spitzbergen. Heaven alone knows +what the velocity of the drift may be here. Oh, well, I am not in +the least downhearted. We still have 10 dogs, and should we drift +past Cape Fligely, there is land enough west of us, and that we can +hardly mistake. Starve we scarcely can; and if the worst should come +to the worst, and we have to make up our minds to winter up here, we +can face that too--if only there was nobody waiting at home. But we +shall get back before the winter. The barometer is falling steadily, +so that it will be a case of patience long drawn out, but we shall +manage all right." + +On the afternoon of the following day (May 21st) we were at last +able to get off, though the weather was still thick and snowy, and +we often staggered along like blind men. "As the wind was strong and +right at our back, and as the ice was fairly even, I at last put a +sail to my sledge. It almost went by itself, but did not in the least +change the dogs' pace; they kept the same slow time as before. Poor +beasts, they become more and more tired, and the going is heavy and +loose. We passed over many newly frozen pools that day, and some time +previously there must have been a remarkable quantity of open water. + +"I do not think I exceed when I put down our day's march at 14 miles, +and we ought to have latitude 83° behind us, but as yet no sign of +land. This is becoming rather exciting. + +"Friday, May 24th. +18.8° Fahr. (-7.4° C.). Minimum -11.4° C. Yesterday +was the worst day we have yet had. The lane we had before us when we +stopped the previous day proved to be worse than any of the others +had been. After breakfast at 1 A.M., and while Johansen was engaged +in patching the tent, I trudged off to look for a passage across, but +was away for three hours without finding any. There was nothing for +it but to follow the bend of the lane eastward and trust to getting +over eventually, but it turned out to be a longer job than we had +anticipated. When we came to the place where it appeared to end, +the surrounding ice-mass was broken up in all directions, and the +floes were grinding against each other as they tore along. There was +no safe passage across to be found anywhere. Where at one moment, +perhaps, I might have crossed over, at the next, when I had brought +the sledges up, there was only open water. Meanwhile we executed +some intricate manoeuvring from floe to floe, always farther east, +in order to get round. The ice jammed under and around us, and it +was often a difficult matter to get through. Often did we think we +were well across, when still worse lanes and cracks in front of us +met our disappointed gaze. It was enough sometimes to make one despair. + +"There seemed to be no end to it; wherever one turned were yawning +channels. On the overcast sky the dark, threatening reflection of +water was to be seen in all directions. It really seemed as if the +ice was entirely broken up. Hungry and almost tired to death we were, +but determined, if possible, to have our troubles behind us before we +stopped for dinner. But at last matters came to a hopeless pitch, and +at 1 o'clock, after nine hours' work, we decided to have a meal. It +is a remarkable fact that, let things be as bad as they may, once +in the bag, and with food in prospect, all one's troubles sink into +oblivion. The human being becomes a happy animal, which eats as long +as it can keep its eyes open, and goes to sleep with the food in its +mouth. Oh, blissful state of heedlessness! But at 4 o'clock we had +to turn to again at the apparently hopeless task of threading the +maze of lanes. As a last drop in our cup of misery the weather became +so thick and shadowless that one literally could not see if one were +walking up against a wall of ice or plunging into a pit. Alas, we have +only too much of this mist! How many lanes and cracks we went across, +how many huge ridges we clambered over, dragging the heavy sledges +after us, I cannot say, but very many. They twisted and turned in +all directions, and water and slush met us everywhere. + +"But everything comes to an end, and so did this. After another +two-and-a-half hours' severe exertion we had put the last lane behind +us, and before us lay a lovely plain. Altogether we had now been at +this sort of work for nearly twelve hours, and I had, in addition, +followed the lane for three hours in the morning, which made fifteen +altogether. We were thoroughly done, and wet too. How many times we +had gone through the deceptive crust of snow which hides the water +between the pieces of ice it is impossible to say. Once during the +morning I had had a narrow escape. I was going confidently along on +snow-shoes over what I supposed to be solid ice when suddenly the +ground began to sink beneath me. Happily there were some pieces of ice +not far off on which I succeeded in throwing myself, while the water +washed over the snow I had just been standing on. I might have had +a long swim for it through the slush, which would have been anything +but pleasant, particularly seeing that I was alone. + +"At last we had level ice before us; but, alas! our happiness was +destined to be short-lived. From the dark belt of clouds on the sky we +saw that a new channel was in prospect, and at eight in the evening we +had reached it. I was too tired to follow the trend of the lane (it +was not short) in order to find a crossing, particularly as another +channel was visible behind it. It was also impossible to see the +ice around one in the heavily falling snow. It was only a question, +therefore, of finding a camping-place, but this was easier said +than done. A strong north wind was blowing, and no shelter was to be +found from it on the level ice we had just got on to. Every mound and +irregularity was examined as we passed by it in the snow-storm, but +all were too small. We had to content ourselves at last with a little +pressed-up hummock, which we could just get under the lee of. Then, +again, there was too little snow, and only after considerable work +did we succeed in pitching the tent. At last, however, the 'Primus' +was singing cheerily inside it, the 'fiskegratin' diffusing its savory +odor, and two happy beings were ensconced comfortably inside the bag, +enjoying existence and satisfied, if not, indeed, at having done a +good day's march, yet in the knowledge of having overcome a difficulty. + +"While we were having breakfast to-day I went out and took a meridian +altitude, which, to our delight, made us 82° 52' N. + +"Sunday, May 26th. When the ice is as uneven as it is now, the +difficulty of making headway is incredible. The snow is loose, and if +one takes one's snow-shoes off for a moment one sinks in above one's +knees. It is impossible to fasten them on securely, as every minute +one must help the dogs with the sledges. Added to this, if the weather +be thick, as yesterday, one is apt to run into the largest ridges or +snow-drifts without seeing them; everything is equally white under +its covering of new snow, and the light comes from all directions, +so that it throws no shadows. Then one plunges in headlong, and with +difficulty can get up and on to one's snow-shoes again. This takes +place continually, and the longer it lasts the worse it gets. At last +one literally staggers on one's snow-shoes from fatigue, just as if +one were drunk. But we are gaining ground, and that is the chief +thing, be one's shins ever so bruised and tender. This manner of +progress is particularly injurious to the ankles, on account of the +constant unsteadiness and swerving of the snow-shoes, and many a day +have mine been much swollen. The dogs, too, are becoming exhausted, +which is worse. + +"I have to-day reckoned out the observations made yesterday, and +find, to our joy, that the longitude is 61° 27' E., so that we have +not drifted westward, but have come about south, according to our +course. My constant fear of drifting past land is thus unfounded, +and we should be able to reckon on reaching it before very long. We +may possibly be farther east than we suppose, but hardly farther west, +so that if we now go due south for a while, and then southwest, we must +meet with land, and this within not many days. I reckon that we did +20 miles southward yesterday, and should thus be now in latitude 82° +40' N. A couple more days, and our latitude will be very satisfactory. + +"The ice we have before us looks practicable, but, to judge by the sky, +we have a number of water-ways a little farther on; we must manage +somehow to fight our way across them. I should be very reluctant +to mend the kayaks just now, before we have reached land and firm +land ice. They require a thorough overhauling, both as to frames and +covers. My one thought now is to get on while we still have some dogs, +and thus use them up. + +"A comfortable Sunday morning in the tent to-day. These observations +put me in good spirits; life seems to look bright before us. Soon we +must be able to start homeward at good speed and across open water. Oh, +what a pleasure it will be to handle paddle and gun again, instead of +this continual toil with the sledges! Then, too, the shouting to the +dogs to go on--it seems to wear and tear one's ears and every nerve +in one's body. + +"Monday, May 27th. Ever since yesterday morning we have seen the +looming of water on the sky; it is the same looming that we saw on +the previous day, and I set our course direct for the place where, +to judge by it, there should be the greatest accumulation of ice, +and where, consequently, a crossing should be easiest. During the +course of the afternoon we came on one lane after the other, just as +the water-sky had denoted, and towards evening the dark heavens before +us augured open water of a worse kind. The reflection was particularly +dark and threatening, both in the west and in the east. By 7 o'clock +I could see a broad lane before us, stretching away west and east as +far as the eye could reach from the highest hummock. It was broad, and +appeared to be more impracticable than any of the previous ones. As +the dogs were tired, our day's march had been a good one, and we +had a splendid camping-place ready to hand, we decided to pitch the +tent. Well satisfied and certain that we were now in latitude 82 1/2°, +and that land must inevitably be near, we disappeared into the bag. + +"During breakfast this morning I went out and took a meridian +altitude. It proves that we have not deceived ourselves. We are in +latitude 82° 30' N., perhaps even a minute or two farther south. But +it is growing more and more remarkable that we see no sign of land. I +cannot explain it in any other way than that we are some degrees +farther east than we suppose. [21] That we should be so much farther +west as to enable us to pass entirely clear of Petermann's Land and +Oscar's Land, and not so much as get a glimpse of them, I consider an +impossibility. I have again looked at our former observations; have +again gone through our dead reckoning, the velocity and directions of +the wind, and all the possibilities of drift during the days which +passed between our last certain observation for longitude (April +8th) and the day when, according to the dead reckoning, we assumed +ourselves to be in longitude 86° E. (April 13th). That there should be +any great mistake is inconceivable. The ice can hardly have had such +a considerable drift during those particular days, seeing that our +dead reckoning in other respects tallied so well with the observations. + +"Yesterday evening 'Kvik' was slaughtered. Poor thing, she was quite +worn out, and did little or nothing in the hauling line. I was sorry +to part with her, but what was to be done? Even if we should get fresh +meat, it would have taken some time to feed her up again, and then, +perhaps, we should have had no use for her, and should only have had +to kill her, after all. But a fine big animal she was, and provided +food for three days for our remaining eight dogs. + +"I am in a continual state of wonderment at the ice we are now +travelling over. It is flat and good, with only smallish pieces of +broken-up ice lying about, and a large mound or small ridge here and +there, but all of it is ice which can hardly be winter-old, or at +any rate has been formed since last summer. It is quite a rarity to +come across a small tract of older ice, or even a single old floe +which has lain the summer through--so rare, in fact, that at our +last camping-place it was impossible to find any ice which had been +exposed to the summer sun, and consequently freed from salt. We were +obliged to be content with snow for our drinking-water. [22] Certain +it is that where these great expanses of flat ice come from there +was open water last summer or autumn, and that of no little extent, +as we have passed over many miles of this compact ice the whole day +yesterday and a good part of the previous day, besides which there +were formerly a considerable number of such tracts in between older, +summer-old ice. There is little probability that this should have +been formed in the vicinity hereabouts. More probably it has come +from farther east or southeast, and was formed in open water on the +east side of Wilczek's Land. I believe, consequently, that this must +indicate that there can be not a little open water along the east or +northeast coast of Wilczek's Land in the summer or autumn months. [23] + +"Now followed a time when the lanes grew worse than ever, and we +began to toil in grim earnest. Lanes and cracks went crosswise in +every direction. The ice was sometimes uneven, and the surface loose +and heavy between the irregularities. + +"If one could get a bird's-eye view of this ice, the lanes would form +a veritable net-work of irregular meshes. Woe to him who lets himself +get entangled in it! + +"Wednesday, May 29th. Yesterday I inaugurated a great change, and began +with 'komager.' It was an agreeable transition. One's feet keep nice +and dry now, and one is furthermore saved the trouble of attending +to the Finn shoes [24] night and morning. They were beginning in +this mild temperature to assume a texture like our native 'lefser,' +a kind of tough rye-cake. Then, too, one need no longer sleep with +wet rags on one's chest and legs to dry them." + +That day we saw our first bird; a fulmar (Procellaria glacialis). + +"Thursday, May 30th. At 5 o'clock yesterday morning we set forth with +the buoyancy born of the belief that now at last the whole network of +lanes was behind us; but we had not gone far before the reflection +of new channels appeared in front. I climbed up on to a hummock as +quickly as possible, but the sight which met my eyes was anything +but enlivening--lane after lane, crossing and recrossing, in front +of us and on each side, as far as the eye could reach. It looked +as if it mattered little what direction we chose: it would be of no +avail in getting out of the maze. I made a long excursion on ahead to +see if there might not be a way of slipping through and over on the +consecutive flat sheets as we had done before; but the ice appeared +to be broken up, and so it probably is all the way to land. It was +no longer with the compact, massive polar ice that we had to deal, +but with thin, broken-up pack-ice, at the mercy of every wind of +heaven, and we had to reconcile ourselves to the idea of scrambling +from floe to floe as best we might. What would I not have given at +this moment for it to be March, with all its cold and sufferings, +instead of the end of May, and the thermometer almost above 32° +Fahr.? It was just this end of May I had feared all along, the time +at which I considered it of the greatest importance to have gained +land. Unhappily my fears proved to be well founded. I almost began to +wish that it was a month or more later; the ice would then perhaps be +slacker here, with more open pools and lanes, so that in a measure one +could make one's way in a kayak. Well, who could tell? This miserable +thin young ice appeared to be utterly treacherous, and there was a +water-sky in every direction, but mostly far, far ahead. If only we +were there! if only we were under land! Perhaps, if the worst should +come to the worst, we may be reduced to waiting till over the time +when the mild weather and break-up of the ice come in earnest. But +have we provisions enough to wait till that time? This was, indeed, +more than doubtful.... As I stood sunk in these gloomy reflections on +the high hummock, and looking southward over the ice, seeing ridge +after ridge and lane after lane before me, I suddenly heard the +well-known sound of a whale blowing from a lead close behind. It +was the solution of my troubles. Starve we should not; there are +animals here, and we have guns, thank Heaven, and harpoons as well, +and we know how to use them. There was a whole school of narwhals in +the lane breathing and blowing ceaselessly. As some high ice hid them +from view for a great part, I could only see their gray backs, now and +then, as they arched themselves over the black surface of the water. I +stood a long while looking at them, and had I had my gun and harpoon, +it would have been an easy matter to get one. After all, the prospect +was not so bad at present; and meanwhile what we had to do was not to +mind lanes, but to keep on our course S.W. or S.W. to S. over them, +and push on the best we could. And with that resolution I returned +to the sledges. Neither of us, however, had a very firm belief that +we should get much farther, and therefore all the more elated did +we become as our advance proved by degrees to be tolerably easy, +in spite of our exhausted dogs. + +"While we were making our way during the morning between some +lanes I suddenly saw a black object come rushing through the air; +it was a black guillemot (Uria grylle), and it circled round us +several times. Not long afterwards I heard a curious noise in a +southwesterly direction--something like the sound made by a goat's +horn when blown on; I heard it many times, and Johansen also remarked +it, but I could not make out what it was. An animal, at all events, +it must be, as human beings are hardly likely to be near us here. [25] +A little while later a fulmar came sailing towards us, and flew round +and round just over our heads. I got out my gun, but before I had a +cartridge in the bird had gone again. It is beginning to grow lively +here; it is cheering to see so much life, and gives one the feeling +that one is approaching land and kindlier regions. Later on I saw +a seal on the ice; it was a little ringed seal, which it would have +been a satisfaction to capture; but before I had quite made out which +it was it had disappeared into the water. + +"At 10 o'clock we had dinner, which we shall no longer eat in the bag, +in order to save time. We have also decided to shorten our marches to +eight hours or so in the day on account of the dogs. At 11 o'clock, +after dinner, we started off again, and at three stopped and camped. I +should imagine we went 7 miles yesterday, or let me say between 12 and +15 during the last two days, the direction being about southwest--every +little counts. + +"In front of us on the horizon we have a water-sky, or at any rate +a reflection which is so sharply defined and remains so immovable +that it must either be over open water or dark land; our course +just bears on it. It is a good way off, and the water it is over +can hardly be of small extent; I cannot help thinking that it must +be under land. May it be so! But between us, to judge by the sky, +there seem to be plenty of lanes. + +"The ice is still the same nowadays, barely of the previous winter's +formation, where it is impossible to find any suitable for cooking. It +seems to me that it is here, if possible, thinner than ever, with +a thickness of from 2 to 3 feet. The reason of this I am still at a +loss to explain. + +"Friday, May 31st. It is wonderful; the last day of May--this month +gone too without our reaching land, without even seeing it. June +cannot surely pass in the same manner--it is impossible that we can +have far to go now. I think everything seems to indicate this. The +ice becomes thinner and thinner, we see more and more life around us, +and in front is the same reflection of water or land, whichever it +may be. Yesterday I saw two ringed seals (Phoca foetida) in two small +lanes; a bird, probably a fulmar, flew over a lane here yesterday +evening, and at midday yesterday we came on the fresh tracks of a +bear and two small cubs, which had followed the side of a lane. There +seemed to be prospects of fresh food in such surroundings, though, +curiously enough, neither of us has any particular craving for it; we +are quite satisfied with the food we have; but for the dogs it would be +of great importance. We had to kill again last night; this time it was +'Pan,' our best dog. It could not be helped; he was quite worn out, +and could not do much more. The seven dogs we have left can now live +three days on the food he provided. + +"This is quite unexpected: the ice is very much broken up here--mere +pack-ice, were it not for some large floes or flat spaces in +between. If this ice had time to slacken it would be easy enough +to row between the floes. Sometimes when we were stopped by lanes +yesterday, and I went up on to some high hummock to look ahead, +my heart sank within me, and I thought we should be constrained to +give up the hope of getting farther; it was looking out over a very +chaos of lumps of ice and brash mixed together in open water. To jump +from piece to piece in such waters, with dogs and two heavy sledges +following one, is not exactly easy; but by means of investigation +and experiment we managed eventually to get over this lane too, and +after going through rubble for a while came on to flat ice again; +and thus it kept on with new lanes repeatedly. + +"The ice we are now travelling over is almost entirely new ice with +occasional older floes in between. It continues to grow thinner, here +it is for the greater part not more than 3 feet in thickness, and the +floes are as flat as when they were frozen. Yesterday evening, however, +we got on to a stretch of old ice, on which we are stationed now, +but how far it extends it is difficult to say. We camped yesterday +at half-past six in the evening and found fresh ice again for the +cooker, which was distinctly a pleasant change for the cook. We have +not had it since May 25th. [26] A disagreeable wind from the south, +it is true, has sprung up this evening, and it will be hard work going +against it. We have a great deal of bad weather here; it is overcast +nearly every day, with wind--south wind, which, above everything, +is least desirable just now. But what are we to do? To settle down +we have hardly provender enough; there is nothing for it, I suppose, +but to grind on. + +"Took a meridian altitude to-day, and we should be in 82° 21' N., +and still no glimpse of land; this is becoming more and more of an +enigma. What would I not give to set my foot on dry land now? But +patience--always patience." + + + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +BY SLEDGE AND KAYAK + + +"Saturday, June 1st. So this is June. What has it in store for +us? Will not this month, either, bring us the land we are longing +for? Must hope and believe so, though the time is drawing out. Luck, +for the matter of that, is a wonderful thing. I expected this morning +as little of the day as was well possible; the weather was thick and +snowy, and we had a strong contrary wind. It was no better when we +came on a lane directly after we started, which appeared to be nearly +impassable; everything was dark and dull. However, the day turned out +to be better than we expected. By means of a detour to the northeast +I found a passage across the lane, and we got on to long, flat plains +which we went over until quite midday. And from five this afternoon we +had another hour and a half of good ice, but that was the end of it; +a lane which ran in several directions cut off every means of advance, +and although I spent more than an hour and a half in looking for a +crossing, none was to be found. There was nothing for it but to camp, +and hope that the morrow would bring an improvement. + +Now the morrow has come, but whether the improvement has come likewise, +and the lane has closed more together, I do not yet know. We camped +about nine yesterday evening. As usual latterly, after nearly a whole +day of dismal snow, it suddenly cleared up as soon as we began to pitch +the tent. The wind also went down, and the weather became beautiful, +with blue sky and light white clouds, so that one might almost dream +one's self far away to summer at home. The horizon in the west and +southwest was clear enough, but nothing to be seen except the same +water-sky, which we have been steering for, and, happily, it is +obviously higher, so we are getting under it. If only we had reached +it! Yonder there must be a change; that I have no doubt of. How I +long for that change! + +"Curious how different things are. If we only reach land before our +provisions give out we shall think ourselves well out of danger, while +to Payer it stood for certain starvation if he should have to remain +there and not find Tegethoff again. But then he had not been roaming +about in the drift-ice between 83° and 86° for two months and a half +without seeing a living creature. Just as were going to break up camp +yesterday morning we suddenly heard the angry cry of an ivory gull; +there, above us, beautiful and white, were two of them sailing right +over our heads. I thought of shooting them, but it seemed, on the +whole, hardly worth while to expend a cartridge apiece on such birds; +they disappeared again, too, directly. A little while afterwards we +heard them again. As we were lying in the bag to-day and waiting for +breakfast we suddenly heard a hoarse scream over the tent--something +like the croaking of a crow. I should imagine it must have been a gull +(Larus argentatus?). + +"Is it not curious? The whole night long, whenever I was awake, did +the sun smile in to us through our silken walls, and it was so warm +and light that I lay and dreamed dreams of summer, far from lanes +and drudgery and endless toil. How fair life seems at such moments, +and how bright the future! But no sooner do I turn out to cook at +half-past nine than the sun veils his countenance and snow begins to +fall. This happens nearly every day now. Is it because he will have +us settle down here and wait, for the summer and the slackening of +the ice and open water will spare us the toil of finding a way over +this hopeless maze of lanes? I am loath, indeed, that this should come +to pass. Even if we could manage, as far as provisions are concerned, +by killing and eating the dogs, and with a chance of game in prospect, +our arrival in Spitzbergen would be late, and we might not improbably +have to pass the winter there, and then those at home would have +another year to wait. + +"Sunday, June 2d. So it is on Whitsunday that this book [27] +finishes. I could hardly have imagined that we should still be in +the drift-ice without seeing land; but Fate wills otherwise, and she +knows no mercy. + +"The lane which stopped us yesterday did not close, but opened wider +until there was a big sea to the west of us, and we were living on +a floe in the midst of it without a passage across anywhere. So, at +last, what we have so often been threatened with has come to pass: +we must set to work and make our kayaks seaworthy. But first of all +we moved the tent into a sheltered nook of the hummock, where we are +lying to, so that the wind does not reach us, and we can imagine it +is quite still outside, instead of a regular 'mill-breeze' blowing +from the southwest. To rip off the cover of my kayak and get it into +the tent to patch it was the work of a very short time, and then we +spent a comfortable, quiet Whitsunday evening in the tent. The cooker +was soon going, and we had some smoking-hot lobscouse for dinner, +and I hardly think either of us regretted he was not on the move; +it is undeniably good to make a halt sometimes. The cover was soon +patched and ready; then I had to go out and brace up the frame of my +kayak where most of the lashings are slack and must be lashed over +again; this will be no inconsiderable piece of work; there are at +least forty of them. However, only a couple of the ribs are split, so +the framework can easily be made just as good as before. Johansen also +took the cover off his kayak, and to-day it is going to be patched. + +"When both the frames are put in order and the covers on we shall +be ready to start afresh and to meet every difficulty, be it lanes, +pools, or open sea. It will, indeed, be with a feeling of security +that we shall set forth, and there will be an end to this continual +anxiety lest we should meet with impassable lanes. I cannot conceive +that anything now can prevent us from soon reaching land. It can hardly +be long now before we meet with lanes and open water in which we can +row. There will be a difficulty with the remaining dogs, however, +and it will be a case of parting with them. The dogs' rations were +portioned out yesterday evening, and we still have part of 'Pan' +for supper; but 'Klapperslangen' must go, too. We shall then have +six dogs, which, I suppose, we can keep four days, and still get on +a good way with them. + +"Whitsuntide!--there is something so lovely and summer-like in the +word. It is hard to think how beautiful everything is now at home, +and then to lie here still, in mist and wind and ice. How homesick +one grows; but what good does it do? Little Liv will go to dinner +with her grandmother to-day--perhaps they are dressing her in a new +frock at this very moment! Well, well, the time will come when I can +go with her; but when? I must set to work on the lashings, and it +will be all right." + +We worked with ardor during the following days to get our kayaks ready, +and even grudged the time for eating. Twelve hours sometimes went by +between each meal, and our working day often lasted for twenty-four +hours. But all the same it took time to make these kayaks fully +seaworthy again. The worst of it was that we had to be so careful +with our materials, as the opportunities of acquiring more were not +immoderately abundant. When, for instance, a rib had to be relashed +we could not rip up the old lashing, but had to unwind it carefully +in order not to destroy the line; and when there are many scores of +such places to be relashed, this takes time. Then, too, several of the +bamboo ribs which run along the side of the framework (particularly +in Johansen's kayak) were split, and these had wholly or partly +to be taken out and new ones substituted, or to be strengthened by +lashings and side splints. When the covers were properly patched, and +the frames, after several days' work, again in order, the covers were +put on and carefully stretched. All this, of course, had to be done +with care, and was not quick work; but then we had the satisfaction of +knowing that the kayaks were fully seaworthy, and capable, if need be, +of weathering a storm on the way over to Spitzbergen. + +Meanwhile the time flew by--our precious time; but then we hoped that +our kayaks would render us important assistance, and that we should +get on all the quicker in them. Thus, on Tuesday, June 4th, I wrote +in my diary: "It seems to me that it cannot be long before we come to +open water or slack ice. The latter is, hereabouts, so thin and broken +up, and the weather so summer-like. Yesterday the thermometer was a +little below freezing-point, and the snow which fell was more like +sleet than anything else; it melted on the tent, and it was difficult +to keep things from getting wet inside; the walls dripped if we even +went near them. We had abominable weather the whole day yesterday, +with falling snow, but for the matter of that we are used to it; we +have had nothing else lately. To-day, however, it is brilliant, clear +blue sky, and the sun has just come over the top of our hummock and +down into the tent. It will be a glorious day to sit out and work in; +not like yesterday, when all one's tackle got wet; it is worst of all +when one is lashing, for then one cannot keep the line taut. This sun +is a welcome friend; I thought I was almost tired of it before when +it was always there; but how glad we are to see it now, and how it +cheers one. I can hardly get it out of my head that it is a glorious, +fresh June morning home by the bay. Only let us soon have water, so +that we can use our kayaks, and it will not be long before we are home. + +"To-day, [28] for the first time on the whole of this journey, we +have dealt out rations for breakfast, both of butter, 1 2/3 ounces, +and aleuronate bread, 6 2/3 ounces. We must keep to weights in order +to be certain the provisions will last out, and I shall take stock +properly of what we have left before we go farther. + +"Happiness is, indeed, short-lived. The sun has gone again, the sky +is overcast, and snowflakes are beginning to fall. + +"Wednesday, June 5th. Still at the same spot, but it is to be hoped +it will not be long before we are able to get off. The weather was +fine yesterday, after all, and so summer-like to sit out and work +and bask in the sun; and then to look out over the water and the ice, +with the glittering waves and snow! + +"Yesterday we shot our first game. It was an ivory gull (Larus +eberneus), which went flying over the tent. There were other gulls +here, yesterday, too, and we saw as many as four at once; but they +kept at a distance. I went after them once and missed my mark. One +cartridge wasted; this must not be repeated. If we had taken the +trouble we could easily have got more gulls; but they are too small +game, and it is also too early to use up our ammunition. In the pool +here I saw a seal, and Johansen saw one too. We have both seen and +heard narwhals. There is life enough here, and if the kayaks were in +order, and we could row out on the water, I have no doubt we could +get something. However, it is not necessary yet. We have provisions +enough at present, and it is better to employ the time in getting +on, on account of the dogs, though it would be well if we could get +some big game, and not kill any more of them until our ice journey +is over and we take to the kayaks for good. Yesterday we had to kill +'Klapperslangen.' He gave twenty-five rations, which will last the six +remaining dogs four days. The slaughtering was now entirely Johansen's +business; he had achieved such celerity that with a single thrust of my +long Lapp knife he made an end of the animal, so that it had no time +to utter a sound, and after a few minutes, with the help of the knife +and our little axe, he had divided the animal into suitable doles. As +I mentioned before, we left the skin and hair on; the former was +carefully eaten up, and the only thing left after the dogs' meal was, +as a rule, a tuft of hair here and there on the ice, some claws, and, +perhaps, a well-gnawed cranium, the hard skull being too much for them. + +"They are beginning to be pretty well starved now. Yesterday +'Lilleræven' ate up the toe-strap (the reindeer-skin which is placed +under the foot to prevent the snow from balling), and a little of the +wood of Johansen's snowshoes, which the dog had pulled down on to the +ice. The late 'Kvik' ate up her sail-cloth harness, and I am not so +sure these others do not indulge in a fragment of canvas now and then. + +"I have just reckoned out our longitude according to an observation +taken with the theodolite yesterday, and make it to be 61° 16.5' E.; +our latitude was 82° 17.8' N. I cannot understand why we do not see +land. The only possible explanation must be that we are farther east +than we think, and that the land stretches southward in that direction; +but we cannot have much farther to go now. Just at this moment a bird +flew over us, which Johansen, who is standing just outside the tent, +took to be a kind of sandpiper. + +"Thursday, June 6th. Still on the same spot. I am longing to get off, +see what things look like, and have a final solution of this riddle, +which is constantly before me. It will be a real pleasure to be under +way again with whole tackle, and I cannot help thinking that we shall +soon be able to use our kayaks in open water. Life would be another +thing then! Fancy, to get clear for good of this ice and these lanes, +this toil with the sledges and endless trouble with the dogs, only +one's self in a light craft dancing over the waves at play! It is +almost too much to think of. Perhaps we have still many a hard turn +before we reach it, many a dark hour; but some time it must come, +and then--then life will be life again! + +"Yesterday, at last, we finished mending the framework of both +kayaks. We rigged up some plaited bamboo at the bottom of each to place +the provisions on, in order to prevent them from getting wet in case +the kayaks should leak. To-day we have only to go over them again, +test the lashings, and brace (support) those that may require it, +and finally put the covers on. To-morrow evening I hope we shall get +off. This repairing has taken it out of the cord; of our three balls +we have rather less than one left. This I am very anxious to keep, +as we may require it for fishing, and so forth. + +"Our various provisions are beginning to dwindle. Weighed the butter +yesterday, and found that we only had 5 pounds 1 ounce. If we reckon +our daily ration at 1 1/3 ounces per man it will last another 23 days, +and by that time we shall have gone a little farther. To-day, for the +first time, I could note down a temperature above freezing-point--i.e., ++35.6° Fahr. this morning. The snow outside was soft all through, +and the hummocks are dripping. It will not be long now before we +find water on the floes. Last night, too, it absolutely rained. It +was only a short shower; first of all it drizzled, then came large, +heavy drops, and we took shelter inside the tent in order not to get +wet--but it was rain, rain! It was quite a summer feeling to sit in +here and listen to the drops splashing on the tent wall. As regards +the going, this thaw will probably be a good thing if we should have +frost again; but if the snow is to continue as it is now, it will be a +fine mess to get through among all these ridges and hummocks. Instead +of such a contingency, it would be better to have as much rain as +possible, to melt and wash the ice clear of snow. Well, well, it must +do as it likes! It cannot be long now before it takes a turn for the +better--land or open water, whichever it may be. + +"Saturday, June 8th. Finished and tried the kayaks yesterday at last, +but only by dint of sticking to our work from the evening of the day +before yesterday to the evening of yesterday. It is remarkable that +we are able to continue working so long at a stretch. If we were at +home we should be very tired and hungry, with so many working hours +between meals; but here it does not seem more than it should be, +although our appetites certainly are first-rate and our sleeping +powers good. It does not seem as if we were growing weak or sickening +for scurvy just yet. As a matter of fact, so far as I know, we are +unusually strong and healthy just now and in full elasticity. + +"When we tried the kayaks in a little lane just here we found them +considerably leaky in the seams and also in the canvas, from their +rough usage on the way, but it is to be hoped no more so than will be +remedied when a little soaking makes the canvas swell out. It will not +be agreeable to ferry over lanes and have to put our kayaks dry and +leaky on the water. Our provisions may not improbably be reduced to a +pulp; but we shall have to put up with that, too, like everything else. + +"And so we really mean to get off to-day, after a week's stay on +the same spot. Yesterday the southeast wind set in; it has increased +to-day and become rather strong, to judge by the whistling round the +hummocks outside. I lay here this morning fancying I heard the sound of +breakers a little way off. All the lanes about here closed yesterday, +and there was little open water to be seen. It is owing to this wind, +I suppose, and if it is going to close lanes for us, then let it blow +on. The snow is covered with a crust of ice, the going is as good +as possible, and the ice, it is to be hoped, is more or less flat, +so we shall be all right. + +"Johansen shot another ivory gull yesterday, and we had it and another +one for dinner. It was our first taste of fresh food, and was, it +cannot be denied, very good; but all the same not so delightful as +one would expect, seeing that we have not had fresh meat for so many +months. It is a proof, no doubt, that the food we have is also good. + +"Weighed the bread yesterday; found we had 26 pounds 4 ounces of +wheaten bread and 17 pounds 1 ounce of aleuronate bread; so, for that +matter, we can manage for another thirty-five or forty days, and how +far we shall then have got the gods alone know, but some part of the +way it must be. + +"Sunday, June 9th. We got away from our camping-ground at last +yesterday, and we were more than pleased. In spite of the weather, +which was as bad as it could be, with a raging snow-storm from the +east, we were both glad to begin our wanderings again. It took some +time to fix grips under the kayaks, consisting of sack, sleeping-bag, +and blankets, and so load the sledges; but eventually we made a +start. We got well off the floe we had lived on so long, and did not +even have to use the kayaks which we had spent a week in patching for +that purpose. The wind had carefully closed the lanes. We found flat +ice-country, and made good way in spite of the most villanous going, +with newly fallen snow, which stuck to one's snow-shoes mercilessly, +and in which the sledges stood as if fixed to the spot as soon as they +stopped. The weather was such that one could not see many hundred feet +in front of one, and the snow which accumulated on one's clothes on the +weather-side wetted one to the skin; but still it was glorious to see +ourselves making progress--progress towards our stubborn goal. We came +across a number of lanes, and they were difficult to cross, with their +complicated net-work of cracks and ridges in all directions. Some of +them were broad and full of brash, which rendered it impossible to use +the kayaks. In some places, however, the brash was pressed so tightly +together that we could walk on it. But many journeys to and fro are +nearly always necessary before any reasonable opportunity of advance +is to be found. This time is often long to the one who remains behind +with the dogs, being blown through or wetted through meanwhile, as the +case may be. Often, when it seemed as if I were never coming back, +did Johansen think I had fallen through some lane and was gone for +good. As one sits there on the kayak, waiting and waiting, and gazing +in front of one into solitude, many strange thoughts pass through +one's brain. Several times he climbed the highest hummock near at +hand to scan the ice anxiously; and then, when at last he discovered +a little black speck moving about on the white flat surface far, +far away, his mind would be relieved. As Johansen was waiting in +this way yesterday, he remarked that the sides of the floe in front +of him were slowly moving up and down, [29] as they might if rocked +by a slight swell. Can open water be near? Can it be that the great +breakers from the sea have penetrated in here? How willingly would we +believe it! But perhaps it was only the wind which set the thin ice +we are now travelling over in wave-like motion. Or have we really +open water to the southeast? It is remarkable that this wind welds +the ice together, while the southwest wind here a little while ago +slackened it. When all is said, is it possible that we are not far +from the sea? I cannot help thinking of the water-reflections we have +seen on the sky before us. Johansen has just left the tent, and says +that he can see the same reflection in the south; it is higher now, +and the weather tolerably clear. What can it be? Only let us go on +and get there. + +"We came across the track of a bear again yesterday. How old it +was could not easily be determined in this snow, which obliterates +everything in a few minutes; but it was probably from yesterday, for +'Haren' directly afterwards got scent of something and started off +against the wind, so that Johansen thought the bear must be somewhere +near. Well, well, old or new, a bear was there while we were a little +farther north, stitching at the kayaks, and one day it will come our +way, too, no doubt! The gull which Johansen shot brought up a large +piece of blubber when it fell, and this tends to confirm us in the +belief that bears are at hand, as it hardly could have done so had +it not been in such company. + +"The weather was wet and wretched, and, to make things worse, +there was a thick mist, and the going was as heavy as could be. To +go on did not seem very attractive; but, on the other hand, a halt +for dinner in this slush was still less so. We therefore continued a +little while longer and stopped at 10 o'clock for good. What a welcome +change it was to be under the tent again! And the 'fiskegratin' was +delicious. It gives one such a sense of satisfaction to feel that, +in spite of everything, one is making a little way. The temperature +is beginning to be bad now; the snow is quite wet, and some water +has entered my kayak, which I suppose melted on the deck and ran +down through the open side where the lacing is, which we have not +yet sewn fast. We are waiting for good weather in order to get the +covers thoroughly dry first, and then stretch them well. + +"Monday, June 10th. In spite of the most impenetrable mist and the most +detestable going on soppy snow, which has not yet been sufficiently +exposed to frost to become granular, and where the sledges rode their +very heaviest, we still managed to make good, even progress the whole +day yesterday. There were innumerable lanes, of course, to deal with, +and many crossings on loose pieces of ice, which we accomplished at a +pinch. But the ice is flat here everywhere, and every little counts. It +is the same thin winter-ice of about three feet in thickness. I only +saw a couple of old floes yesterday--they were in the neighborhood +of our camping-ground, which was also on an old floe; otherwise the +ice is new, and in places very new. We went over some large expanses +yesterday of ice one foot or less in thickness. The last of these +tracts in particular was very remarkable, and must at one time have +been an immense pool; the ice on it was so thin that it cannot be +long before it melts altogether. There was water on all this ice, +and it was like walking through gruel. As a matter of fact, the ice +about here is nothing else but pure broken-up sea-ice, consisting +of large and small floes, not infrequently very small floes closely +aggregated; but when they have the chance of slackening they will +spread over the whole sea hereabouts, and we shall have water enough +to row in any direction we please. + +"The weather seems to-day to be of the same kind as yesterday, with +a southwest wind, which is tearing and rattling at the tent walls. A +thaw and wet snow. I do not know if we shall get any more frost, but +it would make the snow in splendid condition for our snow-shoes. I am +afraid, however, that the contrary will rather be the case, and that +we shall soon be in for the worst break-up of the winter. The lanes +otherwise are beginning to improve; they are no longer so full of +brash and slush; it is melting away, and bridges and such-like have +a better chance of forming in the clearer water. + +"We scan the horizon unremittingly for land every time there is a +clear interval; but nothing, never anything, to be seen. Meanwhile we +constantly see signs of the proximity of land or open water. The gulls +increase conspicuously in number, and yesterday we saw a little auk +(Mergulus alle) in a lane. The atmosphere in the south and southwest +is always apt to be dark, but the weather has been such that we can +really see nothing. Yet I feel that the solution is approaching. But, +then, how long have I not thought so? There is nothing for it but +the noble virtue of patience. + +"What beautiful ice this would have been to travel over in April before +all these lanes were formed--endless flat plains! For the lanes, +as far as we know, are all newly formed ones, with some ridges here +and there, which are also new. + +"Tuesday, June 11th. A monotonous life this on the whole, as monotonous +as one can well imagine it--to turn out day after day, week after week, +month after month, to the same toil, over ice which is sometimes a +little better, sometimes a little worse (it now seems to be steadily +getting worse), always hoping to see an end to it, but always hoping +in vain--ever the same monotonous range of vision over ice, and again +ice. No sign of land in any direction and no open water, and now we +should be in the same latitude as Cape Fligely, or at most a couple +of minutes farther north. We do not know where we are, and we do not +know when this will end. Meanwhile our provisions are dwindling day +by day, and the number of our dogs is growing seriously less. Shall +we reach land while we yet have food, or shall we, when all is said, +ever reach it? It will soon be impossible to make any way against +this ice and snow. The latter is only slush; the dogs sink through at +every step, and we ourselves splash through it up above our knees when +we have to help the dogs or take a turn at the heavy sledges, which +happens frequently. It is hard to go on hoping in such circumstances, +but still we do so; though sometimes, perhaps, our hearts fail us when +we see the ice lying before us like an impenetrable maze of ridges, +lanes, brash, and huge blocks thrown together pell-mell, and one might +imagine one's self looking at suddenly congealed breakers. There are +moments when it seems impossible that any creature not possessed +of wings can get farther, and one longingly follows the flight of +a passing gull, and thinks how far away one would soon be could one +borrow its wings. But then, in spite of everything, one finds a way, +and hope springs eternal. Let the sun peep out a moment from the bank +of clouds, and the ice-plains glitter in all their whiteness; let the +sunbeams play on the water, and life seems beautiful in spite of all, +and worthy a struggle. + +"It is wonderful how little it takes to give one fresh +courage. Yesterday I found dead in a lane a little polar cod (Gadus +polaris), and my eyes, I am sure, must have shone with pleasure when I +saw it. It was real treasure-trove. Where there is fish in the water +one can hardly starve, and before I crept into the tent this morning +I set a line in the lane beside us. But what a number of these little +fish it would require to feed one; many more in one day than one could +catch in a week, or perhaps in a month! Yet one is hopeful, and lies +counting the chances of there being larger fish in the water here, +and of being able to fish to one's heart's content. + +"Advance yesterday was more difficult than on the previous days, +the ice more uneven and massive, and in some places with occasional +old floes in between. We were stopped by many bad lanes, too, so did +not make much way--I am afraid not more than three or four miles. I +think we may now reckon on being in latitude 82° 8' or 9' N. if this +continual southeast wind has not sent us northward again. The going +is getting worse and worse. The snow is water-soaked to the bottom, +and will not bear the dogs any longer, though it has become a little +more granular lately, and the sledges run well on it when they do +not cut through, which happens continually, and then they are almost +immovable. It is heavy for the dogs, and would be so even if they were +not so wretchedly worn out as they are; they stop at the slightest +thing, and have to be helped or driven forward with the whip. Poor +animals, they have a bad time of it! 'Lilleræven,' the last of my +original team, will soon be unable to go farther--and such a good +animal to haul! We have 5 dogs left ('Lilleræven,' 'Storræven,' and +'Kaifas' to my sledge, 'Suggen' and 'Haren' to Johansen's). We still +have enough food for them for three days, from 'Isbjön,' who was +killed yesterday morning; and before that time Johansen thinks the +riddle will be solved. Vain hope, I am afraid, although the water-sky +in the southeast or south-southeast (magnetic) seems always to keep +in the same position and has risen much higher. + +"We began our march at half-past six yesterday afternoon, and +stopped before a lane at a quarter-past three this morning. I saw +fresh-water pools on the ice under some hummocks yesterday for the +first time. Where we stopped, however, there were none to be found, +so we had to melt water again this morning; but it will not often +be necessary hereafter, I hope, and we can save our oil, which, +by-the-way, is becoming alarmingly reduced. Outside, the weather and +snow are the same; no pleasure in turning out to the toils of the +day. I lie here thinking of our June at home--how the sun is shining +over forest and fjord and wooded hills, and there is--But some time +we shall get back to life, and then it will be fairer than it has +ever been before. + +"Wednesday, June 12th. This is getting worse and worse. Yesterday we +did nothing, hardly advanced more than a mile. Wretched snow, uneven +ice, lanes, and villanous weather stopped us. There was certainly a +crust on the snow, on which the sledges ran well when they were on it; +but when they broke through--and they did it constantly--they stood +immovable. This crust, too, was bad for the dogs, poor things! They +sank through it into the deep snow between the irregularities, and +it was like swimming through slush for them. But all the same we made +way. Lanes stopped us, it is true, but we cleared them somehow. Over +one of them, the last, which looked nasty, we got by making a bridge +of small floes, which we guided to the narrowest place. But then a +shameless storm of wet snow, or, more correctly, sleet, with immense +flakes, set in, and the wind increased. We could not see our way in +this labyrinth of lanes and hummocks, and were as soaked as ducked +crows, as we say. The going was impossible, and the sledges as good as +immovable in the wet snow, which was soon deep enough to cling to our +'ski' underneath in great lumps, and prevent them from running. There +was hardly any choice but to find a camping-ground as soon as possible, +for to force one's way along in such weather and on such snow, and +make no progress, was of little use. We found a good camping-ground +and pitched our tent after only four hours' march, and went without +our dinner to make up. + +"Here we are, then, hardly knowing what to do next. What the going +is like outside I do not know yet, but probably not much better than +yesterday, and whether we ought to push on the little we can, or go out +and try to capture a seal, I cannot decide. The worst of it is that +there do not seem to be many seals in the ice where we now are. We +have seen none the last few days. Perhaps it is too thick and compact +for them (?). The ice here is strikingly different in character from +that we have been travelling over of late. It is considerably more +uneven, for one thing, with mounds and somewhat old ridges--among +them some very large ones. Nor does it look so very old--in general, +I should say, of last winter's formation, though there are occasional +old floes in between. They appear to have been near land, as clay and +earthy matter are frequently to be seen, particularly in the newly +formed ridges. + +"Johansen, who has gone out, says the same water-sky is to be seen +in the south. Why is it we cannot reach it? But there it is, all the +same, an alluring goal for us to make for, even if we do not reach it +very soon. We see it again and again, looking so blue and beautiful; +for us it is the color of hope. + +"Friday, June 14th. It is three months to-day since we left the +Fram. A quarter of a year have we been wandering in this desert of +ice, and here we are still. When we shall see the end of it I can no +longer form any idea; I only hope whatever may be in store for us +is not very far off, open water or land--Wilczek Land, Zichy Land, +Spitzbergen, or some other country. + +"Yesterday was not quite so bad a day as I expected. We really did +advance, though not very far--hardly more than a couple of miles--but +we must be content with that at this time of year. The dogs could not +manage to draw the sledges alone; if there was nobody beside them they +stopped at every other step. The only thing to be done was to make +a journey to and fro, and thus go over the ground three times. While +I went on ahead to explore, Johansen drove the sledges as far as he +could; first mine, and then back again after his own. By that time I +had returned and drove my own sledge as far as I had found a way; and +then this performance was repeated all over again. It was not rapid +progress, but progress it was of a kind, and that was something. The +ice we are going over is anything but even; it is still rather massive +and old, with hummocks and irregularities in every direction, and no +real flat tracts. When, added to this, after going a short distance, +we came to a place where the ice was broken up into small floes, +with high ridges and broad lanes filled with slush and brash, so +that the whole thing looked like a single mass of débris, where there +was hardly standing-room, to say nothing of any prospect of advance, +it was only human to lose courage and give up, for the time being, +trying to get on. Wherever I turned the way was closed, and it looked +as if advance was denied us for good. To launch the kayaks would be +of no avail, for we could hardly expect to propel them through this +accumulation of fragments, and I was on the point of making up my +mind to wait and try our luck with the net and line, and see if we +could not manage to find a seal somewhere in these lanes. + +"These are moments full of anxiety, when from some hummock one looks +doubtingly over the ice, one's thoughts continually reverting to the +same question: have we provisions enough to wait for the time when +the snow will have melted and the ice have become slacker and more +intersected with lanes, so that one can row between the floes? Or is +there any probability of our being able to obtain sufficient food, +if that which we have should fall short? These are great and important +questions which I cannot yet answer for certain. That it will take a +long time before all this snow melts away and advance becomes fairly +practicable is certain; at what time the ice may become slacker, +and progress by means of the lanes possible, we cannot say; and up +to this we have taken nothing, with the exception of two ivory gulls +and a small fish. We did, indeed, see another fish swimming near the +surface of the water, but it was no larger than the other. Where we are +just now there seems to be little prospect of capturing anything. I +have not seen a single seal the last few days; though yesterday I +saw the snowed-down track of a bear. Meanwhile we see ivory gulls +continually; but they are still too small to be worth a cartridge; +yesterday, however, I saw a large gull, probably Larus argentatus. + +"I determined to make one more attempt to get on by striking farther +east and this time I was successful in finding a passage across by +way of a number of small floes. On the other side there was rather +old compact ice, partially of formation a summer old, which seemed +to have been near land, as it was irregular, and much intermixed +with earthy matter. We have travelled over this ice-field ever since +without coming on lanes; but it was uneven, and we came to grief +several times. In other places again it was pretty good. + +"We began our march at 8 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, and halted +here at 5 o'clock this morning. [30] Later on in the forenoon the +wind went over to the northeast and the temperature fell. The snow +froze hard, and eventually the going became pretty good. The crust +on the snow bore the dogs up, and also the sledges to a certain +extent, and we looked forward to good going on the following day; +but in this we were doomed to disappointment. No sooner had we got +inside the tent than it began to snow, and kept briskly at it the +whole day while we slept; and yesterday evening, when we turned +out to get breakfast ready and start off, it was still snowing, and +deep, loose snow covered everything--a state of things bad beyond +description. There was no sense in going on, and we decided to wait +and see how matters would turn out. Meanwhile we were hungry, but a +full breakfast we could not afford, so I prepared a small portion of +fish soup, and we returned to the bag again--Johansen to sleep on, +I to rereckon all my observations from the time we left the Fram, and +see if some error might not explain the mystery why no land was yet +to be found. The sun had partially appeared, and I tried, though in +vain, to take an observation. I stood waiting for more than an hour +with the theodolite up, but the sun went in again and remained out +of sight. I have calculated and calculated and thought and thought, +but can find no mistake of any importance, and the whole thing is a +riddle to me. I am beginning seriously to doubt that we may be too far +west, after all. I simply cannot conceive that we are too far east; +for in such a case we cannot, at any rate, be more than 5° farther +east than our observations [31] make us. Supposing, for instance, +that our watches have gone too fast, 'Johannsen' [32] cannot, at +all events, have gained more than double its previous escapement. I +have assumed an escapement of five seconds; but supposing that the +escapement has been ten seconds, this does not make more difference +than 6' 40'' in eighty days (the time from our departure from the +Fram till the last observation)--that is, 1° 40' farther east than we +ought to be. Assuming, too, that I have calculated our days' marches +at too great length, in the days between April 8th and 13th, and that +instead of 36 English geographical miles, or, rather, more than 40 +statute miles, we have only gone 24 English geographical miles, or +28 statute miles (less we cannot possibly have gone), we should then +have been in 89° E. instead of 86° E, on the 13th, as we supposed. That +is 3° farther east, or with the figures above, let us say together 5° +farther east--i.e., we now instead of being in longitude 61° E. should +be in 66° E., [33] or about 70 miles from Cape Fligely. But it seems +to me we ought to see land south of us just the same. Wilczek Land +cannot be so low and trend suddenly so far to the south, when Cape +Budapest is said to lie in about 61° E. and 82° N., and should thus +be not so much as 50 miles from us. No, this is inconceivable. On the +other hand, it is not any easier to suppose ourselves west of it; we +must have drifted very materially between April 8th and 13th, or my +watch must have stopped for a time before April 2d. The observations +from April 2d, 4th, and 8th seem, indeed, to indicate that we drifted +considerably westward. On the 2d we appeared to be in 103° 6' E., on +the 4th in 99° 59' E., and April 8th in 95° 7' E. Between these dates +there were no marches of importance; between the observations on the +2d and the 4th there was only a short half-day's march; and between +the 4th and the 7th a couple, which amounted to nothing, and could +only have carried us a little westward. This is as much as to say that +we must have drifted 8°, or let us reckon at any rate 7°, westward in +the six days and nights. Assuming that the drift was the same during +the five days and nights between the 8th and 13th, we then get 7° +farther west than we suppose. We should consequently now be in 54° +E., instead of in 61° E., and not more than 36 to 40 miles from Cape +Fligely, and close by Oscar's Land. We ought to see something of them, +I think. Let us assume meanwhile that the drift westward was strong +in the period before April 2d also, and grant the possibility that +my watch did stop at that time (which, I fear, is not excluded), +and we may then be any distance west for all we can tell. It is +this possibility which I begin to think of more and more. Meanwhile, +apparently there is nothing for it but to continue as we have done +already--perhaps a little more south--and a solution must come. + +"When, after having concluded my calculations, I had taken a nap and +again turned out at midday to-day, the condition of the snow proved +to be no better; in fact, rather worse. The new snow was wet and +sticky and the going as heavy as it well could be. However, it was +necessary to make an attempt to get on; there was nothing gained by +waiting there, and progress is progress be it ever so little. + +"I took a single altitude about midday, but it was not sharp. + +"Saturday, June 15th. The middle of June, and still no prospect of an +end to this; things only became worse instead. So bad as yesterday, +though, it had never been, and worse, happily, it can hardly be. The +sledges ran terribly heavy in the loose, wet, newly fallen snow, +which was deep to boot; and sometimes when they stopped--and that was +continually--they stuck as if glued to the spot. It was all we could +do to move them when we pushed with all our might. Then to this was +added the fact that one's snow-shoes ran equally badly, and masses +of snow collected underneath them the minute one stopped; one's feet +kept twisting continually from this, and ice formed under them, so +that one suddenly slid off the snow-shoes and into the snow, till far +above one's knees, when one tried to pull or help the sledges; but +there was nothing for it but to scramble up and on to them again. To +wade along in such snow without them is an impossibility, and, as I +have said before, though fastening them on securely would have been a +better plan, yet it would have been too troublesome, seeing that we +had to take them off continually to get the sledges over ridges and +lanes. In addition to all this, wherever one turns, the ice is uneven +and full of mounds and old ridges, and it is only by wriggling along +like an eel, so to speak, that one can get on at all. There are lanes, +too, and they compel one to make long detours or go long distances +over thin, small floes, ridges, and other abominations. We struggled +along, however, a little way, working on our old plan of two turns, +but a quick method it could not be called. The dogs are becoming +more and more worn out. 'Lilleræven,' the last survivor of my team, +can now hardly walk--hauling there is no question of: he staggers +like a drunken man, and when he falls can hardly rise to his feet +again. To-day he is going to be killed, I am thankful to say, and one +will be spared seeing him. 'Storræven,' too, is getting very slack +in the traces; the only one of mine which pulls at all is 'Kaifas,' +and that is only as long as one of us is helping behind. To keep on +longer in such circumstances is only wearing out men and dogs to no +purpose, and is also using up more provender than is necessary. We +therefore renounced dinner, and halted at about ten yesterday evening, +after having begun the march at half-past four in the afternoon. I +had, however, stopped to take an observation on the way. It is not +easy to get hold of the sun nowadays, and one must make the most +of him when he is to be seen through the driving clouds; clear he +will never be. Yesterday afternoon, after an unconscionable wait, +and after having put up the instrument in vain a couple of times, +I finally got a wretched single altitude. + +"Yesterday evening I reckoned out these observations and find that, +contrary to our expectations, we have drifted strongly westward, +having come from 61° 16' E., which was our longitude on June 4th, +right to about 57° 40' E. But then we have also drifted a good way +north again, up to 82° 26' N., after being down in 82° 17.8' on the +same date, and we have been pushing southward as hard as we could +the whole time. However, we are glad to see that there is so much +movement in the ice, for then there is hope of our drifting out +eventually towards open water; for that we can get there by our own +efforts alone over this shocking ice I am beginning to doubt. This +country and this going are too bad, and my hope now is in lanes and +slack ice. Happily, a northeast wind has sprung up. Yesterday there was +a fresh breeze from the north-northwest (magnetic), and the same again +to-day. Only let it blow on; if it has set us northwest it can also +set us southwest, and eventually out towards our goal--towards Franz +Josef Land or Spitzbergen. I doubt more than ever our being east of +Cape Fligely after this observation, and I begin to believe more and +more in the possibility that the first land we shall see--if we see +any, and I hope we may--will be Spitzbergen. In that case we should +not even get a glimpse of Franz Josef Land, the land of which I have +dreamed golden dreams day and night. But still, if it is not to be, +then well and good. Spitzbergen is good enough, and if we are as far +west as we seem to be, I have greater hope than before of finding +slacker ice and open water; and then for Spitzbergen! But there is +still a serious question to be faced, and that is to procure ourselves +enough food for the journey. + +"I have slept here some time on purpose, after having spent a good +while on my calculations and speculations as to our drift and our +future. We have nothing to hurry for in this state of the snow; it +is hardly better to-day than it was yesterday, and then, on account +of the mild temperature, it is better to travel by night than by +day. The best thing to do is to spin out the time as long as possible +without consuming more than absolutely necessary of the provisions; +the summer cannot but improve matters, and we have still three months +of it before us. The question is, can we procure ourselves food during +that time? It would be strange, I think, if we could not. There are +birds about continually; I saw another large gull yesterday, probably +the herring or silver gull (Larus argentatus); but to support life for +any length of time on such small fry we have not cartridges enough. On +seal or bear all my hopes are fixed; just one before our provisions +give out, and the evil hour is warded off for a long time to come. + +"Sunday, June 16th. Yesterday was as bad as it well could be--the +surface enough to make one desperate and the ice rough. I very much +doubted whether the wisest thing would not be to kill the dogs and keep +them as food for ourselves, and try to make our way on as best we could +without them. In that manner we should have provender for fifteen or +perhaps twenty days longer, and should be able to make some progress +at the same time. There does not seem much to be done in that line, +however, and perhaps the right thing to do is to wait. But, on the +other hand, perhaps, it is not far to land or open water, or, at any +rate, to slack ice, and then every mile we can make southward is of +importance. I have therefore come to the conclusion that we must use +the dogs to get on with as best we can--perhaps there will be a change +before we expect it; if nothing else, then, perhaps, some better ice, +like that we had before. Meanwhile we were obliged to kill two dogs +yesterday. 'Lilleræven' could hardly go when we started; his legs +seemed to be quite paralyzed, and he fell down and could not get up +again. After I had dragged him and the sledge for a time and had tried +in vain to make him go, I had to put him on the load, and when we came +to some hummocks where there was shelter from the north wind, Johansen +killed him, while I went forward to find a way. Meanwhile my other dog, +'Storræven,' was in almost as bad a plight. Haul he could not, and +the difficulty was to make him go on so that he was not dragged with +the sledge. He went a little way, stumbling and falling, and being +helped up repeatedly; but soon he was just as bad as 'Lilleræven' +had been, lagged behind, got the traces under the sledge runners, +and was dragged with it. As I thought I had enough to do in hauling +the sledge, I let him go, in the hope that he would, at any rate, +follow us. He did so for a little while, but then stopped behind, +and Johansen was compelled to fetch him and put him on his load, +and when we camped he was killed too. + +"'Kaifas' is the only dog I have left to help me haul my sledge, +and Johansen has 'Haren' and 'Suggen.' We have rations for them +for ten days from the two slaughtered dogs, but how far we shall +be able to get with them the gods alone know. Not very far, I am +afraid. Meanwhile our hitherto somewhat primitive method of hauling +had to be improved on. With two dog-harnesses we accordingly made +ourselves proper hauling-gear, [34] and therewith all idea of using +snow-shoes not securely fastened on had to be abandoned. One's feet +twisted and slipped and slid off the snow-shoes and deep down into +the bottomless snow, which, in addition, turned to ice under our feet, +and with our smooth komager soles was as slippery as eelskin to stand +on. Then we fastened them on, and where the ice was even it really was +possible to drag the sledge, even with only one dog beside one. I saw +that, given passable snow and passable country to work on, we could +make some progress during the day, though as soon as there was the +slightest irregularity in the ice the sledges stood perfectly still. It +was necessary to strain at the harness all one knew, and then perhaps +fail to make the sledge budge an inch. Then back one had to go to it, +and after exerting one's strength to the utmost it would finally glide +over the obstacle and on towards a new one, where exactly the same +process had to be gone through. If it was wished to turn the sledge in +the deep snow where it stood embedded, matters were no better; it was +only by lifting it bodily that one could get it on at all. So we went +on step by step until perhaps we came on a small extent of level ice +where we could increase the pace. If, however, we came on lanes and +ridges, things were worse than ever; one man cannot manage a sledge +alone, but two must be put to each sledge. Then when we have followed +up the track I have marked out beforehand I have to start off again +and find a way between the hummocks. To go direct, hauling the sledge, +is not advisable where the ice is uneven, as it only means getting +into difficulties and being constrained eventually to turn back. In +this way we are grinding along, but it goes without saying that speed +and long marches are not the order of the day. But still, as it is we +make a little way, and that is better than nothing; it is, besides, +the only thing we can do, seeing that it is impossible to crawl into +a lair and hibernate for a month or so till progress is possible again. + +"To judge by the sky, there must be a number of lanes in the south +and southwest. Perhaps our trying mode of advance is leading us +to something better. We began at about ten yesterday evening, +and stopped at six this morning. We have not had dinner the last +few days, in order to save a meal, as we do not think this ice and +our progress generally are worth much food. With the same object, +we this morning collected the blood of 'Storræven' and converted it +into a sort of porridge instead of the 'fiskegratin.' It was good, +even if it was only dog's blood, and at any rate we have a portion +of fish flour to the good. Before we turned into the bag last night +we inspected our cartridges, and found, to our joy, that we had +148 shot-gun cartridges, 181 rifle cartridges, and in addition 14 +spherical-shot cartridges. With so much ammunition, we should be able +to increase our provisions for some time to come, if necessary; for +if nothing else should fall to our guns there would always be birds, +and 148 birds will go a long way. If we use half-charges we can eke +out our ammunition still further. We have, moreover, half a pound +of gunpowder and some spherical shot for the rifles, also caps for +reloading the cartridges. This discovery has put me in good spirits, +for, truth to tell, I did not think our prospects were inordinately +bright. We shall now, perhaps, be able to manage for three months, +and within that time something must happen. In addition to what we can +shoot, we can also catch gulls with a hook, and if the worst should +come to the worst, and we set seriously to work, we can probably take +some animalcula and the like with the net. It may happen that we shall +not get to Spitzbergen in time to find a vessel, and must winter there, +but it will be a life of luxury compared with this in the drift-ice, +not knowing where we are nor whither drifting, and not seeing our +goal, be it never so far away. I should not like to have this time +over again. We have paid dearly for letting our watches run down that +time. If there was no one waiting at home, a winter in Spitzbergen +would be quite enticing. I lie here and dream of how comfortably and +well we could manage there. Everything outside of this ice seems rosy, +and out of it we shall be some time or other. We must comfort ourselves +with the adage that night is darkest before the dawn. Of course it +somewhat depends on how dark the night is to be, and considerably +darker than it is now it might very well be. But our hopes are fixed +on the summer. Yes, it must be better as summer gradually comes on." + +So on we went forward; and day after day we were going through exactly +the same toil, in the same heavy snow, in which the sledges stuck fast +ceaselessly. Dogs and men did their best, but with little effect, and +in addition we began to be uneasy as to our means of subsistence. The +dogs' rations were reduced to a minimum, to enable us to keep life +going as long as possible. We were hungry and toil-worn from morning +to night and from night to morning, all five of us. We determined +to shoot whatever came in our way, even gulls and fulmars; but now, +of course, none of this game ever came within range. + +The lanes grew worse and worse, filled generally with slush and +brash. We were often compelled to go long distances over nothing +but small pieces, where one went through continually. On June 18th +"a strong wind from the west (magnetic) sprang up, which tears and +rattles at the tent. We are going back, I suppose, whence we came, +only farther north perhaps. So we are buffeted by wind and current, +and so it will go on, perhaps, the whole summer through, without our +being able to master it." A meridian altitude that day made us in 82° +19' N., so we had come down again a little. I saw and shot a couple +of fulmars and a Brünnich's guillemot (Uria brünnichii), and these +eked out our rations; but, to our distress, I fired at a couple of +seals in the lanes and missed my mark. How we wished we could get +hold of such a prize! "Meanwhile there is a good deal of life here +now," I write on June 20th. "Little auks fly backward and forward in +numbers, and they sit and chatter and show themselves just outside +the tent door; it is quite a pleasure to see them, but a pity they +are so small that they are not worth a shot. We have not seen them in +flocks yet, but in couples, as a rule. It is remarkable how bird-life +has increased since the west wind set in the day before yesterday. It +is particularly striking how the little auks have suddenly appeared +in myriads; they whiz past the tent here with their cheery twitter, +and it gives one the feeling of having come down to more hospitable +regions. This sudden finding of Brünnich's guillemots seems also +curious, but it does no good. Land is not to be descried, and the +snow is in as wretched a condition as it can be. A proper thaw, so +that the snow can disappear more quickly, does not come. Yesterday +morning before breakfast I went for a walk southward to see what were +our chances of advance. The ice was flat and good for a little way, +but lanes soon began which were worse than ever. Our only expedient +now is to resort to strong measures and launch the kayaks, in spite of +the fact that they leak; we must then travel as much as possible by way +of the lanes, and with this resolution I turn back. The snow is still +the same, very wet, so that one sank deep in between the hummocks, +and there are plenty of them. We could not afford a proper breakfast, +so we took 1 2/3 ounces bread and 1 2/3 ounces pemmican per man, +and then set to work to mend the pumps and put the kayaks in order +for ferrying, so that their contents should not be spoiled by water +leaking in. Among other things, a hole had to be patched in mine, +which I had not seen before. + +"We had a frugal supper--2 ounces aleuronate bread and 1 ounce butter +per man--and crept into the bag to sleep as long as possible and kill +the time without eating. The only thing to be done is to try and hold +out till the snow has melted and advance is more practicable. At one +in the afternoon we turned out to a rather more abundant breakfast of +'fiskegratin,' but we do not dare to eat as much as we require any +longer. We are looking forward to trying our new tactics, and instead +of attempting to conquer nature, obeying her and taking advantage of +the lanes. We must get some way, at any rate, by this means; and the +farther south the more prospect of lanes and the greater chance of +something falling to our guns. + +"Otherwise it is a dull existence enough, no prospect for the moment +of being able to get on, impassable packed ice in every direction, +rapidly diminishing provisions, and now, too, nothing to be caught +or shot. An attempt I made at fishing with the net failed entirely--a +pteropod (Clio borealis) and a few crustacea were the whole result. I +lie awake at night by the hour racking my brain to find a way out of +our difficulties. Well, well, there will be one eventually! + +"Saturday, June 22d. Half-past 9 A.M.; after a good breakfast of +seal's-flesh, seal-liver, blubber, and soup, here I lie dreaming dreams +of brightness; life is all sunshine again. What a little incident +is necessary to change the whole aspect of affairs! Yesterday and +the last few days were dull and gloomy; everything seemed hopeless, +the ice impassable, no game to be found; and then comes the incident +of a seal rising near our kayaks and rolling about round us. Johansen +has time to give it a ball just as it is disappearing, and it floats +while I harpoon it--the first and only bearded seal (Phoca barbata) +we have seen yet--and we have abundance of food and fuel for upward +of a month. We need hurry no longer; we can settle down, adapt the +kayaks and sledges better for ferrying over the lanes, capture seals +if possible, and await a change in the state of the ice. We have eaten +our fill both at supper and breakfast, after being ravenous for many +days. The future seems bright and certain now; no clouds of darkness +to be seen any longer. + +"It was hardly with great expectations that we started off on +Tuesday evening. A hard crust which had formed on the top of the soft +snow did not improve matters; the sledges often cut through this, +and were not to be moved before one lifted them forward again, and +when it was a case of turning amid the uneven ice they stuck fast +in the crust. The ice was uneven and bad, and the snow loose and +water-soaked, so that, even with snow-shoes on, we sank deep into +it ourselves. There were lanes besides, and though tolerably easy to +cross, as they were often packed together, they necessitated a winding +route. We saw clearly that to continue in this way was impossible. The +only resource was to disburden ourselves of everything which could in +any way be dispensed with, and start afresh as quickly as we could, +with only provisions, kayaks, guns, and the most necessary clothing, +in order, at any rate, to reach land before our last crumb of food +was eaten up. We went over the things to see what we could part with; +the medicine-bag, the spare horizontal bars belonging to the sledges, +reserve snow-shoes and thick, rough socks, soiled shirts, and the +tent. When it came to the sleeping-bag we drew a long sigh, but, wet +and heavy as it always is now, that had to go too. We had, moreover, +to contrive wooden grips under the kayaks, so that we can without +further trouble set the whole thing afloat when we have to cross a +lane and be able to drag the sledges up on the other side and go on +at once. If it should then, as now, be impossible for us to launch +the sledges, because sleeping-bag, clothes, and sacks of provender, +etc., are lying on them as a soft dunnage for the kayaks, it will +take too much time. At every lane we should be obliged to unlash the +loads, lift the kayaks off the sledges and into the water, lash them +together there, then place the sledges across them, and finally go +through the same manoeuvres in inverse order on the other side. We +should not get very far in the day in that manner. + +"Firmly determined to make these alterations, the very next day we +started off. We soon came to a long pool, which it was necessary +to ferry over. The kayaks were soon launched and lying side by side +on the water, well stiffened, with the snow-shoes under the straps, +[35] a thoroughly steady fleet. Then the sledges, with their loads, +were run out to them, one forward, one astern. We had been concerned +about the dogs and how we should get them to go with us, but they +followed the sledges out on to the kayaks and lay down as if they +had done nothing else all their lives. 'Kaifas' seated himself in +the bow of my kayak, and the two others astern. + +"A seal had come up near us while we were occupied with all this, +but I thought to wait before shooting it till the kayaks were ready, +and thus be certain of getting it before it sank. Of course it did not +show itself again. These seals seem to be enchanted, and as if they +were only sent to delay us. Twice that day before I had seen them +and watched for them to appear again in vain. I had even achieved +missing one--the third time I have missed my mark. It looks bad for +the ammunition if I am going on like this, but I have discovered that +I aimed too high for these short ranges, and had shot over them. So +then we set off across the blue waves on our first long voyage. A +highly remarkable convoy we must have been, laden as we were with +sledges, sacks, guns, and dogs; a tribe of gypsies, Johansen said +it was. If any one had suddenly come upon us then, he would hardly +have known what to make of the troupe, and certainly would not have +taken us for polar explorers. Paddling between the sledges and the +snow-shoes, which projected far out on either side, was not easy work; +but we managed to get along, and were soon of the opinion that we +should think ourselves lucky could we go on like this the whole day, +instead of hauling and wading through the snow. Our kayaks could hardly +have been called water-tight, and we had recourse to the pumps several +times; but we could easily have reconciled ourselves to that, and only +wished we had more open water to travel over. At last we reached the +end of the pool; I jumped ashore on the edge of the ice, to pull up +the kayaks, and suddenly heard a great splash beside us. It was a seal +which had been lying there. Soon afterwards I heard a similar splash +on the other side, and then for the third time a huge head appeared, +blowing and swimming backward and forward, but, alas! only to dive +deep under the edge of the ice before we had time to get the guns +out. It was a fine, large blue or bearded seal (Phoca barbata). + +"We were quite sure that it had disappeared for good, but no sooner +had I got one of the sledges half-way up the side than the immense +head came up again close beside the kayaks, blowing and repeating the +same manoeuvres as before. I looked round for my gun, but could not +reach it where it was lying on the kayak. 'Take the gun, Johansen, +quick, and blaze away; but quick! look sharp, quick!' In a moment he +had thrown the gun to his cheek, and just as the seal was on the point +of disappearing under the edge I heard the report. The animal made a +little turn, and then lay floating, the blood flowing from its head. I +dropped the sledge, seized the harpoon, and, quick as lightning, +threw it deep into the fat back of the seal, which lay quivering +on the surface of the water. Then it began to move; there was still +life in it; and, anxious lest the harpoon with its thin line should +not hold if the huge animal began to quicken in earnest, I pulled my +knife out of its sheath and stuck it into the seal's throat, whence +a stream of blood came flowing out. The water was red with it for +a long distance, and it made one quite sorry to see the wherewithal +for a good meal being wasted like this. But there was nothing to be +done; not on any account would I lose that animal, and for the sake +of safety gave it another harpoon. Meanwhile the sledge, which had +been half dragged up on to the ice, slid down again, and the kayaks, +with Johansen and the dogs, came adrift. He tried to pull the sledge +up on to the kayak, but without success, and so it remained with one +end in the water and one on the canoe. It heeled the whole fleet +over, and Johansen's kayak canted till one side was in the water; +it leaked, moreover, like a sieve, and the water rose in it with +alarming rapidity. The cooker, which was on the deck, fell off, and +drifted gayly away before the wind with all its valuable contents, +borne high up in the water by the aluminium cap, which happily was +watertight. The 'ski' fell off and floated about, and the fleet sank +deeper and deeper in. Meanwhile I stood holding our precious prize, +not daring to let go. The whole thing was a scene of the most complete +dissolution. Johansen's kayak had by this time heeled over to such +an extent that the water reached the open seam on the deck, and the +craft filled immediately. I had no choice left but to let go the seal +and drag up the kayak before it sank. This done, heavy as it was and +full of water, the seal's turn came next, and this was much worse. We +had our work cut out to haul the immense animal hand over hand up on +to the ice; but our rejoicings were loud when we at last succeeded, +and we almost fell to dancing round it in the excess of our delight. A +water-logged kayak and soaked effects we thought nothing of at such +a supreme moment. Here were food and fuel for a long time. + +"Then came the rescuing and drying of our things. First and foremost, +of course, the ammunition; it was all our stock. But happily +the cartridges were fairly water-tight, and had not suffered much +damage. Even the shot cartridges, the cases of which were of paper, +had not lain long enough to become wholly permeated. Such, however, +was not the case with a supply of powder; the small tin box in which +we kept it was entirely full of water. The other things were not so +important, though it was hardly a comforting discovery to find that +the bread was soaked through with salt-water. + +"We found a camping-ground not far off. The tent was soon pitched, +our catch cut up and placed in safety, and, I may say, seldom has +the drift-ice housed beings so well satisfied as the two who sat that +morning in the bag and feasted on seal's flesh, blubber, and soup as +long as they had any room to stow it in. We concurred in the opinion +that a better-meal we could not have had. Then down we crawled into +the dear bag, which for the present there was no need to part with, +and slept the sleep of the just in the knowledge that for the immediate +future, at any rate, we need have no anxiety. + +"It is my opinion that for the time being we can do nothing better +than remain where we are, live on our catch, without encroaching on +the sledge provisions, and thus await the time when the ice shall +slacken more or the condition of the snow improve. Meanwhile we +will rig up wooden grips on our sledges, and try to make the kayaks +water-tight. Furthermore, we will lighten our equipment as much +as we possibly can. If we were to go on we should only be obliged +to leave a great deal of our meat and blubber behind us, and this, +in these circumstances, I think would be madness. + +"Sunday, June 23d. So this is St.-John's-eve, and Sunday, too. How +merry and happy all the schoolboys are to-day! how the folk at +home are starting forth in crowds to the beautiful Norwegian woods +and valleys!... And here are we still in the drift-ice; cooking and +frying with blubber, eating it and seal's flesh until the train-oil +drips off us, and, above all, not knowing when there will be an end +to it all. Perhaps we still have a winter before us. I could hardly +have conceived that we should be here now! + +"It is a pleasing change, however, after having reduced our rations +and fuel to a minimum to be able to launch out into excesses, and eat +as much and as often as we like. It is a state of things hardly to be +realized at present. The food is agreeable to the taste, and we like it +better and better. My own opinion is that blubber is excellent both raw +and fried, and it can well take the place of butter. The meat, in our +eyes, is as good as meat can be. We had it yesterday for breakfast, +in the shape of meat and soup served with raw blubber. For dinner I +fried a highly successful steak, not to be surpassed by the 'Grand' +[Hotel], though a good 'seidel' of bock-beer would have been a welcome +addition. For supper I made blood-pancakes fried in blubber instead of +butter, and they were a success, inasmuch as Johansen pronounced them +'first-class,' to say nothing of my own sentiments. This frying, +however, inside the tent over a train-oil lamp, is a doubtful +pleasure. If the lamp itself does not smoke the blubber does, causing +the unfortunate cook the most excruciating pain in the eyes; he can +hardly keep them open, and they water copiously. But the consequences +could be even worse. The train-oil lamp which I had contrived out +of a sheet of German silver became over-heated one day under the hot +frying-pan, and at last the whole thing caught fire, both the lumps +of blubber and the train-oil. The flame shot up into the air, while +I tried by every means in my power to put it out, but it only grew +worse. The best thing would have been to convey the whole lamp outside, +but there was no time for it. The tent began to fill with suffocating +smoke, and as a last resort I unfortunately seized a handful of snow +and threw it on to the burning train-oil. It sputtered and crackled, +boiling oil flew in all directions, and from the lamp itself rose a sea +of flames which filled the whole tent and burned everything they came +near. Half-suffocated, we both threw ourselves against the closed door, +bursting off the buttons, and dashed headlong into the open air--glad, +indeed, to have escaped with our lives. With this explosion the lamp +went out; but when we came to examine the tent we found an enormous +hole burned in the silk wall above the place where the frying-pan +had stood. One of our sledge-sails had to pay the penalty for that +hole. We crept back into the tent again, congratulating ourselves, +however, on having got off so easily, and, after a great deal of +trouble, rekindled a fire so that I could fry the last pancake. We +then ate it with sugar, in the best of spirits, and pronounced it +the most delicious fare we had ever tasted. We had good reason, too, +to be in spirits, for our observation for the day made us in 82° 4.3' +north latitude and 57° 48' east longitude. In spite of westerly and, +in a measure, southwesterly winds, we had come nearly 14' south +in three days and next to nothing east. A highly surprising and +satisfactory discovery. Outside, the north wind was still blowing, +and consequently we were drifting south towards more clement regions. + +"Wednesday, June 26th. June 24th was naturally celebrated with +great festivities. In the first place, it was that day two years +since we started from home; secondly it was a hundred days since +we left the Fram (not really, it was two days more); and, thirdly, +it was Midsummer-day. It was, of course, a holiday, and we passed +it in dreaming of good times to come, in studying our charts, our +future prospects, and in reading anything readable that was to be +found--i.e., the almanac and navigation-tables. Johansen took a +walk along the lanes, and also managed to miss a ringed seal, or +'snad,' as we call it in Norwegian, in a pool here east of us. Then +came supper--rather late in the night--consisting of blood-pancakes +with sugar, and unsurpassed in flavor. The frying over the oil-lamp +took a long time, and in order to have them hot we had to eat each +one as it was fried, a mode of procedure which promoted a healthy +appetite between each pancake. Thereafter we stewed some of our red +whortleberries, and they tasted no less good, although they had been +soaked in salt-water in Johansen's kayak during the catastrophe of +a couple of days ago; and after a glorious meal we turned into the +bag at 8 o'clock yesterday morning. + +"At midday, again, I got up and went out to take a meridian +altitude. The weather was brilliant, and it was so long since we had +had anything of the kind that I could hardly remember it. I sat up on +the hummock, waiting for the sun to come to the meridian, basking in +its rays, and looking out over the stretches of ice, where the snow +glittered and sparkled on all sides, and at the pool in front of me +lying shining and still as a mountain lake, and reflecting its icy +banks in the clear water. Not a breath of wind stirred--so still, +so still; and the sun baked, and I dreamed myself at home.... + +"Before going into the tent I went to fetch some salt-water for +the soup we were to have for breakfast; but just at that moment +a seal came up by the side of the ice, and I ran back for my gun +and kayak. Out on the water I discovered that it was leaking like a +sieve from lying in the sun, and I had to paddle back faster than I +had come out, to avoid sinking. As I was emptying the kayak, up came +the seal again in front of me, and this time my shot took effect; the +animal lay floating on the water like a cork. It was not many minutes +before I had the leaking craft on the water again, and my harpoon in +the animal's neck. I towed it in while the kayak gradually filled, +and my legs, or, rather, that part which follows closely above the +legs when one is sitting in a canoe, became soaked with water, and +my 'komager' gradually filled. After having dragged the seal up to +the tent, 'flensed' it, collected all the blood which was to be had, +and cut it up, I crept into the tent, put on some dry underclothes, +and into the bag again, while the wet ones were drying outside in the +sun. It is easy enough to keep one's self warm in the tent now. The +heat was so great inside it last night that we could hardly sleep, +although we lay on the bag instead of in it. When I came back with the +seal I discovered that Johansen's bare foot was sticking out of the +tent at a place where the peg had given way; he was sleeping soundly +and had no idea of it. After having a small piece of chocolate to +commemorate the happy capture, and, looking over my observations, +we again settled down to rest. + +"It appears, remarkably enough, from our latitude that we are still +on the same spot, without any farther drifts southward, in spite of +the northerly winds. Can the ice be landlocked? It is not impossible; +far off land, at any rate, we cannot be. + +"Thursday, June 27th. The same monotonous life, the same wind, the +same misty weather, and the same cogitations as to what the future +will bring. There was a gale from the north last night, with a fall +of hard granular snow, which lashed against the tent walls so that +one might think it to be good honest rain. It melted on the walls +directly, and the water ran down them. It is cozy in here, however, +and the wind does not reach us; we can lie in our warm bag, and listen +to the flapping of the tent, and imagine that we are drifting rapidly +westward, although perhaps we are not moving from the spot. But if +this wind does not move us, the only explanation is that the ice is +landlocked, and that we cannot be far off shore. We must wait for an +east wind, I suppose, to drive us farther west, and then afterwards +south. My hope is that we shall drift into the channel between Franz +Josef Land and Spitzbergen while we are lying here. The weather was +raw and windy with snowfall, so that it was hardly suitable for outdoor +work, particularly as, unfortunately, there was no need to hurry. + +"The lanes have changed very much of late; there is hardly anything +left of the pool in front of us, over which we paddled, and there +has been pressure around us in all directions. I hope the ice will be +well ground into pieces, as this enables it to slacken more quickly +when the time comes; but that will not be before far on in July, +and we ought to have the patience to wait for it perhaps. + +"Yesterday we cut some of the seal's flesh into thin slices and hung +them up to dry. We must increase our travelling store and prepare +pemmican or dried meat; it will be the easiest way of carrying it +with us. Johansen yesterday found a pond of fresh water close by, +which is very convenient, and we need no longer melt ice; it is the +first good water we have found for cooking purposes. If the seals +are few and far between, there are birds still, I am thankful to +say. Last night a couple of ivory-gulls (Larus eburneus), were bold +enough to settle down on our sealskin, close beside the tent wall, +and pecked at the blubber. They were sent off once or twice, but +returned. If the meat falls short we must resort to catching birds." + +Thus the days passed by, one exactly like the other; we waited and +waited for the snow to melt, and worked desultorily meanwhile at +getting ourselves ready to proceed. This life reminded me of some +Eskimos who journeyed up a fjord to collect grass for hay; but +when they arrived at their destination found it quite short, and so +settled down and waited till it was long enough to cut. A suitable +condition of the snow was long in coming. On June 29th I write: +"Will not the temperature rise sufficiently to make something like +an effectual clearance of the snow? We try to pass the time as best +we can in talking of how delightful it will be when we get home, +and how we shall enjoy life and all its charms, and go through a +calculation of chances as to how soon that may be; but sometimes, too, +we talk of how well we will arrange for the winter in Spitzbergen, +if we should not reach home this year. If it should come to that, +we may not even get so far, but have to winter on some place ashore +here--no, it can never come to that! + +"Sunday, June 30th. So this is the end of June, and we are about +the same place as when we began the month. And the state of the +snow? Well, better it certainly is not; but the day is fine. It is so +warm that we are quite hot lying here inside the tent. Through the +open door we can see out over the ice where the sun is glittering +through white sailing cirrus clouds on the dazzling whiteness. And +then there is a Sunday calm, with a faint breeze mostly from the +southeast, I think. Ah me! it is lovely at home to-day, I am sure, +with everything in bloom and the fjord quivering in the sunlight; +and you are sitting out on the point with Liv, perhaps, or are on +the water in your boat. And then one's eye wanders out through the +door again, and I am reminded there is many an ice-floe between now +and then, before the time when I shall see it all again. + +"Here we lie far up in the north; two grim, black, soot-stained +barbarians, stirring a mess of soup in a kettle and surrounded on all +sides by ice; by ice and nothing else--shining and white, possessed +of all the purity we ourselves lack. Alas, it is all too pure! One's +eye searched to the very horizon for a dark spot to rest on, but in +vain. When will it really come to pass? Now we have waited for it two +months. All the birds seemed to have disappeared to-day; not even a +cheery little auk to be seen. They were here until yesterday, and we +have heard them flying north and south, probably to and from land, +where they have gone, I suppose, now that there is so little water +about in these parts. If only we could move as easily as they! + +"Wednesday, July 3d. Why write again? What have I to commit to +these pages? Nothing but the same overpowering longing to be home +and away from this monotony. One day just like the other, with +the exception, perhaps, that before it was warm and quiet, while +the last two days there has been a south wind blowing, and we are +drifting northward. Found from a meridian altitude yesterday that we +have drifted back to 82° 8.4' N., while the longitude is about the +same. Both yesterday and the day before we had to a certain extent +really brilliant sunshine, and this for us is a great rarity. The +horizon in the south was fairly clear yesterday, which it had not +been for a long time; but we searched it in vain for land. I do not +understand it.... + +"We had a fall of snow last night, and it dripped in here so that the +bag became wet. This constant snowfall, which will not turn to rain, +is enough to make one despair. It generally takes the form of a thick +layer of new snow on the top of the old, and this delays the thaw. + +"This wind seems to have formed some lanes in the ice again, and there +is a little more bird-life. We saw some little auks again yesterday; +they came from the south, probably from land. + +"Saturday, July 6th. 33.8° Fahr. (+1° C.). Rain. At last, after a +fortnight, we seem to have got the weather we have been waiting for. It +has rained the whole night and forenoon, and is still at it--real, +good rain: so now, perhaps, this everlasting snow will take itself +off; it is as soft and loose as scum. If only this rain would go on +for many days! But before we have time to look round there will be a +cold wind with snow, a crust will form, and again we must wait. I am +too used to disappointment to believe in anything. This is a school +of patience; but nevertheless the rain has put us in good spirits. + +"The days drag wearily by. We work in an intermittent way at the kayak +grips of wood for our sledges, and at calking and painting our kayaks +to make them water-tight. The painting, however, causes me a good deal +of trouble. I burned bones here for many days till the whole place +smelled like the bone-dust works at Lysaker; then came the toilsome +process of pounding and grating them to make them perfectly fine +and even. The bone-dust was thereupon mixed with train-oil, and at +last I got as far as a trial, but the paint proved uncompromisingly +to be perfectly useless. So now I must mix it with soot, as I had +first intended, and add more oil. I am now occupied in smoking +the place out in my attempts to make soot; but all my exertions, +when it comes to collecting it, only result in a little pinch, +although the smoke towered in the air, and they might have seen it +in Spitzbergen. There is a great deal to do battle with when one has +not a shop next door. What would I not give for a little bucket of +oil-paint, only common lampblack! Well, well; we shall find a way out +of the difficulty eventually, but meanwhile we are growing like sweeps. + +"On Wednesday evening 'Haren' was killed; poor beast, he was not good +for much latterly, but he had been a first-rate dog, and it was hard, +I fancy, for Johansen to part with him; he looked sorrowfully at the +animal before it went to the happy hunting-grounds, or wherever it +may be draught-dogs go to. Perhaps to places where there are plains +of level ice and no ridges and lanes. There are only two dogs left +now--'Suggen' and 'Kaifas'--and we must keep them alive as long as +we can, and have use for them. + +"The day before yesterday, in the evening, we suddenly discovered a +black hillock to the east. We examined it through the glass and it +looked absolutely like a black rock emerging from the snows. It also +somewhat exceeded the neighboring hummocks in height. I scrutinized +it carefully from the highest ridge hereabouts, but could not make +it out. I thought it too big to be only a piled-up hummock mixed with +black ice or earthy matter, and I had never seen anything of the kind +before. That it is an island seems highly improbable; for although we +are certainly drifting, it remains in the same position in relation to +us. We saw it yesterday, and see it still to-day in the same quarter. I +think the most reasonable supposition is that it is an iceberg. + +"No sooner does the horizon clear in the south than one of us may be +seen taking his customary walk to the 'watch-tower' (a hummock beside +the tent) to scan for land, sometimes with a glass, sometimes without +it; but there is nothing to be seen but the same bare horizon. [36] + +"Every day I take a turn round the ice in our neighborhood to see if +the snow has decreased, but it always seems to be about the same, and +sometimes I have moments of doubt as to whether it will clear away at +all this summer. If not, our prospects will be more than dark. The +best we can hope for will then be a winter somewhere or other on +Franz Josef Land. But now the rain has come. It is pouring down the +tent walls and dripping on the ice. Everything looks hopeful again, +and we are picturing the delights of the autumn and winter at home. + +"Wednesday, July 10th. It is a curious thing that now, when I really +have something of a little more interest than usual to relate, I have +less inclination to write than ever. Everything seems to become more +and more indifferent. One longs only for one single thing, and still +the ice is lying out there covered with impassable snow. + +"But what was it I had to say? Oh yes, that we made ourselves such +a good bed yesterday with bearskins under the bag; that we slept +the clock round without knowing it, and I thought it was six in the +morning when I turned out. When I came out of the tent I thought there +was something remarkable about the position of the sun, and pondered +over it for a little while, until I came to the conclusion that it was +six in the evening, and that we had slumbered for twenty-two hours. We +have not slept much of late, as we have been broken on the wheel, so +to speak, by the snow-shoes we had to place under the bag, in order to +keep it clear of the pools of water under us. The apologies for hair +still existing here and there on the skin at the bottom of the bag do +not afford much protection against the sharp edges of the snow-shoes. + +"This beneficent rain continued the whole day on Saturday, doing away +with a fair amount of snow, and we rejoice to hear it. To celebrate +the good weather we determined to have chocolate for supper; otherwise +we live entirely on our catch. We had the chocolate accordingly, and +served with raw blubber it tasted quite excellent. It was the cause +of a great disappointment, however, for after having looked forward +immoderately to this, now so rare, treat, I managed clumsily to upset +my whole cup, so that all the precious contents ran out over the +ice. While I was lying waiting for a second cup--it was boiling over +the train-oil lamp--'Kaifas' began to bark outside. Not doubting but +that he had seen an animal, I jumped up to hurry off to the lookout +hummock to scan the ice. Not a little surprised was I when I poked my +head out of the tent door to see a bear come jogging up to the dogs and +begin sniffing at 'Kaifas.' I sprang to the gun, which stood ready in +the snow beside the tent, and pulled off the case, the bear meanwhile +standing astonished and glaring at me. I sent it a ball through the +shoulder and chest, certain that it would drop on the spot. It half +staggered over, and then turned round and made off, and before I could +extract a new cartridge from my pocket, which was full of everything +else, was away among the hummocks. I could not get a shot at it where +it was, and set off in pursuit. I had not gone many steps before we +saw (Johansen had followed me) two more heads appearing a little way +farther on. They belonged to two cubs, which were standing on their +hind-legs and looking at their mother, who came reeling towards them, +with a trail of blood behind her. Then off they went, all three, over +a lane, and a wild chase began over plains and ridges and lanes and +every kind of obstacle, but it made no difference to their pace. A +wonderful thing this love of sport; it is like setting fire to a +fuse. Where at other times it would be laborious work to get on at all, +where one sinks to the knees in the snow, and where one would hesitate +before choosing a way over the lane, let only the spark be kindled, +and one clears every obstacle without thinking about it. The bear was +severely wounded, and dragged her left fore-leg; she did not go fast, +but always so fast that I had my work cut out to keep near her. The +cubs ran round her in their solicitude, and generally a little way +in front, as if to get her to come with them; they little knew what +was the matter with her. Suddenly they all three looked back at me, +as I was crashing after them as fast as I could. I had been within +range many times, but the bear had had her hind quarters towards me, +and when I fired I meant to be sure of making an end of her, as I only +had three cartridges with me, one for each of them. At last, on the top +of a huge hummock, I got a sight of her broadside on, and there, too, +she dropped. The cubs hurried anxiously up to her when she fell--it +made one sorry to see them--they sniffed at and pushed her, and ran +round and round, at a loss what to do in their despair. Meanwhile I had +put another cartridge in the rifle, and picked off the other cub as it +was standing on a projection. It fell over the declivity with a growl, +and down on to its mother. Still more frightened than before, the other +cub hastened to its succor; but, poor thing, what could it do? While +its brother rolled over, growling, it stood there looking sorrowfully +sometimes at it, sometimes at the mother, who lay dying in a pool of +blood. When I approached, it turned its head away indifferently; what +did it care about me now? All its kindred, everything it held dear, +lay there mutilated and destroyed. It no longer knew whither to go, +and did not move from the spot. I went right up to it, and, with a +spherical ball through the breast, it fell dead beside its mother. + +"Johansen soon came up. A lane had detained him, so that he had +lost ground. We opened the animals, took out the entrails, and +then went back to the tent to fetch the sledges and dogs and proper +flaying-knives. Our second cup of chocolate in the tent tasted very +good after this interruption. When we had skinned and cut up the two +bears we left them in a heap, covered over with the skins to protect +the meat from the gulls; the third one we took back with us. The +next day we fetched the others, and now have more meat food than we +shall be able to consume, I hope. It is a good thing, though, that we +can give the dogs as much raw meat as they will eat; they certainly +require it. 'Suggen,' poor thing, is in a very bad way, and it is a +question whether we can get any more work out of him. When we took +him with us after the bears the first day, he could not walk, and we +had to place him on the sledge; but then he howled so terrifically, +as much as to say it was beneath his dignity to be transported in this +way, that Johansen had to take him home again. The dogs seem to be +attacked with a paralysis of the legs; they fall down, and have the +greatest difficulty in rising. It has been the same with all of them, +from 'Gulen' downward. 'Kaifas,' however, is as fresh and well as ever. + +"It is remarkable how large these cubs were. I could hardly imagine +that they were born this year, and should without hesitation have +put them down as a year old if the she-bear had not been in milk, +and it is hardly to be supposed that the cubs would suck for a year +and a half. Those we shot by the Fram on November 4th last year were +hardly half the size of these. It would seem as if the polar bear +produces its young at different times of the year. In the paunches +of the cubs were pieces of skin from a seal. + +"Monday, July 15th. As we were working at the kayaks yesterday a Ross's +gull (Rhodostethia rosea) came flying by. It was a full-grown bird, and +made a turn when just over us, showing its pretty rose-colored breast, +and then disappeared again in the mist southward. On Thursday I saw +another adult Ross's gull, with a black ring round its neck; it came +from the northeast, and flew in a southwesterly direction. Otherwise +it is remarkable how all the birds have disappeared from here. The +little auk is no longer to be seen or heard; the only birds are an +ivory-gull now and then, and occasionally a fulmar. + +"Wednesday, July 17th. At last the time is drawing near when we can +be off again and start homeward in earnest. The snow has decreased +sufficiently to make advance fairly easy. We are doing our utmost +to get ready. The grips on the sledges are nicely arranged, and +provided with cushions of bearskin on Johansen's and of cloth on +mine. This is in order to give the kayaks a firm and soft bed and +prevent chafing. The kayaks are painted with soot and train-oil, and +have been calked with pastels (for drawing), crushed and also mixed +with train-oil; that is to say, as far as these various ingredients +would go. We are now using a mixture of stearine, pitch, and resin, +[37] to finish up with. A thorough revision of our equipment will +take place, and everything not absolutely invaluable will be left +behind. We must say good-bye here to the sleeping-bag and tent. [38] +Our days of comfort are past, and henceforth until we are on board +the sloop [39] we will live under the open sky. + +"Meanwhile we have lain here--'Longing Camp,' as we call it--and let +the time slip by. We have eaten bear-meat morning, noon, and night, +and, so far from being tired of it, have made the discovery that the +breast of the cubs is quite a delicacy. It is remarkable that this +exclusive meat and fat diet has not caused us the slightest discomfort +in any way, and we have no craving for farinaceous food, although we +might, perhaps, regard a large cake as the acme of happiness. Every now +and then we cheer ourselves up with lime-juice grog, a blood-pancake, +or some stewed whortleberries, and let our imaginations run riot over +all the amenities of civilization, which we mean to enjoy to the full +when we get home! Perhaps it will be many a long day before we get +there; perhaps there will be many a hard trial to overcome. But, no; +I will believe the best. There are still two months of summer left, +and in them something can be done. + +"Friday, July 19th. Two full-grown Ross's gulls flew over here from +the northeast and went west this morning. When far off they uttered +cries which reminded me of that of the wryneck, and which I at first +thought came from a little auk. They flew quite low, just over my head, +and the rose-color of their under-parts could be seen plainly. Another +Ross's gull flew by here yesterday. It is strange that there should +be so many of them. Where are we? + +"Tuesday, July 23d. Yesterday forenoon we at last got clear of +'Longing Camp,' and now, I am thankful to say, we are again on the +move. We have worked day and night to get off. First we thought it +would be on the 19th, then the 20th, and then the 21st, but something +always cropped up that had to be done before we could leave. The bread, +which had been soaked in sea-water, had to be carefully dried in the +frying-pan over the lamp, and this took several days; then the socks +had to be patched, and the kayaks carefully looked over, etc. We were +determined to start on our last journey home in good repair, and so we +did. Everything goes like wildfire. The chances of progress are better +than we expected, although the ice is anything but even; the sledges +are lighter to draw, now that everything that can be dispensed with is +left behind, and the snow, too, has decreased considerably. On the last +part of the journey yesterday we could even go without snow-shoes, and, +as a matter of course, progress among the ridges and irregularities, +where they are difficult to manage, is quicker without them. Johansen +performed a feat by crossing a lane alone in his kayak, with 'Suggen' +lying on the fore-deck, while he himself knelt on the after-deck and +balanced the craft as he paddled. I began to try the same with mine, +but found it too cranky to risk the attempt, and preferred to tow +it over, with 'Kaifas' on the deck, while I went carefully alongside +and jumped over on some pieces of ice. + +"We have now the advantage of finding drinking-water everywhere. We +are also eating our old provender again; but, curiously enough, +neither Johansen nor I think the farinaceous food as good as one +might suppose after a month of meat diet. It is good to be under +way again, and not the least pleasant part about it is our lighter +sledges; but then we certainly left a good deal behind at 'Longing +Camp.' In addition to a respectable mound of meat and blubber, we +left three fine bearskins. Our friend, the bag, too, is lying on +the top of the bears; a quantity of wood, consisting of the boards +from under the sledges, the snow-shoes and other things, more than +half of Blessing's fine medicaments--plaster-of-Paris bandages, +soft steam-sterilized gauze bandages, hygroscopic cotton wadding--to +say nothing of a good aluminium horizon-glass, rope, our combined +frying-pan and melter, half an aluminium cap belonging to the cooker, +sheets of German silver, a train-oil lamp of the same, bags, tools, +sail-cloth, Finn shoes, our wolfskin fingerless gloves, also woollen +ones, a geological hammer, half a shirt, socks, and other sundries, +all strewn about in chaotic confusion. Instead of all these we have an +augmentation in the form of a sack of dried seal's and bear's flesh +and the other half of the aluminium cap full of blubber. We are now +thoroughly divested of all superfluous articles, and there is hardly +so much as a bit of wood to be had if one should want a stick to slip +through the end of the hauling-rope." + + + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +LAND AT LAST + + +"Wednesday, July 24th. At last the marvel has come to pass--land, +land! and after we had almost given up our belief in it! After nearly +two years, we again see something rising above that never-ending white +line on the horizon yonder--a white line which for millennium after +millennium has stretched over this sea, and which for millenniums to +come shall stretch in the same way. We are leaving it, and leaving +no trace behind us, for the track of our little caravan across the +endless plains has long ago disappeared. A new life is beginning for +us; for the ice it is ever the same. + +"It has long haunted our dreams, this land, and now it comes like a +vision, like fairly-land. Drift-white, it arches above the horizon like +distant clouds, which one is afraid will disappear every minute. The +most wonderful thing is that we have seen this land all the time +without knowing it. I examined it several times with the telescope +from 'Longing Camp' in the belief that it might be snow-fields, but +always came to the conclusion that it was only clouds, as I could never +discover any dark point. Then, too, it seemed to change form, which, +I suppose, must be attributed to the mist which always lay over it; +but it always came back again at the same place with its remarkable +regular curves. I now remember that dark crag we saw east of us at +the camp, and which I took to be an iceberg. It must certainly have +been a little islet [40] of some kind. + +"The ice was worse and more broken than ever yesterday; it was, +indeed, a labor to force one's way over pressure-ridges like veritable +mountains, with valleys and clefts in between; but on we went in +good spirits, and made some progress. At lanes where a crossing was +difficult to find we did not hesitate to launch kayaks and sledges, +and were soon over in this manner. Sometimes after a very bad bit we +would come across some flat ice for a short distance, and over this +we would go like wildfire, splashing through ponds and puddles. While +I was on ahead at one time yesterday morning, Johansen went up on to +a hummock to look at the ice, and remarked a curious black stripe +over the horizon; but he supposed it to be only a cloud, he said, +and I thought no more about the matter. When, some while later, I also +ascended a hummock to look at the ice, I became aware of the same black +stripe; it ran obliquely from the horizon up into what I supposed +to be a white bank of clouds. The longer I looked at this bank and +stripe the more unusual I thought them, until I was constrained to +fetch the glass. No sooner had I fixed it on the black part than it +struck me at once that this must be land, and that not far off. There +was a large snow-field out of which black rocks projected. It was not +long before Johansen had the glass to his eye, and convinced himself +that we really had land before us. We both of us naturally became +in the highest spirits. I then saw a similar white arching outline a +little farther east; but it was for the most part covered with white +mist, from which it could hardly be distinguished, and, moreover, +was continually changing form. It soon, however, came out entirely, +and was considerably larger and higher than the former, but there +was not a black speck to be seen on it. So this was what land looked +like, now that we had come to it! I had imagined it in many forms, +with high peaks and glittering glaciers, but never like this. There +was nothing kindly about this, but it was indeed no less welcome; and +on the whole we could not expect it to be otherwise than snow-covered, +with all the snow which falls here. + +"So then we pitched the tent and had a feast suited to the occasion: +lobscouse made of potatoes (for the last time but one; we had saved +them long for this occasion), pemmican, dried bear's and seal's flesh, +and bear tongues, chopped up together. After this was a second course, +consisting of bread-crumbs fried in bear's grease, also vril-food +and butter, and a piece of chocolate to wind up." + +We thought this land so near that it could not possibly take long +to reach it, certainly not longer than till next evening. Johansen +was even certain that we should do it the same day, but nevertheless +thirteen days were to elapse, occupied in the same monotonous drudgery +over the drift-ice. + +On July 25th I write: "When we stopped in the fog yesterday evening we +had a feeling that we must have come well under land. This morning, +when we turned out, the first thing Johansen did when he went to +fetch some water for me to cook with was, of course, to climb up on +the nearest hummock and look at the land. There it lay, considerably +nearer than before, and he is quite certain that we shall reach +it before night." I also discovered a new land to our west (S. 60° +W. magnetic) that day; a regular, shield-like, arched outline, similar +to the other land; and it was low above the horizon, and appeared to +be a long way off. [41] + +We went on our way as fast as we could across lanes and rough ice, +but did not get far in the day, and the land did not seem to be much +nearer. In reality there was no difference to be seen, although we +tried to imagine that it was steadily growing higher. On Saturday, +July 27th, I seem to have a suspicion that in point of fact we were +drifting away from land, I write: "The wind began to blow from the +S.S.W. (magnetic) just as we were getting off yesterday, and increased +as the day went on. It was easy to perceive by the atmosphere that +the wind was driving the ice off the land, and land-lanes formed +particularly on the east side of it. When I was up on a hummock +yesterday evening I observed a black stripe on the horizon under +land; I examined it with the glass, and, as I had surmised, there +was an ice-edge or glacier stretching far in a westerly direction; +and there was plainly a broad lane in front of it, to judge by the +dark bank of mist which lay there. It seems to me that land cannot +be far off, and if the ice is tolerably passable we may reach it +to-day. The wind continued last night, but it has quieted down now, +and there is sunshine outside. We try by every means in our power to +get a comfortable night's rest in our new bag of blankets. We have +tried lying on the bare ice, on the 'ski,' and to-night on the bare +ice again; but it must be confessed that it is hard and never will +be very comfortable; a little chilly, too, when one is wet; but we +shall appreciate a good warm bed all the more when we get it. + +"Tuesday, July 30th. We make incredibly slow progress; but we +are pushing our way nearer land all the same. [42] Every kind of +hinderance seems to beset us: now I am suffering so much from my back +(lumbago?) that yesterday it was only by exerting all my strength +of will that I could drag myself along. In difficult places Johansen +had to help me with my sledge. It began yesterday, and at the end of +our march he had to go first and find the way. Yesterday I was much +worse, and how I am to-day I do not know before I begin to walk; but +I ought to be thankful that I can drag myself along at all, though +it is with endless pain. We had to halt and camp on account of rain +yesterday morning at three, after only having gone nine hours. The +rain succeeded in making us wet before we had found a suitable place +for the tent. Here we have been a whole day while it has been pouring +down, and we have hardly become drier. There are puddles under us and +the bag is soaked on the under-side. The wind has gone round to the +west just now, and it has stopped raining, so we made some porridge +for breakfast and think of going on again; but if it should begin to +rain again we must stop, as it will not do to get wet through when we +have no change of clothes. It is anything but pleasant as it is to lie +with wet legs and feet that are like icicles, and not have a dry thread +to put on. Full-grown Ross's gulls were seen singly four times to-day, +and when Johansen was out to fetch water this morning he saw two. [43] + +"Wednesday, July 31st. The ice is as disintegrated and impracticable +as can well be conceived. The continual friction and packing of +the floes against each other grind up the ice so that the water is +full of brash and small pieces; to ferry over this in the kayaks +is impossible, and the search is long before we eventually find a +hazardous crossing. Sometimes we have to form one by pushing small +floes together, or must ferry the sledges over on a little floe. We +spend much time and labor on each single lane, and progress becomes +slow in this way. My back still painful, Johansen had to go ahead +yesterday also; and evening and morning he is obliged to take off my +boots and socks, for I am unable to do it myself. He is touchingly +unselfish, and takes care of me as if I were a child; everything +he thinks can ease me he does quietly, without my knowing it. Poor +fellow, he has to work doubly hard now, and does not know how this +will end. I feel very much better to-day, however, and it is to be +hoped shall soon be all right. + +"Thursday, August 1st. Ice with more obstacles than here--is it to +be found, I wonder? But we are working slowly on, and, that being +the case, we ought, perhaps, to be satisfied. We have also had a +change--a brilliantly fine day; but it seems to me the south wind +we have had, which opened the lanes, has put us a good way farther +off land again. We have also drifted a long distance to the east, +and no longer see the most westerly land with the black rocks, which +we remarked at first. It would seem as if the Ross's gulls keep to +land here; we see them daily. + +"One thing, however, I am rejoicing over; my back is almost well, +so that I shall not delay our progress any more. I have some idea +now what it would be like if one of us became seriously ill. Our fate +would then be sealed, I think. + +"Friday, August 2d. It seems as if everything conspired to delay us, +and that we shall never get away from this drift-ice. My back is well +again now; the ice was more passable yesterday than before, so that +we nearly made a good day's march; but in return wind and current +set us from shore, and we are farther away again. Against these two +enemies all fighting is in vain, I am afraid. We have drifted far off +to the southeast, have got the north point of the land about due west +of us, and we are now in about 81° 36' N. My only hope now is that +this drift eastward, away from land, may stop or alter its course, +and thus bring us nearer land. It is unfortunate that the lanes are +covered with young ice, which it would be disastrous to put the kayaks +through. If this gets worse, things will look very bad. Meanwhile we +have nothing to do but go on as fast as we can. If we are going to +drift back into the ice again, then--then-- + +"Saturday, August 3d. Inconceivable toil. We never could go on with +it were it not for the fact that we must. We have made wretchedly +little progress, even if we have made any at all. We have had no food +for the dogs the last few days except the ivory-gulls and fulmars we +have been able to shoot, and that has been a couple a day. Yesterday +the dogs only had a little bit of blubber each. + +"Sunday, August 4th. These lanes are desperate work and tax one's +strength. We often have to go several hundred yards on mere brash, or +from block to block, dragging the sledges after us, and in constant +fear of their capsizing into the water. Johansen was very nearly in +yesterday, but, as always hitherto, he managed to save himself. The +dogs fall in and get a bath continually. + +"Monday, August 5th. We have never had worse ice than yesterday, +but we managed to force our way on a little, nevertheless, and two +happy incidents marked the day: the first was that Johansen was not +eaten up by a bear, and the second, that we saw open water under the +glacier edge ashore. + +"We set off about 7 o'clock yesterday morning and got on to ice as +bad it as could be. It was as if some giant had hurled down enormous +blocks pell-mell, and had strewn wet snow in between them with water +underneath; and into this we sank above our knees. There were also +numbers of deep pools in between the blocks. It was like toiling over +hill and dale, up and down over block after block and ridge after +ridge, with deep clefts in between; not a clear space big enough to +pitch a tent on even, and thus it went on the whole time. To put a +coping-stone to our misery, there was such a mist that we could not +see a hundred yards in front of us. After an exhausting march we at +last reached a lane where we had to ferry over in the kayaks. After +having cleared the side of the lane from young ice and brash, I drew +my sledge to the end of the ice, and was holding it to prevent it +slipping in, when I heard a scuffle behind me, and Johansen, who had +just turned round to pull his sledge flush with mine, [44] cried, +'Take the gun!' I turned round and saw an enormous bear throwing +itself on him, and Johansen on his back. I tried to seize my gun, +which was in its case on the fore-deck, but at the same moment the +kayak slipped into the water. My first thought was to throw myself +into the water over the kayak and fire from there, but I recognized +how risky it would be. I began to pull the kayak, with its heavy +cargo, on to the high edge of the ice again as quickly as I could, +and was on my knees pulling and tugging to get at my gun. I had no +time to look round and see what was going on behind me, when I heard +Johansen quietly say, 'You must look sharp if you want to be in time!' + +"Look sharp? I should think so! At last I got hold of the butt-end, +dragged the gun out, turned round in a sitting posture, and cocked the +shot-barrel. The bear was standing not two yards off, ready to make +an end to my dog, 'Kaifas.' There was no time to lose in cocking the +other barrel, so I gave it a charge of shot behind the ear, and it +fell down dead between us. + +"The bear must have followed our track like a cat, and, covered by the +ice-blocks, have slunk up while we were clearing the ice from the lane +and had our backs to him. We could see by the trail how it had crept +over a small ridge just behind us under cover of a mound by Johansen's +kayak. While the latter, without suspecting anything or looking round, +went back and stooped down to pick up the hauling-rope, he suddenly +caught sight of an animal crouched up at the end of the kayak, but +thought it was 'Suggen'; and before he had time to realize that it was +so big he received a cuff on the ear which made him see fireworks, +and then, as I mentioned before, over he went on his back. He tried +to defend himself as best he could with his fists. With one hand he +seized the throat of the animal, and held fast, clinching it with +all his might. It was just as the bear was about to bite Johansen in +the head that he uttered the memorable words, "Look sharp!" The bear +kept glancing at me continually, speculating, no doubt, as to what I +was going to do; but then caught sight of the dog and turned towards +it. Johansen let go as quick as thought, and wriggled himself away, +while the bear gave 'Suggen' a cuff which made him howl lustily, +just as he does when we thrash him. Then 'Kaifas' got a slap on the +nose. Meanwhile Johansen had struggled to his legs, and when I fired +had got his gun, which was sticking out of the kayak hole. The only +harm done was that the bear had scraped some grime off Johansen's +right cheek, so that he has a white stripe on it, and had given him a +slight wound in one hand; 'Kaifas' had also got a scratch on his nose. + +"Hardly had the bear fallen before we saw two more, peeping over a +hummock a little way off--cubs, who naturally wanted to see the result +of the maternal chase. They were two large cubs. I thought it was not +worth while to sacrifice a cartridge on them, but Johansen expressed +his opinion that young bear's flesh was much more delicate in flavor +than old. He would only shoot one, he said, and started off. However, +the cubs took to their heels, although they came back a little while +later, and we could hear them at a long distance growling after +their mother. + +"Johansen sent one of them a ball, but the range was too long, and +he only wounded it. With some terrific growls it started off again, +and Johansen after it; but he gave up the chase soon, as he saw it +promised to be a long one. While we were cutting up the she-bear the +cubs came back on the other side of the lane, and the whole time we +were there we had them walking round us. When we had fed the dogs well, +and had eaten some of the raw meat ourselves, and had furthermore +stowed away in the kayaks the meat we had cut off the legs, we at +last ferried over the lane and went on our way. + +"The ice was not good; and, to make bad worse, we immediately came +on some terrible lanes, full of nothing but tightly packed lumps of +ice. In some places there were whole seas of it, and it was enough to +make one despair. Among all this loose ice we came on an unusually +thick old floe, with high mounds on it and pools in between. It +was from one of these mounds that I observed through the glass the +open water at the foot of the glacier, and now we cannot have far to +go. But the ice looks very bad on ahead, and each piece when it is +like this may take a long time to travel over. + +"As we went along we heard the wounded bear lowing ceaselessly behind +us; it filled the whole of this silent world of ice with its bitter +plaint over the cruelty of man. It was miserable to hear it; and if +we had had time we should undoubtedly have gone back and sacrificed a +cartridge on it. We saw the cubs go off to the place where the mother +was lying, and thought to ourselves that we had got rid of them, +but heard them soon afterwards, and even when we had camped they were +not far off. + +"Wednesday, August 7th. At last we are under land; at last the +drift-ice lies behind us, and before us is open water--open, it is to +be hoped, to the end. Yesterday was the day. When we came out of the +tent the evening of the day before yesterday we both thought we must +be nearer the edge of the glacier than ever, and with fresh courage, +and in the faint hope of reaching land that day, we started on our +journey. Yet we dared not think our life on the drift-ice was so +nearly at an end. After wandering about on it for five months and +suffering so many disappointments, we were only too well prepared for +a new defeat. We thought, however, that the ice looked more promising +farther on, though before we had gone far we came to broad lanes full +of slush and foul, uneven ice, with hills and dales, and deep snow and +water, into which we sank up to our thighs. After a couple of lanes +of this kind, matters improved a little, and we got on to some flat +ice. After having gone over this for a while, it became apparent how +much nearer we were to the edge of the glacier. It could not possibly +be far off now. We eagerly harnessed ourselves to the sledges again, +put on a spurt, and away we went through snow and water, over mounds +and ridges. We went as hard as we could, and what did we care if we +sank into water till far above our fur leggings, so that both they +and our 'komager' filled and gurgled like a pump? What did it matter +to us now, so long as we got on? + +"We soon reached plains, and over them we went quicker and quicker. We +waded through ponds where the spray flew up on all sides. Nearer and +nearer we came, and by the dark water-sky before us, which continually +rose higher, we could see how we were drawing near to open water. We +did not even notice bears now. There seemed to be plenty about, tracks, +both old and new, crossing and recrossing; one had even inspected the +tent while we were asleep, and by the fresh trail we could see how +it had come down wind in lee of us. We had no use for a bear now; +we had food enough. We were soon able to see the open water under +the wall of the glacier, and our steps lengthened even more. As +I was striding along I thought of the march of the Ten Thousand +through Asia, when Xenophon's soldiers, after a year's war against +superior forces, at last saw the sea from a mountain and cried, +'Thalatta! thalatta!' Maybe this sea was just as welcome to us after +our months in the endless white drift-ice. + +"At last, at last, I stood by the edge of the ice. Before me lay +the dark surface of the sea, with floating white floes; far away +the glacier wall rose abruptly from the water; over the whole lay +a sombre, foggy light. Joy welled up in our hearts at this sight, +and we could not give it expression in words. Behind us lay all our +troubles, before us the waterway home. I waved my hat to Johansen, +who was a little way behind, and he waved his in answer and shouted +'Hurrah!' Such an event had to be celebrated in some way, and we did +it by having a piece of chocolate each. + +"While we were standing there looking at the water the large head +of a seal came up, and then disappeared silently; but soon more +appeared. It is very reassuring to know that we can procure food at +any minute we like. + +"Now came the rigging of the kayaks for the voyage. Of course, the +better way would have been to paddle singly, but, with the long, +big sledges on the deck, this was not easy, and leave them behind I +dared not; we might have good use for them yet. For the time being, +therefore, there was nothing else to be done but to lash the two +kayaks together side by side in our usual manner, stiffen them out +with snow-shoes under the straps, and place the sledges athwart them, +one before and one behind. + +"It was sad to think we could not take our two last dogs with us, +but we should probably have no further use for them, and it would +not have done to take them with us on the decks of our kayaks. We +were sorry to part with them; we had become very fond of these two +survivors. Faithful and enduring, they had followed us the whole +journey through; and, now that better times had come, they must say +farewell to life. Destroy them in the same way as the others we could +not; we sacrificed a cartridge on each of them. I shot Johansen's, +and he shot mine. + +"So then we were ready to set off. It was a real pleasure to let +the kayaks dance over the water and hear the little waves plashing +against the sides. For two years we had not seen such a surface of +water before us. We had not gone far before we found that the wind +was so good that we ought to make use of it, and so we rigged up a +sail on our fleet. We glided easily before the wind in towards the +land we had so longed for all these many months. What a change, after +having forced one's way inch by inch and foot by foot on ice! The +mist had hidden the land from us for a while, but now it parted, +and we saw the glacier rising straight in front of us. At the same +moment the sun burst forth, and a more beautiful morning I can hardly +remember. We were soon underneath the glacier, and had to lower our +sail and paddle westward along the wall of ice, which was from 50 to +60 feet in height, and on which a landing was impossible. It seemed +as if there must be little movement in this glacier; the water had +eaten its way deep underneath it at the foot, and there was no noise +of falling fragments or the cracking of crevasses to be heard, as +there generally is with large glaciers. It was also quite even on +the top, and no crevasses were to be seen. Up the entire height of +the wall there was stratification, which was unusually marked. We +soon discovered that a tidal current was running westward along the +wall of the glacier with great rapidity, and took advantage of it to +make good progress. To find a camping-ground, however, was not easy, +and at last we were reduced to taking up our abode on a drifting +floe. It was glorious, though, to go to rest in the certainty that +we should not wake to drudgery in the drift-ice. + +"When we turned out to-day we found that the ice had packed around +us, and I do not know yet how we shall get out of it, though there +is open water not far off to our west. + +"Thursday, August 8th. After hauling our impedimenta over some floes +we got into open water yesterday without much difficulty. When +we had reached the edge of the water we made a paddle each from +our snow-shoe-staffs, to which we bound blades made of broken-off +snow-shoes. They were a great improvement on the somewhat clumsy +paddles, with canvas blades lashed to bamboo sticks. I was very much +inclined to chop off our sledges, so that they would only be half as +long as before; by so doing we could carry them on the after-deck of +the kayaks, and could thus each paddle alone, and our advance would +be much quicker than by paddling the twin kayaks. However, I thought, +perhaps, it was unadvisable. The water looked promising enough on +ahead, but there was mist, and we could not see far; we knew nothing +of the country or the coast we had come to, and might yet have good +use for the sledges. We therefore set off in our double kayak, as +before, with the sledges athwart the deck fore and aft. + +"The mist soon rose a little. It was then a dead calm; the surface +of the water lay like a great mirror before us, with bits of ice and +an occasional floe drifting on it. It was a marvellously beautiful +sight, and it was indeed glorious to sit there in our light vessels +and glide over the surface without any exertion. Suddenly a seal rose +in front of us, and over us flew continually ivory-gulls and fulmars +and kittiwakes. Little auks we also saw, and some Ross's gulls, and +a couple of terns. There was no want of animal life here, nor of food +when we should require it. + +"We found open water, broader and broader, as we paddled on our way +beside the wall of ice; but it would not clear so that we could see +something of our surroundings. The mist still hung obstinately over it. + +"Our course at first lay west to north (magnetic); but the land always +trended more and more to the west and southwest; the expanse of water +grew greater, and soon it widened out to a large sea, stretching in a +southwesterly direction. A breeze sprang up from the north-northeast, +and there was considerable motion, which was not pleasant, as in our +double craft the seas continually washed up between the two and wetted +us. We put in towards evening and pitched the tent on the shore-ice, +and just as we did so it began to rain, so that it was high time to +be under a roof. + +"Friday, August 9th. Yesterday morning we had again to drag the +sledges with the kayaks over some ice which had drifted in front of +our camping-ground, and during this operation I managed to fall into +the water and get wet. It was with difficulty we finally got through +and out into open water. After a while we again found our way closed, +and were obliged to take to hauling over some floes, but after this we +had good open water the whole day. It was a northeasterly wind which +had set the ice towards the land, and it was lucky we had got so far, +as behind us, to judge by the atmosphere, the sea was much blocked. The +mist hung over the land so that we saw little of it. According as +we advanced we were able to hold a more southerly course, and, the +wind being nearly on the quarter, we set sail about 1 o'clock, and +continued sailing all day till we stopped yesterday evening. Our sail, +however, was interrupted once when it was necessary to paddle round +an ice-point north of where we are now; the contrary current was so +strong that it was as much as we could do to make way against it, and +it was only after considerable exertion that we succeeded in doubling +the point. We have seen little of the land we are skirting up to this, +on account of the mist; but as far as I can make out it consists of +islands. First there was a large island covered with an ice-sheet; +then west of it a smaller one, on which are the two crags of rock +which first made us aware of the vicinity of land; next came a long +fjord or sound, with massive shore-ice in it; and then a small, low +headland, or rather an island, south of which we are now encamped. This +shore-ice lying along the land is very remarkable. It is unusually +massive and uneven; it seems to be composed of huge blocks welded +together, which in a great measure, at any rate, must proceed from +the ice-sheet. There has also, perhaps, been violent pressure against +the land, which has heaved the sea-ice up together with pieces of ice +from the calving of the glacier, and the whole has frozen together +into a conglomerate mass. A medium-sized iceberg lay off the headland +north of us, where the current was so strong. Where we are now lying, +however, there is flat fjord-ice between the low island here and a +larger one farther south. + +"This land grows more of a problem, and I am more than ever at +a loss to know where we are. It is very remarkable to me that the +coast continually trends to the south instead of to the west. I could +explain it all best by supposing ourselves to be on the west coast of +the archipelago of Franz Josef Land, were it not that the variation, +I think, is too great, and also for the number of Ross's gulls there +still are. Not one has with certainty been seen in Spitzbergen, and +if my supposition is right, this should not be far off. Yesterday +we saw a number of them again; they are quite as common here as the +other species of gull. + +"Saturday, August 10th. We went up on to the little islet we had camped +by. It was covered by a glacier, which curved over it in the shape of a +shield; there were slopes to all sides; but so slight was the gradient +that our snow-shoes would not even run of themselves on the crust +of snow. From the ridge we had a fair view, and, as the mist lifted +just then, we saw the land about us tolerably well. We now perceived +plainly that what we had been skirting along was only islands. The +first one was the biggest. The other land, with the two rocky crags, +had, as we could see, a strip of bare land along the shore on the +northwest side. Was it there, perhaps, the Ross's gulls congregated +and had their breeding-grounds? The island to our south also looked +large; it appeared to be entirely covered by a glacier. [45] Between +the islands, and as far as we could perceive southeast and east, +the sea was covered by perfectly flat fjord-ice, but no land was to +be discerned in that direction. There were no icebergs here, though +we saw some later in the day on the south side of the island lying +to the south of us. + +"The glacier covering the little island on which we stood joined +the fjord-ice almost imperceptibly; only a few small fissures along +the shore indicated where it probably began. There could not be any +great rise and fall in the ice here, consequent on the tide, as the +fissures would then, as a matter of course, have been considerably +larger. This seemed remarkable, as the tidal current ran swift as a +river here. On the west side of the island there lay in front of the +glacier a rampart of ice and snow, which was probably formed of pieces +of glacier-ice and sea-ice welded together. It had the same character +as the massive shore-ice which we had seen previously running along +the land. This rampart went over imperceptibly with an even slope +into the glacier within it. + +"About three in the afternoon we finally set off in open water and +sailed till eight or so in the evening; the water was then closed, +and we were compelled to haul the fleet over flat ice to open water +on the other side. But here, too, our progress seemed blocked, and +as the current was against us we pitched the tent." + +On August 10th we were "compelled partly to haul our sledges over the +ice, partly to row in open water in a southwesterly direction. When we +reached navigable waters again, we passed a flock of walruses lying on +a floe. It was a pleasure to see so much food collected at one spot, +but we did not take any notice of them, as, for the time being, we +have meat and blubber enough. After dinner we managed, in the mist, to +wander down a long bay into the shore-ice, where there was no outlet; +we had to turn back, and this delayed us considerably. We now kept +a more westerly course, following the often massive and uneven edge +of the ice; but the current was dead against us, and, in addition, +young ice had been forming all day as we rowed along; the weather +had been cold and still, with falling snow, and this began to be so +thick that we could not make way against it any longer. We therefore +went ashore on the ice, and hauled until ten in the evening. + +"Bear-tracks, old and new, in all directions--both the single ones of +old bachelors and those of she-bears with cubs. It looks as if they +had had a general rendezvous, or as if a flock of them had roamed +backward and forward. I have never seen so many bear-tracks in one +place in my life. + +"We have certainly done 14 or 25 miles to-day; but still I think our +progress is too slow if we are to reach Spitzbergen this year, and I +am always wondering if we ought not to cut the ends off our sledges, +so that each can paddle his own kayak. This young ice, however, which +grows steadily worse, and the eleven degrees below freezing we now +have, make me hold my hand. Perhaps winter is upon us, and then the +sledges may be very necessary. + +"It is a curious sensation to paddle in the mist, as we are doing, +without being able to see a mile in front of us. The land we found +we have left behind us. We are always in hopes of clear weather, in +order to see where the land lies in front of us--for land there must +be. This flat, unbroken ice must be attached to land of some kind; +but clear weather we are not to have, it appears. Mist without ceasing; +we must push on as it is." + +After having hauled some distance farther over the ice we came to +open water again the following day (August 11th) and paddled for four +or five hours. While I was on a hummock inspecting the waters ahead, +a huge monster of a walrus came up quite near us. It lay puffing and +glaring at us on the surface of the water, but we took no notice of +it, got into our kayaks, and went on. Suddenly it came up again by +the side of us, raised itself high out of the water, snorted so that +the air shook, and threatened to thrust its tusks into our frail +craft. We seized our guns, but at the same moment it disappeared, +and came up immediately afterwards on the other side, by Johansen's +kayak, where it repeated the same manoeuvre. I said to him that if +the animal showed signs of attacking us we must spend a cartridge +on it. It came up several times and disappeared again; we could see +it down in the water, passing rapidly on its side under our vessels, +and, afraid lest it should make a hole in the bottom with its tusks, +we thrust our paddles down into the water and frightened it away; but +suddenly it came up again right by Johansen's kayak, and more savage +than ever. He sent it a charge straight in the eyes, it uttered a +terrific bellow, rolled over, and disappeared, leaving a trail of +blood on the water behind it. We paddled on as hard as we could, +knowing that the shot might have dangerous consequences, but we were +relieved when we heard the walrus come up far behind us at the place +where it had disappeared. + +We had paddled quietly on, and had long forgotten all about the +walrus, when I suddenly saw Johansen jump into the air and felt his +kayak receive a violent shock. I had no idea what it was, and looked +round to see if some block of floating ice had capsized and struck the +bottom of his kayak; but suddenly I saw another walrus rise up in the +water beside us. I seized my gun, and as the animal would not turn its +head so that I could aim at a spot behind the ear, where it is more +easily wounded, I was constrained to put a ball in the middle of its +forehead; there was no time to be lost. Happily this was enough, and +it lay there dead and floating on the water. With great difficulty we +managed to make a hole in the thick skin, and after cutting ourselves +some strips of blubber and meat from the back we went on our way again. + +At seven in the evening the tidal current turned and the channel +closed. There was no more water to be found. Instead of taking to +hauling over the ice, we determined to wait for the opening of the +channel when the tide should turn next day, and meanwhile to cut off +the ends of our sledges, as I had so long been thinking of doing, +and make ourselves some good double paddles, so that we could put on +greater pace, and, in our single kayaks, make the most of the channel +during the time it was open. While we were occupied in doing this +the mist cleared off at last, and there lay land stretched out in +front of us, extending a long way south and west from S.E. right up +to N.N.W. It appeared to be a chain of islands with sounds between +them. They were chiefly covered with glaciers, only here and there +were perpendicular black mountain-walls to be seen. It was a sight +to make one rejoice to see so much land at one time. But where were +we? This seemed a more difficult question to answer than ever. Could +we, after all, have arrived at the east side of Franz Josef Land? It +seemed very reasonable to suppose this to be the case. But then we +must be very far east, and must expect a long voyage before we could +reach Cape Fligely, on Crown Prince Rudolf Land. Meanwhile we worked +hard to get the sledges ready; but as the mist gradually lifted and +it became clearer and clearer, we could not help continually leaving +them, to climb up on to the hummock beside us to look at the country, +and speculate on this insoluble problem. We did not get to bed till +seven in the morning of August 12th. + +"Tuesday, August 13th. After having slept a few hours, we turned out +of the bag again, for the current had turned, and there was a wide +channel. In our single kayaks, we made good headway, but after going +about five miles the channel closed, and we had to clamber on to the +ice. We thought it advisable to wait until the tidal current turned, +and see if there were not a channel running farther. If not, we must +lash proper grips of wood to our curtailed sledges, and commence +hauling towards a sound running through the land, which I see about +W.N.W. (true), and which, according to Payer's chart, I take to be +Rawlinson's Sound." + +But the crack did not open, and when it came to the point we had to +continue on our way hauling. + +"Wednesday, August 14th. We dragged our sledges and loads over a +number of floes and ferried across lanes, arriving finally at a lane +which ran westward, in which we could paddle; but it soon packed +together again, and we were stopped. The ivory-gulls are very bold, +and last night stole a piece of blubber lying close by the tent wall." + +The following day we had to make our way as well as we could by +paddling short distances in the lanes or hauling our loads over floes +smaller or larger, as the case might be. The current, which was running +like a mill-race, ground them together in its career. Our progress with +our short, stumpy sledges was nothing very great, and of water suitable +for paddling in we found less and less. We stopped several times and +waited for the ice to open at the turn of the tide, but it did not do +so, and on the morning of August 15th we gave it up, turned inward, +and took to the shore-ice for good. We set our course westward towards +the sound we had seen for several days now, and had struggled so to +reach. The surface of the ice was tolerably even and we got over the +ground well. On the way we passed a frozen-in iceberg, which was the +highest we saw in these parts--some 50 to 60 feet, I should say. [46] +I wished to go up it to get a better view of our environment, but it +was too steep, and we did not get higher than a third part up the side. + +"In the evening we at last reached the islands we had been steering +for for the last few days, and for the first time for two years had +bare land under foot. The delight of the feeling of being able to jump +from block to block of granite [47] is indescribable, and the delight +was not lessened when in a little sheltered corner among the stones +we found moss and flowers, beautiful poppies (Papaver nudicaule) +Saxifraga nivalis, and a Stellaria (sp.?). It goes without saying +that the Norwegian flag had to wave over this our first bare land, +and a banquet was prepared. Our petroleum, meanwhile, had given out +several days previously, and we had to contrive another lamp in which +train-oil could be used. The smoking hot lobscouse, made of pemmican +and the last of our potatoes, was delicious, and we sat inside the +tent and kicked the bare grit under us to our heart's content. + +"Where we are is becoming more and more incomprehensible. There appears +to be a broad sound west of us, but what is it? The island [48] we +are now on, and where we have slept splendidly (this is written on +the morning of August 16th) on dry land, with no melting of the ice +in puddles underneath us, is a long moraine-like ridge running about +north and south (magnetic), and consists almost exclusively of small +and large--generally very large--blocks of stone, with, I should say, +occasional stationary crags. The blocks are in a measure rounded off, +but I have found no striation on them. The whole island barely rises +above the snow-field in which it lies, and which slopes in a gradual +decline down to the surrounding ice. On our west there is a bare +island, somewhat higher, which we have seen for several days. Along +the shore there is a decided strand-line (terrace). North of us are +two small islets and a small rock or skerry. + +"As I mentioned before (August 13th) I had at first supposed the sound +on our west to be Rawlinson's Sound, but this now appeared impossible, +as there was nothing to be seen of Dove Glacier, by which it is bounded +on one side. If this was now our position, we must have traversed the +glacier and Wilczek Land without noticing any trace of either; for we +had travelled westward a good half degree south of Cape Buda-Pesth. The +possibility that we could be in this region we consequently now held +to be finally excluded. We must have come to a new land in the western +part of Franz Josef Land or Archipelago, and so far west that we had +seen nothing of the countries discovered by Payer. But so far west +that we had not even seen anything of Oscar's Land, which ought to +be situated in 82° N. and 52° E.? This was indeed incomprehensible; +but was there any other explanation? + +"Saturday, August 17th. Yesterday was a good day. We are in open water +on the west coast of Franz Josef Land, as far as I can make out, and +may again hope to get home this year. About noon yesterday we walked +across the ice from our moraine-islet to the higher island west of +us. As I was ready before Johansen, I went on first to examine the +island a little. As he was following me he caught sight of a bear +on the level ice to leeward. It came jogging up against the wind +straight towards him. He had his gun ready, but when a little nearer +the bear stopped, reconsidered the situation, suddenly turned tail, +and was soon out of sight. + +"This island [49] we came to seemed to me to be one of the most +lovely spots on the face of the earth. A beautiful flat beach, +an old strand-line with shells strewn about, a narrow belt of +clear water along the shore, where snails and sea-urchins (Echinus) +were visible at the bottom and amphipoda were swimming about. In the +cliffs overhead were hundreds of screaming little auks, and beside us +the snow-buntings fluttered from stone to stone with their cheerful +twitter. Suddenly the sun burst forth through the light fleecy clouds, +and the day seemed to be all sunshine. Here were life and bare land; +we were no longer on the eternal drift-ice! At the bottom of the sea +just beyond the beach I could see whole forests of seaweed (Laminaria +and Fucus). Under the cliffs here and there were drifts of beautiful +rose-colored snow. [50] + +"On the north side of the island we found the breeding-place of numbers +of black-backed gulls; they were sitting with their young in ledges +of the cliffs. Of course we had to climb up and secure a photograph +of this unusual scene of family life, and as we stood there high up +on the cliff's side we could see the drift-ice whence we had come. It +lay beneath us like a white plain, and disappeared far away on the +horizon. Beyond this it was we had journeyed, and farther away still +the Fram and our comrades were drifting yet. + +"I had thought of going to the top of this island to get a better view, +and perhaps come nearer solving the problem of our whereabouts. But +when we were on the west side of it the mist came back and settled on +the top; we had to content ourselves with only going a little way up +the slope to look at our future course westward. Some way out we saw +open water; it looked like the sea itself, but before one could get +to it there was a good deal of ice. We came down again and started +off. Along the land there was a channel running some distance farther, +and we tried it, but it was covered everywhere with a thin layer of +new ice, which we did not dare to break through in our kayaks, and +risk cutting a hole in them; so, finally, a little way farther south +we put in to drag up the kayaks and take to the ice again. While we +were doing this one huge bearded seal after another stuck its head up +by the side of the ice and gazed wonderingly at us with its great eyes; +then, with a violent header, and splashing the water in all directions, +it would disappear, to come up again soon afterwards on the other +side. They kept playing around us, blowing, diving, reappearing, +and throwing themselves over so that the water foamed round them. It +would have been easy enough to capture one had we required it. + +"At last, after a good deal of exertion, we stood at the margin of +the ice; the blue expanse of water lay before us as far as the eye +could reach, and we thought that for the future we had to do with it +alone. To the north [51] there was land, the steep, black, basalt +cliffs of which fell perpendicularly into the sea. We saw headland +after headland standing out northward, and farthest off of all we +could descry a bluish glacier. The interior was everywhere covered +with an ice-sheet. Below the clouds, and over the land, was a strip +of ruddy night sky, which was reflected in the melancholy, rocking sea. + +"So we paddled on along the side of the glacier which covered the +whole country south of us. We became more and more excited as we +approached the headland to the west. Would the coast trend south +here, and was there no more land westward? It was this we expected +to decide our fate--decide whether we should reach home that year or +be compelled to winter somewhere on land. Nearer and nearer we came +to it along the edge of the perpendicular wall of ice. At last we +reached the headland, and our hearts bounded with joy to see so much +water--only water--westward, and the coast trending southwest. We +also saw a bare mountain projecting from the ice-sheet a little way +farther on; it was a curious high ridge, as sharp as a knife-blade. It +was as steep and sharp as anything I have seen; it was all of dark, +columnar basalt, and so jagged and peaked that it looked like a +comb. In the middle of the mountain there was a gap or couloir, +and there we crept up to inspect the sea-way southward. The wall of +rock was anything but broad there, and fell away on the south side +in a perpendicular drop of several hundred feet. A cutting wind was +blowing in the couloir. While we were lying there, I suddenly heard a +noise behind me, and on looking around I saw two foxes fighting over +a little auk which they had just caught. They clawed and tugged and +bit as hard as they could on the very edge of the chasm; then they +suddenly caught sight of us, not twenty feet away from them. They +stopped fighting, looked up wonderingly, and began to run around +and peep at us, first from one side, then from the other. Over us +myriads of little auks flew backward and forward, screaming shrilly +from the ledges in the mountain-side. So far as we could make out, +there appeared to be open sea along the land to the westward. The wind +was favorable, and although we were tired we decided to take advantage +of the opportunity, have something to eat, rig up mast and sail on +our canoes, and get afloat. We sailed till the morning, when the wind +went down, and then we landed on the shore-ice again and camped. [52] + +"I am as happy as a child in the thought that we are now at last +really on the west coast of Franz Josef Land, with open water before +us, and independent of ice and currents. + +"Wednesday, August 24th. The vicissitudes of this life will never come +to an end. When I wrote last I was full of hope and courage; and here +we are stopped by stress of weather for four days and three nights, +with the ice packed as tight as it can be against the coast. We +see nothing but piled-up ridges, hummocks, and broken ice in all +directions. Courage is still here, but hope--the hope of soon being +home--that was relinquished a long time ago, and before us lies the +certainty of a long, dark winter in these surroundings. + +"It was at midnight between the 17th and 18th that we set off from +our last camping-ground in splendid weather. Though it was cloudy and +the sun invisible, there was along the horizon in the north the most +glorious ruddy glow with golden sun-tipped clouds, and the sea lay +shining and dreamy in the distance: a marvellous night.... On the +surface of the sea, smooth as a mirror, without a block of ice as +far as the eye could reach, glided the kayaks, the water purling off +the paddles at every silent stroke. It was like being in a gondola on +the Canale Grande. But there was something almost uncanny about all +this stillness, and the barometer had gone down rapidly. Meanwhile, we +sped towards the headland in the south-southwest, which I thought was +about 12 miles off. [53] After some hours we espied ice ahead, but both +of us thought that it was only a loose chain of pieces drifting with +the current, and we paddled confidently on. But as we gradually drew +nearer we saw that the ice was fairly compact, and extended a greater +and greater distance; though from the low kayaks it was not easy to see +the exact extent of the pack. We accordingly disembarked and climbed +up on a hummock to find out our best route. The sight which met us +was anything but encouraging. Off the headland we were steering for +were a number of islets and rocks, extending some distance out to sea; +it was they that were locking the ice, which lay in every direction, +between them and outside them. Near us it was slack, but farther off +it looked much worse, so that further advance by sea was altogether +out of the question. Our only expedient was to take to the edge of +the shore-ice, and hope for the chance that a lane might run along it +some way farther on. On the way in we passed a seal lying on a floe, +and as our larder was beginning to grow empty, I tried to get a shot +at it, but it dived into the water before we came within range. + +"As we were paddling along through some small bits of ice my +kayak suddenly received a violent shock from underneath. I looked +round in amazement, as I had not noticed any large piece of ice +hereabouts. There was nothing of the kind to be seen either, but +worse enemies were about. No sooner had I glanced down than I saw a +huge walrus cleaving through the water astern, and it suddenly came +up, raised itself and stood on end just before Johansen, who was +following in my wake. Afraid lest the animal should have its tusks +through the deck of his craft the next minute, he backed as hard as +he could and felt for his gun, which he had down in the kayak. I was +not long either in pulling my gun out of its cover. The animal crashed +snorting into the water again, however, dived under Johansen's kayak, +and came up just behind him. Johansen, thinking he had had enough +of such a neighbor, scrambled incontinently on to the floe nearest +him. After having waited awhile, with my gun ready for the walrus to +come up close by me, I followed his example. I very nearly came in for +the cold bath which the walrus had omitted to give me, for the edge of +the ice gave way just as I set my foot on it, and the kayak drifted +off with me standing upright in it, and trying to balance it as best +I could, in order not to capsize. If the walrus had reappeared at that +moment I should certainly have received it in its own element. Finally, +I succeeded in getting up on to the ice, and for a long time afterwards +the walrus swam round and round our floe, where we made the best of the +situation by having dinner. Sometimes it was near Johansen's kayak, +sometimes near mine. We could see how it darted about in the water +under the kayaks, and it had evidently the greatest desire to attack +us again. We thought of giving it a ball to get rid of it, but had no +great wish to part with a cartridge, and, besides, it only showed us +its nose and forehead, which are not exactly the most vital spots to +aim at, when one's object is to kill with one shot. It was a great +ox-walrus. There is something remarkably fantastic and prehistoric +about these monsters. I could not help thinking of a merman, or +something of the kind, as it lay there just under the surface of +the water, blowing and snorting for quite a long while at a time, +and glaring at us with its round glassy eyes. After having continued +in this way for some time, it disappeared just as tracklessly as it +had come; and as we had finished our dinner we were able to go on our +way again, glad, a second time, not to have been upset or destroyed +by its tusks. The most curious thing about it was that it came so +entirely without warning--suddenly rising up from the deep. Johansen +had certainly heard a great splash behind him some time before, +which he took to be a seal, but perhaps it may have been the walrus. + +"The lane along the shore-ice gave us little satisfaction, as it +was completely covered with young ice and we could make no way. In +addition to this, a wind from the S.S.W. sprang up, which drove the +ice on to us, so there was nothing for it but to put in to the edge +of the ice and wait until it should slacken again. We spread out the +bag, folded the tent over us, and prepared for rest in the hope of +soon being able to go on. But this was not to be; the wind freshened, +the ice packed tighter and tighter, there was soon no open water to +be seen in any direction, and even the open sea, whence we had come, +disappeared; all our hopes of getting home that year sank at one +blow. After a while we realized that there was nothing to be done +but to drag our loads farther in on to the shore-ice and camp. To +try and haul the canoes farther over this pack, which was worse than +any ice we had come across since we began our voyage, we thought was +useless. We should get very little distance in the day, and it might +cost us dear with the kayaks on the short sledges, among all these +ridges and hummocks; and so we lay there day and night waiting for +the wind to go down or to change. But it blew from the same quarter +the whole time, and matters were not improved by a heavy fall of snow +which made the ice absolutely impracticable. + +"Our situation was not an attractive one; in front of us massive broken +sea-ice close by land, and the gods alone know if it will open again +this year; a good way behind us land [54] which looked anything but +inviting to spend the winter on; around us impassable ice, and our +provender very much on the decline. The south coast of the country +and Eira Harbor now appeared to our imagination a veritable land of +Canaan, and we thought that if only we were there all our troubles +would be over. We hoped to be able to find Leigh Smith's hut there, +or, at any rate, some remains of it, so that we should have something +to live in; and we also hoped that where there no doubt was much +open water it would be easy to find game. We regretted not having +shot some seals while they were numerous; on the night when we left +our last camping-place there were plenty of them about. As Johansen +was standing on the edge of the ice doing something to his kayak, +a seal came up just in front of him. He thought it was of a kind +he had not seen before, and shouted to me. But at the same moment +up came one black poll after another quiet and silent, from ten to +twenty in number, all gazing at him with their great eyes. He was +quite nonplussed, thought there was something uncanny about it, +and then they disappeared just as noiselessly as they had come. + +"I consoled him by telling him they really were of a kind we had not +seen before on our journey; they were young harp, or saddleback seal +(Phoca groenlandica). We saw several schools of them again later in +the day. + +"Meanwhile we killed time as best we could--chiefly by sleeping. On +the early morning of the 21st, just as I lay thinking what would +become of us if the ice should not slacken and we had no opportunity +of adding to our larder--the chances, I thought, did not seem very +promising--I heard something pawing and moving outside. It might, as +usual, be the packing of the ice, but still I thought it was more like +something on four legs. I jumped up, saying to Johansen that it must +be a bear, and then I suddenly heard it sniffing by the tent wall. I +peeped out through some holes in one side of it and saw nothing; +then I went across to a big hole on the other side of the tent, and +there I saw an enormous bear just outside. It caught sight of me, +too, at the same moment and slunk away, but then stopped again and +looked at the tent. I snatched my gun down from the tent-pole, stuck +it through the hole, and sent the bear a ball in the middle of the +chest. It fell forward; but raised itself again and struggled off, +so I had to give it the contents of the other barrel in the side. It +still staggered on, but fell down between some hummocks a little way +off. An unusually large he-bear, and for the time all our troubles +for food were ended. The wind, however, continued steadily from the +same quarter. As there was not much shelter where we were encamped, +and, furthermore, as we were uncomfortably near the ridge where the +ice was continually packing, we removed and took up our abode farther +in on the shore-ice, where we are still lying. Last night there was +a bear about again, but not quite so near the tent. + +"We went on an excursion inland [55] yesterday to see what our +prospects might be if we should be forced to spend a winter here. I +had hoped to find flatter ice farther in, but instead it grew worse +and worse the nearer we went to land, and right in by the headland +it was towering up, and almost impassable. The ice was piled against +the very wall of the glacier. We went up on the glacier and looked +at the sound to the north of the headland. A little way in the ice +appeared to be flatter, more like fjord-ice, but nowhere could we +see lanes where there might be a chance of capturing seal. There +was no place for a hut either about here; while, on the other hand, +we found on the south side of the headland quite a smiling spot where +the ground was fairly level, and where there was some herbage, and an +abundance of moss and stones for building purposes. But outside it, +again, the ice towered up on the shore in chaotic confusion on all +sides. It was a little more level in the direction of the fjord or +sound which ran far inland to the south, and there it soon turned to +flat fjord-ice; but there were no lanes there either where we could +hope to capture seal. There did not seem much prospect of game, but +we comforted ourselves with the reflection that there were tracks +of bears in every direction, and bears would, in case of necessity, +be our one resource for both food and clothes. In the cliffs above +us crowds of little auks had their nests, as on all such places +that we have passed by. We also saw a fox. The rock formation was a +coarse-grained basalt; but by the side of the glacier we discovered a +mound of loose, half-crumbled argillaceous schist, in which, however, +we did not find any fossils. Some blocks which we thought very much +like granite were also strewn about. [56] Everywhere along the beach +the glaciers were covered with red snow, which had a very beautiful +effect in the sunshine. + +"We were both agreed that it might be possible to winter here, +but hoped it was the first and last time we should set foot on the +spot. The way to it, too, was so bad that we hardly knew how we should +get the sledges and kayaks there. + +"To-day, at last, the change we have longed and waited for so long +has come. Last night the southwest wind quieted down; the barometer, +which I have been tapping daily in vain, has at last begun to rise +a little, and the wind has gone round to the opposite quarter. The +question now is whether, if it keep there, it will be able to drive +the ice out again." + +Here comes a great gap in my diary, and not till far on in the winter +(Friday, December 6th) do I write: "I must at last try and patch the +hole in my diary. There has been so much to see about that I have +got no writing done; that excuse, however, is no longer available, +as we sleep nearly the whole twenty-four hours." + +After having written my journal for August 24th I went out to look +for a better and more sheltered place, as the wind had changed, and +now blew straight into the tent. I hoped, too, that this land-wind +might open up the ice, and I therefore first set off to see whether +any sign of slackening was to be discovered at the edge of the +shore-ice; but the floes lay packed together as solidly as ever. I +found, however, a capital place for pitching the tent, and we were +busy moving thither when we suddenly discovered that the ice had +split off to the landward, and already there was a broad channel. We +certainly wanted the ice to open up, but not on our landward side; +and now it was a question of getting across on to the shore-ice again +at any price, so as not to drift out to sea with the pack. But the +wind had risen to a stiff breeze, and it seemed more than doubtful +whether we could manage to pull up against it, even for so short a +distance as across the channel. This was rapidly growing broader and +broader. We had, however, to make an attempt, and, therefore, set off +along the edge towards a spot farther east, which we thought would +give us a little more shelter for launching our kayaks. On arriving, +however, we found that it would be no easy matter to launch them +here either without getting them filled with water. It blew so that +the spoondrift was driven over the sea, and the spray was dashed +far in over the ice. There was little else to be done but to pitch +our tent and wait for better times. We were now more than ever in +need of shelter to keep the tent from being torn by the wind, but, +search and tramp up and down as we might, we could find no permanent +resting-place, and at last had to content ourselves with the scant +shelter of a little elevation which we thought would do. We had +not lain long before the gusts of wind made such onslaughts on the +tent that we found it advisable to take it down, to avoid having it +torn to pieces. We could now sleep securely in our bags beneath the +prostrate tent, and let the wind rage above us. After a time I awoke, +and noticed that the wind had subsided so much that we could once +more raise our tent, and I crept out to look at the weather. I was +less pleasantly surprised on discovering that we were already far +out to sea; we must have drifted eight or ten miles from land, and +between it and us lay open sea. The land now lay quite low, far off on +the horizon. In the meantime, however, the weather had considerably +improved, and we once more set out along the edge of the ice to try +to get our kayaks launched. But it was no easy matter. It was still +blowing hard, and the sea ran high. In addition to this, there were +a number of loose floes beyond, and these were in constant motion, so +that we had to be on the alert to prevent the kayaks from being crushed +between them. After some futile attempts we at length got afloat, +but only to discover that the wind and the waves were too strong; +we should scarcely be able to make any progress against them. Our +only resource, therefore, was to sail, if this were practicable. We +went alongside an ice promontory, lashed the kayaks together, raised +the mast, and again put to sea. We soon had our single sail hoisted, +and to our unspeakable satisfaction we now found that we got along +capitally. At last we should be able to bid farewell to the ice, +where we had been compelled to abandon our hope of reaching home +that year. We now continued sailing hour after hour, and made good +progress; but then the wind dropped too much for our single sail, +and I ventured to set the whole double sail. Hardly had we done so, +when the wind again sprang up, and we dashed foaming through the +water. This soon, however, became a little too much; the sea washed +over the lee kayak, the mast bent dangerously, and the situation did +not look very pleasant; there was nothing for it but to lower the +sail again as quickly as possible. The single sail was again hoisted, +and we were cured for some time of wishing to try anything more. + +We sailed steadily and well the whole day, and now at last had to +pass the difficult cape; but it was evening before we left it behind, +and now the wind dropped so much that the whole double sail had to be +hoisted again, and even then progress was slow. We kept on, however, +during the night, along the shore, determined to make as much use of +the wind as possible. We passed a low promontory covered by a gently +sloping glacier; [57] around it lay a number of islands, which must, +we thought, have held the ice fast. A little farther on we came under +some high basaltic cliffs, and here the wind dropped completely. As +it was also hazy, and we could discern land and islands both to right +and left of us, so that we did not know in what direction to steer, we +put in here, drew the kayaks up on shore, pitched the tent, and cooked +ourselves a good meal of warm food, which we relished greatly, from the +consciousness of having done a good day's work. Above our heads, all +up the face of the cliff, the little auks kept up a continual hubbub, +faithfully supported by the ivory-gulls, kittiwakes, burgomasters, +and skuas. We slept none the worse for that, however. This was a +beautiful mountain. It consisted of the finest columnar basalt one +could wish to see, with its buttresses and niches up the face of +the cliff, and its countless points and spires along every crest, +reminding one of Milan Cathedral. From top to bottom it was only +column upon column; at the base they were all lost in the talus. + +When we turned out the following morning, the weather had so far +cleared that we could better see the way we ought to take. It appeared +as if a deep fjord or sound ran in eastward in front of us; and our +way distinctly lay round a promontory which we had to the S.S.W. on +the other side of the fjord. In that direction the water appeared +to be open, while within the fjord lay solid ice, and out to sea +drift-ice lay everywhere. Through the misty atmosphere we could also +distinguish several islands. [58] Here, too, as we usually found in +the morning, a great quantity of ice had drifted in in the course of +the night--great, flat, and thin floes, which had settled themselves +in front of us--and it looked as if we should have hard work to get out +into open water. Things went a little better than we expected, however, +and we got through before it closed in entirely. In front of us now lay +open water right past the promontory far ahead; the weather was good, +and everything seemed to promise a successful day. As it began to blow +a little from the fjord, and we hoped it might become a sailing-wind, +we put in beside a little rocky island, which looked just like a great +stone [59] sticking up out of the sea, and there rigged up mast and +sail. But the sailing-wind came to nothing, and we were soon obliged to +unrig and take to paddling. We had not paddled far when the wind went +round to the opposite quarter, the southwest. It increased rapidly, +and soon the sea ran high, the sky became overcast in the south, +and it looked as if the weather might become stormy. We were still +several miles from the land on the other side of the fjord, and we +might have many hours of hard paddling before we gained it. This land, +too, looked far from inviting, as it lay there, entirely covered with +glacier from the summit right to the shore; only in one place did a +little rock emerge. To leeward we had the margin of the shore-ice, +low, and affording no protection. The waves broke right upon it, +and it would not be a good place to seek refuge in, should such a +proceeding become necessary; it would be best to get in under land +and see how the weather would turn out. We did not like the prospect +of once more being enclosed in the drift-ice; we had had enough of +that by this time, so we made for some land which lay a little way +behind us, and looked very inviting. Should matters turn out badly, +a good place for wintering in might be found there. + +Scarcely had I set foot on land when I saw a bear a little way up +the shore and drew up our kayaks to go and shoot it. In the meantime +it came shambling along the shore towards us, so we lay down quietly +behind the kayaks and waited. When close up to us it caught sight of +our footprints in the snow, and while it was sniffing at them Johansen +sent a bullet behind its shoulder. The bear roared and tried to run, +but the bullet had gone through the spine, and the hind part of its +body was paralyzed and refused to perform its functions. In perplexity +the bear sat down, and bit and tore its hind-paws until the blood +flowed; it was as if it were chastising them to make them do their +duty. Then it tried again to move away, but with the same result; the +hind part of its body was no longer amenable to discipline, and dragged +behind, so that it could only shuffle along on its fore-legs, going +round in a ring. A ball through the skull put an end to its sufferings. + +When we had skinned it we made an excursion inland to inspect our new +domain, and were now not a little surprised to see two walruses lying +quietly on the ice close to the spot where I had first caught sight +of the bear. This seemed to me to show how little heed walruses pay +to bears, who will never attack them if they can help it. I had more +decisive proofs of this subsequently. In the sea beyond we also saw +a walrus, which kept putting up its head and breathing so hard that +it could be heard a long way off. A little later I saw him approach +the edge of the ice and disappear, only to appear again in the +tidal channel close to the shore, a good way from the edge of the +ice. He struck his great tusks into the edge of the ice, while he +lay breathing hard, just like an exhausted swimmer. Then he raised +himself high up on his tusks, and looked across the ice towards the +others lying there, and then dived down again. He soon reappeared, +with a great deal of noise, farther in, and the same performance +was gone through again. A walrus's head is not a beautiful object +as it appears above the ice. With its huge tusks, its coarse whisker +bristles, and clumsy shape, there is something wild and goblin-like +about it which, I can easily understand, might inspire fear in more +superstitious times, and give rise to the idea of fabulous monsters, +with which in ancient days these seas were thought to swarm. At last +the walrus came up in the hole beside which the others were lying, +and raised himself a little way up on to the edge of the ice by his +tusks; but upon this the bigger of the two, a huge old bull, suddenly +awoke to life. He grunted menacingly, and moved about restlessly. The +new-comer bowed his head respectfully down to the ice, but soon pulled +himself cautiously up on to the floe, so as to get a hold with his +fore-paddle, and then drew himself a little way in. Now the old bull +was thoroughly roused. He turned round, bellowed, and floundered up +to the new-comer in order to dig his enormous tusks into his back. The +latter, who appeared to be the old bull's equal both as regards tusks +and size, bowed humbly, and laid his head down upon the ice just like +a slave before his sultan. The old bull returned to his companion, +and lay quietly down as before, but no sooner did the new-comer stir, +after having lain for some time in this servile posture, than the +old bull grunted and thrust at him, and he once more respectfully +drew back. This was repeated several times. At length, after much +manoeuvring backward and forward, the new-comer succeeded in drawing +himself on to the floe, and finally up beside the others. I thought the +tender passion must have something to do with these proceedings; but +I discovered afterwards that all three were males. And it is in this +friendly manner that walruses receive their guests. It appears to be a +specially chosen member of the flock that has these hospitable duties +to perform. I am inclined to think it is the leader, who is asserting +his dignity, and wishes to impress upon every new-comer that he is to +be obeyed. These animals must be exceedingly sociable, when, in spite +of such treatment, they thus constantly seek one another's society, +and always lie close together. When we returned a little later to +look at them another had arrived, and by the following morning six +lay there side by side. It is not easy to believe that these lumps +lying on the ice are living animals. With head drawn in and hind-legs +flat beneath the body, they will lie motionless hour after hour, +looking like enormous sausages. It is easy to see that these fellows +lie there in security, and fearful of nothing in the world. + +After having seen as much as we wanted of the walruses at close +quarters, we went back, prepared a good meal from the newly +slaughtered bear, and lay down to sleep. On the shore below the tent, +the ivory-gulls were making a fearful hubbub. They had gathered in +scores from all quarters, and could not agree as to the fair division +of the bear's entrails; they fought incessantly, filling the air with +their angry cries. It is one of nature's unaccountable freaks to have +made this bird so pretty, while giving it such an ugly voice. At a +little distance the burgomasters sat solemnly looking on and uttering +their somewhat more melodious notes. Out in the sea the walruses were +blowing and bellowing incessantly, but everything passed unheeded by +the two weary warriors in the tent; they slept soundly, with the bare +ground for their couch. In the middle of the night we were awakened, +however, by a peculiar sound; it was just like some one whimpering +and crying, and making great ado. I started up, and looked out of +the peep-hole. Two bears were standing down beside our bear's flesh, +a she-bear and her young one, and both sniffing at the bloody marks +in the snow, while the she-bear wailed as if mourning for a dear +departed one. I lost no time in seizing my gun, and was just putting it +cautiously out, when the she-bear caught sight of me at the peep-hole, +and off they both set, the mother in front, and the young one trotting +after as fast as it could. I just let them run--we had really no use +for them--and then we turned over and went to sleep again. + +Nothing came of the storm we had feared. The wind blew hard enough, +however, to rend and tear our now well-worn tent, and there was no +shelter where we lay. We hoped to go on on the following day, but +found, to our disappointment, that the way was blocked; the wind +had again driven the ice in. We must remain for the present where +we were; but in that case we would make ourselves as comfortable +as possible. The first thing to be done was to seek for a warm, +well-sheltered place for the tent, but this was not to be found. There +was nothing for it but to get something built up of stone. We quarried +stone in the débris at the bottom of the cliff, and got together as +much as we could. The only quarrying implement we had was a runner +that had been cut off a hand-sledge; but our two hands were what we +had to use most. We worked away during the night. What we had at +first only intended to be a shelter from the wind grew, little by +little, into four walls; and we now kept at it until we had finished +a small hut. It was nothing very wonderful, Heaven knows, not long +enough for a man of my height to lie straight inside--I had to stick +my feet out at the door--and just broad enough to admit of our lying +side by side and leave room for the cooking apparatus. It was worse, +however, with regard to the height. There was room to lie down, but +to sit up decently straight was an impossibility for me. The roof +was made of our thin and fragile silk tent, spread over snow-shoes +and bamboo rods. We closed the doorway with our coats, and the walls +were so loosely put together that we could see daylight between the +stones on all sides. We afterwards called it the den, and a dreadful +den it was, too; but we were none the less proud of our handiwork. It +would not blow down at any rate, even though the wind did blow right +through it. When we had got our bearskin in as a couch and lay warm +and comfortable in our bag, while a good potful of meat bubbled over +the train-oil lamp, we thought existence a pleasure; and the fact +of there being so much smoke that our eyes became red and the tears +streamed down our cheeks could not destroy our feeling of content. + +As progress southward was blocked also on the following day (August +28th), and as autumn was now drawing on, I at last resolved on +remaining here for the winter. I thought that we still had more than +138 miles to travel in order to reach Eira Harbor or Leigh Smith's +wintering-place. [60] It might take us a long time to get there, +and then we were not sure of finding any hut; and when we did get +there, it would be more than doubtful if, before the winter set in, +there would be time to build a house and also gather stores for +the winter. It was undoubtedly the safest plan to begin at once to +prepare for wintering while there was still plenty of game to be had; +and this was a good spot to winter in. The first thing I should like +to have done was to have shot the walruses that had been lying on +the ice during the first day or two; but now, of course, they were +gone. The sea, however, was swarming with them; they bellowed and blew +night and day, and, in order to be ready for an encounter with them, +we emptied our kayaks to make them more easy of manipulation in this +somewhat dangerous chase. While thus engaged, Johansen caught sight +of two bears--a she-bear and her cub--coming along the edge of the +ice from the south. We lost no time in getting our guns and setting +off towards them. By the time they reached the shore they were within +range, and Johansen sent a bullet through the mother's chest. She +roared, bit at the wound, staggered a few steps, and fell. The young +one could not make out what was the matter with its mother, and ran +round, sniffing at her. When we approached, it went off a little way +up the slope, but soon came back again and took up a position over +its mother, as if to defend her against us. A charge of small shot +put an end to its life. + +This was a good beginning to our winter store. As I was returning +to the hut to fetch the seal-knives, I heard cries in the air above +me. There were actually two geese flying south! With what longing +I looked after them as they disappeared, only wishing that I could +have followed them to the land towards which they were now wending +their flight! + +Next to food and fuel the most important thing was to get a hut +built. To build the walls of this was not difficult; there was +plenty of stone and moss. The roof presented greater difficulty, +and we had as yet no idea what to make it of. Fortunately, I found +a sound driftwood pine-log thrown up on to the shore not far from +our den; this would make a capital ridge-piece for the roof of our +future house. And if there was one, there might be others. One of our +first acts, therefore, was to make an excursion up along the shore +and search; but all we found was one short, rotten piece of wood, +which was good for nothing, and some chips of another piece. I then +began to think of using walrus-hides for the roof instead. + +The following day (August 29th) we prepared to try our luck at +walrus-hunting. We had no great desire to attack the animals in single +kayaks; we had had enough of that, I thought, and the prospect of +being upset or of having a tusk driven through the bottom of the +kayak or into one's thigh was not altogether alluring. The kayaks +were therefore lashed together, and, seated upon the ring, we put out +towards the big bull which lay and dived just outside. We were well +equipped with guns and harpoons, and thought that it was all quite +simple. Nor was it difficult to get within range, and we emptied our +barrels into the animal's head. It lay stunned for a moment, and we +rowed towards it, but suddenly it began to splash and whirl round +in the water, completely beside itself. I shouted out that we must +back, but it was too late: the walrus got under the kayaks, and we +received several blows underneath, in the violence of its contortions, +before it finally dived. It soon came up again, and now the sound of +its breathing resounded on all sides, while blood streamed from its +mouth and nostrils, and dyed the surrounding water. We lost no time +in rowing up to it and pouring a fresh volley into its head. Again it +dived, and we cautiously drew back, to avoid receiving an attack from +below. It soon appeared again, and we once more rowed up to it. These +manoeuvres were repeated, and each time it came to the surface it +received at least one bullet in the head, and grew more and more +exhausted; but, as it always faced us, it was difficult to give it +a mortal wound behind the ear. The blood, however, now flowed in +streams. During one of these manoeuvres I was in the act of placing +my gun hurriedly in its case on the deck, in order to row nearer, +forgetting that it was cocked, when all at once it went off. I was +rather alarmed, thinking the ball had gone through the bottom of the +kayak, and I began feeling my legs. They were uninjured, however, and +as I did not hear the water rushing in either I was reassured. The +ball had passed through the deck and out through the side a little +above the water-line. We had now had enough of this sport, however; +the walrus only lay gasping for breath, and just as we rowed towards it +it turned its head a little, and received two bullets just behind the +ear. It lay still, and we rowed up to throw our harpoon; but before we +got near enough it sank and disappeared. It was a melancholy ending to +the affair. In all, nine cartridges had been expended to no purpose, +and we silently rowed to shore, not a little crestfallen. We tried +no more walrus-hunting from kayaks that day; but we now saw that a +walrus had come up on to the shore-ice a little way off. Perhaps we +were to receive compensation there for the one we had just lost. It +was not long before another came up beside the first. After having +taken an observation and given them time to compose themselves, we set +off. Having bellowed and made a horrible noise out there for some time, +they now lay asleep and unsuspecting, and we stole cautiously up to +them, I in front and Johansen close at my heels. I first went up to +the head of the nearer one, which was lying with its back to us. As +it had drawn its head well down, and it was difficult to get a shot +at a vulnerable point, I passed behind it, and up to the head of the +other one. The animals still lay motionless, asleep in the sun. The +second was in a better position for a shot, and, when I saw Johansen +standing ready at the head of the first, I fired at the back of the +neck. The animal turned over a little, and lay there dead. At the +report the first started up, but at the same moment received Johansen's +bullet. Half stunned, it turned its gigantic body round towards us; +in a moment I had discharged the ball from my smooth-bore at it, but, +like Johansen, I hit too far forward in the head. The blood streamed +from its nostrils and mouth, and it breathed and coughed till the air +vibrated. Supporting itself upon its enormous tusks, it now lay still, +coughing blood like a consumptive person, and quite indifferent to +us. In spite of its huge body and shapeless appearance, which called +up to the imagination bogy, giant, and kraken, and other evil things, +there was something so gently supplicating and helpless in its round +eyes as it lay there that its goblin exterior and one's own need +were forgotten in pity for it. It almost seemed like murder. I put +an end to its sufferings by a bullet behind the ear, but those eyes +haunt me yet; it seemed as if in them lay the prayer for existence +of the whole helpless walrus race. But it is lost; it has man as its +pursuer. It cannot, however, be denied that we rejoiced at the thought +of all the meat and blubber we had now brought down in one encounter; +it made up for the cartridges expended upon the one that had sunk. But +we had not got them on land yet, and it would be a long piece of work +to get them skinned and cut up and brought home. The first thing we +did was to go after sledges and knives. As there was a possibility, +too, of the ice breaking off and being set adrift, I also thought +it wise to take the kayaks on the sledges at the same time, for it +had begun to blow a little from the fjord. But for this fortunate +precaution it is not easy to say what would have become of us. While +we were engaged in skinning, the wind rose rapidly, and soon became +a storm. To landward of us was the narrow channel or lane beside +which the walruses had been lying. I feared that the ice might open +here, and we drift away. While we worked I therefore kept an eye on +it to see if it grew broader. It remained unchanged, and we went on +skinning as fast as we could. When the first walrus was half skinned, +I happened to look landward across the ice, and discovered that it +had broken off a good way from us, and that the part on which we +stood had already been drifting for some time; there was black water +between us and the shore-ice, and the wind was blowing so that the +spray flew from the foaming waves. There was no time to be lost; it +was more than doubtful whether we should be able to paddle any great +distance against that wind and sea, but as yet the ice did not appear +to have drifted a greater distance from the land than we could cross, +if we made haste. We could not bring ourselves to give up entirely the +huge animals we had brought down, and we hurriedly cut off as much +flesh as we could get at and flung it into the kayaks. We then cut +off about a quarter of the skin, with the blubber on it, and threw it +on the top, and then set off for the shore. We had scarcely abandoned +our booty before the gulls bore down in scores upon the half-skinned +carcass. Happy creatures! Wind and waves and drifting were nothing to +them; they screamed and made a hubbub and thought what a feast they +were having. As long as we could see the carcasses as they drifted +out to sea, we saw the birds continually gathering in larger and +larger flocks about them like clouds of snow. In the meantime we were +doing our utmost to gain the ice, but it had developed cracks and +channels in every direction. We managed to get some distance in the +kayaks; but while I was crossing a wide channel on some loose floes I +alighted on such poor ice that it sank under my weight, and I had to +jump back quickly to escape a bath. We tried in several places, but +everywhere it sank beneath us and our sledges, and there was nothing +for it but to take to the water, keeping along the lee-side of the +ice. But we had not rowed far before we perceived that it was of +no use to have our kayaks lashed together in such a wind; we had to +row singly, and sacrifice the walrus hide and blubber, which it then +became impossible to take with us. At present it was lying across the +stern of both kayaks. While we were busy effecting these changes we +were surrounded, before we were aware of it, by ice, and had to pull +the kayaks up hastily to save them from being crushed. We now tried +to get out at several places, but the ice was in constant motion; +it ground round as in a whirlpool. If a channel opened, we had no +sooner launched our kayaks than it once more closed violently, and +we had to snatch them up in the greatest haste. Several times they +were within a hair's-breadth of being smashed. Meanwhile the storm +was steadily increasing, the spray dashed over us, and we drifted +farther and farther out to sea. The situation was not pleasant. + +At length, however, we got clear, and now discovered, to our joy, +that by exerting our utmost strength we could just force the kayaks on +against the wind. It was a hard pull, and our arms ached; but still +we crept slowly on towards land. The sea was choppy and bad, but our +kayaks were good sea-boats; and even mine, with the bullet-hole in it, +did so well that I kept to some extent dry. The wind came now and +then in such gusts that we felt as if it might lift us out of the +water and upset us; but gradually, as we drew nearer in under the +high cliffs, it became quieter, and at last, after a long time, we +reached the shore, and could take breath. We then rowed in smoother +water along the shore up to our camping-place. It was with genuine +satisfaction that we clambered on shore that night, and how unspeakably +comfortable it was to be lying again snugly within four walls in our +little den, wet though we were! A good potful of meat was prepared, +and our appetite was ravenous. It was, indeed, with sorrow that we +thought of the lost walruses now drifting out there in the storm; +but we were glad that we were not still in their company. + +I had not slept long, when I was awakened by Johansen, who said there +was a bear outside. Even when only half awake, I heard a strange, +low grunting just outside the doorway. I started up, seized my gun, +and crept out. A she-bear with two large cubs was going up the shore; +they had just passed close by our door. I aimed at the she-bear, but, +in my haste, I missed her. She started and looked round; and as she +turned her broadside to me I sent a bullet through her chest. She gave +a fearful roar, and all three started off down the shore. There the +mother dropped in a pool on the ice, but the young ones ran on and +rushed into the sea, dashing up the foam as they went, and began to +swim out. I hastened down to the mother, who was striving and striving +to get out of the pool, but in vain. To save ourselves the labor of +dragging the heavy animal out, I waited until she had drawn herself up +on to the edge, and then put an end to her existence. Meanwhile the +young ones had reached a piece of ice. It was very close quarters +for two, and only just large enough to hold them; but there they +sat, balancing and dipping up and down in the waves. Every now and +then one of them fell off, but patiently clambered up again. They +cried plaintively and incessantly, and kept looking towards land, +unable to understand why their mother was so long in coming. The +wind was still high, and they drifted quickly out to sea before it +with the current. We thought they would at last swim to land to look +for their mother, and that we must wait; we therefore hid ourselves +among the stones, so that they should not be afraid of coming on our +account. We could still hear them complaining, but the sound became +more and more distant, and they grew smaller and smaller out there +on the blue waves, till at last it was all we could do to distinguish +them as two white dots far out upon the dark plain. We had long been +tired of this, and went to our kayaks. But here a sad sight met our +eyes. All the walrus flesh which we had brought home with so much +trouble lay scattered about on the shore, torn and mangled; and every +bit of fat or blubber to be found on it had been devoured. The bears +must have been rummaging finely here while we slept. One of the kayaks +in which the meat had been lying was thrown half into the water, the +other high up among the stones. The bears had been right into them +and dragged out the meat; but, fortunately, they were none the worse, +so it was easy to forgive the bears, and we benefited by the exchange +of bear's flesh for walrus flesh. + +We then launched the kayaks, and put off to chase the young ones to +land. As soon as ever they saw us on the water they became uneasy, and +while we were still some way off one of them took to the water. The +other hesitated for a while, as if afraid of the water, while the +first waited impatiently; but at last they both went in. We made a +wide circuit round them, and began to drive them towards the land, one +of us on each side of them. It was easy to make them go in whatever +direction we wanted, and Johansen could not say enough in praise of +this simple method of getting bears from one place to another. We did +not need to row hard to keep up with them; we went slowly and easily, +but surely, towards land. We saw several walruses in the vicinity, but +fortunately escaped being attacked by any of them. From the very first +it was evident how much better the bear that first went into the water +swam, although it was the smaller and thinner. It waited, however, +patiently for the other, and kept it company; but at last the pace of +the latter became too slow for its companion, who struck out for the +shore, the distance between the two growing greater and greater. They +had kept incessantly turning their heads to look anxiously at us, and +now the one that was left behind looked round even more helplessly +than before. While I set off after the first bear, Johansen watched +the second, and we drove them ashore by our den, and shot them there. + +We had thus taken three bears on that day, and this was a good +set-off against our walruses, which had drifted out to sea, and, +what was no less fortunate, we found the sunken walrus from the day +before floating just at the edge of the shore. We lost no time in +towing it into a place of safety in a creek and making it fast. It +made a difference to our winter store. + +It was late before we turned in that night after having skinned the +bears, laid them in a heap, and covered them with the skins to prevent +the gulls from getting at them. We slept well, for we had to make up +for two nights. + +It was not until September 2d that we could set to work on the skinning +of our walrus, which still lay in the water. Close to our den there +was an opening in the strand-ice, [61] connecting the inner channel +between the strand-ice and the land with the outer sea. It was in this +opening that we had made it fast, and we hoped to be able to draw it on +land here; the glacier-ice went with a gentle incline right out into +the water, so that it seemed to promise well. We rounded off the edge +of the ice, made a tackle by drawing the rope through a loop we cut +in the skin of the head, used our broken-off runner of a sledge as a +handspike at the end of the rope, and cut notches in the ice up the +beach as a fulcrum for the handspike. But work and toil as we might, +it was all we could do to get the huge head up over the edge of the +ice. In the midst of this Johansen cried, "I say, look there!" I +turned. A large walrus was swimming straight up the channel towards +us. It did not seem to be in any hurry, but only opened wide its round +eyes, and gazed in astonishment at us and at what we were doing. I +suppose that, seeing a comrade, it had come in to see what we were +doing with him. Quietly, slowly, and with dignity it came right up to +the edge where we stood. Fortunately we had our guns with us, and when +I approached with mine it only rose up in the water and gazed long +and searchingly at me. I waited patiently until it turned a little, +and then sent a bullet into the back of its head. It was stunned for a +time, but soon began to move, so that more shots were required. While +Johansen ran for cartridges and a harpoon I had to fight with it as +I best could, and try to prevent it, with a stick, from splashing +out of the channel again. At last Johansen returned, and I did for +this walrus. We were delighted over our good fortune; but what the +walrus wanted in that narrow channel we have always wondered. These +animals must be uncommonly curious. While we were skinning the bears +two days before, a walrus with its young one came close in to the +edge of the ice and gazed at us; it dived several times, but always +returned, and at last drew the whole of the forepart of its body +up on to the ice in order to see better. This it did several times, +and my approaching to within a few yards of it did not drive it away; +it was only when I went up close to it with my gun that it suddenly +came to its senses and threw itself backward into the water again, and +we could see it far below moving off with its young one by its side. + +We now had two great walruses with enormous tusks floating in our +channel. We tried once more to drag one of them up, but the attempt +was as unsuccessful as before. At last we saw that our only course +was to skin them in the water; but this was neither an easy nor an +agreeable task. When at last, late in the evening, we had got one side +of one animal skinned, it was low-water; the walrus lay on the bottom, +and there was no possibility of turning it over, no matter how we +toiled and pulled. We had to wait for high tide the following day, +in order to get at the other side. + +While we were busy with the walruses that day we suddenly saw the +whole fjord white with white whales gambolling all round as far as the +eye could see. There was an incredible number of them. In the course +of an hour they had entirely disappeared. Where they came from and +whither they went I was not able to discover. + +During the succeeding days we toiled at our task of skinning and +cutting up the walruses, and bringing all up into a safe place on the +beach. It was disgusting work, lying on the animals out in the water +and having to cut down as far as one could reach below the surface of +the water. We could put up with getting wet, for one gets dry in time; +but what was worse was that we could not avoid being saturated with +blubber and oil and blood from head to foot; and our poor clothes, that +we should have to live in for another year before we could change, +fared badly during those days. They so absorbed oil that it went +right through to the skin. This walrus business was unquestionably +the worst work of the whole expedition, and had it not been a sheer +necessity we should have let the animals lie where they were; but we +needed fuel for the winter, even if we could have done without the +meat. When at last the task was completed, and we had two great heaps +of blubber and meat on shore, well covered by the thick walrus hides, +we were not a little pleased. + +During this time the gulls were living in luxury. There was abundance +of refuse, blubber, entrails, and other internal organs. They gathered +in large flocks from all quarters, both ivory and glaucus gulls, and +kept up a perpetual screaming and noise both night and day. When they +had eaten as much as they could manage they generally sat out on the +ice-hummocks and chattered together. When we came down to skin they +withdrew only a very little way from the carcasses, and sat waiting +patiently in long rows on the ice beside us, or, led on by a few bold +officers, drew continually nearer. No sooner did a little scrap of +blubber fall than two or three ivory-gulls would pounce upon it, often +at our very feet, and fight over it until the feathers flew. Outside +the fulmars were sailing in their silent, ghost-like flight to and +fro over the surface of the water. Up and down the edge of the shore +flocks of kittiwakes moved incessantly, darting like an arrow, with +a dull splash, towards the surface of the water, whenever a little +crustacean appeared there. We were particularly fond of these birds, +for they kept exclusively to the marine animals and left our blubber +alone; and then they were so light and pretty. But up and down along +the shore the skua (Stercorarius crepidatus) chased incessantly, and +every now and again we were startled by a pitiful cry of distress +above our heads; it was a kittiwake pursued by a skua. How often +we followed with our eyes that wild chase up in the air, until at +last the kittiwake had to drop its booty, and down shot the skua, +catching it even before it touched the water! Happy creatures that +can move with such freedom up there! Out in the water lay walruses, +diving and bellowing, often whole herds of them; and high up in +the air, to and fro, flew the little auks in swarms; you could hear +the whir of their wings far off. There were cries and life on all +sides. But soon the sun will sink, the sea will close in, the birds +will disappear one after another towards the south, the polar night +will begin, and there will be profound, unbroken silence. + +It was with pleasure that we at last, on September 7th, set to work +to build our hut. We had selected a good site in the neighborhood, +and from this time forward we might have been seen daily going out in +the morning like other laborers, with a can of drinking-water in one +hand and a gun in the other. We quarried stones up among the débris +from the cliff, dragged them together, dug out the site, and built +walls as well as we could. We had no tools worth mentioning; those +we used most were our two hands. The cut-off sledge-runner again did +duty as a pick with which to loosen the fast-frozen stones, and when +we could not manage to dig up the earth on our site with our hands we +used a snow-shoe staff with an iron ferrule. We made a spade out of +the shoulder-blade of a walrus tied to a piece of a broken snow-shoe +staff, and a mattock out of a walrus tusk tied to the crosstree of +a sledge. They were poor things to work with, but we managed it with +patience, and little by little there arose solid walls of stone with +moss and earth between. The weather was growing gradually colder, +and hindered us not a little in our work. The soil we had to dig +in hardened, and the stones that had to be quarried froze fast; +and there came snow too. But great was our surprise when we crept +out of our den on the morning of the 12th of September to find the +most delightful thaw, with 4° (C.) of heat (39.2° Fahr.). This was +almost the highest temperature we had experienced throughout the +expedition. On every side streams were tumbling in foaming falls +down from mountain and glacier, humming along merrily among the +stones down to the sea. Water trickled and tinkled everywhere; +as if by a stroke of magic, life had returned to frozen nature, +and the hill looked green all over. One could fancy one's self far +south, and forget that a long, long winter was drawing near. The day +after, everything was changed again. The gentle gods of the south, +who yesterday had put forth their last energies, had once more fled; +the cold had returned, snow had fallen and covered every trace: it +would not yield again. This little strip of bare ground, too, was in +the power of the genii of the cold and darkness; they held sway now, +right down to the sea. I stood looking out over it. How desolate and +forsaken this spell-bound nature looked! My eye fell upon the ground +at my feet. Down there among the stones, the poppy still reared its +beautiful blossoms above the snow; the last rays of the departing +sun would once more kiss its yellow petals, and then it would creep +beneath its covering to sleep through the long winter, and awake +again to new life in the spring. Ah to be able to do the same! + +After a week's work the walls of our hut were finished. They were not +high, scarcely 3 feet above the ground; but we had dug down the same +distance into the ground, so we reckoned that it would be high enough +to stand up in. Now the thing was to get it roofed, but this was not so +easy. The only materials we had towards it were, as before mentioned, +the log we had found and the walrus hides. The log, which was quite +12 inches across, Johansen at last, after a day's work, succeeded in +cutting in two with our little axe, and with no less labor we rolled +it up over the talus and on to the level, and it was laid on the roof +as the ridgepiece. Then there were the hides; but they were stiff and +frozen fast to the meat and blubber heaps which they covered. With much +difficulty we at length loosened them by using wedges of walrus tusks, +stone, and wood. To transport these great skins over the long distance +to our hut was a no less difficult matter. However, by rolling them, +carrying them, and dragging them we accomplished this too; but to +get the frozen skins stretched over the hut was the worst of all. We +got on pretty well with three half-skins, just managing to bend them +a little; but the fourth half was frozen quite stiff, and we had to +find a hole in the ice, and sink it in the sea, to thaw it. + +It was almost a cause for anxiety, I thought, that all this time +we saw nothing of any bears. They were what we had to live upon all +through the winter, and the six we had would not go far. I thought, +however, that it might easily be accounted for, as the fjord-ice, +to which the bear prefers to keep, had taken its departure on the +day when we had nearly drifted out to sea with the walruses, and I +thought that, when the ice now formed again, bears would appear once +more. It was therefore a relief when one morning (September 23d) +I caught sight of a bear in front of me, just as I came round the +promontory to look at the skin that we had in soak in the sea. It was +standing on the shore close by the skin. It had not seen me, and I +quickly drew back to let Johansen, who was following with his gun, +pass me, while I ran back to fetch mine. When I returned, Johansen +lay on the same spot behind a stone, and had not fired. There were +two bears, one by the hut and one by the shore; and Johansen could +not get up to the one without being seen by the other. When I had +gone after my gun the bear had turned its steps towards the hut; +but just as it reached it Johansen suddenly saw two bear's paws come +quickly over the edge of the wall and hit out at the first bear, and +a head followed immediately after. This fellow was busily gnawing at +our roof hides, which he had torn down and bent, so that we had to +put them into the sea too, to get them thawed. The first bear had to +retreat to the shore once more, where we afterwards discovered it had +drawn up our hide and had been scraping the fat off it. Under cover +of some hummocks we now ran towards it. It noticed us, and set off +running, and I was only able to send a bullet through its body from +behind. Shouting out to Johansen that he must look after the other +bear, I set off running, and after a couple of hours' pursuit up +the fjord I at last chased it up under the wall of a glacier, where +it prepared to defend itself. I went right up to it, but it growled +and hissed, and made one or two attacks on me from the elevation on +which it stood before I finally put an end to its existence. When +I got back Johansen was busy skinning the other bear. It had been +alarmed by us when we attacked the first, and had gone a long way +out over the ice; it had then returned to look for its companion, +and Johansen had shot it. Our winter store was increasing. + +The next day (September 24th), as we were setting out to work at +our hut, we saw a large herd of walruses lying out on the ice. We +had both had more than enough of these animals, and had very little +inclination for them. Johansen was of candid opinion that we had no +need for them, and could let them lie in peace; but I thought it was +rather improvident to have food and fuel lying at one's very door +and make no use of them so we set off with our guns. To steal up to +the animals, under cover of some elevations on the ice, was a matter +of small difficulty, and we had soon come within 40 feet of them, +and could lie there quietly and watch them. The point was to choose +one's victim, and make good use of one's shot, so as not to waste +cartridges. There were both old and young animals, and, having had +more than enough of big ones, we decided to try for the two smallest +that we could see; we thought we had no need of more than two. As +we lay waiting for them to turn their heads and give us the chance +of a good shot, we had plenty of opportunity to watch them. They are +strange animals. They lay incessantly poking one another in the back +with their huge tusks, both the big old ones and the little young +ones. If one of them turned over a little, so as to come near and +disturb his neighbor, the latter immediately raised itself, grunting, +and dug its tusks into the back of the first. It was by no means a +gentle caress, and it is well for them that they have such a thick +hide; but, as it was, the blood ran down the backs of several of +them. The other would, perhaps, start up too, and return the little +attention in the same manner. But it was when another guest came up +from the sea that there was a stir in the camp; they all grunted in +chorus, and one of the old bulls that lay nearest to the new arrival +gave him some well-meant blows. The new-comer, however, drew himself +cautiously up, bowed respectfully, and little by little drew himself +in among the others, who also then gave him as many blows as time and +circumstances would permit, until they finally composed themselves +again, and lay quiet until another interruption came. We waited in +vain for the animals we had picked out to turn their heads enough +to let us get a good shot; but as they were comparatively small we +thought that a bullet in the middle of the forehead might be enough +for them, and at last we fired. They started up, however, and turned +over, half stunned, into the water. Then there was a commotion! The +whole herd quickly raised their ugly heads, glared at us, and one +by one plunged out over the edge of the ice. We had hastily loaded +again, and as it was not difficult now to get a good shot we fired, +and there lay two animals, one young and one old. Most of the others +dived, only one remaining quietly lying, and looking wonderingly, +now at its two dead companions, and now at us as we came up to it. We +did not quite know what to do; we thought that the two that were now +lying there would give us more than enough to do, but nevertheless it +was tempting to take this great monster as well, while we were about +it. While Johansen was standing with his gun, considering whether he +should fire or not, I took the opportunity of photographing both him +and the walrus. It ended, however, in our letting it go unharmed; +we did not think we could afford to sacrifice more cartridges upon +it. Meantime the water beyond was seething with furious animals, +as they broke up the ice round about and filled the air with their +roaring. The big bull himself seemed especially anxious to get at us; +he kept returning to the edge of the ice, getting half up on to it +to grunt and bellow at us and look long at his dead comrades, whom +he evidently wished to take with him. But we would not waste more +cartridges upon them, and he threw himself back, only to return again +immediately. Gradually the whole herd departed, and we could hear the +big bull's grunting becoming more and more distant; but suddenly his +huge head appeared again at the edge of the ice, close to us, as he +challenged us with a roar, and then disappeared again as quickly as +he had come. This was repeated three or four times after our having in +the intervals heard him far out; but at last he disappeared entirely, +and we continued our work of skinning in peace. We very quickly skinned +the smaller of the walruses; it was easy to manipulate compared to +those we were accustomed to. The other, however, was a great fellow +that could not be easily turned over in the hollow in the snow where +he lay; so we contented ourselves with skinning one side from head +to tail, and then went home again with our blubber and skins. We now +thought we should have blubber enough for winter fuel, and had also +abundance of skins for covering the roof of our hut. + +The walruses still kept near us for some time. Every now and then we +would hear some violent blows on the ice from beneath, two or three in +succession, and then a great head would burst up with a crash through +the ice. It would remain there for a time panting and puffing so that +it would be heard a long way off, and then vanish again. On September +25th, while we were pulling our roof hides out of the water at a hole +near the shore, we heard the same crashing in the ice a little farther +out, and a walrus came up and then dived again. "Look there! It won't +be long before we have him in this hole." The words were scarcely +spoken, when our hide in the water was pushed aside and a huge head, +with bristles and two long tusks, popped up in front of us. It gazed +fixedly and wickedly at us standing there, then there was a tremendous +splash and it was gone. + +Our hides were now so far softened in the sea that we could stretch +them over the roof. They were so long that they reached from one side +of the hut right over the ridge-piece down to the other side, and +we stretched them by hanging large stones at both ends, attached by +strips of hide, thus weighing them down over the edges of the wall, +and we then piled stones upon them. By the aid of stones, moss, +strips of hide, and snow to cover everything, we made the edges of +the walls to some extent close-fitting. To make the hut habitable we +still had to construct benches of stone to lie upon inside it, and +also a door. This consisted of an opening in one corner of the wall, +which led into a short passage dug out in the ground and subsequently +roofed over with blocks of ice, on very much the same principle as the +passage to an Eskimo's house. We had not dug this passage so long as we +wished before the ground was frozen too hard for our implements. It was +so low that we had to creep through it in a squatting posture to get +into the hut. The inner opening was covered with a bearskin curtain, +sewed firmly to the walrus hide of the roof; the outer end was covered +with a loose bearskin laid over the opening. It began to grow cold now, +as low as -20° C. (4° below zero, Fahr.); and living in our low den, +where we had not room to move, became more and more intolerable. The +smoke, too, from the oil-lamp, when we did any cooking, always affected +our eyes. We grew daily more impatient to move into our new house, +which now appeared to us the acme of comfort. Our ever-recurring remark +while we were building was, how nice and snug it would be when we got +in, and we depicted to each other the many pleasant hours we should +spend there. We were, of course, anxious to discover all the bright +points that we could in our existence. The hut was certainly not +large; it was 10 feet long and 6 feet wide, and when you lay across +it you kicked the wall on one side and butted it on the other. You +could move in it a little, however, and even I could almost stand +upright under the roof. This was a thought which especially appealed +to us. Fancy having a place sheltered from the wind where you could +stretch your limbs a little! We had not had that since last March, +on board the Fram. It was long, however, before everything was in +order, and we would not move in until it was quite finished. + +The day we had skinned our last walruses I had taken several tendons +from their backs, thinking they might be very useful when we made +ourselves clothes for the winter, for we were entirely without thread +for that purpose. Not until a few days afterwards (September 26th) +did I recollect that these tendons had been left on the ice beside the +carcasses. I went out there to look for them, but found, to my sorrow, +that gulls and foxes had long since made away with them. It was some +comfort, however, to find traces of a bear, which must have been at +the carcasses during the night, and as I looked about I caught sight +of Johansen running after me, making signs and pointing out towards +the sea. I turned that way, and there was a large bear, walking to +and fro and looking at us. We had soon fetched our guns, and while +Johansen remained near the land to receive the bear if it came that +way, I made a wide circuit round it on the ice to drive it landward, +if it should prove to be frightened. In the meantime, it had lain +down out there beside some holes, I suppose to watch for seals. I +stole up to it; it saw me and at first came nearer, but then thought +better of it, and moved away again, slowly and majestically, out over +the new ice. I had no great desire to follow it in that direction, +and though the range was long I thought I must try it. First one +shot; it passed over. Then one more; that hit. The bear started, +made several leaps, and then in anger struck the ice until it broke, +and the bear fell through. There it lay, splashing and splashing and +breaking the thin ice with its weight as it tried to get out again. I +was soon beside it, but did not want to sacrifice another cartridge; +I had faint hopes, too, that it would manage to get out of the water by +itself, and thus save us the trouble of dragging such a heavy animal +out. I called to Johansen to come with a rope, sledges, and knives, +and in the meantime I walked up and down waiting and watching. The bear +labored hard, and made the opening in the ice larger and larger. It +was wounded in one of its fore-legs, so that it could use only the +other, and the two hind-legs. It kept on taking hold and pulling +itself up. But no sooner had it got half up than the ice gave way, +and it sank down again. By degrees its movements became more and +more feeble, till at last it only lay still and panted. Then came a +few spasms, its legs stiffened, its head sank down into the water, +and all was still. While I was walking up and down I several times +heard walruses round about, as they butted holes in the ice and +put their heads through; and I was thinking to myself that I should +soon have them here too. At that moment the bear received a violent +blow from beneath, pushing it to one side, and up came a huge head +with great tusks; it snorted, looked contemptuously at the bear, +then gazed for a while wonderingly at me as I stood on the ice, and +finally disappeared again. This had the effect of making me think the +old solid ice a little farther in a pleasanter place of sojourn than +the new ice. My suspicion that the walrus entertains no fear for the +bear was more than ever strengthened. At last Johansen came with a +rope. We slipped a running noose round the bear's neck and tried to +haul it out, but soon discovered that this was beyond our power; all +we did was to break the ice under the animal, wherever we tried. It +seemed hard to have to give it up; it was a big bear and seemed to be +unusually fat; but to continue in this way until we had towed up to +the edge of the thick ice would be a lengthy proceeding. By cutting +quite a narrow crack in the new ice, only wide enough to draw the +rope through, up to the edge of a large piece of ice which was quite +near, we got pretty well out of the difficulty. It was now an easy +matter to draw the bear thither under the ice, and after breaking +a sufficiently large hole we drew it out there. At last we had got +it skinned and cut up, and, heavily laden with our booty, we turned +our steps homeward late in the evening to our den. As we approached +the beach where our kayaks were lying upon one of our heaps of +walrus blubber and meat, Johansen suddenly whispered to me, "I say, +look there!" I looked up, and there stood three bears on the heaps, +tearing at the blubber. They were a she-bear and two young ones. "Oh +dear!" said I; "shall we have to set to at bears again?" I was tired, +and, to tell the truth, had far more desire for our sleeping-bag and +a good potful of meat. In a trice we had got our guns out, and were +approaching cautiously; but they had caught sight of us, and set off +over the ice. It was with an undeniable feeling of gratitude that we +watched their retreating forms. A little later, while I was standing +cutting up the meat and Johansen had gone to fetch water, I heard him +whistle. I looked up, and he pointed out over the ice. There in the +dusk were the three bears coming back--our blubber-heap had been too +tempting for them. I crept with my gun behind some stones close to the +heap. The bears came straight on, looking neither to right nor left, +and as they passed me I took as good an aim at the she-bear as the +darkness would allow, and fired. She roared, bit her side, and all +three set off out over the ice. There the mother fell, and the young +ones stood astonished and troubled beside her until we approached, +when they fled, and it was impossible to get within range of them. They +kept at a respectful distance, and watched us while we dragged the +dead bear to land and skinned it. When we went out next morning, +they were standing sniffing at the skin and meat; but before we +could get within range they saw us, and were off again. We now +saw that they had been there all night, and had eaten up their own +mother's stomach, which had contained some pieces of blubber. In the +afternoon they returned once more; and again we attempted, but in +vain, to get a shot at them. Next morning (Saturday, September 28th), +when we crawled out, we caught sight of a large bear lying asleep on +our blubber-heap. Johansen crept up close to it under cover of some +stones. The bear heard something moving, raised its head, and looked +round. At the same instant Johansen fired, and the bullet went right +through the bear's throat, just below the cranium. It got slowly up, +looked contemptuously at Johansen, considered a little, and then walked +quietly away with long, measured steps, as if nothing had happened. It +soon had a couple of bullets from each of us in its body, and fell +out on the thin ice. It was so full of food that, as it lay there, +blubber and oil and water ran out of its mouth on to the ice, which +began gradually to sink under its weight, until it lay in a large +pool, and we hastily dragged it in to the shore, before the ice gave +way beneath it. It was one of the largest bears I have ever seen, +but also one of the leanest; for there was not a trace of fat upon +it, neither underneath the skin nor among the entrails. It must have +been fasting for a long time and been uncommonly hungry; for it had +consumed an incredible quantity of our blubber. And how it had pulled +it about! First it had thrown one kayak off, then it had scattered +the blubber about in all directions, scraping off the best of the +fat upon almost every single piece; then it had gathered the blubber +together again in another place, and then, happy with the happiness +of satiety, had lain down to sleep upon it, perhaps so as to have it +handy when it woke up again. Previous to attacking the blubber-heap it +had accomplished another piece of work, which we only discovered later +on. It had killed both the young bears that had been visiting us; +we found them not far off, with broken skulls and frozen stiff. We +could see by the footprints how it had run after them out over the +new ice, first one and then the other, and had dragged them on land, +and laid them down without touching them again. What pleasure it can +have in doing this I do not understand, but it must have regarded +them as competitors in the struggle for food. Or was it, perhaps, +a cross old gentleman who did not like young people? "It is so nice +and quiet here now," said the ogre, when he had cleared the country. + +Our winter store now began quite to inspire confidence. + +At length, on the evening of that day, we moved into our new hut; +but our first night there was a cold one. Hitherto we had slept in +one bag all the time, and even the one we had made by sewing together +our two blankets had been fairly adequate. But now we thought it +would not be necessary to sleep in one bag any longer, as we should +make the hut so warm by burning train-oil lamps in it that we could +very well lie each in our own berth with a blanket over us, and so +we had unpicked the bag. Lamps were made by turning up the corners +of some sheets of German silver, filling them with crushed blubber, +and laying in this, by way of a wick, some pieces of stuff from the +bandages in the medicine-bag. They burned capitally, and gave such a +good light, too, that we thought it looked very snug; but it neither +was nor ever would be sufficient to warm our still rather permeable +hut, and we lay and shivered with cold all night. We almost thought +it was the coldest night we had had. Breakfast next morning tasted +excellent, and the quantity of bear-broth we consumed in order to put +a little warmth into our bodies is incredible. We at once decided to +alter this by making along the back wall of the hut a sleeping-shelf +broad enough for us to lie beside one another. The blankets were +sewed together again, we spread bearskins under us, and were as +comfortable as we could be under the circumstances; and we made no +further attempt to part company at night. It was impossible to make +the substratum at all even, with the rough, angular stones which, +now that everything was frozen, were all we had at our disposal, +and therefore we lay tossing and twisting the whole winter to find +something like a comfortable place among all the knobs. But it was +hard, and remained so; and we always had some tender spots on our +body, and even sores on our hips, with lying. But, for all that, +we slept. In one corner of the hut we made a little hearth to boil +and roast upon. In the roof above we cut a round hole in the walrus +hide, and made a smoke-board up to it of bearskin. We had not used +this hearth long before we saw the necessity of building a chimney +to prevent the wind from beating down, and so filling the hut with +smoke as to make it sometimes intolerable. The only materials we +had for building this were ice and snow; but with these we erected +a grand chimney on the roof, which served its purpose, and made a +good draught. It was not quite permanent, however; the hole in it +constantly widened with use, and it was not altogether guiltless of +sometimes dripping down on to the hearth; but there was abundance of +this building material, and it was not difficult to renew the chimney +when it was in need of repair. This had to be done two or three times +during the course of the winter. On more exposed spots we employed +walrus flesh, bone, and such-like materials to strengthen it. + +Our cookery was as simple as possible. It consisted in boiling +bear's flesh and soup (bouillon) in the morning and frying steak +in the evening. We consumed large quantities at every meal, and, +strange to say, we never grew tired of this food, but always ate it +with a ravenous appetite. We sometimes either ate blubber with it or +dipped the pieces of meat in a little oil. A long time might often +pass when we ate almost nothing but meat, and scarcely tasted fat; +but when one of us felt inclined for it again he would, perhaps, +fish up some pieces of burnt blubber out of the lamps, or eat what +was left of the blubber from which we had melted the lamp-oil. We +called these cakes, and thought them uncommonly nice, and we were +always talking of how delicious they would have been if we could have +had a little sugar on them. + +We still had some of the provisions we had brought from the Fram, but +these we decided not to use during the winter. They were placed in a +depot to be kept until the spring, when we should move on. The depot +was well loaded with stones to prevent the foxes from running away +with the bags. They were impudent enough already, and took all the +movable property they could lay hold of. I discovered, for instance, +on October 10th, that they had gone off with a quantity of odds and +ends I had left in another depot during the erection of the hut; +they had taken everything that they could possibly carry with them, +such as pieces of bamboo, steel wire, harpoons and harpoon-lines, +my collection of stones, mosses, etc., which were stored in small +sail-cloth bags. Perhaps the worst of all was that they had gone +off with a large ball of twine, which had been our hope and comfort +when thinking of the time when we should want to make clothes, shoes, +and sleeping-bags of bearskin for the winter; for we had reckoned on +making thread out of the twine. It was fortunate that they had not gone +off with the theodolite and our other instruments which stood there; +but these must have been too heavy for them. I was angry when I made +this discovery, and, what made it more aggravating, it happened on my +birthday. And matters did not improve when, while hunting about in +the twilight on the beach above the place where the things had been +lying, to see if I could at any rate discover tracks to show which way +those demons had taken them, I met a fox that stopped at a distance +of 20 feet from me, sat down, and uttered some exasperating howls, so +piercing and weird that I had to stop my ears. It was evidently on its +way to my things again, and was now provoked at being disturbed. I got +hold of some large stones and flung them at it. It ran off a little +way, but then seated itself upon the edge of the glacier and howled +on, while I went home to the hut in a rage, lay down, and speculated +as to what we should do to be revenged on the obnoxious animals. We +could not spare cartridges to shoot them with, but we might make a +trap of stones. This we determined to do, but nothing ever came of +it; there were always so many other things to occupy us at first, +while we still had the opportunity, before the snow covered the talus, +and while it was light enough to find suitable stones. Meanwhile the +foxes continued to annoy us. One day they had taken our thermometer, +[62] which we always kept outside the hut, and gone off with it. We +searched for it in vain for a long time, until at last we found it +buried in a heap of snow a little way off. From that time we were +very careful to place a stone over it at night, but one morning found +that the foxes had turned over the stone, and had gone off with the +thermometer again. The only thing we found this time was the case, +which they had thrown away a little way off. The thermometer itself +we were never to see again; the snow had unfortunately drifted in +the night, so that the tracks had disappeared. Goodness only knows +what fox-hole it now adorns; but from that day we learned a lesson, +and henceforward fastened our last thermometer securely. + +Meanwhile time passed. The sun sank lower and lower, until on October +15th we saw it for the last time above the ridge to the south; the +days grew rapidly darker, and then began our third polar night. + +We shot two more bears in the autumn, one on the 8th and one on +the 21st of October; but from that time we saw no more until the +following spring. When I awoke on the morning of October 8th I heard +the crunching of heavy steps in the snow outside, and then began a +rummaging about among our meat and blubber up on the roof. I could hear +it was a bear, and crept out with my gun; but when I came out of the +passage I could see nothing in the moonlight. The animal had noticed +me, and had already disappeared. We did not altogether regret this, +as we had no great desire to set to at the cold task of skinning now, +in a wind, and with 39° (70.2° Fahr.) of frost. + +There was not much variety in our life. It consisted in cooking and +eating breakfast in the morning. Then, perhaps, came another nap, +after which we would go out to get a little exercise. Of this, however, +we took no more than was necessary, as our clothes, saturated as they +were with fat, and worn and torn in many places, were not exactly +adapted for remaining in the open air in winter. Our wind clothes, +which we should have had outside as a protection against the wind, +were so worn and torn that we could not use them; and we had so little +thread to patch them with that I did not think we ought to use any +of it until the spring, when we had to prepare for our start. I had +counted on being able to make ourselves clothes of bearskins, but +it took time to cleanse them from all blubber and fat, and it was +even a slower business getting them dried. The only way to do this +was to spread them out under the roof of the hut; but there was room +for only one at a time. When at last one was ready we had, first of +all, to use it on our bed, for we were lying on raw, greasy skins, +which were gradually rotting. When our bed had been put in order with +dried skins we had to think about making a sleeping-bag, as, after a +time, the blanket-bag that we had got rather cold to sleep in. About +Christmas-time, accordingly, we at last managed to make ourselves a +bearskin bag. In this way all the skins we could prepare were used up, +and we continued to wear the clothes we had throughout the winter. + +These walks, too, were a doubtful pleasure, because there is always +a wind there, and it blew hard under the steep cliff. We felt it a +wonderful relief when it occasionally happened to be almost calm. As +a rule, the wind howled above us and lashed the snow along, so that +everything was wrapped in mist. Many days would sometimes pass almost +without our putting our heads out of the passage, and it was only +bare necessity that drove us out to fetch ice for drinking-water, +or a leg or carcass of a bear for food, or some blubber for fuel. As +a rule, we also brought in some sea-water ice, or, if there were an +opening or a crack to be found, a little sea-water for our soup. + +When we came in, and had mustered up appetite for another meal, we +had to prepare supper, eat till we were satisfied, and then get into +our bag and sleep as long as possible to pass the time. On the whole, +we had quite a comfortable time in our hut. By means of our train-oil +lamps we could keep the temperature in the middle of the room at +about freezing-point. Near the wall, however, it was considerably +colder, and there the damp deposited itself in the shape of beautiful +hoar-frost crystals, so that the stones were quite white; and in happy +moments we could dream that we dwelt in marble halls. This splendor, +however, had its disadvantages, for when the outside temperature rose, +or when we heated up the hut a little, rivulets ran down the wall into +our sleeping-bag. We took turns at being cook, and Tuesday, when one +ended his cooking-week and the other began, afforded on that account +the one variation in our lives, and formed a boundary-mark by which +we divided out our time. We always reckoned up how many cooking-weeks +we had before we should break up our camp in the spring. I had hoped +to get so much done this winter--work up my observations and notes, +and write some of the account of our journey; but very little was +done. It was not only the poor, flickering light of the oil-lamp which +hindered me, nor yet the uncomfortable position--either lying on one's +back, or sitting up and fidgeting about on the hard stones, while the +part of the body thus exposed to pressure ached; but altogether these +surroundings did not predispose one to work. The brain worked dully, +and I never felt inclined to write anything. Perhaps, too, this was +owing to the impossibility of keeping what you wrote upon clean; if +you only took hold of a piece of paper your fingers left a dark-brown, +greasy mark, and if a corner of your clothes brushed across it, a dark +streak appeared. Our journals of this period look dreadful. They are +"black books" in the literal sense of the term. Ah! how we longed for +the time when we should once more be able to write on clean white paper +and with black ink! I often had difficulty in reading the pencil notes +I had written the day before, and now, in writing this book, it is all +I can do to find out what was once written on these dirty, dark-brown +pages. I expose them to all possible lights, I examine them with a +magnifying-glass; but, notwithstanding, I often have to give it up. + +The entries in my journal for this time are exceedingly meagre; there +are sometimes weeks when there is nothing but the most necessary +meteorological observations with remarks. The chief reason for this +is that our life was so monotonous that there was nothing to write +about. The same thoughts came and went day after day; there was no +more variety in them than in our conversation. The very emptiness of +the journal really gives the best representation of our life during +the nine months we lived there. + +"Wednesday, November 27th. -23° C. (9.4° below zero, Fahr.). It is +windy weather, the snow whirling about your ears, directly you put your +head out of the passage. Everything is gray; the black stones can be +made out in the snow a little way up the beach, and above you can just +divine the presence of the dark cliff; but wherever else the gaze is +turned, out to sea or up the fjord, there is the same leaden darkness; +one is shut out from the wide world, shut into one's self. The wind +comes in sharp gusts, driving the snow before it; but up under the +crest of the mountain it whistles and roars in the crevices and holes +of the basaltic walls--the same never-ending song that it has sung +through the thousands of years that are past, and will go on singing +through thousands of years to come. And the snow whirls along in its +age-old dance; it spreads itself in all the crevices and hollows, but +it does not succeed in covering up the stones on the beach; black as +ever, they project into the night. On the open space in front of the +hut two figures are running up and down like shadows in the winter +darkness to keep themselves warm, and so they will run up and down on +the path they have trampled out, day after day, till the spring comes. + +"Sunday, December 1st. Wonderfully beautiful weather for the last few +days; one can never weary of going up and down outside, while the +moon transforms the whole of this ice-world into a fairy-land. The +hut is still in shadow under the mountain which hangs above it, dark +and lowering; but the moonlight floats over ice and fjord, and is +cast back glittering from every snowy ridge and hill. A weird beauty, +without feeling, as though of a dead planet, built of shining white +marble. Just so must the mountains stand there, frozen and icy cold; +just so must the lakes lie congealed beneath their snowy covering; and +now as ever the moon sails silently and slowly on her endless course +through the lifeless space. And everything so still, so awfully still, +with the silence that shall one day reign when the earth again becomes +desolate and empty, when the fox will no more haunt these moraines, +when the bear will no longer wander about on the ice out there, when +even the wind will not rage--infinite silence! In the flaming aurora +borealis the spirit of space hovers over the frozen waters. The soul +bows down before the majesty of night and death. + +"Monday, December 2d. Morning. To-day I can hear it blowing again +outside, and we shall have an unpleasant walk. It is bitterly cold now +in our worn, greasy clothes. It is not so bad when there is no wind; +but even if there is only a little it goes right through one. But +what does it matter? Will not the spring one day come here too? Yes; +and over us arches the same heaven now as always, high and calm as +ever; and as we walk up and down here shivering we gaze into the +boundless starry space, and all our privations and sorrows shrink +into nothingness. Starlit night, thou art sublimely beautiful! But +dost thou not lend our spirit too mighty wings, greater than we +can control? Couldst thou but solve the riddle of existence! We +feel ourselves the centre of the universe, and struggle for life, +for immortality--one seeking it here, another hereafter--while +thy silent splendor proclaims: At the command of the Eternal, +you came into existence on a paltry planet, as diminutive links in +the endless chain of transformations; at another command, you will +be wiped out again. Who then, through an eternity of eternities, +will remember that there once was an ephemeral being who could bind +sound and light in chains, and who was purblind enough to spend years +of his brief existence in drifting through frozen seas? Is, then, +the whole thing but the meteor of a moment? Will the whole history +of the world evaporate like a dark, gold-edged cloud in the glow of +evening--achieving nothing, leaving no trace, passing like a caprice? + +"Evening. That fox is playing us a great many tricks; whatever he can +move he goes off with. He has once gnawed off the band with which the +door-skin is fastened, and every now and then we hear him at it again, +and have to go out and knock on the roof of the passage. To-day he went +off with one of our sails, in which our salt-water ice was lying. We +were not a little alarmed when we went to fetch ice and found sail and +all gone. We had no doubt as to who had been there, but we could not +under any circumstances afford to lose our precious sail, on which we +depended for our voyage to Spitzbergen in the spring, and we tramped +about in the dark, up the beach, over the level, and down towards the +sea. We looked everywhere, but nothing was to be seen of it. At last +we had almost given it up when Johansen, in going on to the ice to get +more salt-water ice, found it at the edge of the shore. Our joy was +great; but it was wonderful that the fox had been able to drag that +great sail, full of ice too, so far. Down there, however, it had come +unfolded, and then he could do nothing with it. But what does he want +with things like this? Is it to lie upon in his winter den? One would +almost think so. I only wish I could come upon that den, and find +the thermometer again, and the ball of twine, and the harpoon-line, +and all the other precious things he has taken, the brute! + +"Thursday, December 5th. It seems as if it would never end. But +patience a little longer, and spring will come, the fairest spring +that earth can give us. There is furious weather outside, and snow, +and it is pleasant to lie here in our warm hut, eating steak, and +listening to the wind raging over us. + +"Tuesday, December 10th. It has been a bad wind. Johansen discovered +to-day that his kayak had disappeared. After some search he found +it again several hundred feet off, up the beach; it was a good deal +knocked about, too. The wind must first have lifted it right over my +kayak, and then over one big stone after another. It begins to be +too much of a good thing when even the kayaks take to flying about +in the air. The atmosphere is dark out over the sea, so the wind +has probably broken up the ice, and driven it out, and there is open +water once more. [63] + +"Last night it all at once grew wonderfully calm, and the air was +surprisingly mild. It was delightful to be out, and it is long since +we have had such a long walk on our beat. It does one good to stretch +one's legs now and then, otherwise I suppose we should become quite +stiff here in our winter lair. Fancy, only 12° (21 1/2° Fahr.) of +frost in the middle of December! We might almost imagine ourselves +at home--forget that we were in a land of snow to the north of the +eighty-first parallel. + +"Thursday, December 12th. Between six and nine this morning there +were a number of shooting-stars, most of them in Serpentarius. Some +came right from the Great Bear; afterwards they chiefly came from the +Bull, or Aldebaran, or the Pleiades. Several of them were very bright, +and some drew a streak of shining dust after them. Lovely weather. But +night and day are now equally dark. We walk up and down, up and down, +on the level, in the darkness. Heaven only knows how many steps we +shall take on that level before the winter ends. Through the gloom +we could see faintly only the black cliffs, and the rocky ridges, +and the great stones on the beach, which the wind always sweeps +clean. Above us the sky, clear and brilliant with stars, sheds its +peace over the earth; far in the west falls shower after shower of +stars, some faint, scarcely visible, others bright like Roman candles, +all with a message from distant worlds. Low in the south lies a bank +of clouds, now and again outlined by the gleam of the northern lights; +but out over the sea the sky is dark; there is open water there. It +is quite pleasant to look at it; one does not feel so shut in; it is +like a connecting link with life, that dark sea, the mighty artery +of the world, which carries tidings from land to land, from people to +people, on which civilization is borne victorious through the earth; +next summer it will carry us home. + +"Thursday, December 19th. -28.5°(19.3° below zero, Fahr.). It has +turned cold again, and is bitter weather to be out in. But what does +it signify? We are comfortable and warm in here, and do not need to go +out more than we like. All the out-of-door work we have is to bring in +fresh and salt water ice two or three times a week, meat and blubber +now and again, and very occasionally a skin to dry under the roof. And +Christmas, the season of rejoicing, is drawing near. At home, every one +is busy now, scarcely knowing how to get time for everything; but here +there is no bustle; all we want is to make the time pass. Ah, to sleep, +sleep! The pot is simmering pleasantly over the hearth; I am sitting +waiting for breakfast, and gazing into the flickering flames, while my +thoughts travel far away. What is the strange power in fire and light +that all created beings seek them, from the primary lump of protoplasm +in the sea to the roving child of man, who stops in his wanderings, +makes up a fire in the wood, and sits down to dismiss all care and +revel in the crackling warmth. Involuntarily do these snake-like, +fiery tongues arrest the eye; you gaze down into them as if you could +read your fate there, and memories glide past in motley train. What, +then, is privation? What the present? Forget it, forget yourself; +you have the power to recall all that is beautiful, and then wait for +the summer.... By the light of the lamp she sits sewing in the winter +evening. Beside her stands a little maiden with blue eyes and golden +hair, playing with a doll. She looks tenderly at the child and strokes +her hair; but her eyes fill, and the big tears fall upon her work. + +"Johansen is lying beside me asleep; he smiles in his sleep. Poor +fellow! he must be dreaming he is at home at Christmas-time with those +he loves. But sleep on--sleep and dream, while the winter passes; +for then comes spring--the spring of life! + +"Sunday, December 22d. Walked about outside for a long time yesterday +evening, while Johansen was having a thorough clearing in the hut in +preparation for Christmas. This consisted chiefly in scraping the +ashes out of the hearth, gathering up the refuse of bone and meat, +and throwing it away, and then breaking up the ice which has frozen +together with all kinds of rubbish and refuse into a thick layer upon +the floor, making the hut rather low in the roof. + +"The northern lights were wonderful. However often we see this weird +play of light, we never tire of gazing at it; it seems to cast a spell +over both sight and sense till it is impossible to tear one's self +away. It begins to dawn with a pale, yellow, spectral light behind +the mountain in the east, like the reflection of a fire far away. It +broadens, and soon the whole of the eastern sky is one glowing mass +of fire. Now it fades again, and gathers in a brightly luminous belt +of mist stretching towards the southwest, with only a few patches +of luminous haze visible here and there. After a while scattered +rays suddenly shoot up from the fiery mist, almost reaching to the +zenith; then more; they play over the belt in a wild chase from east +to west. They seem to be always darting nearer from a long, long way +off. But suddenly a perfect veil of rays showers from the zenith out +over the northern sky; they are so fine and bright, like the finest +of glittering silver threads. Is it the fire-giant Surt himself, +striking his mighty silver harp, so that the strings tremble and +sparkle in the glow of the flames of Muspellsheim? Yes, it is harp +music, wildly storming in the darkness; it is the riotous war-dance +of Surt's sons. And again at times it is like softly playing, gently +rocking, silvery waves, on which dreams travel into unknown worlds. + +"The winter solstice has come, and the sun is at its lowest; but still +at midday we can just see a faint glimmer of it over the ridges in +the south. Now it is again beginning to mount northward; day by day +it will grow lighter and lighter, and the time will pass rapidly. Oh, +how well I can now understand our forefathers' old custom of holding +an uproarious sacrificial banquet in the middle of winter, when the +power of the winter darkness was broken. We would hold an uproarious +feast here if we had anything to feast with; but we have nothing. What +need is there, either? We shall hold our silent festival in the spirit, +and think of the spring. + +"In my walk I look at Jupiter over there above the crest of the +mountain--Jupiter, the planet of the home; it seems to smile at us, +and I recognize my good attendant spirit. Am I superstitious? This +life and this scenery might well make one so; and, in fact, is not +every one superstitious, each in his own way? Have not I a firm belief +in my star, and that we shall meet again? It has scarcely forsaken me +for a day. Death, I believe, can never approach before one's mission +is accomplished--never comes without one feeling its proximity; +and yet a cold fate may one day cut the thread without warning. + +"Tuesday, December 24th. At 2 P.M. to-day -24° C. (11.2° below zero, +Fahr.). And this is Christmas-eve--cold and windy out-of-doors, and +cold and draughty indoors. How desolate it is! Never before have we +had such a Christmas-eve. + +"At home the bells are now ringing Christmas in. I can hear their +sound as it swings through the air from the church tower. How beautiful +it is! + +"Now the candles are being lighted on the Christmas-trees, the +children are let in and dance round in joyous delight. I must have +a Christmas party for children when I get home. This is the time +of rejoicing, and there is feasting in every cottage at home. And +we are keeping the festival in our little way. Johansen has turned +his shirt and put the outside shirt next him; I have done the same, +and then I have changed my drawers, and put on the others that I had +wrung out in warm water. And I have washed myself, too, in a quarter +of a cup of warm water, with the discarded drawers as sponge and +towel. Now I feel quite another being; my clothes do not stick to +my body as much as they did. Then for supper we had 'fiskegratin,' +made of powdered fish and maize-meal, with train-oil to it instead +of butter, both fried and boiled (one as dry as the other), and for +dessert we had bread fried in train-oil. To-morrow morning we are +going to have chocolate and bread." [64] + +"Wednesday, December 25th. We have got lovely Christmas weather, +hardly any wind, and such bright, beautiful moonlight. It gives one +quite a solemn feeling. It is the peace of thousands of years. In the +afternoon the northern lights were exceptionally beautiful. When I came +out at 6 o'clock there was a bright, pale-yellow bow in the southern +sky. It remained for a long time almost unchanged, and then began to +grow much brighter at the upper margin of the bow behind the mountain +crests in the east. It smouldered for some time, and then all at once +light darted out westward along the bow; streamers shot up all along +it towards the zenith, and in an instant the whole of the southern +sky from the arc to the zenith was aflame. It flickered and blazed, +it whirled round like a whirlwind (moving with the sun), rays darted +backward and forward, now red and reddish-violet, now yellow, green, +and dazzling white; now the rays were red at the bottom and yellow +and green farther up, and then again this order was inverted. Higher +and higher it rose; now it came on the north side of the zenith too; +for a moment there was a splendid corona, and then it all became one +whirling mass of fire up there; it was like a whirlpool of fire in +red, yellow, and green, and the eye was dazzled with looking at it. It +then drew across to the northern sky, where it remained a long time, +but not in such brilliancy. The arc from which it had sprung in the +south was still visible, but soon disappeared. The movement of the +rays was chiefly from west to east, but sometimes the reverse. It +afterwards flared up brightly several times in the northern sky; +I counted as many as six parallel bands at one time, but they did +not attain to the brightness of the former ones. + +"And this is Christmas-day! There are family dinners going on at +home. I can see the dignified old father standing smiling and happy +in the doorway to welcome children and grandchildren. Out-of-doors +the snow is falling softly and silently in big flakes; the young +folk come rushing in fresh and rosy, stamp the snow off their feet in +the passage, shake their things and hang them up, and then enter the +drawing-room, where the fire is crackling comfortably and cozily in +the stove, and they can see the snowflakes falling outside and covering +the Christmas corn-sheaf. A delicious smell of roasting comes from the +kitchen, and in the dining-room the long table is laid for a good, +old-fashioned dinner with good old wine. How nice and comfortable +everything is! One might fall ill with longing to be home. But wait, +wait; when summer comes.... + +"Oh, the road to the stars is both long and difficult! + +"Tuesday, December 31st. And this year too is vanishing. It has been +strange, but, after all, it has perhaps not been so bad. + +"They are ringing out the old year now at home. Our church-bell is +the icy wind howling over glacier and snow-field, howling fiercely as +it whirls the drifting snow on high in cloud after cloud, and sweeps +it down upon us from the crest of the mountain up yonder. Far in up +the fjord you can see the clouds of snow chasing one another over the +ice in front of the gusts of wind, and the snow-dust glittering in +the moonlight. And the full moon sails silent and still out of one +year into another. She shines alike upon the good and the evil, nor +does she notice the wants and yearnings of the new year. Solitary, +forsaken, hundreds of miles from all that one holds dear; but the +thoughts flit restlessly to and fro on their silent paths. Once more +a leaf is turned in the book of eternity, a new blank page is opened, +and no one knows what will be written on it." + + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE NEW YEAR, 1896 + + +"Wednesday, January 1, 1896. -41.5° C. (42.2° below zero, Fahr.). So +a new year has come, the year of joy and home-coming. In bright +moonlight 1895 departed, and in bright moonlight 1896 begins; but it +is bitterly cold, the coldest days we have yet known here. I felt it, +too, yesterday, when all my finger-tips were frost-bitten. I thought +I had done with all that last spring. + +"Friday, January 3d. Morning. It is still clear and cold out-of-doors; +I can hear reports from the glacier. It lies up there on the +crest of the mountain like a mighty ice-giant peering down at us +through the clefts. It spreads its giant body all over the land, +and stretches out its limbs on all sides into the sea. But whenever +it turns cold--colder than it has hitherto been--it writhes horribly, +and crevice after crevice appears in the huge body; there is a noise +like the discharge of guns, and the sky and the earth tremble so that +I can feel the ground that I am lying on quake. One is almost afraid +that it will some day come rolling over upon one. [65] + +"Johansen is asleep, and making the hut resound. I am glad his mother +cannot see him now. She would certainly pity her boy, so black and +grimy and ragged as he is, with sooty streaks all over his face. But +wait, only wait! She shall have him again, safe and sound and fresh +and rosy. + +"Wednesday, January 8th. Last night the wind blew the sledge to +which our thermometer was hanging out over the slope. Stormy weather +outside--furious weather, almost taking away your breath if you put +your head out. We lie here trying to sleep--sleep the time away. But +we cannot always do it. Oh, those long sleepless nights when you turn +from side to side, kick your feet to put a little warmth into them, +and wish for only one thing in the world--sleep! The thoughts are +constantly busy with everything at home, but the long, heavy body lies +here trying in vain to find an endurable position among the rough +stones. However, time crawls on, and now little Liv's birthday has +come. She is three years old to-day, and must be a big girl now. Poor +little thing! You don't miss your father now, and next birthday I shall +be with you, I hope. What good friends we shall be! You shall ride +a-cockhorse, and I will tell you stories from the north about bears, +foxes, walruses, and all the strange animals up there in the ice. No, +I can't bear to think of it. + +"Saturday, February 1st. Here I am down with the rheumatism. Outside +it is growing gradually lighter day by day; the sky above the glaciers +in the south grows redder, until at last one day the sun will rise +above the crest, and our last winter night be past. Spring is coming! I +have often thought spring sad. Was it because it vanished so quickly, +because it carried promises that summer never fulfilled? But there +is no sadness in this spring; its promises will be kept; it would be +too cruel if they were not." + +It was a strange existence, lying thus in a hut underground the whole +winter through, without a thing to turn one's hand to. How we longed +for a book! How delightful our life on board the Fram appeared, when +we had the whole library to fall back upon! We would often tell each +other how beautiful this sort of life would have been, after all, +if we had only had anything to read. Johansen always spoke with +a sigh of Heyse's novels; he had specially liked those on board, +and he had not been able to finish the last one he was reading. The +little readable matter which was to be found in our navigation-table +and almanac I had read so many times already that I knew it almost +by heart--all about the Norwegian royal family, all about persons +apparently drowned, and all about self-help for fishermen. Yet it +was always a comfort to see these books; the sight of the printed +letters gave one a feeling that there was, after all, a little bit +of the civilized man left. All that we really had to talk about had +long ago been thoroughly thrashed out, and, indeed, there were not +many thoughts of common interest that we had not exchanged. The chief +pleasure left to us was to picture to each other how we should make +up next winter at home for everything we had missed during our sojourn +here. We felt that we should have learned for good and all to set store +by all the good things of life, such as food, drink, clothes, shoes, +house, home, good neighbors, and all the rest of it. Frequently we +occupied ourselves, too, in calculating how far the Fram could have +drifted, and whether there was any possibility of her getting home to +Norway before us. It seemed a safe assumption that she might drift out +into the sea between Spitzbergen and Greenland next summer or autumn, +and probability seemed to point to her being in Norway in August or +September. But there was just the possibility that she might arrive +earlier in the summer; or, on the other hand, we might not reach home +until later in the autumn. This was the great question to which we +could give no certain answer, and we reflected with sorrow that she +might perhaps get home first. What would our friends then think about +us? Scarcely any one would have the least hope of seeing us again, +not even our comrades on board the Fram. It seemed to us, however, +that this could scarcely happen; we could not but reach home in July, +and it was hardly to be expected that the Fram could be free from +the ice so early in the summer. + +But where were we? And how great was the distance we had to +travel? Over and over again I reckoned out our observations of the +autumn and summer and spring, but the whole matter was a perpetual +puzzle. It seemed clear, indeed, that we must be lying somewhere +far to the west, perhaps off the west coast of Franz Josef Land, a +little north of Cape Lofley, as I had conjectured in the autumn. But, +if that were so, what could the lands be which we had seen to the +northward? And what was the land to which we had first come? From the +first group of islands, which I had called White Land (Hvidtenland), +to where we now lie, we had passed about 7° of longitude--that our +observations proved conclusively. But if we were now in the longitude +of Cape Fligely these islands must lie on a meridian so far east that +it would fall between King Oscar's Land and Crown Prince Rudolf Land; +and yet we had been much farther east and had seen nothing of these +lands. How was this to be explained? And, furthermore, the land we +saw had disappeared to the southward; and we saw no indication of +islands farther east. No, we could not have been near any known land; +we must be upon some island lying farther west, in the strait between +Franz Josef Land and Spitzbergen; and we could not but think of the +hitherto so enigmatic Gillies Land. But this, too, seemed difficult +to explain; for it was hard to understand how, in this comparatively +narrow strait, such an extensive mass of land as this could find +room without coming so near the Northeast Land of Spitzbergen that it +could easily be seen from it. No other conclusion, however seemed at +all plausible. We had long ago given up the idea that our watches +could be even approximately right; for in that case, as already +mentioned, we must have come right across Payer's Wilczek Land and +Dove Glacier without having noticed them. This theory was consequently +excluded. There were other things, too, that greatly puzzled me. If we +were on a new land, near Spitzbergen, why were the rosy gulls never +seen there, while we had found them in flocks here to the north? And +then there was the great variation of the compass. Unfortunately, +I had no chart of the variations with me, and I could not remember +where the zero meridian of variation lay--the boundary-line between +easterly and westerly variation. I thought, however, that it lay +somewhere near the Northeast Land; and here we had still a variation +of about 20°. The whole thing was, and remained, an insoluble riddle. + +As the daylight began to lengthen later in the spring, I made a +discovery which had the effect of still more hopelessly bewildering +us. At two points on the horizon, about W.S.W., I fancied that I could +see land looming in the air. The appearance recurred again and again, +and at last I was quite certain that it really was land; but it must +be very far away--at least 69 miles, I thought. [66] If it had been +difficult to find room between Franz Josef Land and Northeast Land +for the islands we had hitherto seen, it was more difficult still +to find room for these new ones. Could it be the Northeast Land +itself? This seemed scarcely credible. This land must lie in about 81° +or so northward, while the Northeast Land does not reach much north of +80°. But at least these islands must be pretty near Northeast Land, +and if we once reached them, we could not have much farther to go, +and would perhaps find open water all the way to the Tromsö sloop, +on which our fancy had now dwelt for over a year, and which was to +take us home. + +The thought of all the good things we should find on board that sloop +was what comforted us whenever the time hung unendurably heavy on our +hands. Our life was not, indeed, altogether luxurious. How we longed +for a change in the uniformity of our diet! If only we could have had +a little sugar and farinaceous food, in addition to all the excellent +meat we had, we could have lived like princes. Our thoughts dwelt +longingly on great platters full of cakes, not to mention bread and +potatoes. How we would make up for lost time when we got back! And +we would begin as soon as we got on board that Tromsö sloop. Would +they have potatoes on board? Would they have fresh bread? At worst, +even hard ship's bread would not be so bad, especially if we could +get it fried in sugar and butter. But better even than food would be +the clean clothes we could put on. And then books--only to think of +books! Ugh, the clothes we lived in were horrible! and when we wanted +to enjoy a really delightful hour we would set to work imagining a +great, bright, clean shop, where the walls were hung with nothing +but new, clean, soft woollen clothes, from which we could pick +out everything we wanted. Only to think of shirts, vests, drawers, +soft and warm woollen trousers, deliciously comfortable jerseys, +and then clean woollen stockings and warm felt slippers--could +anything more delightful be imagined? And then a Turkish bath! We +would sit up side by side in our sleeping-bag for hours at a time +and talk of all these things. They seemed almost unimaginable. Fancy +being able to throw away all the heavy, oily rags we had to live in, +glued as they were to our bodies! Our legs suffered most; for there +our trousers stuck fast to our knees, so that when we moved they +abraded and tore the skin inside our thighs till it was all raw and +bleeding. I had the greatest difficulty in keeping these sores from +becoming altogether too ingrained with fat and dirt, and had to be +perpetually washing them with moss, or a rag from one of the bandages +in our medicine-bag, and a little water, which I warmed in a cup over +the lamp. I have never before understood what a magnificent invention +soap really is. We made all sorts of attempts to wash the worst of +the dirt away; but they were all equally unsuccessful. Water had no +effect upon all this grease; it was better to scour one's self with +moss and sand. We could find plenty of sand in the walls of the hut, +when we hacked the ice off them. The best method, however, was to get +our hands thoroughly lubricated with warm bear's blood and train-oil, +and then scrub it off again with moss. They thus became as white and +soft as the hands of the most delicate lady, and we could scarcely +believe that they belonged to our own bodies. When there was none of +this toilet preparation to be had, we found the next best plan was +to scrape our skin with a knife. + +If it was difficult to get our own bodies clean, it was a sheer +impossibility as regards our clothes. We tried all possible ways; +we washed them both in Eskimo fashion and in our own; but neither was +of much avail. We boiled our shirts in the pot hour after hour, but +took them out only to find them just as full of grease as when we put +them in. Then we took to wringing the train-oil out of them. This was +a little better; but the only thing that produced any real effect was +to boil them, and then scrape them with a knife while they were still +warm. By holding them in our teeth and our left hand and stretching +them out, while we scraped them all over with the right hand, we +managed to get amazing quantities of fat out of them; and we could +almost have believed that they were quite clean when we put them on +again after they were dry. The fat which we scraped off was, of course, +a welcome addition to our fuel. + +In the meanwhile our hair and beard grew entirely wild. It is true we +had scissors and could have cut them; but as our supply of clothes was +by no means too lavish, we thought it kept us a little warmer to have +all this hair, which began to flow down over our shoulders. But it was +coal-black like our faces, and we thought our teeth and the whites of +our eyes shone with an uncanny whiteness, now that we could see each +other again in the daylight of the spring. On the whole, however, we +were so accustomed to each other's appearance that we really found +nothing remarkable about it; and not until we fell in with other +people and found that they were precisely of that opinion did we +begin to recognize that our outer man was, perhaps, open to criticism. + +It was a strange life, and in many ways it put our patience to a +severe test; but it was not so unendurable as one might suppose. We +at any rate thought that, all things considered, we were fairly well +off. Our spirits were good the whole time; we looked serenely towards +the future, and rejoiced in the thought of all the delights it had in +store for us. We did not even have recourse to quarrelling to while +away the time. After our return, Johansen was once asked how we two +had got on during the winter, and whether we had managed not to fall +out with each other; for it is said to be a severe test for two men +to live so long together in perfect isolation. "Oh no," he answered, +"we didn't quarrel; the only thing was that I had the bad habit of +snoring in my sleep, and then Nansen used to kick me in the back." I +cannot deny that this is the case; I gave him many a well-meant kick, +but fortunately he only shook himself a little and slept calmly on. + +Thus did our time pass. We did our best to sleep away as much as +possible of it. We carried this art to a high pitch of perfection, +and could sometimes put in as much as 20 hours' sleep in the 24. If +any one still holds to the old superstition that scurvy is due to +lack of exercise, he may look upon us as living evidences to the +contrary; for all the time our health was excellent. As the light now +began to return with the spring, however, we were more inclined to go +out. Besides, it was not always so cold now, and we had to restrict our +sleep a little. Then, too, the time for our departure was approaching, +and we had plenty to occupy us in the way of preparation and so forth. + +"Tuesday, February 25th. Lovely weather to be out in to-day; it is +as though spring were beginning. We have seen the first birds--first +a flock of half a score of little auks (Mergulus alle), then a flock +of four; they came from the south along the land, evidently through +the sound in the southeast, and disappeared behind the mountain crest +to the northwest of us. Once more we heard their cheerful twittering, +and it roused a responsive echo in the soul. A little later we heard +it again, and then it seemed as if they were perched on the mountain +above us. It was the first greeting from life. Blessed birds, how +welcome you are! + +"It was quite like a spring evening at home; the sun's red glow faded +little by little into golden clouds, and the moon rose. I went up +and down outside, and dreamt I was in Norway on a spring evening. + +"Wednesday, February 26th. To-day we ought to have had the sun again, +but the sky was cloudy. + +"Friday, February 28th. I have discovered that it is possible to get +12 threads out of a bit of twine, and am as happy as a king. We have +thread enough now, and our wind clothes shall be whole once more. It +is possible, too, to ravel out the canvas in the bags, and use it +for thread. + +"Saturday, February 29th. The sun high above the glacier to-day. We +must begin to economize in train-oil in earnest now if we are to get +away from here, or there will be too little blubber for the journey. + +"Wednesday, March 4th. When Johansen went out this morning the mountain +above us was covered with little auks, which flew twittering from +crest to crest, and sat all over the glacier. When we went out again +later on they were gone. + +"Friday, March 6th. We are faring badly now. We have to sleep in the +dark to save oil, and can only cook once a day. + +"Sunday, March 8th. Shot a bear. Johansen saw ten flocks of little +auks flying up the sound this morning. + +"Tuesday, March 10th. That bear the day before yesterday came in the +nick of time, and an amusing fellow he was, too. We were very badly +off both for blubber and meat, but most for blubber, and we were +longing for a bear; we thought it must be about time for them to +come again now. I had just spent Sunday morning in mending my wind +trousers and patching my 'komager,' so as to be all ready if a bear +should come. Johansen, whose cooking week it was, had been sewing a +little too, and was just cleaning up the hut for Sunday and taking +out some bone and meat--he had taken it as far as the passage. But no +sooner had he raised the skin over the opening out there than I heard +him come tumbling head foremost in again over the bone heap and say, +'There's a bear standing just outside the door.' He snatched his gun +down from where it hung under the roof and again put his head into +the passage, but drew it quickly back, saying, 'He is standing close +by, and must be thinking about coming in.' He managed to draw aside a +corner of the door-skin, just enough to give him elbow-room to shoot; +but it was not altogether easy. The passage was narrow enough before, +and now, in addition, it was full of all the backbones and scraps of +meat. I saw him once lift the gun to his shoulder as he lay crouched +together, but take it down again; he had forgotten to cock it, and +the bear had moved a little away, so that he only saw its muzzle and +paws. But now it began scraping down in the passage with one paw, as +if it wanted to come in, and Johansen thought he must fire, even if +he could not see. He put out his gun, pointing the barrel at the upper +edge of the opening; he thought the shot must go right into the bear's +breast, and so he fired. I heard a dull growl and the crunching of the +snow under heavy footsteps, which went up towards the talus. Johansen +loaded again, and put his head out at the opening. He said he saw it +going up there, and that it didn't seem up to much, and forthwith he +rushed after it. I, meanwhile, was lying head foremost in the bag, +hunting for a sock which I could not find. At last, after a long +search, I found it--on the floor, of course. Then I, too, was ready; +and well equipped with gun, cartridges, knife, and file (to sharpen +the seal-knife), I followed. I had my wind trousers on, too; they had +been hanging unused all through the winter's cold, for want of thread +to mend them with, but now, when the temperature was only -2°C. (28.4° +Fahr.), they of course had to come out. I followed the tracks; they +went westward and northward along the shore. After a little while I +at last met Johansen, who said that the bear lay farther on; he had +at last got up to it, and finished it with a shot in the back. While +he returned to fetch the sledges I went on to begin skinning. It was +not to be done quite so quickly, however. As I approached the place +where I thought it must be lying, I caught sight of the 'dead bear' +far ahead, trotting pretty briskly along the shore. Now and then it +stopped to look round at me. I ran out on to the ice, to get outside +it, if possible, and drive it back, so that we should not have so far +to drag it. When I had kept on at this for some time, and was about +on a level with it, it began clambering up the glacier and under some +ragged rock. I had not reckoned on a 'dead bear' being able to do this, +and the only thing was to stop it as soon as possible; but just as I +got within range it disappeared over the crest. Soon I saw it again, +a good deal higher up, and far out of range. It was craning its neck +to see if I were following. I went up some way after it, but as it +went on along the mountain more quickly than I could follow it in the +deep snow, under which, moreover, there were crevices into which I +kept falling up to my waist, I preferred to clamber down on to the +fjord-ice again. In a little while the bear emerged from beneath a +perpendicular cliff with a precipitous bit of talus beneath it. Here +it began to crawl carefully along at the very top of the talus. I +was now afraid of its lying down in a place like this, where we could +not get at it, and even though the range was long I felt I must fire +and see if I could not make it fall over. It did not look as if it +had too firm a footing up there. It was blowing like anything here +under the cliff, and I saw that the bear had to lie flat down and +hold on with its claws when the worst gusts came, and then, too, +it had only three paws to hold on with; the right fore-leg had been +broken. I went up to a big stone at the lower edge of the talus, +took good aim, and fired. I saw the bullet strike the snow just +beneath it, but, whether it was hit or not, it started up and tried +to jump over a drift, but slipped, and rolled over. It tried several +times to stop itself, but went on, until at last it found its feet +and began to crawl slowly up again. Meanwhile I had loaded again, +and the range was now shorter. I fired once more. It stood still a +moment, then slipped farther and farther down the drift, at first +slowly, then quicker and quicker rolling over and over. I thought +it was coming straight towards me, but comforted myself with the +thought that the stone I was standing behind was a good solid one. I +squatted down and quickly put a fresh cartridge into my gun. The bear +had now arrived at the talus below the drift; it came tearing down, +together with stones and lumps of snow, in a series of leaps, each +longer than the last. It was a strange sight, this great white body +flying through the air, and turning somersault after somersault, as +if it had been a piece of wood. At last it took one tremendous leap, +and landed against an enormous stone. There was a regular crash, +and there it lay close beside me; a few spasms passed through it, +and all was over. It was an uncommonly large he-bear, with a beautiful +thick fur, which one might well wish to have at home; but the best +thing of all was that it was very fat. It was so windy that the +gusts were apt to blow you over if you were not prepared for them; +but with the air so mild as it was, wind did not matter much; it +would not have been such bad work to skin it had it not been that +it was lying in a hollow and was so big that one man could not stir +it. After a time, however, Johansen came, and at last we had got it +dismembered, and had dragged it down to the ice and piled it on the +sledge. We had not gone far, however, before we found that it would be +too heavy for us to draw all at once against this wind and for such +a distance. We laid half of it in a heap on the ice and spread the +skin over it, intending to fetch it in a day or two; and even then we +had difficulty enough in fighting on against the wind in the dark, +so that it was late at night before we got home. But it was long +since we had so much enjoyed our home-coming and being able to lie +down in our bag and sup off fresh meat and hot soup." + +We lived on that bear for six weeks. + +"When Johansen was out this morning at six, he thought he saw little +auks in millions flying up the sound. When we went out at two in +the afternoon there was an unceasing passage of flock after flock +out to sea, and this continued until late in the afternoon. I saw +two guillemots (Uria grylle), too, fly over our heads. They are the +first we have seen. [67] + +"Wednesday, March 25th. There is the same dark water-sky behind the +promontory in the southwest, stretching thence westward almost to +the extreme west. It has been there all through this mild weather, +with southwesterly wind, from the very beginning of the month. There +seems to be always open water there, for no sooner is the sky overcast +than the reflection of water appears in that quarter. + +"Thursday, April 2d. As I awoke at about eight this evening (our +morning happened to fall in the evening to-day), we heard an animal +rustling about outside and gnawing at something. We did not take much +notice of it, thinking it was a fox, busy as usual with some meat up +on the roof; and if it did seem to be making rather more noise than we +had of late been accustomed to hear from foxes, yet it was scarcely +noise enough to come from a bear. We did not take into consideration +that the snow was not so cold and crackling now as it had been earlier +in the winter. When Johansen went out to read the thermometer, he saw +that it was a bear that had been there. It had gone round the hut, but +had evidently not liked all the bears' carcasses, and had not ventured +past them up to the walrus blubber on the roof. At the opening of +the passage and the chimney it had sniffed hard, doubtless enjoying +the delicious scent of burnt blubber and live human flesh. Then it +had dragged a walrus hide that was lying outside a little way off and +scraped the blubber off it. It had come from the ice obliquely up the +hill following the scent, had then followed our footsteps from the hut +to the place where we get salt-water, and had thence gone farther out +over the ice until it had got scent of the walrus carcasses out there, +and was going towards them when Johansen caught sight of it. There +it set to work to gnaw. As my gun was not fit to use at the moment, +I took Johansen's and went alone. The bear was so busy gnawing and +tearing pieces off the carcass that I could get close up to it from +behind without troubling about cover. Wishing to try how near I could +get, I went on, and it was not until I was so near that I could almost +touch it with the muzzle of my gun that it heard my steps, so busy +had it been. It started round, gazed defiantly and astonished at me, +and I saluted it with a charge right in its face. It threw up its head, +sneezed, and blew blood out over the snow as it turned round again and +galloped away. I was going to load again, but the cartridge jammed, +and it was only by using my knife that I got it out. While I was +doing this the bear had bethought himself, stopped, turned towards me, +and snorted angrily, as he made up his mind to set upon me. He then +went up on to a piece of ice close by, placed himself in an attitude +of defence, and stretched out his neck towards me, while the blood +poured from his mouth and nostrils. The ball had gone right through +his head, but without touching the brain. At last I had put another +cartridge in, but had to give him five shots before I finally killed +him. At each shot he fell, but got up again. I was not accustomed to +the sights on Johansen's gun, and shot rather too high with it. At +last I grew angry, rushed up to him, and finished him off." + +We were beginning to be well supplied with blubber and meat for the +journey south, and were now busy fitting ourselves out. And there +was a great deal to be done. We had to begin to make ourselves new +clothes out of our blankets; our wind clothes had to be patched and +mended; our "komager" had to be soled, and we had to make socks and +gloves out of bearskin. Then we had to make a light, good sleeping-bag +of bearskin. All this would take time; and from this time we worked +industriously at our needle from early morning till late at night. Our +hut was suddenly transformed into a busy tailor's and shoemaker's +workroom, where we sat side by side in the sleeping-bag upon the stone +bed, and sewed and sewed and thought about the home-coming. We got +thread by unravelling the cotton canvas of some provision bags. It +need hardly be said that we were always talking about the prospects +for our journey, and we found great comfort in the persistence of +the dark sky in the southwest, which indicated much open water in +that direction. I consequently thought we should have good use for our +kayaks on the journey to Spitzbergen. I mention this open water several +times in my journal. For instance, on April 12th: "Open water from the +promontory in the southwest, northward as far as we can see." By this +I mean, of course, that there was dark air over the whole horizon in +this direction, showing clearly that there was open water there. This +could not really surprise us; indeed, we ought to have been prepared +for it, since Payer had found open water in the middle of April at a +more northerly point on the west coast of Crown Prince Rudolf Land; +and this had been continually in my thoughts all through the winter. + +Another thing which made us believe in the close vicinity of the sea +was that we were daily visited by ivory-gulls and fulmars (Procellaria +glacialis), sometimes skuas also. We saw the first ivory-gulls on March +12th; throughout April they became more and more numerous, and soon +we had plenty, both of them and of the burgomasters (Larus glaucus), +sitting on our roof and round the hut, and drumming and pecking at the +bones and remains of bears they found there. During the winter the +continual gnawing of the foxes at the meat up there had entertained +us, and reminded us that we were not quite forsaken by living things; +when half asleep we could often imagine that we were in our beds at +home and heard the rats and mice holding their revels in the attic +above us. With the coming of daylight the foxes vanished. They now +found plenty of little auks up in the clefts of the mountains, and +had no longer to depend on our stone-hard frozen bear-meat. But now +we had the drumming of the gulls instead; but they did not call up +the same illusions, and, when we had them on the roof just over our +heads, were often very tiresome, and even disturbed our sleep, so +that we had to knock on the roof or go out and frighten them away, +which, however, had the desired effect only for a few minutes. + +On the 18th of April, while I was at work on some solar-time +observations, I happened to look up, and was surprised to see a bear +standing just opposite to me down on the ice by the shore. It must +have been standing there a long time, wondering what I was about. I +ran to the hut for a gun, but when I returned it took to its heels, +and I was not eager to follow it. + +"Sunday, April 19th. I was awakened at 7 o'clock this morning by the +heavy steps of a bear outside. I wakened Johansen, who struck a light, +and I got on my trousers and 'komager' and crept out with loaded +gun. During the night a great deal of snow had, as usual, drifted +over the skin that covered the opening, and was difficult to break +through. At last, by kicking with all my might from below, I managed +to knock the snow off, and put my head out into the daylight, which +was quite dazzling after the darkness down in the hut. I saw nothing, +but knew that the bear must be standing just behind the hut. Then +I heard a snorting and blowing, and off went the brute in a clumsy +bear's gallop up the slope. I did not know whether to shoot or not, +and, to tell the truth, I had little inclination for bear-skinning +in this bitter weather; but half at random I sent a shot after it, +which of course missed, and I was not sorry. I did not shoot again; the +one shot was enough to frighten it, and keep it from coming again for +the present; we did not want it, if only it would leave our things in +peace. At the cleft to the north it looked back, and then went on. As +usual it had come against the wind, and must have scented us far west +upon the ice. It had made several tacks to leeward to us, had been at +the entrance of the hut, where it had left a visiting-card, and had +then gone straight to a mound at the back of us, where there is some +walrus blubber, surrounded on all sides by bears' carcasses. These +had no terrors for it. The bearskin which covered it, it had dragged +a long way, but fortunately it had not succeeded in getting anything +eaten before I came. + +"Sunday, May 3d. When Johansen came in this morning he said he had +seen a bear out on the ice; it was coming in. He went out a little +later to look for it, but did not see it; it had probably gone into +the bay to the north. We expected a visit from it, however, as the +wind was that way; and as we sat later in the day, sewing as hard as we +could sew, we heard heavy footsteps on the snow outside. They stopped, +went backward and forward a little, and then something was drawn along, +and all was quiet. Johansen crept cautiously out with his gun. When he +put his head out of the hole, and his eyes had recovered from the first +dazzling effects of the daylight, he saw the bear standing gnawing at +a bearskin. A bullet through the head killed it on the spot It was +a lean little animal, but worth taking, inasmuch as it saved us the +trouble of thawing up carcasses in order to cut provisions for our +journey off them. Frozen stiff as they now are, we cannot cut them up +outside in the cold, but have to bring them into the hut and soften +them in the warmth before we can cut anything off them and this takes +time. Two bears were here on a visit last night, but they turned back +again at the sledge, which is stuck up on end in the moraine to the +west of us, to serve as a stand for our thermometer." + +As we were breakfasting on May 9th we again heard a bear's footstep +outside, and being afraid that it was going to eat up our blubber, +we had no other resource than to shoot it. We now had far more meat +than we required, and did not care to use more cartridges on these +animals for the present; but what grieved us most was the thought +of all the beautiful bearskins which we should leave behind us. The +time was now drawing near when we should break up our camp, and we +worked eagerly at our preparations. Our clothes were now ready. The +entry for Tuesday, May 12th, runs thus: "Took leave to-day of my old +trousers. I was quite sad at the thought of the good service they +had done; but they are now so heavy with oil and dirt that they must +be several times their original weight, and, if they were squeezed, +oil would ooze out of them." It was undeniably pleasant to put on the +new, light, soft trousers of blanket, which were, to some extent, +free from grease. As, however, this material was loose in texture, +I was afraid it might wear out before we reached Spitzbergen, and we +had therefore strengthened it both inside and outside with pieces of +an old pair of drawers and of a shirt to protect it from wear. + +While I was taking some observations outside the hut on Saturday, +May 16th, I saw a bear with quite a small young one out on the +ice. I had just taken a turn out there, and they were examining my +tracks. The mother went first, going up on to all the hummocks I +had been upon, turning round and sniffing and looking at the tracks, +and then descending again and going on. The tiny young one trotted +along behind, exactly repeating the movements of its mother. At last +they grew tired of this, and turned their steps towards the shore, +disappearing behind the promontory to the north of us. Shortly after +Johansen came out, and I told him about it, and said: "I expect +we shall soon see them in the cleft up there, as the wind is that +way." I had scarcely said it, when, looking across, we saw them +both standing, stretching their necks, sniffing, and looking at us +and the hut. We did not want to shoot them, as we had abundance of +food; but we thought it would be amusing to go nearer and watch them, +and then, if possible, frighten them sufficiently to keep them from +visiting us in the night, so that we could sleep in peace. When we +approached, the mother snorted angrily, turned several times as if to +go, pushing the young one on first, but turned back again to observe us +more closely. At last they jogged slowly off, continually hesitating +and looking back. When they got down to the shore, they again went +quite slowly among the hummocks, and I ran after them. The mother +went first, the young one trotting after exactly in her footsteps. I +was soon close to them, the mother saw me, started, and tried to get +the young one to go with her; but I now discovered that it could run +no faster than I could follow it. As soon as the mother saw this, +she turned round, snorted, and came storming right at me. I halted, +and prepared to shoot in case she should come too near, and in the +meantime the little one tramped on as fast as it could. The mother +halted at the distance of a few paces from me, snorted and hissed +again, looked round at the young one, and when the latter had got +a good way on trotted after it. I ran on again and overtook the +young one, and again the mother went through the same manoeuvres; +she seemed to have the greatest possible desire to strike me to the +earth, but then the young one had again got ahead a little, and she +did not wait to do it, but trotted after. This was repeated several +times, and then they began to clamber up the glacier, the mother in +front, the young one after. But the latter did not get on very fast; +it trudged along as well as it could in its mother's footprints in +the deep snow. It reminded me exactly of a child in trousers, as it +clambered up and kept looking round, half frightened, half curious. It +was touching to see how incessantly the mother turned round to hasten +it on, now and then jogging it with her head, hissing and snorting +all the while at me standing quietly below and looking on. When they +reached the crest the mother stopped and hissed worse than ever, +and when she had let the young one pass her, they both disappeared +over the glacier, and I went back to continue my work. + +For the last few weeks a feverish activity had reigned in our hut. We +had become more and more impatient to make a start; but there was still +a great deal to be done. We realized in bitter earnest that we had no +longer the Fram's stores to fall back upon. On board the Fram there +might be one or two things lacking; but here we lacked practically +everything. What would we not have given even for a single box of +dog-biscuits--for ourselves--out of the Fram's abundance? Where were +we to find all that we needed? "For a sledge expedition one must lay +in light and nourishing provisions, which at the same time afford +as much variety as possible; one must have light and warm clothing, +strong and practical sledges," etc., etc.--we knew by heart all these +maxims of the Arctic text-book. The journey that lay before us, indeed, +was not a very great one; the thing was simply to reach Spitzbergen +and get on board the sloop; but it was long enough, after all, to +make it necessary for us to take certain measures of precaution. + +When we dug up the stores which we had buried at the beginning of the +winter, and opened the bags, we found that there were some miserable +remains of a commissariat which had once, indeed, been good, but was +now for the most part mouldy and spoiled by the damp of the previous +autumn. Our flour--our precious flour--had got mildewed, and had to +be thrown away. The chocolate had been dissolved by the damp, and no +longer existed; and the pemmican--well, it had a strange appearance, +and when we tasted it--ugh! It too had to be thrown away. There +remained a certain quantity of fish flour, some aleuronate flour, and +some damp half-moulded bread, which we carefully boiled in train-oil, +partly to dry it, as all damp was expelled by the boiling oil, partly +to render it more nutritious by impregnating it with fat. We thought +it tasted delightful, and preserved it carefully for festal occasions +and times when all other food failed us. Had we been able to dry bear's +flesh we should have managed very well; but the weather was too raw and +cold, and the strips of flesh we hung up became only half dry. There +was nothing for it but to lay in a store of as much cut-up raw flesh +and blubber as we could carry with us. Then we filled the three tin +boxes that had held our petroleum with train-oil, which we used as +fuel. For cooking on the journey we would use the pot belonging to our +cooking apparatus; and our lamp we used as a brazier in which to burn +blubber and train-oil together. These provisions and this fuel did not +constitute a particularly light equipment; but it had this advantage, +that we should probably be able to replace what we consumed of it by +the way. It was to be hoped that we should find plenty of game. + +Our short sledges were a greater trouble to us, for of course we +could not get them lengthened now. If we failed to find open water +all the way over to Spitzbergen, and were compelled to drag them over +the uneven drift-ice, we could scarcely imagine how we should get on +with the kayaks lying on these short sledges, without getting them +knocked to pieces on hummocks and pressure-ridges; for the kayaks were +supported only at the middle, while both ends projected far beyond +the sledge, and at the slightest inequality these ends hacked against +the ice, and scraped holes in the sail-cloth. We had to protect them +well by lashing bearskins under them; and then we had to make the +best grips we could contrive out of the scanty wood we had to fix on +the sledges. This was no easy matter, for the great point was to make +the grips high in order to raise the kayaks as much as possible and +keep them clear of the ice; and then they had to be well lashed in +order to keep their places. But we had no cord to lash them with, +and had to make it for ourselves of raw bearskin or walrus hide, +which is not the best possible material for lashings. This difficulty, +too, we overcame, and got our kayaks to lie steadily and well. We +of course laid the heaviest part of their cargo as much as possible +in the middle, so that the ends should not be broken down by the +weight. Our own personal equipment was quite as difficult to get +in order. I have mentioned that we made ourselves new clothes, and +this took a long time, with two such inexpert tailors; but practice +made us gradually more skilful, and I think we had good reason to be +proud of the results we finally achieved. When we at last put them on, +the clothes had quite an imposing appearance--so we thought, at any +rate. We saved them up, and kept them hanging as long as possible, +in order that they might still be new when we started; Johansen, +I believe, did not wear his new coat before we fell in with other +people. He declared he must keep it fresh till we arrived in Norway; +he could not go about like a pirate when he got among his countrymen +again. The poor remains of underclothes that we possessed had, of +course, to be thoroughly washed before we started, so that it should +be possible to move in them without their rasping too many holes +in our skin. The washing we accomplished as above described. Our +foot-gear was in anything but a satisfactory condition. Socks, +indeed, we could make of bearskin; but the worst of it was that the +soles of our "komager" were almost worn out. We managed, however, to +make soles of a sort out of walrus hide, by scraping about half its +thickness away and then drying it over the lamp. With these soles we +mended our "komager," after the fashion of the Finns; we had plenty of +"senne" thread (sedge thread), and we managed to get our "komagers" +pretty well water-tight again. Thus, in spite of everything, we were +tolerably well off for clothes, though it cannot be said that those +we had were remarkable for their cleanliness. To protect us against +wind and rain we had still our wind clothes, which we had patched and +stitched together as well as we could; but it took a terrible time, for +the whole garments now consisted of scarcely anything else but patches +and seams, and when you had sewed up a hole at one place they split at +another the next time you put them on. The sleeves were particularly +bad, and at last I tore both sleeves off my jacket, so that I should +not have the annoyance of seeing them perpetually stripped away. + +It was very desirable, too, that we should have a tolerably light +sleeping-bag. The one we had brought with us no longer existed, as +we had made clothes out of the blankets; so the only thing was to +try and make as light a bag as possible out of bearskin. By picking +out the thinnest skins we possessed, we managed to make one not so +much heavier than the reindeer-skin bag which we had taken with us on +leaving the Fram. A greater difficulty was to procure a practicable +tent. The one we had had was out of the question. It had been worn +and torn to pieces on our five months' journey of the year before, +and what was left of it the foxes had made an end of, as we had +had it lying spread over our meat and blubber heap in the autumn +to protect it against the gulls. The foxes had gnawed and torn it +in all directions, and had carried off great strips of it, which we +found scattered around. We speculated a great deal as to how we could +make ourselves a new tent. The only thing we could think of was to +put our sledges, with the kayaks upon them, parallel to each other +at the distance of about a man's height, then pile snow around them +at the sides until they were closed in, lay our snowshoes and bamboo +staffs across, and then spread our two sails, laced together, over +the whole, so that they should reach the ground on both sides. In +this way we managed to make ourselves a quite effective shelter, +the kayaks forming the roof ridges, and the sails the side walls of +the tent. It was not quite impervious to drifting snow, and we had +usually a good deal of trouble in stopping up cracks and openings +with our wind clothes and things of that sort. + +But the most important part of our equipment was, after all, +our firearms, and these, fortunately, we had kept in tolerably +good order. We cleaned the rifles thoroughly and rubbed them with +train-oil. We had also a little vaseline and gun-oil left for the +locks. On taking stock of our ammunition, we found, to our joy, +that we still had about 100 rifle cartridges and 110 small-shot +cartridges. We had thus enough, if necessary, for several more winters. + + + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE JOURNEY SOUTHWARD + + +At last, on Tuesday, May 19th, we were ready for the start. Our sledges +stood loaded and lashed. The last thing we did was to photograph our +hut, both outside and inside, and to leave in it a short report of +our journey. It ran thus: + + +"Tuesday, May 19, 1896. We were frozen in north of Kotelnoi at about +78° 43' north latitude, September 22, 1893. Drifted northwestward +during the following year, as we had expected to do. Johansen and +I left the Fram, March 14, 1895, at about 84° 4' north latitude and +103° east longitude, [68] to push on northward. The command of the +remainder of the expedition was transferred to Sverdrup. Found no +land northward. On April 6, 1895, we had to turn back at 86° 14' +north latitude and about 95° east longitude, the ice having become +impassable. Shaped our course for Cape Fligely; but our watches having +stopped, we did not know our longitude with certainty, and arrived +on August 6, 1895, at four glacier-covered islands to the north of +this line of islands, at about 81° 30' north latitude, and about 7° +E. of this place. Reached this place August 26, 1895, and thought +it safest to winter here. Lived on bear's flesh. Are starting to-day +southwestward along the land, intending to cross over to Spitzbergen +at the nearest point. We conjecture that we are on Gillies Land. + +"Fridtjof Nansen." + + +This earliest report of our journey was deposited in a brass tube which +had formed the cylinder of the airpump of our "Primus." The tube was +closed with a plug of wood and hung by a wire to the roof-tree of +the hut. + +At length, on Tuesday, the 19th of May, we were ready, and at 7 +P.M. left our winter lair and began our journey south. After having +had so little exercise all the winter, we were not much disposed +for walking, and thought our sledges with the loaded kayaks heavy to +pull along. In order not to do too much at first, but make our joints +supple before we began to exert ourselves seriously, we walked for +only a few hours the first day, and then, well satisfied, pitched our +camp. There was such a wonderfully happy feeling in knowing that we +were, at last, on the move, and that we were actually going homeward. + +The following day (Wednesday, May 20th) we also did only a short +day's march. We were making for the promontory to the southwest +of us that we had been looking at all the winter. Judging from the +sky, it was on the farther side of this headland that we should find +open water. We were very eager to see how the land lay ahead of this +point. If we were north of Cape Lofley, the land must begin to trend +to the southeast. If, on the other hand, the trend of the coast was +to the southwest, then this must be a new land farther west, and near +Gillies Land. + +The next day (Thursday, May 21st) we reached this promontory, and +pitched our camp there. All through the winter we had called it +the Cape of Good Hope, as we expected to find different conditions +there which would facilitate our advance; and our hopes were not to +be disappointed. From the crest of the mountain I saw open water not +far off to the south, and also two new snow-lands, one large one in +front (in the south, 40° W.), and one not much smaller in the west +(S. 85° W.). It was completely covered with glacier, and looked like +an evenly vaulted shield. I could not see clearly how the coast ran +on account of a headland to the southward. But it did not seem to +trend to the southeast, so that we could not be near Cape Lofley. We +now hoped that we might be able to launch our kayaks the very next +day, and that we should then make rapid progress in a southwesterly +direction; but in this we were disappointed. The next day there was +a snow-storm, and we had to stay where we were. As I lay in the bag +in the morning, preparing breakfast, I all at once caught sight of a +bear walking quietly past us at a distance of about twenty paces. It +looked at us and our kayaks once or twice, but could not quite make +out what we were, as the wind was in another direction and it could +not get scent of us, so it continued its way. I let it go unharmed; +we still had food enough. + +On Saturday, May 23d, the weather was still bad, but we went ahead a +little way to examine our road onward. The point to be found out was +whether we ought at once to make for the open water, that lay on the +other side of an island to the west, or whether we ought to travel +southward upon the shore-ice along the land. We came to a headland +consisting of uncommonly marked columnar basalt, which on account of +its peculiar form we called the "Castle." [69] We here saw that the +land stretched farther in a southerly direction, and that the open +water went the same way, only separated from the land by a belt of +shore-ice. As the latter appeared to be full of cracks, we decided +to go over to the island in the west, and put to sea as quickly as +possible. We therefore returned and made all ready. Our preparations +consisted, first and foremost, in carefully calking the seams of our +kayaks by melting stearine over them, and then restowing the cargo so +as to leave room for us to sit in them. The following day (Sunday, +May 24th) we moved on westward towards the island, and as the wind +was easterly and we were able to employ sails on the sledges we got +on pretty quickly across the flat ice. As we approached the island, +however, a storm blew up from the southwest, and after the sledges +had upset several times we were obliged to take down our sails. The +sky became overcast, the air grew misty, and we worked our way against +the strong wind in towards the land. The thing was to get to land as +quickly as possible, as we might evidently expect bad weather. But +now the ice became treacherous. As we approached the land there were +a number of cracks in every direction, and these were covered with a +layer of snow, so that it was difficult to see them. While Johansen +was busy lashing the sail and mast securely to the deck of his kayak, +so that the wind should not carry them away, I went on ahead as fast +as I could to look for a camping-ground; but all of a sudden the ice +sank beneath me, and I lay in the water in a broad crack which had +been concealed by the snow. I tried to get out again, but with my +snow-shoes firmly fastened it was not possible to get them through +all the rubble of snow and lumps of ice that had fallen into the +water on the top of them. In addition to this, I was fastened to the +sledge by the harness, so that I could not turn round. Fortunately, +in the act of falling, I had dug my pikestaff into the ice on the +opposite side of the crack, and, holding myself up by its aid and +the one arm that I had got above the edge of the ice, I lay waiting +patiently for Johansen to come and pull me out. I was sure he must +have seen me fall in, but could not turn enough to look back. When I +thought a long time had passed, and I felt the staff giving way and +the water creeping farther and farther up my body, I began to call out, +but received no answer. I shouted louder for help, and at last heard a +"Hullo!" far behind. After some little time, when the water was up to +my chest, and it would not have been long before I was right under, +Johansen came up and I was pulled out. He had been so occupied with his +sledge that he had not noticed that I was in the water until the last +time I called. This experience had the effect of making me careful in +the future not to go on such deceitful ice with my snow-shoes firmly +attached. By observing a little more caution, we at length reached +the land, and found a camping-place where there was a certain amount +of shelter. To our surprise, we discovered a number of walruses lying +along the shore here, herd upon herd, beside the cracks; but we took +no notice of them either, for the present; we thought we still had +a sufficient supply of food and blubber to draw upon. + +During the succeeding days the storm raged, and we could not move. The +entry for Tuesday, May 26th, is as follows: "We have lain weather-bound +yesterday and to-day beneath the glacier cliff on the north side of +this island. The snow is so wet that it will be difficult to get +anywhere; but it is to be hoped that the open channel outside is +not far off, and we shall get on quickly there when once the storm +abates. We shall then make up for this long delay." But our stay +was to be longer than we thought. On Thursday, May 28th, the journal +says: "We were up on the island yesterday, and saw open sea to the +south, but are still lying weather-bound as before. I only moved our +tent-place a little on account of the cracks; the ice threatened to +open just beneath us. There are a great many walruses here. When we +go out over the ice the fellows follow us and come up in the cracks +beside us. We can often hear them grunting as they go, and butting +at the ice under our feet." + +That day, however, the storm so far abated that we were able to move +southward along the east side of the island. On the way we passed a +large open pool in the shore-ice between this island and the land. It +must have been shallow here, for there was a strong current, which +was probably the cause of this pool being kept open. We passed two or +three herds of walruses lying on the ice near it. Concerning these +I wrote that evening: "I went up to one herd of about nine to take +photographs of the animals. I went close up to them, behind a little +mound, and they did not see me; but directly I rose up, not more than +20 feet away from them, a female with her young one plunged into the +water through a hole close by. I could not get the others to stir, +however much I shouted. Johansen now joined me, and, although he +threw lumps of snow and ice at them, they would not move; they only +struck their tusks into the lumps and sniffed at them, while I kept +on photographing them. When I went right up to them, most of them at +last got up and floundered away towards the hole, and one plunged in; +but the others stopped and composed themselves to sleep again. Soon, +too, the one that had first disappeared came back and crept on to +the ice. The two that lay nearest to me never stirred at all; they +raised their heads a little once or twice, looked contemptuously at +me as I stood three paces from them, laid their heads down and went +to sleep again. They barely moved when I pricked them in the snout +with my pikestaff, but I was able to get a pretty good photograph +of them. I thought I now had enough, but before I went I gave the +nearest one a parting poke in the snout with my pikestaff; it got +right up, grunted discontentedly, looked in astonishment at me with +its great round eyes, and then quietly began to scratch the back of +its head, and I got another photograph, whereupon it again lay quietly +down. When we went on, they all immediately settled themselves again, +and were lying like immovable masses of flesh when we finally rounded +the promontory and lost sight of them." + +Once more we had snow-storms, and now lay weather-bound on the south +side of the island. + +"Friday, May 29th. Lying weather-bound. + +"Saturday, May 30th. Lying weather-bound, stopping up the tent against +the driving snow while the wind flits round us, attacking first one +side and then another." It was all we could do to keep ourselves +tolerably dry during this time, with the snow drifting in through +the cracks on all sides, on us and our bag, melting and saturating +everything. + +"Monday, June 1st. Yesterday it at last grew a little calmer, and +cleared up so that we had bright sunshine in the evening. We rejoiced +in the thought of moving on, got our kayaks and everything ready to +launch, and crept into our bag, to turn out early this morning for a +fine day, as we thought. The only thing that made it a little doubtful +was that the barometer had ceased rising--had fallen again 1 millim., +in fact. In the night the storm came on again--the same driving snow, +only with this difference, that now the wind is going round the compass +with the sun, so there must soon be an end of it. This is beginning to +be too much of a good thing; I am now seriously afraid that the Fram +will get home before us. I went for a walk inland yesterday. There +were flat clay and gravel stretches everywhere. I saw numerous traces +of geese, and in one place some white egg-shell, undoubtedly belonging +to a goose's egg." We therefore called the island Goose Island. [70] + +"Tuesday, June 2d. Still lay weather-bound last night, and to-day it +has been windier than ever. But now, towards evening, it has begun +to abate a little, with a brightening sky and sunshine now and again; +so we hope that there will really be a change for the better. Here we +lie in a hollow in the snow, getting wetter and wetter, and thinking +that it is June already and everything looks beautiful at home, while +we have got no farther than this. But it cannot be much longer before +we are there. Oh, it is too much to think of! If only I could be sure +about the Fram! If she arrives before us, ah! what will those poor +waiting ones do?" + +At length, on Wednesday, June 3d, we went on; but now the west wind +had driven the ice landward, so that there was no longer open sea to +travel south upon, and there was nothing for it but to go over the +ice along the land. However, the wind was from the north, and we could +put up a sail on our sledges, and thus get along pretty fast. We still +saw several walruses on the ice, and there were also some in the water +that were continually putting their heads up in the cracks and grunting +after us. The ice we were crossing here was remarkably thin and bad, +and as we got farther south it became even worse. It was so weighed +down with the masses of snow that lay upon it that there was water +beneath the snow wherever we turned. We had to make towards land as +quickly as possible, as it looked still worse farther south. By going +on snow-shoes, however, we kept fairly well on the top of the snow, +though often both sledge and snow-shoes sank down into the water +below and stuck fast, and no little trouble would be caused in getting +everything safely on to firmer ice again. At last, however, we got in +under a high, perpendicular basaltic cliff, [71] which swarmed with +auks. This was the first time we had seen these birds in any great +quantity; hitherto we had only seen one or two singly. We took it as +a sign that we were approaching better-known regions. Alongside of +it, to the southeast, there was a small rocky knoll, where numbers +of fulmar (Procellaria glacialis) seemed to be breeding. Our supply +of food was now getting very low, and we had been hoping for a visit +from some bear or other; but now that we needed them they of course +kept away. We then determined to shoot birds, but the auks flew too +high, and all we got was a couple of fulmars. As we just then passed +a herd of walruses we determined to take some of this despised food, +and we shot one of them, killing it on the spot. At the report the +others raised their heads a little, but only to let them fall again, +and went on sleeping. To get our prize skinned with these brutes lying +around us was not to be thought of, and we must drive them into the +water in some way or other. This was no easy matter, however. We went +up to them, shouted and halloed, but they only looked at us lazily, +and did not move. Then we hit them with snow-shoe staves; they became +angry, and struck their tusks into the ice until the chips flew, but +still would not move. At last, however, by continuing to poke and beat, +we drove the whole herd into the water, but it was not quick work. In +stately, dignified procession they drew back and shambled slowly off, +one after the other, to the water's edge. Here they again looked round +at us, grunting discontentedly, and then plunged into the water one +by one. But while we were cutting up their comrade they kept coming +up again in the crack beside us, grunting and creeping half up on +the ice, as if to demand an explanation of our conduct. + +After having supplied ourselves with as much meat and blubber as we +thought we needed for the moment, as well as a quantity of blood, we +pitched our tent close by and boiled a good mess of blood porridge, +which consisted of a wonderful mixture of blood, powdered fish, +Indian meal, and blubber. We still had a good wind, and sailed away +merrily with our sledges all night. When we got to the promontory to +the south of us we came to open water, which here ran right up to the +edge of the glacier-covered land; and all we had to do was to launch +our kayaks and set off along by the glacier cliff, in open sea for +the first time this year. It was strange to be using paddles again +and to see the water swarming with birds--auks and little auks and +kittiwakes all round. The land was covered with glaciers, the basaltic +rock only projecting in one or two places. There were moraines, too, +in several places on the glaciers. We were not a little surprised, +after going some way, when we discovered a flock of eider-ducks on the +water. A little later we saw two geese sitting on the shore, and felt +as if we had come into quite civilized regions again. After a couple +of hours' paddling our progress south was stopped by shore-ice, while +the open water extended due west towards some land we had previously +seen in that direction, but which was now covered by mist. We were +very much in doubt as to which way to choose, whether to go on in +the open water westward--which must take us towards Spitzbergen--or +to leave it and again take to our sledges over the smooth shore-ice +to the south. Although the air was thick and we could not see far, we +felt convinced that by going over the ice we should at last reach open +water on the south side of these islands among which we were. Perhaps +we might there find a shorter route to Spitzbergen. In the meantime +morning was far advanced (June 5th), and we pitched our camp, well +pleased at having got so far south. [72] + +As it was still so hazy the following day (Saturday, June 6th) +that we could not see any more of our surroundings than before, +and as there was a strong north wind, which would be inconvenient in +crossing the open sea westward, we determined on going southward over +the shore-ice. We were once more able to use a sail on our sledges, and +we got on better than ever. We often went along without any exertion; +we could stand on our snow-shoes, each in front of our sledge, +holding the steering-pole (a bamboo cane bound firmly to the stem +of the kayaks) and letting the wind carry us along. In the gusts we +often went along like feathers, at other times we had to pull a little +ourselves. We made good progress, and kept on until far into the night, +as we wanted to make as much use of the wind as possible. We crossed +right over the broad sound we had had in front of us, and did not stop +until we were able to pitch our camp by an island on its southern side. + +Next evening (Sunday, June 7th) we went on again, still southward, +before the same northerly wind, and we could sail well. We had +hoped to be able to reach the land before we again pitched our camp, +but it was farther than we had thought, and at last, when morning +(Monday, June 8th) was far advanced, we had to stop in the middle +of the ice in a furious storm. The numerous islands among which we +now were seemed more and more mysterious to us. I find in my journal +for that day: "Are continually discovering new islands or lands to +the south. There is one great land of snow beyond us in the west, +and it seems to extend southward a long way." This snow land seemed +to us extremely mysterious; we had not yet discovered a single dark +patch upon it, only snow and ice everywhere. We had no clear idea of +its extent, as we had only caught glimpses of it now and then when the +mist lifted a little. It seemed to be quite low, but we thought that +it must be of a wider extent than any of the lands we had hitherto +travelled along. To the east we found island upon island, and sounds +and fjords the whole way along. We mapped it all as well as we could, +but this did not help us to find out where we were; they seemed to +be only a crowd of small islands, and every now and then a view of +what we took to be the ocean to the east opened up between them. + +The ice over which we were now travelling was remarkably different +from that which we had had farther north, near our winter-hut; it +was considerably thinner, and covered, too, with very thick snow, +so that it was not in a good condition for travelling over. When, +therefore, the following day (Tuesday, June 9th), it also began to +stick in lumps to our snow-shoes and the sledge-runners, they both +worked rather heavily; but the wind was still favorable, and we +sailed along well notwithstanding. As we were sailing full speed, +flying before the wind, and had almost reached the land, Johansen +and his sledge suddenly sank down, and it was with difficulty that +he managed to back himself and his things against the wind and on to +the firmer ice. As I was rushing along, I saw that the snow in front +of me had a suspiciously wet color, and my snow-shoes began to cut +through; but fortunately I still had time to luff before any further +misfortune occurred. We had to take down our sails and make a long +detour westward, before we could continue our sail. Next day, also, +the snow clogged, but the wind had freshened, and we sailed better +than ever. As the land to the east [73] now appeared to trend to the +southeast, we steered for the southernmost point of a land to the +southwest. [74] It began to be more and more exciting. We thought we +must have covered about 14 miles that day, and reckoned that we must +be in 80° 8' north latitude, and we still had land in the south. If +it continued far in that direction it was certain that we could not +be on Franz Josef Land (as I still thought might be the case); but we +could not see far in this hazy atmosphere, and then it was remarkable +that the coast on the east began to run in an easterly direction. I +thought it might agree with Leigh-Smith's map of Markham Sound. In +that case we must have come south through a sound which neither he +nor Payer could have seen, and we were therefore not so far out of +our longitude, after all. But no! in our journey southward we could +not possibly have passed right across Payer's Dove Glacier and his +various islands and lands without having seen them. There must still be +a land farther west of this, between Franz Josef Land and Spitzbergen; +Payer's map could not be altogether wrong. I wanted to reach the land +in the southwest, but had to stop on the ice; it was too far. + +"Our provisions are getting low; we have a little meat for one more +day, but there is no living thing to be seen, not a seal on the ice, +and no open water anywhere. How long is this going on? If we do not +soon reach open sea again, where there may be game to be had, things +will not look very pleasant. + +"Tuesday, June 16th. The last few days have been so eventful that there +has been no time to write. I must try to make up for lost time this +beautiful morning, while the sun is peeping in under the tent. The +sea lies blue and shining outside, and one can lie and fancy one's +self at home on a June morning." + +On Friday, June 12th, we started again at 4 A.M. with sails on our +sledges. There had been frost, so the snow was in much better condition +again. It had been very windy in the night, too, so we hoped for a good +day. On the preceding day it had cleared up so that we could at last +see distinctly the lands around. We now discovered that we must steer +in a more westerly direction than we had done during the preceding +days, in order to reach the south point of the land to the west. The +lands to the east disappeared eastward, so we had said good-bye to +them the day before. We now saw, too, that there was a broad sound +in the land to the west, [75] and that it was not one entire land, +as we had taken it to be. The land north of this sound was now so +far away that I could only just see it. In the meantime the wind had +dropped a good deal; the ice, too, became more and more uneven--it +was evident that we had come to the drift-ice, and it was much harder +work than we had expected. We could see by the air that there must +be open water to the south, and as we went on we heard, to our joy, +the sound of breakers. At 6 A.M. we stopped to rest a little, and on +going up on to a hummock to take a longitude observation I saw the +water not far off. From a higher piece of glacier-ice we could see +it better. It extended towards the promontory to the southwest. Even +though the wind had become a little westerly now, we still hoped to +be able to sail along the edge of the ice, and determined to go to +the water by the shortest way. We were quickly at the edge of the ice, +and once more saw the blue water spread out before us. We soon had our +kayaks lashed together and the sail up, and put to sea. Nor were our +hopes disappointed; we sailed well all day long. At times the wind +was so strong that we cut through the water, and the waves washed +unpleasantly over our kayaks; but we got on, and we had to put up with +being a little wet. We soon passed the point we had been making for, +[76] and here we saw that the land ran westward, that the edge of +the unbroken shore-ice extended in the same direction, and that we +had water in front of us. In good spirits, we sailed westward along +the margin of the ice. So we were at last at the south of the land +in which we had been wandering for so long, and where we had spent a +long winter. It struck me more than ever that, in spite of everything, +this south coast would agree well with Leigh Smith's map of Franz +Josef Land and the country surrounding their winter quarters; but +then I remembered Payer's map and dismissed the thought. + +In the evening we put in to the edge of the ice, so as to stretch our +legs a little; they were stiff with sitting in the kayak all day, and +we wanted to get a little view over the water to the west by ascending +a hummock. As we went ashore the question arose as to how we should +moor our precious vessel. "Take one of the braces," said Johansen; he +was standing on the ice. "But is it strong enough?" "Yes," he answered; +"I have used it as a halyard on my sledge-sail all the time." "Oh, +well, it doesn't require much to hold these light kayaks," said I, +a little ashamed of having been so timid, and I moored them with the +halyard, which was a strap cut from a raw walrus hide. We had been on +the ice a little while, moving up and down close to the kayaks. The +wind had dropped considerably, and seemed to be more westerly, making +it doubtful whether we could make use of it any longer, and we went +up on to a hummock close by to ascertain this better. As we stood +there, Johansen suddenly cried, "I say! the kayaks are adrift!" We +ran down as hard as we could. They were already a little way out, +and were drifting quickly off; the painter had given way. "Here, +take my watch!" I said to Johansen, giving it to him; and as quickly +as possible I threw off some clothing, so as to be able to swim more +easily. I did not dare to take everything off, as I might so easily +get cramp. I sprang into the water, but the wind was off the ice, and +the light kayaks, with their high rigging, gave it a good hold. They +were already well out, and were drifting rapidly. The water was icy +cold; it was hard work swimming with clothes on; and the kayaks +drifted farther and farther, often quicker than I could swim. It +seemed more than doubtful whether I could manage it. But all our hope +was drifting there; all we possessed was on board--we had not even a +knife with us; and whether I got cramp and sank here, or turned back +without the kayaks, it would come to pretty much the same thing; so +I exerted myself to the utmost. When I got tired I turned over, and +swam on my back, and then I could see Johansen walking restlessly up +and down on the ice. Poor lad! He could not stand still, and thought +it dreadful not to be able to do anything. He had not much hope that +I could do it, but it would not improve matters in the least if he +threw himself into the water too. He said afterwards that these were +the worst moments he had ever lived through. But when I turned over +again and saw that I was nearer the kayaks, my courage rose, and I +redoubled my exertions. I felt, however, that my limbs were gradually +stiffening and losing all feeling, and I knew that in a short time +I should not be able to move them. But there was not far to go now; +if I could only hold out a little longer we should be saved--and I +went on. The strokes became more and more feeble, but the distance +became shorter and shorter, and I began to think I should reach the +kayaks. At last I was able to stretch out my hand to the snow-shoe +which lay across the sterns. I grasped it, pulled myself in to the +edge of the kayak--and we were saved! I tried to pull myself up, +but the whole of my body was so stiff with cold that this was an +impossibility. For a moment I thought that, after all, it was too +late; I was to get so far, but not be able to get in. After a little, +however, I managed to swing one leg up on to the edge of the sledge +which lay on the deck, and in this way managed to tumble up. There I +sat, but so stiff with cold that I had difficulty in paddling. Nor +was it easy to paddle in the double vessel, where I first had to +take one or two strokes on one side, and then step into the other +kayak to take a few strokes on the other side. If I had been able +to separate them, and row in one while I towed the other, it would +have been easy enough; but I could not undertake that piece of work, +for I should have been stiff before it was done; the thing to be done +was to keep warm by rowing as hard as I could. The cold had robbed my +whole body of feeling, but when the gusts of wind came they seemed to +go right through me as I stood there in my thin, wet woollen shirt. I +shivered, my teeth chattered, and I was numb almost all over; but I +could still use the paddle, and I should get warm when I got back on to +the ice again. Two auks were lying close to the bow, and the thought +of having auk for supper was too tempting; we were in want of food +now. I got hold of my gun and shot them with one discharge. Johansen +said afterwards that be started at the report, thinking some accident +had happened, and could not understand what I was about out there, +but when he saw me paddle and pick up two birds he thought I had gone +out of my mind. At last I managed to reach the edge of the ice, but +the current had driven me a long way from our landing-place. Johansen +came along the edge of the ice, jumped into the kayak beside me, and +we soon got back to our place, I was undeniably a good deal exhausted, +and could barely manage to crawl on land. I could scarcely stand; +and while I shook and trembled all over Johansen had to pull off the +wet things I had on, put on the few dry ones I still had in reserve, +and spread the sleeping-bag out upon the ice. I packed myself well +into it, and he covered me with the sail and everything he could find +to keep out the cold air. There I lay shivering for a long time, but +gradually the warmth began to return to my body. For some time longer, +however, my feet had no more feeling in them than icicles, for they +had been partly naked in the water. While Johansen put up the tent and +prepared supper, consisting of my two auks, I fell asleep. He let me +sleep quietly, and when I awoke supper had been ready for some time, +and stood simmering over the fire. Auk and hot soup soon effaced the +last traces of my swim. During the night my clothes were hung out to +dry, and the next day were all nearly dry again. + +As the tidal current was strong here, and there was no wind for +sailing, we had to wait for the turn of the tide, so as not to have +the current against us; and it was not until late the following evening +that we went on again. We paddled and got on well until towards morning +(June 14th), when we came to some great herds of walrus on the ice. Our +supply of meat was exhausted but for some auks we had shot, and we +had not many pieces of blubber left. We would rather have had a bear, +but as we had seen none lately it was perhaps best to supply ourselves +here. We put in, and went up to one herd behind a hummock. We preferred +young ones, as they were much easier to manipulate; and there were +several here. I first shot one quite small, and then another. The +full-grown animals started up at the first report and looked round, +and at the second shot the whole herd began to go into the water. The +mothers, however, would not leave their dead young ones. One sniffed +at its young one, and pushed it, evidently unable to make out what +was the matter; it only saw the blood spurting from its head. It +cried and wailed like a human being. At last, when the herd began +to plunge in, the mother pushed her young one before her towards the +water. I now feared that I should lose my booty, and ran forward to +save it; but she was too quick for me. She took the young one by one +fore-leg, and disappeared with it like lightning into the depths. The +other mother did the same. I hardly knew how it had all happened, and +remained standing at the edge looking down after them. I thought the +young ones must rise to the surface again, but there was nothing to +be seen; they had disappeared for good. The mothers must have taken +them a long way. I then went towards another herd, where there were +also young ones, and shot one of them; but, made wiser by experience, +I shot the mother too. It was a touching sight to see her bend over her +dead young one before she was shot, and even in death she lay holding +it with one fore-leg. So now we had meat and blubber enough to last a +long time, and meat, too, that was delicious, for the side of young +walrus tastes like loin of mutton. To this we added a dozen auks, +so our larder was now well furnished with good food; and if we needed +more the water was full of auks and other food, so there was no dearth. + +The walruses here were innumerable. The herds that had been lying on +the ice and had now disappeared were large; but there had been many +more in the water outside. It seemed to seethe with them on every +side, great and small; and when I estimate their number to have been +at least 300, it is certainly not over the mark. + +At 1.30 the next morning (Monday, June 15th) we proceeded on our +way in beautifully calm weather. As walruses swarmed on all sides, +we did not much like paddling singly, and for some distance lashed +the kayaks together; for we knew how obtrusive these gentlemen could +be. The day before they had come pretty near, popped up close beside +my kayak, and several times followed us closely a long distance, but +without doing us any harm. I was inclined to think it was curiosity, +and that they were not really dangerous; but Johansen was not so sure +of this. He thought we had had experience to the contrary, and urged +that at any rate caution could do no harm. All day long we saw herds, +that often followed us a long way, pressing in round the kayaks. We +kept close to the edge of the ice; and if any came too near, we put +in, if possible, on an ice-foot. [77] We also kept close together +or beside one another. We paddled past one large herd on the ice, +and could hear them a long way off lowing like cows. + +We glided quickly on along the coast, but unfortunately a mist hung +over it, so that it was often impossible to determine whether they +were channels or glaciers between the dark patches which we could just +distinguish upon it. I wanted very much to have seen a little more of +this land. My suspicion that we were in the neighborhood of the Leigh +Smith winter quarters had become stronger than ever. Our latitude, as +also the direction of the coast-line and the situation of the islands +and sounds, seemed to agree far too well to admit of the possibility +of imagining that another such group of islands could lie in the short +distance between Franz Josef Land and Spitzbergen. Such a coincidence +would be altogether too remarkable. Moreover, we caught glimpses +of land in the far west which in that case could not lie far from +Northeast Land. But Payer's map of the land north of this? Johansen +maintained, with reason, that Payer could not possibly have made such +mistakes as we should in that case be obliged to assume. + +Towards morning we rowed for some time without seeing any walrus, +and now felt more secure. Just then we saw a solitary rover pop up +a little in front of us. Johansen, who was in front at the time, +put in to a sunken ledge of ice; and although I really thought that +this was caution carried to excess, I was on the point of following +his example. I had not got so far, however, when suddenly the walrus +shot up beside me, threw itself on to the edge of the kayak, took +hold farther over the deck with one fore-flipper, and, as it tried +to upset me, aimed a blow at the kayak with its tusks. I held on +as tightly as possible, so as not to be upset into the water, and +struck at the animal's head with the paddle as hard as I could. It +took hold of the kayak once more and tilted me up, so that the deck +was almost under water, then let go, and raised itself right up. I +seized my gun, but at the same moment it turned round and disappeared +as quickly as it had come. The whole thing had happened in a moment, +and I was just going to remark to Johansen that we were fortunate in +escaping so easily from that adventure, when I noticed that my legs +were wet. I listened, and now heard the water trickling into the kayak +under me. To turn and run her in on to the sunken ledge of ice was the +work of a moment, but I sank there. The thing was to get out and on +to the ice, the kayak all the time getting fuller. The edge of the ice +was high and loose, but I managed to get up; and Johansen, by tilting +the sinking kayak over to starboard, so that the leak came above the +water, managed to bring her to a place where the ice was low enough to +admit of our drawing her up. All I possessed was floating about inside, +soaked through. "What I most regret is that the water has got into the +photographic apparatus, and perhaps my precious photographs are ruined. + +"So here we lie, with all our worldly goods spread out to dry and a +kayak that must be mended before we can face the walrus again. It is +a good big rent that he has made, at least six inches long; but it +is fortunate that it was no worse. How easily he might have wounded +me in the thigh with that tusk of his! And it would have fared ill +with me if we had been farther out, and not just at such a convenient +place by the edge of the ice, where there was a sunken ledge. The +sleeping-bag was soaking wet; we wrung it out as well as we could, +turned the hair outside, and have spent a capital night in it." + +On the evening of the same day I wrote: "To-day I have patched +my kayak, and we have gone over all the seams in both kayaks with +stearine; so now we hope we shall be able to go on in quite sound +boats. In the meantime the walruses are lying outside, staring at us +with their great, round eyes, grunting and blowing, and now and then +clambering up on the edge of the ice, as though they wanted to drive +us away. + +"Tuesday, June 23d. + + + "'Do I sleep? Do I dream? + Do I wonder and doubt? + Are things what they seem? + Or are visions about?' + + +What has happened? I can still scarcely grasp it. How incessant are +the vicissitudes in this wandering life! A few days ago swimming +in the water for dear life, attacked by walrus, living the savage +life which I have lived for more than a year now, and sure of a long +journey before us over ice and sea through unknown regions before we +should meet with other human beings--a journey full of the same ups +and downs, the same disappointments, that we have become so accustomed +to--and now living the life of a civilized European, surrounded by +everything that civilization can afford of luxury and good living, with +abundance of water, soap, towels, clean, soft woollen clothes, books, +and everything that we have been sighing for all these weary months. + +"It was past midday on June 17th when I turned out to prepare +breakfast. I had been down to the edge of the ice to fetch salt-water, +had made up the fire, cut up the meat and put it in the pot, and had +already taken off one boot, preparatory to creeping into the bag again, +when I saw that the mist over the land had risen a little since the +preceding day. I thought it would be as well to take the opportunity +of having a look round, so I put on my boot again and went up on to +a hummock near to look at the land beyond. A gentle breeze came from +the land, bearing with it a confused noise of thousands of bird-voices +from the mountain there. As I listened to these sounds of life and +movement, watched flocks of auks flying to and fro above my head, +and as my eye followed the line of coast, stopping at the dark, +naked cliffs, glancing at the cold, icy plains and glaciers in a +land which I believed to be unseen by any human eye and untrodden +by any human foot, reposing in Arctic majesty behind its mantle of +mist--a sound suddenly reached my ear so like the barking of a dog +that I started. It was only a couple of barks, but it could not be +anything else. I strained my ears, but heard no more, only the same +bubbling noise of thousands of birds. I must have been mistaken, +after all; it was only birds I had heard; and again my eye passed +from sound to island in the west. Then the barking came again--first +single barks, then full cry; there was one deep bark, and one sharper; +there was no longer any room for doubt. At that moment I remembered +having heard two reports the day before which I thought sounded +like shots, but I had explained them away as noises in the ice. I +now shouted to Johansen that I heard dogs farther inland. Johansen +started up from the bag where he lay sleeping and tumbled out of the +tent. 'Dogs?' He could not quite take it in, but had to get up and +listen with his own ears while I got breakfast ready. He very much +doubted the possibility of such a thing, yet fancied once or twice +that he heard something which might be taken for the barking of dogs; +but then it was drowned again in the bird-noises, and, everything +considered, he thought that what I had heard was nothing more than +that. I said he might believe what he liked, but I meant to set off as +quickly as possible, and was impatient to get breakfast swallowed. I +had emptied the last of the Indian meal into the soup, feeling sure +that we should have farinaceous food enough by the evening. As we +were eating we discussed who it could be, whether our countrymen or +Englishmen. If it was the English expedition to Franz Josef Land which +had been in contemplation when we started, what should we do? 'Oh, +we'll just have to remain with them a day or two,' said Johansen, +'and then we'll have to go on to Spitzbergen, else it will be too long +before we get home.' We were quite agreed on this point; but we would +take care to get some good provisions for the voyage out of them. While +I went on, Johansen was to stay behind and mind the kayaks, so that we +should run no risk of their drifting away with the ice. I got out my +snow-shoes, glass, and gun, and was ready. Before starting I went up +once more to listen and look out a road across the uneven ice to the +land. But there was not a sound like the barking of dogs, only noisy +auks, harsh-toned little auks, and screaming kittiwakes. Was it these, +after all, that I had heard? I set off in doubt. Then in front of me +I saw the fresh tracks of an animal. They could hardly have been made +by a fox, for if they were, the foxes here must be bigger than any +I had ever seen. But dogs? Could a dog have been no more than a few +hundred paces from us in the night without barking, or without our +having heard it? It seemed scarcely probable; but, whatever it was, +it could never have been a fox. A wolf, then? I went on, my mind full +of strange thoughts, hovering between certainty and doubt. Was all +our toil, were all our troubles, privations, and sufferings to end +here? It seemed incredible, and yet--Out of the shadow-land of doubt, +certainty was at last beginning to dawn. Again the sound of a dog +yelping reached my ear, more distinctly than ever; I saw more and +more tracks which could be nothing but those of a dog. Among them +were foxes' tracks, and how small they looked! A long time passed, +and nothing was to be heard but the noise of the birds. Again arose +doubt as to whether it was all an illusion. Perhaps it was only a +dream. But then I remembered the dogs' tracks; they, at any rate, +were no delusion. But if there were people here we could scarcely be +on Gillies Land or a new land, as we had believed all the winter. We +must, after all, be on the south side of Franz Josef Land, and the +suspicion I had had a few days ago was correct, namely, that we had +come south through an unknown sound and out between Hooker Island +and Northbrook Island, and were now off the latter, in spite of the +impossibility of reconciling our position with Payer's map. + +"It was with a strange mixture of feelings that I made my way in +towards land among the numerous hummocks and inequalities. Suddenly I +thought I heard a shout from a human voice, a strange voice, the first +for three years. How my heart beat and the blood rushed to my brain +as I ran up on to a hummock and hallooed with all the strength of my +lungs! Behind that one human voice in the midst of the icy desert--this +one message from life--stood home and she who was waiting there; and I +saw nothing else as I made my way between bergs and ice-ridges. Soon +I heard another shout, and saw, too, from an ice-ridge, a dark form +moving among the hummocks farther in. It was a dog; but farther off +came another figure, and that was a man. Who was it? Was it Jackson, +or one of his companions, or was it perhaps a fellow-countryman? We +approached one another quickly. I waved my hat; he did the same. I +heard him speak to the dog, and I listened. It was English, and as +I drew nearer I thought I recognized Mr. Jackson, whom I remembered +once to have seen. + +"I raised my hat; we extended a hand to one another, with a hearty +'How do you do?' Above us a roof of mist shutting out the world +around, beneath our feet the rugged, packed drift-ice, and in the +background a glimpse of the land, all ice, glacier, and mist. On one +side the civilized European in an English check suit and high rubber +water-boots, well shaved, well groomed, bringing with him a perfume +of scented soap, perceptible to the wild man's sharpened senses; on +the other side the wild man clad in dirty rags, black with oil and +soot, with long uncombed hair and shaggy beard, black with smoke, +with a face in which the natural fair complexion could not possibly +be discerned through the thick layer of fat and soot which a winter's +endeavors with warm water, moss, rags, and at last a knife, had sought +in vain to remove. No one suspected who he was or whence he came. + +"Jackson: 'I'm immensely glad to see you.' + +"'Thank you; I also.' + +"'Have you a ship here?' + +"'No; my ship is not here.' + +"'How many are there of you?' + +"'I have one companion at the ice-edge.' + +"As we talked, we had begun to go in towards land. I took it for +granted that he had recognized me, or at any rate understood who it +was that was hidden behind this savage exterior, not thinking that +a total stranger would be received so heartily. Suddenly he stopped, +looked me full in the face, and said, quickly: + +"'Aren't you Nansen?' + +"'Yes, I am.' + +"'By Jove! I am glad to see you!' + +"And he seized my hand and shook it again, while his whole face became +one smile of welcome, and delight at the unexpected meeting beamed +from his dark eyes. + +"'Where have you come from now?' he asked. + +"'I left the Fram in 84° north latitude, after having drifted for two +years, and I reached the 86° 15' parallel, where we had to turn and +make for Franz Josef Land. We were, however, obliged to stop for the +winter somewhere north here, and are now on our route to Spitzbergen.' + +"'I congratulate you most heartily. You have made a good trip of it, +and I am awfully glad to be the first person to congratulate you on +your return.' + +"Once more he seized my hand and shook it heartily. I could not +have been welcomed more warmly; that hand-shake was more than a mere +form. In his hospitable English manner, he said at once that he had +'plenty of room' for us, and that he was expecting his ship every +day. By 'plenty of room' I discovered afterwards that he meant that +there were still a few square feet on the floor of their hut that +were not occupied at night by himself and his sleeping companions. But +'heart-room makes house-room,' and of the former there was no lack. As +soon as I could get a word in, I asked how things were getting on +at home, and he was able to give me the welcome intelligence that +my wife and child had both been in the best of health when he left +two years ago. Then came Norway's turn, and Norwegian politics; but +he knew nothing about that, and I took it as a sign that they must +be all right too. He now asked if we could not go out at once and +fetch Johansen and our belongings; but I thought that our kayaks +would be too heavy for us to drag over this packed-up ice alone, +and that if he had men enough it would certainly be better to send +them out. If we only gave Johansen notice by a salute from our guns he +would wait patiently; so we each fired two shots. We soon met several +men--Mr. Armitage, the second in command; Mr. Child, the photographer; +and the doctor, Mr. Koetlitz. As they approached, Jackson gave them +a sign, and let them understand who I was; and I was again welcomed +heartily. We met yet others--the botanist, Mr. Fisher; Mr. Burgess, +and the Finn Blomqvist (his real name was Melenius). Fisher has since +told me that he at once thought it must be me when he saw a man out +on the ice; but he quite gave up that idea when he met me, for he had +seen me described as a fair man, and here was a dark man, with black +hair and beard. When they were all there, Jackson said that I had +reached 86° 15' north latitude, and from seven powerful lungs I was +given a triple British cheer that echoed among the hummocks. Jackson +immediately sent his men off to fetch sledges and go out to Johansen, +while we went on towards the house, which I now thought I could see on +the shore. Jackson now told me that he had letters for me from home, +and that both last spring and this he had had them with him when he +went north, on the chance of our meeting. We now found that in March +he must have been at no great distance south of our winter-hut, [78] +but had to turn there, as he was stopped by open water--the same open +water over which we had seen the dark atmosphere all the winter. Only +when we came up nearly to the houses did he inquire more particularly +about the Fram and our drifting, and I briefly told him our story. He +told me afterwards that from the time we met he had believed that the +ship had been destroyed, and that we two were the only survivors of the +expedition. He thought he had seen a sad expression in my face when he +first asked about the ship, and was afraid of touching on the subject +again. Indeed, he had even quietly warned his men not to ask. It was +only through a chance remark of mine that he found out his mistake, +and began to inquire more particularly about the Fram and the others. + +"Then we arrived at the house, a low Russian timber hut lying on a +flat terrace, an old shore-line beneath the mountain, and 50 feet above +the sea. It was surrounded by a stable and four circular tent-houses, +in which stores were kept. We entered a comfortable, warm nest in +the midst of these desolate, wintry surroundings, the roof and walls +covered with green cloth. On the walls hung photographs, etchings, +photo-lithographs, and shelves everywhere, containing books and +instruments; under the roof clothes and shoes hung drying, and from +the little stove in the middle of the floor of this cozy room the +warm coal fire shone out a hospitable welcome. A strange feeling came +over me as I seated myself in a comfortable chair in these unwonted +surroundings. At one stroke of changing fate all responsibility, +all troubles were swept away from a mind that had been oppressed by +them during three long years; I was in a safe haven, in the midst of +the ice, and the longings of three years were lulled in the golden +sunshine of the dawning day. My duty was done; my task was ended; +now I could rest, only rest and wait. + +"A carefully soldered tin packet was handed to me; it contained letters +from Norway. It was almost with a trembling hand and a beating heart +that I opened it; and there were tidings, only good tidings, from +home. A delightful feeling of peace settled upon the soul. + +"Then dinner was served, and how nice it was to have bread, butter, +milk, sugar, coffee, and everything that a year had taught us to do +without and yet to long for! But the height of comfort was reached +when we were able to throw off our dirty rags, have a warm bath, +and get rid of as much dirt as was possible in one bout; but we only +succeeded in becoming anything like clean after several days and +many attempts. Then clean, soft clothes from head to foot, hair cut, +and the shaggy beard shaved off, and the transformation from savage +to European was complete, and even more sudden than in the reverse +direction. How delightfully comfortable it was to be able to put on +one's clothes without being made greasy, but, most of all, to be able +to move without feeling them stick to the body with every movement! + +"It was not very long before Johansen and the others followed, with +the kayaks and our things. Johansen related how these warm-hearted +Englishmen had given him and the Norwegian flag a hearty cheer when +they came up and saw it waving beside a dirty woollen shirt on a +bamboo rod, which he had put up by my orders, so that I could find my +way back to him. On the way hither they had not allowed him to touch +the sledges, he had only to walk beside them like a passenger, and he +said that, of all the ways in which we had travelled over drift-ice, +this was without comparison the most comfortable. His reception in the +hut was scarcely less hospitable than mine, and he soon went through +the same transformation that I had undergone. I no longer recognize my +comrade of the long winter night, and search in vain for any trace of +the tramp who wandered up and down that desolate shore, beneath the +steep talus and the dark basalt cliff, outside the low underground +hut. The black, sooty troglodyte has vanished, and in his place sits a +well-favored, healthy-looking European citizen in a comfortable chair, +puffing away at a short pipe or a cigar, and with a book before him, +doing his best to learn English. It seems to me that he gets fatter +and fatter every day, with an almost alarming rapidity. It is indeed +surprising that we have both gained considerably in weight since we +left the Fram. When I came here I myself weighed about 14 1/2 stone, +or nearly 22 pounds more than I did when I left the Fram; while +Johansen weighs over 11 stone 11 pounds, having gained a little more +than 13 pounds. This is the result of a winter's feeding on nothing +but bear's meat and fat in an Arctic climate. It is not quite like +the experiences of others in parallel circumstances; it must be +our laziness that has done it. And here we are, living in peace and +quietness, waiting for the ship from home and for what the future will +bring us, while everything is being done for us to make us forget a +winter's privations. We could not have fallen into better hands, and +it is impossible to describe the unequalled hospitality and kindness +we meet with on all hands, and the comfort we feel. Is it the year's +privations and want of human society, is it common interests, that so +draw us to these men in these desolate regions? I do not know; but we +are never tired of talking, and it seems as if we had known one another +for years, instead of having met for the first time a few days ago. + +"Wednesday, June 23d. It is now three years since we left home. As +we sat at the dinner-table this evening, Hayward, the cook, came +rushing in and said there was a bear outside. We went out, Jackson +with his camera and I with my rifle. We saw the head of the bear +above the edge of the shore; it was sniffing the air in the direction +of the hut, while a couple of dogs stood at a respectful distance +and barked. As we approached, it came right up over the edge to us, +stopped, showed its teeth, and hissed, then turned round and went +slowly back down towards the shore. To hinder it enough for Jackson +to get near and photograph it, I sent a bullet into its hind-quarters +as it disappeared over the edge. This helped, and a ball in the left +shoulder still more. Surrounded by a few dogs, it now made a stand. The +dogs grew bolder, and a couple of shots in the muzzle from Jackson's +revolver made the bear quite furious. It sprang first at one dog, +'Misère,' caught hold of it by the back, and flung it a good way out +over the ice, then sprang at the other, seizing it by one paw and +tearing one toe badly. It then found an old tin box, bit it flat, +and flung it far away. It was wild with fury, but a ball behind the +ear ended its sufferings. It was a she-bear with milk in the breast; +but there was no sign of any embryo, and no young one was discovered +in the neighborhood. + +"Sunday, July 15th. This evening, when Jackson and the doctor were up +on the mountain shooting auks, the dogs began to make a tremendous +row (especially the bear-dog 'Nimrod,' which is chained outside +the door), and howled and whined in a suspicious manner. Armitage +went out, coming back a little while after and asking if I cared to +shoot a bear. I accompanied him with my rifle and camera. The bear +had taken flight to a little hummock out on the ice south of the +house, and was lying at full length on the top of it, with 'Misère' +and a couple of puppies round it, standing at a little distance and +barking persistently. As we approached it fled over the ice. The +range was long, but, nevertheless, we sent a few shots after it, +thinking we might perhaps retard its progress. With one of these +I was fortunate enough to hit it in the hind-quarters, and it now +fled to a new ice-hill. Here I was able to get nearer to it. It was +evidently very much enraged; and when I came under the hummock where +it stood it showed its teeth and hissed at me, and repeatedly gave +signs of wanting to jump down on to the top of me. On these occasions +I rapidly got ready my rifle instead of the camera. It scraped away +the loose snow from under its feet to get a better footing for the +leap which, however, it never took; and I re-exchanged my rifle for +my camera. In the meantime, Jackson had arrived with his camera on +the other side; and when we had taken all the photographs we wanted +we shot the bear. It was an unusually large she-bear." + +One of the first things we did when we came to Mr. Jackson's station +was of course to make a close comparison of our watches with his +chronometer; and Mr. Armitage was also kind enough to take careful +time-observations for me. It now appears that we had not been so far +out, after all. We had put our watches about 26 minutes wrong, making +a difference of about 6 1/2° in longitude. A protracted comparison +undertaken by Mr. Armitage also showed that the escapement of our +watches was very nearly what we had assumed. With the help of this +information I was now enabled to work out our longitude observations +pretty correctly; and one of the first tasks I here set about, now +that we once more had access to paper, writing and drawing materials, +and all that we had longed for so much during the winter, was to +prepare a sketch-map of Franz Josef Land, as our observations led me to +conclude that it must actually be. Mr. Jackson very kindly allowed me +to consult the map he had made of that part of the land which he had +explored. This enabled me to dispense with the labor of reckoning out +my own observations in these localities. Furthermore, I have to thank +Mr. Jackson for aid in every possible way, with navigation-tables, +nautical almanac, [79] scales, and all sorts of drawing material. + +It is by a comparison of Payer's map, Jackson's map, and my own +observations that I have made out the sketch-map reproduced on page +599. I have altered Payer's and Jackson's map only at places where my +observations differ essentially from theirs. I make no pretence to give +more than a provisional sketch; I had not even time to work out my own +observations with absolute accuracy. When this has been done, and if I +can gain access to all Payer's material, no doubt a considerably more +trustworthy map can be produced. The only importance which I claim for +the accompanying map is that it shows roughly how what we have hitherto +called Franz Josef Land is cut up into innumerable small islands, +without any continuous and extensive mass of land. Much of Payer's +map I found to coincide well enough with our observations. But the +enigma over which we had pondered the whole winter still remained +unsolved. Where was Dove Glacier and the whole northern part of +Wilczek Land? Where were the islands which Payer had named Braun +Island, Hoffmann Island, and Freeden Island? The last might, no +doubt, be identified with the southernmost island of Hvidtenland +(White Land), but the others had completely disappeared. I pondered +for a long time over the question how such a mistake could have +crept into a map by such a man as Payer--an experienced topographer, +whose maps, as a rule, bear the stamp of great accuracy and care, +and a polar traveller for whose ability I have always entertained +a high respect. I examined his account of his voyage, and there +I found that he expressly mentions that during the time he was +coasting along this Dove Glacier he had a great deal of fog, which +quite concealed the land ahead. But one day (it was April 7, 1874) +he says: [80] "At this latitude (81° 23') it seemed as if Wilczek +Land suddenly terminated, but when the sun scattered the driving +mists we saw the glittering ranges of its enormous glaciers--the Dove +Glaciers--shining down on us. Towards the northeast we could trace +land trending to a cape lying in the gray distance: Cape Buda-Pesth, +as it was afterwards called. The prospect thus opened to us of a vast +glacier land conflicted with the general impression we had formed of +the resemblance between the newly discovered region and Spitzbergen; +for glaciers of such extraordinary magnitude presuppose the existence +of a country stretching far into the interior." + +I have often thought over this description, and I cannot find +in Payer's book any other information that throws light upon the +mystery. Although, according to this, it would appear as if they +had had clear weather that day, there must, nevertheless, have been +fog-banks lying over Hvidtenland, uniting it with Wilczek Land to +the south and stretching northward towards Crown Prince Rudolf +Land. The sun shining on these fog-banks must have glittered so +that they were taken for glaciers along a continuous coast. I can +all the more easily understand this mistake, as I was myself on the +point of falling into it. As before related, if the weather had not +cleared on the evening of June 11th, enabling us to discern the sound +between Northbrook Island and Peter Head (Alexandra Land), we should +have remained under the impression that we had here continuous land, +and should have represented it as such in mapping this region. + +Mr. Jackson and I frequently discussed the naming of the lands we had +explored. I asked him whether he would object to my naming the land on +which I had wintered "Frederick Jackson's Island," as a small token +of our gratitude for the hospitality he had shown us. We had made +the discovery that this island was separated by sounds from the land +farther north which Payer had named Karl Alexander Land. For the rest, +I refrained from giving names to any of the places which Jackson had +seen before I saw them. + +The country around Cape Flora proved to be very interesting from +the geological point of view, and as often as time permitted I +investigated its structure, either alone, or more frequently in +company with the doctor and geologist of the English expedition, +Dr. Koetlitz. Many an interesting excursion did we make together up +and down those steep moraines in search of fossils, which in certain +places we found in great numbers. It appeared that from the sea-level +up to a height of about 500 or 600 feet the land consisted of a soft +clay mixed with lumps of a red-brown clay sandstone, in which lumps +the fossils chiefly abounded. But the earth was so overstrewn with +loose stones, which had rolled down from the basalt walls above, +that it was difficult to reach it. For a long time I maintained +that all this clay was only a comparatively late strand formation; +but the doctor was indefatigable in his efforts to convince me that +it really was an old and very extensive formation, stretching right +under the superimposed basalt. At last I had to yield, when we arrived +at the topmost stratum of the clay and I saw it actually going under +the basalt, and found some shallower strata of basalt lower down in +the clay. An examination of the fossils, which consisted for the most +part of ammonites and belemnites, convinced me that the whole of this +clay formation must date from the Jurassic period. At several places +Dr. Koetlitz had found thin strata of coal in the clay. Petrified +wood was also of common occurrence. But over the clay formation +lay a mighty bed of basalt 600 or 700 feet in height, which was +certainly not the least interesting feature of the country. It was +distinguished by its coarse-grained structure from the majority of +typical basalts, and seemed to be closely related to those which are +found in Spitsbergen and Northeast Land. [81] The basalt, however, +seems to vary a good deal in appearance here in Franz Josef Land. That +which we found farther north--for example, at Cape M'Clintock and on +Goose Island--was considerably more coarse-grained than that which +we found here. The situation of the basalt here on Northbrook Island +and the surrounding islands was also very different from that which we +had observed farther north. It is here met with, as a rule, only at a +height of 500 or 600 feet above the sea, while on the more northerly +islands--from 81° northward--it reached right to the shore. Thus +it dropped in an almost perpendicular wall straight into the sea at +Jackson's Cape Fisher, in 81°. It was the same at Cape M'Clintock, +at our winter cabin, at the headland of columnar basalt where we +passed the night of August 25, 1895, at Cape Clements Markham, and at +the sharp point of rock where we landed on the night between August +16th and 17th. The structure seemed to be similar, too, so far as we +had seen, on the south side of Crown Prince Rudolf's Land. Wherever +we had been to the northward I had kept a sharp lookout for strata +whose fossils could give us any information as to the geological +age of this country. According to what I here found at Cape Flora, +it appeared as if a great part at least of this basalt dated from the +Jurassic period, as it lay immediately above, and was partly intermixed +with, strata of this age. Moreover, on the top of the basalt, as will +presently appear, vegetable fossils were found dating from the later +part of the Jurassic period. It thus seems as though Franz Josef Land +were of a comparatively old formation. All these horizontal strata +of basalt, stretching over all the islands at about the same height, +seem to indicate that there was once a continuous mass of land here, +which in the course of time, being exposed to various disintegrating +forces, such as frost, damp, snow, glaciers, and the sea, has been +split up and worn away, and has in part disappeared under the sea, +so that now only scattered islands and rocks remain, separated from +each other by fjords and sounds. As these formations bear a certain +resemblance to what has been found in several places in Spitzbergen +and Northeast Land, we may plausibly assume that these two groups +of islands originally belonged to the same mass of land. It would +therefore be interesting to investigate the as yet unknown region which +separates them, the region which we should have had to traverse had +we not fallen in with Jackson and his expedition. There is doubtless +much that is new, and especially many new islands, to be found in this +strait--possibly a continuous series of islands, so that there may be +some difficulty in determining where the one archipelago ends and the +other begins. The investigation of this region is a problem of no small +scientific importance, which we may hope that the Jackson-Harmsworth +expedition will succeed in solving. + +How far the Franz Josef Land archipelago stretches towards the +north cannot as yet be determined with certainty. According to our +experience, indeed, it would seem improbable that there is land of +any great extent in that direction. It is true that Payer, when he +was upon Crown Prince Rudolf's Land, saw Petermann's Land and Oscar's +Land, the first to the north and the second to the west; but that +Petermann's Land, at any rate, cannot be of any size seems to be +proved by our observations, since we saw no land at all as we came +southward a good way east of it, and the ice seemed to drift to the +westward practically unimpeded when we were in its latitude. That +King Oscar's Land also cannot be of any great extent seems to me +evident from what we saw in the course of the winter and spring, +as the wind swept the ice unhindered away from the land, so that +there can scarcely be any extensive and continuous mass of land to +the north or northwest to keep it back. + +It is, perhaps, even more difficult to determine how far the Franz +Josef Land archipelago stretches to the eastward. From all we saw, +I should judge that Wilczek Land cannot be of any great extent; +but there may nevertheless be new islands farther to the east. This +seems probable, indeed, from the fact that in June and July, 1895, +we remained almost motionless at about 82° 5' north latitude, in spite +of a long continuance of northerly winds; whence it seemed that there +must be a stretch of land south of us obstructing, like a long wall, +the farther drift of the ice to the southward. But it is useless to +discuss this question minutely here, as it, too, will doubtless be +answered authoritatively by the English expedition. + +Another feature of Northbrook Island which greatly interested me was +the evidence it presented of changes in the level of the sea. I have +already mentioned that Jackson's hut lay on an old strand-line or +terrace about from 40 to 50 feet high, but there were also several +other strand-lines, both lower and higher. Thus I found that Leigh +Smith, who also had wintered on this headland, had built his hut upon +an old strand-line 17 feet above the sea-level, while at other places +I found strand-lines at a height of 80 feet. I had already noticed +such strand-lines at different elevations when I first arrived in the +previous autumn at the more northern part of this region (for example, +on Torup's Island). Indeed, we had lived all winter on such a terrace. + +Jackson had found whales' skeletons at several places about Cape +Flora. Close to his hut, for instance, at a height of 50 feet, there +lay the skull of a whale, a balæna, possibly a Greenland whale (Balæna +mysticetus?). At a point farther north there lay fragments of a whole +skeleton, probably of the same species. The underjaw was 18 feet 3 +inches long; but these bones lay at an elevation of not more than 9 +feet above the present sea-level. I also found other indications that +the sea must at a comparatively recent period have risen above these +low strand-terraces. For instance, they were at many points strewn +with mussel-shells. This land, then, seems to have been subjected +to changes of level analogous to those which have occurred in other +northern countries, of which, as above mentioned, I had also seen +indications on the north coast of Asia. + +One day when Mr. Jackson and Dr. Koetlitz were out on an excursion +together they found on a "nunatak," or spur of rock, projecting above a +glacier on the north side of Cape Flora, two places which were strewn +with vegetable fossils. This discovery, of course, aroused my keenest +interest, and on July 17th Dr. Koetlitz and I set out for the spot +together. The spur of rock consisted entirely of basalt, at some points +showing a marked columnar structure, and projected in the middle of +the glacier, at a height which I estimated at 600 or 700 feet above +the sea. Unfortunately, there was no time to measure its elevation +exactly. At two points on the surface of the basalt there was a layer +consisting of innumerable fragments of sandstone. In almost every +one of these impressions were to be found, for the most part, of the +needles and leaves of pine-trees, but also of small fern-leaves. We +picked up as many of these treasures as we could carry, and returned +that evening heavily laden and in high contentment. On a snow-shoe +excursion some days later Johansen also chanced unwittingly upon the +same place, and gathered fossils, which he brought to me. Since my +return home this collection of vegetable fossils has been examined by +Professor Nathorst, and it appears that Mr. Jackson and Dr. Koetlitz +have here made an extremely interesting find. + + + +Professor Nathorst writes to me as follows: "In spite of their very +fragmentary condition the vegetable fossils brought home by you +are of great interest, as they give us our first insight into the +plant-world in regions north of the eightieth degree of latitude during +the latter part of the Jurassic period. The most common are leaves +of a fir-tree (Pinus) which resembles the Pinus Nordenskiöldi (Heer) +found in the Jurassic strata of Spitzbergen, East Siberia, and Japan, +but which probably belongs to a different species. There occur also +narrower leaves of another species, and furthermore male flowers and +fragments of a pine cone [82] with several seeds (Figs. 1-3), one of +which (Fig. 1) suggests the Pinus Maakiana (Heer) from the Jurassic +strata of Siberia. Among traces of other pine-trees may be mentioned +those of a broad-leaved Taxites, resembling Taxites gramineus (Heer), +specially found in the Jurassic strata of Spitzbergen and Siberia, +which has leaves of about the same size as those of the Cephalotaxus +Fortunei, at present existing in China and Japan. It is interesting, +too, to find remains of the genus Feildenia (Figs. 4 and 5), which has +as yet been found only in the polar regions. It was first discovered +by Nordenskiöld in the Tertiary strata near Cape Staratschin, +on Spitzbergen, in 1868, and was described by Heer under the name +of Torellia. It was subsequently found by Feilden in the Tertiary +strata at Discovery Bay, in Grinnell Land, during the English Polar +Expedition of 1875-76; and Heer now changed the generic name to +Feildenia, as Torellia had already been employed as the name of a +mussel. This species has since been found by me in 1882 in the Upper +Jurassic strata of Spitzbergen. The leaves remind one of the leaves +of the subspecies nageia of the existing genus Podocarpus. + +"The finest specimens of the whole collection are the leaves of a small +Gingko, of which one is complete (Fig. 6). This genus, with plum-like +seeds and with leaves which, unlike those of other pine-trees, have +a real leaf-blade, is found at present, in one single species only, +in Japan, but existed in former times in numerous forms and in many +regions. During the Jurassic period it flourished especially in East +Siberia, and has also been found on Spitzbergen, in East Greenland +(at Scoresby Sound), and at many places in Europe, etc. During the +Cretaceous and the Tertiary periods it was still found on the west +coast of Greenland at 70° north latitude. The leaf here reproduced +belongs to a new species, which might be called Gingko polaris, and +which is most closely related to the G. flabellata (Heer) from the +Jurassic strata of Siberia. It bears a certain habitual resemblance +to Gingko digitata (Lindley and Hutton), particularly as found in +the brown Jurassic strata of England and Spitzbergen; but its leaves +are considerably smaller. Besides this species, one or two others may +also occur in this collection, as well as fragments of the leaves of +the genus Czekanowskia, related to the Gingko family, but with narrow +leaf-blades resembling pine-needles. + +"Ferns are very scantily represented. Such fragments as there are +belong to four different types; but the species can scarcely be +determined. One fragment belongs to the genus Cladophlebis, common +in Jurassic strata; another suggests the Thyrsopteris, found in the +Jurassic strata of East Siberia and of England; a third suggests the +Onychiopsis characteristic of the Upper Jurassic strata. The fourth, +again, seems to be closely related to the Asplenium (Petruschinense), +which Heer has described, found in the Siberian Jurassic strata. The +specimen is remarkable from the fact that the epidermis cells of the +leaf have left a clear impression on the rock. + +"With its wealth of pine leaves, its poverty of ferns, and its +lack of Cycadaceæ, this Franz Josef Land flora has somewhat the same +character as that of the Upper Jurassic flora of Spitzbergen, although +the species are somewhat different. Like the Spitzbergen flora, it +does not indicate a particularly genial climate, although doubtless +enormously more so than that of the present day. The deposits must +doubtless have occurred in the neighborhood of a pine forest. So far as +the specimens enable one to judge, the flora seems to belong rather to +the Upper (White) Jurassic system than to the Middle (Brown) system." + + + +It was undeniably a sudden transition to come straight from our +long inert life in our winter lair, where one's scientific interests +found little enough stimulus, right into the midst of this scientific +oasis, where there was plenty of opportunity for work, where books +and all necessary apparatus were at hand, and where one could employ +one's leisure moments in discussing with men of similar tastes all +sorts of scientific questions connected with the Arctic zone. In the +botanist of the expedition, Mr. Harry Fisher, I found a man full of +the warmest interest in the fauna and flora of the polar regions, and +the exhaustive investigations which his residence here has enabled him +to make into the plant-life and animal-life (especially the former) of +the locality, both by sea and land, will certainly augment in a most +valuable degree our knowledge of its biological conditions. I shall +not easily forget the many pleasant talks in which he communicated to +me his discoveries and observations. They were all eagerly absorbed +by a mind long deprived of such sustenance. I felt like a piece of +parched soil drinking in rain after a drouth of a whole year. + +But other diversions were also available. If my brain grew fatigued +with unwonted labor, I could set off with Jackson for the top of +the moraine to shoot auks, which swarmed under the basalt walls. They +roosted in hundreds and hundreds on the shelves and ledges above us; at +other places the kittiwakes brooded on their nests. It was a refreshing +scene of life and activity. As we stood up there at a height of 500 +feet, and could look far out over the sea, the auks flew in swarms +backward and forward over our heads, and every now and then we would +knock over one or two as they passed. Every time a gun was fired the +report echoed through all the rocky clefts, and thousands of birds flew +shrieking down from the ledges. It seemed as though a blast of wind +had swept a great dust-cloud down from the crest above; but little by +little they returned to their nests, many of them meanwhile falling +to our guns. Jackson had here a capital larder, and he made ample +use of it. Almost every day he was up under the rock shooting auks, +which formed a daily dish at dinner. In the autumn great stores of +them were laid in to last through the winter. At other times Jackson +and Blomqvist would go up and gather eggs. They dragged a ladder up +with them, and by its aid Jackson clambered up the perpendicular +cliffs. This egg-hunting among the loose basalt cliffs, where the +stones were perpetually slipping away from under one, appeared to +me such dare-devil work that I was chary in taking part in it. Far +be it from me to deny, however, that the eggs made delicious eating, +whether we had them soft-boiled for breakfast or made into pancakes for +dinner. It was remarkable how entirely I had got out of training for +climbing in precipitous places. I well remember that the first time I +went up the moraine with Jackson I had to stop and take breath every +hundred paces or so. This was, no doubt, due to our long inactivity; +perhaps, too, I had become somewhat anæmic during the winter in our +lair. But there was more than that in it; the very height and steepness +made me uneasy; I was inclined to turn dizzy, and had great difficulty +in coming down again, preferring, if possible, simply to sit down +and slide. After a while this passed off a little, and I became more +accustomed to the heights again. I also became less short-winded, +and at last I could climb almost like a normal human being. + +In the meantime the days wore on, and still we saw nothing of the +Windward. Johansen and I began to get a little impatient. We discussed +the possibility that the ship might not make its way through the +ice, and that we should have to winter here, after all. This idea +was not particularly attractive to us--to be so near home and yet +not to reach home. We regretted that we had not at once pushed on +for Spitzbergen; perhaps we should by this time have reached the +much-talked-of sloop. When we came to think of it, why on earth had +we stopped here? That was easily explained. These people were so kind +and hospitable to us that it would have been more than Spartan had we +been able to resist their amiability. And then we had gone through a +good deal before we arrived, and here was a warm, cozy nest, where +we had nothing to do but to sit down and wait. Waiting, however, +is not always the easiest of work, and we began seriously to think +of setting off again for Spitzbergen. But had we not delayed too +long? It was the middle of July, and although we should probably +get on quickly enough, we might meet with unexpected impediments, +and it might take us a month or more to reach the waters in which +we could hope to find a ship. That would bring us to the middle or +perhaps to the end of August, by which time the sloops had begun to +make for home. If we did not come across one at once, when we got +into September it would be difficult enough to get hold of one, and +then we should perhaps be in for another winter of it, after all. No, +it was best to remain here, for there was every chance that the ship +would make its appearance. The best time for navigating these waters +is August and the beginning of September, when there is generally +the least ice. We must trust to that, and let the time pass as best +it might. There were others than we who waited impatiently for the +ship. Four members of the English expedition were also to go home in +her, after two years' absence. + +"Monday, July 20th. We begin to get more and more impatient for +the arrival of the vessel, but the ice is still tolerably thick +here. Jackson says that she should have been here by the middle +of June, and thinks that there has several times been sufficiently +open water for her to have got through; but I have my doubts about +that. Though only a little scattered ice is to be seen here, even from +a height of 500 feet, that does not mean much; there may be more ice +farther south blocking the way. One day Jackson and the doctor were on +the top of the mountain here, and from that point, too, there seemed +to be very little ice in the south; but I am not convinced any the +more. I think all experience goes to show that there must still be +plenty of ice in the sea to the south. What Mr. Jackson says about the +Windward having been able to get through as early as July last year +without needing to touch the ice, adding that then, too, there was +no ice to be seen from here, I do not find at all conclusive. During +the last few days more ice has again come drifting in from the east. I +long to get away. What if we are shut in here all the winter? Then we +shall have done wrong in stopping here. Why did we not continue our +journey to Spitzbergen? We should have been at home by now. The eye +wanders out over the boundless white plain. Not one dark streak of +water--ice, ice!--shut out from the world, from the throbbing life, +the life that we believed to be so near. + +"Low down on the horizon there is a strip of blue-gray cloud. Far, +far away beyond the ice there is open water, and perhaps there, rocked +on long swelling billows from the great ocean, lies the vessel which +is to bear us to the familiar shores, the vessel which brings tidings +from home and from those we love. + +"Dream, dream of home and beauty! Stray bird, here among the ice and +snow you will seek for them all in vain. Dream the golden dream of +future reunion! + +"Tuesday, July 21st. Have at last got a good wind from the north which +is sending the ice out to sea. There is nothing but open sea to be +seen this evening; now perhaps there is hope of soon seeing the vessel. + +"Wednesday, July 22d. Continual changes and continual +disappointments. Yesterday hope was strong; to-day the wind has +changed to the southeast, and driven the ice in again. We may still +have to wait a long time. + +"Sunday, July 26th. The vessel has come at last. I was awakened this +morning by feeling some one pull my legs. It was Jackson, who, with +beaming countenance, announced that the Windward had come. I jumped +up and looked out of the window. There she was, just beyond the edge +of the ice, steaming slowly in to find an anchorage. Wonderful to +see a ship again! How high the rigging seemed, and the hull! It was +like an island. There would be tidings on board from the great world +far beyond." + +There was a great stir. Every man was up, arrayed in the most wonderful +costumes, to gaze out of the window. Jackson and Blomqvist rushed off +as soon as they had got on their clothes. As I scarcely had anything +to do on board at present I went to bed again, but it was not long +before Blomqvist came panting back, sent by the thoughtful Jackson, +to say that all was well at home, and that nothing had been heard of +the Fram. This was the first thing Jackson had asked about. I felt my +heart as light as a feather. He said, too, that when Jackson had told +the men who had come to meet him on the ice about us and our journey, +they had greeted the intelligence with three hearty cheers. + +I had hardly slept two hours that night, and not much more the night +before. I tried to sleep, but there was no rest to be had; I might just +as well dress and go on board. As I drew near the vessel I was greeted +with ringing cheers by the whole crew gathered on the deck, where I +was heartily received by the excellent Captain Brown, commander of the +Windward; by Dr. Bruce and Mr. Wilton, who were both to winter with +Jackson, and by the ship's company. We went below into the roomy, snug +cabin, and all kinds of news were eagerly swallowed by listening ears, +while an excellent breakfast with fresh potatoes and other delicacies +glided down past a palate which needed less than that to satisfy +it. There were remarkable pieces of news indeed. One of the first was +that now they could photograph people through doors several inches +thick. I confess I pricked up my ears at this information. That they +could photograph a bullet buried in a person's body was wonderful too, +but nothing to this. And then we heard that the Japanese had thrashed +the Chinese, and a good deal more. Not least remarkable, we thought, +was the interest which the whole world now seemed to take in the +Arctic regions. Spitzbergen had become a tourist country; a Norwegian +steamship company (the Vesteraalen) had started a regular passenger +service to it, [83] a hotel had been built up there, and there was +a post-office and a Spitzbergen stamp. And then we heard that Andrée +was there waiting for wind to go to the Pole in a balloon. If we had +pursued our course to Spitzbergen we should thus have dropped into the +very middle of all this. We should have found a hotel and tourists, +and should have been brought home in a comfortable modern steamboat, +very different from the whaling-sloop we had been talking of all the +winter, and, indeed, all the previous year. People are apt to think +that it would be amusing to see themselves, and I form no exception to +this rule. I would have given a good deal to see us in our unwashed, +unsophisticated condition, as we came out of our winter lair, plumping +into the middle of a band of English tourists, male and female. I doubt +whether there would then have been much embracing or shaking of hands, +but I don't doubt that there would have been a great deal of peering +through ventilators or any other loophole that could have been found. + +The Windward had left London on June 9th, and Vardö on the 25th. They +had brought four reindeer with them for Jackson, but no horses, +as he had expected. [84] One reindeer had died on the voyage. + +Every one was now busily employed in unlading the Windward, and +bringing to land the supplies of provisions, coal, reindeer-moss, +and other such things which it had brought for the expedition. Both +the ship's crew and the members of the English expedition took part +in this work, which proceeded rapidly, and had soon made a level road +over the uneven ice; and now load after load was driven on sledges to +land. In less than a week Captain Brown was ready to start for home, +and only awaited Jackson's letters and telegrams. They took a few +more days, and then everything was ready. In the meantime, however, +a gale had sprung up, blowing on the shore, the Windward's moorings +at the edge of the ice had given way, she was set adrift and obliged +to seek a haven farther in, where, however, it was so shallow that +there was only one or two feet of water beneath her keel. Meanwhile, +the wind drove the ice in, the navigable water closed in all round it +outside, and the floes were continually drawing nearer. For a time the +situation looked anything but pleasant; but fortunately the ice did +not reach the vessel, and she thus escaped being screwed out of the +water. After a delay of a couple of days on this account the vessel +got out again. + +And now we were to bid adieu to this last station on our route, where +we had met with such a cordial and hospitable reception. A feverish +energy came over the little colony. Those who were going home had to +make themselves ready for the voyage, and those who were to remain +had to bring their letters and other things on board. This, however, +was sufficiently difficult. The vessel lay waiting impatiently and +incessantly sounding her steam-whistle; and a quantity of loose ice +had packed itself together outside the edge of the shore-ice, so that +it was not easy to move. At last, however, those who were to remain had +gone on shore, and we who were going home were all on board--that is to +say, Mr. Fisher, the botanist; Mr. Child, the chemist; Mr. Burgess; and +the Finn, Blomqvist, of the English expedition, along with Johansen and +myself. As the sun burst through the clouds above Cape Flora we waved +our hats, and sent our last cheer as a farewell to the six men standing +like a little dark spot on the floe in that great icy solitude; and +under full sail and steam we set out on August 7th, with a fair wind, +over the undulating surface of the ocean, towards the south. + +Fortune favored us. On her northward voyage the Windward had much and +difficult ice to combat with before she at last broke through and came +in to land. Now, too, we met a quantity of ice, but it was slack and +comparatively easy to get through. We were stopped in a few places, +and had to break a way through with the engine; but the ship was +in good hands. From his long experience as a whaler, Captain Brown +knew well how to contend with greater odds than the thin ice we met +with here--the only ice that is found in this sea. From morning till +night he sat up in the crow's-nest as long as there was a bit of ice +in the water. He gave himself little time for sleep; the point was, +as he often said to me, to bring us home before the Fram arrived, +for he understood well what a blow it would give to those near and +dear to us if she got home before us. Thanks to him, we had as short +and pleasant a homeward voyage as few, if any, can have had from +these inhospitable regions, where we had spent three years. From the +moment we set foot on deck, he did everything to make us comfortable +and at home on board, and we spent many a pleasant hour together, +which will never be forgotten by either of us. But it was not only +the captain who treated us in this way. Every man of the excellent +crew showed us kindness and goodwill in every way. I cannot think of +them--of the little steward, for instance, when he popped his head +into the cabin to ask what he could get for us, or wakened me in the +morning with his cheery voice, or sang his songs for us--without a +feeling of unspeakable well-being and happiness. Then, too, we were +continually drawing nearer home; we could count the days and hours +that must pass before we could reach a Norwegian port and be once +more in communication with the world. + +From the experience he had had on the northward voyage, Captain Brown +had come to the conclusion that he would find his way out of the ice +most easily by first steering in a southeasterly direction towards +Novaya Zemlya, which he thought would be the nearest way to the open +sea. This proved also to be exactly the case. After having gone about +220 knots through the ice, we came into the open sea at the end of +a long bay, which ran northward into the ice. It was just at the +right spot; had we been a little farther east or a little farther +west, we might have spent as many weeks drifting about in the ice +as we now spent days in it. Once more we saw the blue ocean itself +in front of us, and we shaped our course straight for Vardö. It was +an indescribably delightful feeling once more to gaze over the blue +expanse, as we paced up and down the deck, and were day by day carried +nearer home. One morning, as we stood looking over the sea, our gaze +was arrested by something; what could that be on the horizon? We ran +on to the bridge and looked through the glass. The first sail. Fancy +being once more in waters where other people went to and fro! But +it was far away; we could not go to it. Then we saw more, and later +in the day four great monsters ahead. They were British men-of-war, +probably on their way home after having been at Vadsö for the eclipse +of the sun, which was to have taken place on August 9th. Later in +the evening (August 12th) I saw something dark ahead, low down on the +horizon. What was it? I saw it on the starboard bow, stretching low +and even towards the south. I looked again and again. It was land, +it was Norway! I stood as if turned to stone, and gazed and gazed out +into the night at this same dark line, and fear began to tremble in +my breast. What were the tidings that awaited me there? + +When I came on deck next morning we were close under the land. It was +a bare and naked shore we had come up to, scarcely more inviting than +the land we had left up in the mist of the Arctic Ocean--but it was +Norway. The captain had mistaken the coast in the night and had come +in too far north, and we were still to have some labor in beating down +against wind and sea before we could reach Vardö. We passed several +vessels, and dipped our flag to them. We passed the revenue-cutter; +she came alongside, but they had nothing to do there, and no one came +on board. Then came pilots, father and son. They greeted Brown, but +were not prepared to meet a countryman on board an English vessel. They +were a little surprised to hear me speak Norwegian, but did not pay +much attention to it. But when Brown asked them if they knew who I was, +the old man gazed at me again, and a gleam, as it were, of a possible +recognition crept over his face. But when the name Nansen dropped +from the lips of the warm-hearted Brown, as he took the old man by the +shoulders and shook him in his delight at being able to give him such +news, an expression came into the old pilot's weather-beaten face, a +mixture of joy and petrified astonishment, which was indescribable. He +seized my hand, and wished me welcome back to life; the people here +at home had long ago laid me in my grave. And then came questions +as to news from the expedition, and news from home. Nothing had yet +been heard of the Fram, and a load was lifted from my breast when I +knew that those at home had been spared that anxiety. + +Then, silently and unobserved, the Windward glided with colors +flying into Vardö Haven. Before the anchor was dropped, I was in +a boat with Johansen on our way to the telegraph-station. We put +in at the quay, but there was still so much of our former piratical +appearance left that no one recognized us; they scarcely looked at us, +and the only being that took any notice of the returned wanderers was +an intelligent cow, which stopped in the middle of a narrow street +and stared at us in astonishment as we tried to pass. That cow was +so delightfully summery to look at that I felt inclined to go up +and pat her; I felt now that I really was in Norway. When I got to +the telegraph-station I laid a huge bundle down on the counter, and +said that it consisted of telegrams that I should like to have sent +as soon as possible. There were nearly a hundred of them, one or two +rather long, of about a thousand words each. + +The head of the telegraph-office looked hard at me, and quietly took +up the bundle; but as his eye fell upon the signature of the telegram +that lay on the top, his face suddenly changed, he wheeled sharp round, +and went over to the lady clerk who was sitting at the table. When he +again turned and came towards me his face was radiant, and he bade me +a hearty welcome. The telegrams should be despatched as quickly as +possible, he said; but it would take several days and nights to get +them all through. And then the instrument began to tick and tick and +to send through the country and the world the news that two members +of the Norwegian Polar Expedition had returned safe and sound, and +that I expected the Fram home in the course of the autumn. I pitied +the four young ladies in the telegraph-office at Vardö; they had hard +work of it during the following days. Not only had all my telegrams +to be despatched, but hundreds streamed in from the south--both to +us and to the people in the town, begging them to obtain information +about us. Among the first were telegrams to my wife, to the King of +Norway, and to the Norwegian Government. The last ran as follows: + + + +"To his Excellency Secretary Hagerup: + +"I have the pleasure of announcing to you and to the Norwegian +Government that the expedition has carried out its plan, has traversed +the unknown Polar Sea from north of the New Siberian Islands, and +has explored the region north of Franz Josef Land as far as 86° 14' +north latitude. No land was seen north of 82°. + +"Lieutenant Johansen and I left the Fram, and the other members of +the expedition on March 14, 1895, in 84° north latitude and 102° 27' +east longitude. We went northward to explore the sea north of the +Fram's course, and then came south to Franz Josef Land, whence the +Windward has now brought us. + +"I expect the Fram to return this year. + +"Fridtjof Nansen." + + + +As I was leaving the telegraph-office the manager told me that my +friend Professor Mohn was in the town, staying, he understood, +at the hotel. Strange that Mohn, a man so intimately connected +with the expedition, should be the first friend I was to meet! Even +while we were handing in our telegrams the news of our arrival had +begun to filter through the town, and people were gradually flocking +together to see the two polar bears who strode through the streets +to the hotel. I rushed in and inquired for Mohn. He was in his room, +number so-and-so, they told me, but he was taking his siesta. I had +no respect for siestas at that moment; I thundered at the door and +tore it open. There lay Mohn on the sofa, reading, with a long pipe +in his mouth. He started up and stared fixedly, like a madman, at the +long figure standing on the threshold; his pipe fell to the ground, +his face twitched, and then he burst out, "Can it be true? Is it +Fridtjof Nansen?" I believe he was alarmed about himself, thinking +he had seen an apparition; but when he heard my well-known voice +the tears came to his eyes, and, crying, "Thank God, you're still +alive!" he rushed into my arms. Then came Johansen's turn. It was a +moment of wild rejoicing, and numberless were the questions asked +and answered on both sides. As one thing after another came into +our heads, the questions rained around without coherence and almost +without meaning. The whole thing seemed so incredible that a long +time passed before we even collected ourselves sufficiently to sit +down, and I could tell him in a somewhat more connected fashion what +experiences we had gone through during these three years. But where +was the Fram? Had we left her? Where were the others? Was anything +amiss? These questions poured forth with breathless anxiety, and it +was no doubt the hardest thing of all to understand that there was +nothing amiss, and yet that we had left our splendid ship. But little +by little even that became comprehensible; and then all was rejoicing, +and champagne and cigars presently appeared on the scene. Another +acquaintance from the south was also in the hotel; he came in to +speak to Mohn; but, seeing that he had visitors, was on the point +of going again. Then he stopped, stared at us, discovered who the +visitors were, and stood as though nailed to the spot; and then +we all drank to the expedition and to Norway. It was clear that we +must stop there that evening, and we sat the whole afternoon talking +and talking without a pause. But meanwhile the whole town had learnt +the names of its newly arrived guests, and when we looked out of the +window the street was full of people, and from all the flagstaffs over +the town, and from all the masts in the harbor, the Norwegian flag +waved in the evening sunshine. And then came telegrams in torrents, +all of them bringing good news. Now all our troubles were over. Only +the arrival of the Fram was wanting to complete things; but we were +quite at ease about her; she would soon turn up. The first thing we +had to do, now that we were on Norwegian soil and could look about +us a little, was to replenish our wardrobe. But it was now no joke +to make our way through the streets, and if we went into a shop it +was soon overflowing with people. + +Thus we spent some never-to-be-forgotten days in Vardö, and the +hospitality which we met was lavish and cordial. After we had said +good-bye to our hosts on board the Windward and thanked them for all +the kindness they had shown us, Captain Brown weighed anchor on the +morning of Sunday, the 16th, to go on to Hammerfest. He wanted to pay +his respects to my wife, who was to meet us there. On August 21st +Johansen and I arrived at Hammerfest. Everywhere on the way people +had greeted us with flowers and flags, and now, as we sailed into its +harbor, the northernmost town in Norway was in festal array from the +sea to the highest hilltop, and thousands of people were afoot. To +my surprise, I also met here my old friend Sir George Baden-Powell, +whose fine yacht, the Otaria, was in the harbor. He had just returned +from a very successful scientific expedition to Novaya Zemlya, where +he had been with several English astronomers to observe the solar +eclipse of August 9th. With true English hospitality, he placed his +yacht entirely at my disposal and I willingly accepted his generous +invitation. Sir George Baden-Powell was one of the last people I had +seen in England. When we parted--it was in the autumn of 1892--he +asked me where we ought to be looked for if we were too long away. I +answered that it would be of little use to look for us--it would be +like searching for a needle in a hay-stack. He told me I must not think +that people would be content to sit still and do nothing. In England, +at any rate, he was sure that something would be done--and where ought +they to go? "Well," I replied, "I can scarcely think of any other +place than Franz Josef Land; for if the Fram goes to the bottom, or +we are obliged to abandon her, we must come out that way. If the Fram +does not go to the bottom, and the drift is as I believe it to be, +we shall reach the open sea between Spitzbergen and Greenland." Sir +George now thought that the time had come to look for us, and since he +could not do more for the present, it was his intention, after having +carried out his expedition to Novaya Zemlya, to skirt along the edge +of the ice, and see if he could not pick up any news of us. Then, +just at the right moment, we made our appearance at Hammerfest. In +the evening, my wife arrived, and my secretary, Christofersen; and +after having attended a brilliant fête given that night by the town of +Hammerfest in our honor, we took up our quarters on board the Otaria, +where the days now glided past so smoothly that we scarcely noticed +the lapse of time. Telegrams of congratulation, and testimonies of +goodwill and hearty rejoicing, arrived in an unbroken stream from +all quarters of the world. + +But the Fram? I had telegraphed confidently that I expected her home +this year; but why had she not already arrived? I began more and +more to think over this, and the more I calculated all chances and +possibilities, the more firmly was I convinced that she ought to be +out of the ice by this time if nothing had gone amiss. It was strange +that she was not already here, and I thought with horror that if the +autumn should pass without news of her, the coming winter and summer +would be anything but pleasant. + +Just as I had turned out on the morning of August 20th, Sir George +knocked at my door and said there was a man there who insisted on +speaking to me. I answered that I wasn't dressed yet, but that I +would come immediately. "Oh, that doesn't matter," said he; "come +as you are." I was a little surprised at all this urgency, and asked +what it was all about. He said he did not know, but it was evidently +something pressing. I nevertheless put on my clothes, and then went +out into the saloon. There stood a gentleman with a telegram in his +hand, who introduced himself as the head of the telegraph-office, and +said that he had a telegram to deliver to me which he thought would +interest me, so he had come with it himself. Something that would +interest me? There was only one thing left in the world that could +really interest me. With trembling hands I tore open the telegram: + + + +"Fridtjof Nansen: + +"Fram arrived in good condition. All well on board. Shall start at +once for Tromsö. Welcome home! + +"Otto Sverdrup." + + + +I felt as if I should have choked, and all I could say was, "The +Fram has arrived!" Sir George, who was standing by, gave a great +leap of joy; Johansen's face was radiant; Christofersen was quite +overcome with gladness; and there in the midst of us stood the head +of the telegraph-office enjoying the effect he had produced. In an +instant I dashed into my cabin to shout to my wife that the Fram had +arrived. She was dressed and out in double-quick time. But I could +scarcely believe it--it seemed like a fairy tale. I read the telegram +again and again before I could assure myself that it was not all a +dream; and then there came a strange, serene happiness over my mind +such as I had never known before. + +There was jubilation on board and over all the harbor and town. From +the Windward, which was just weighing anchor to precede us to Tromsö, +we heard ringing cheers for the Fram and the Norwegian flag. We had +intended to start for Tromsö that afternoon, but now we agreed to get +under way as quickly as possible, so as to try to overtake the Fram +at Skjærvö, which lay just on our route. I attempted to stop her by +a telegram to Sverdrup, but it arrived too late. + +It was a lively breakfast we had that morning. Johansen and I spoke +of how incredible it seemed that we should soon press our comrades' +hands again. Sir George was almost beside himself with joy. Every now +and then he would spring up from his chair, thump the table, and cry, +"The Fram has arrived! The Fram has really arrived!" Lady Baden-Powell +was quietly happy; she enjoyed our joy. + +The next day we entered Tromsö harbor, and there lay the Fram, strong +and broad and weather-beaten. It was strange to see again that high +rigging and the hull we knew so well. When last we saw her she was half +buried in the ice; now she floated freely and proudly on the blue sea, +in Norwegian waters. We glided alongside of her. The crew of the Otaria +greeted the gallant ship with three times three English cheers, and the +Fram replied with a ninefold Norwegian hurrah. We dropped our anchor, +and the next moment the Otaria was boarded by the Fram's sturdy crew. + +The meeting which followed I shall not attempt to describe. I don't +think any of us knew anything clearly, except that we were all together +again--we were in Norway--and the expedition had fulfilled its task. + +Then we set off together southward along the Norwegian coast. First +came the tug Haalogaland, chartered by the government; then the Fram, +heavy and slow, but so much the surer; and last the elegant Otaria, +with my wife and me on board--which was to take us to Trondhjem. What +a blessed sensation it was to sit in peace at last, and see others +take the lead and pick out the way! + +Wherever we passed, the heart of the Norwegian people went out to us, +from the steamers crowded with holiday-making townsfolk, and from the +poorest fishing-boat that lay alone among the skerries. It seemed +as if old Mother Norway were proud of us, as if she pressed us in +a close and warm embrace, and thanked us for what we had done. And +what was it, after all? We had only done our duty; we had simply +accomplished the task we had undertaken; and it was we who owed her +thanks for the right to sail under her flag. I remember one morning +in particular. It was in Brönösund--the morning was still gray and +chill when I was called up--there were so many people who wanted to +greet us. I was half asleep when I came on deck. The whole sound was +crowded with boats. We had been going slowly through them, but now +the Haalogaland in front put on more speed, and we too went a little +quicker. A fisherman in his boat toiled at the oars to keep up with +us; it was no easy work. Then he shouted up to me: + +"You don't want to buy any fish, do you?" + +"No, I don't think we do." + +"I suppose you can't tell me where Nansen is? Is he on board the Fram?" + +"No, I believe he's on board this ship," was the reply. + +"Oh, I wonder if I couldn't get on board? I'm so desperately anxious +to see him." + +"It can hardly be done, I'm afraid; they haven't time to stop now." + +"That's a pity. I want to see the man himself." + +He went on rowing. It became harder and harder to keep up, but +he stared fixedly at me as I leaned on the rail smiling, while +Christofersen stood laughing at my side. + +"Since you're so anxious to see the man himself, I may tell you that +you see him now," said I. + +"Is it you? Is it you? Didn't I guess as much! Welcome home again!" + +And thereupon the fisherman dropped his oars, stood up in his boat, +and took off his cap. As we went on through the splendor of the +morning, and I sat on the deck of the luxurious English yacht and +saw the beautiful barren coast stretching ahead in the sunshine, I +realized to the full for the first time how near this land and this +people lay to my heart. If we had sent a single gleam of sunlight +over their lives, these three years had not been wasted. + + + "This Norway, this Norway... + It is dear to us, so dear, +And no people has a fairer land than this our homeland here. + Oh, the shepherding in spring, + When the birds begin to sing, +When the mountain-peak glitters and green grows the lea, +And the turbulent river sweeps brown to the sea!... + Whoso knows Norway must well understand + How her sons can suffer for such a land." + + +One felt all the vitality and vigor throbbing in this people, and +saw as in a vision its great and rich future, when all its prisoned +forces shall be unfettered and set free. + +Now one had returned to life, and it stretched before one full of +light and hope. Then came the evenings when the sun sank far out +behind the blue sea, and the clear melancholy of autumn lay over the +face of the waters. It was too beautiful to believe in. A feeling of +dread came over one; but the silhouette of a woman's form, standing +out against the glow of the evening sky, gave peace and security. + +So we passed from town to town, from fête to fête, along the +coast of Norway. It was on September 9th that the Fram steamed up +Christiania Fjord and met with such a reception as a prince might +have envied. The stout old men-of-war Nordstjernen and Elida, the new +and elegant Valkyrie, and the nimble little torpedo-boats led the way +for us. Steamboats swarmed around, all black with people. There were +flags high and low, salutes, hurrahs, waving of handkerchiefs and +hats, radiant faces everywhere, the whole fjord one multitudinous +welcome. There lay home, and the well-known strand before it, +glittering and smiling in the sunshine. Then steamers on steamers +again, shouts after shouts; and we all stood, hat in hand, bowing as +they cheered. + +The whole of Peppervik was one mass of boats and people and flags +and waving pennants. Then the men-of-war saluted with thirteen guns +apiece, and the old fort of Akershus followed with its thirteen peals +of thunder, that echoed from the hills around. + +In the evening I stood on the strand out by the fjord. The echoes had +died away, and the pine woods stood silent and dark around. On the +headland the last embers of a bonfire of welcome still smouldered and +smoked, and the sea rippling at my feet seemed to whisper, "Now you +are at home." The deep peace of the autumn evening sank beneficently +over the weary spirit. + +I could not but recall that rainy morning in June when I last set +foot on this strand. More than three years had passed; we had toiled +and we had sown, and now the harvest had come. In my heart I sobbed +and wept for joy and thankfulness. + +The ice and the long moonlit polar nights, with all their yearning, +seemed like a far-off dream from another world--a dream that had come +and passed away. But what would life be worth without its dreams? + + + + The Mean Temperature of Every Month during Nansen and + Johansen's Sledge Journey + + Date Mean Temperature Maximum Minimum + (Fahr.) + ° ° ° + March (16-31), 1895 -37 -9 -51 + April, 1895 -20 -2 -35 + May, 1895 -24 28 -11 + June, 1895 30 38 9 + July, 1895 32 37 28 + August, 1895 29 36 19 + September, 1895 +20 41 -4 + October, 1895 -1 16 -13 + November, 1895 -13 10 -35 + December, 1895 -13 12 -37 + January, 1896 -14 19 -46 + February, 1896 -10 30 -40 + March, 1896 10 30 -29 + April, 1896 8 27 -16 + May, 1896 18 43 -11 + June (1-16), 1896 29 39 23 + + + + + + +APPENDIX + + +REPORT OF CAPTAIN OTTO SVERDRUP ON THE DRIFTING OF THE "FRAM" +FROM MARCH 14, 1895 + + +CHAPTER I + +MARCH 15 TO JUNE 22, 1895 + + +As far back as February 26th Dr. Nansen had officially informed the +crew that after he left the ship I was to be chief officer of the +expedition, and Lieutenant Scott-Hansen second in command. Before +starting, he handed me a letter, or set of instructions, which have +been mentioned earlier in the volume. [85] + +The day after that on which the postscript to my instructions is +dated--i.e., on Thursday, March 14th, at 11.30 A.M.--Dr. Nansen and +Johansen left the Fram and set forth on their sledge expedition. We +gave them a parting salute with flag, pennant, and guns. Scott-Hansen, +Henriksen, and Pettersen accompanied them as far as the first +camping-place, 7 or 8 miles from the vessel, and returned the next +day at 2.30 P.M. + +In the morning they had helped to harness the dogs and put them to +the three sledges. In the team of the last sledge there were "Barnet" +and "Pan," who all the time had been mortal enemies. [86] They began +to fight, and Henriksen had to give "Barnet" a good thrashing in +order to part him from the other. In consequence of this fight the +last team was somewhat behind in starting. The other dogs were all +the while hauling with all their might, and when the thrashing scene +was over, and the disturbers of the peace suddenly commenced to pull, +the sledge started off faster than Johansen had calculated, and he was +left behind and had to strike out well on his snowshoes. Scott-Hansen +and the others followed the sledging party with their eyes until they +looked like little black dots far, far away on the boundless plain +of ice. With a last sad lingering look after the two whom, perhaps, +they might never see again, they put on their snow-shoes and started +on their journey back. + +At the time when the sledge expedition started the Fram lay in 84° +4' north latitude and 102° east longitude. The situation was briefly +as follows: The vessel was ice-bound in about 25 feet of ice, with a +slight list to starboard. She had thus a layer of ice, several feet +in thickness, underneath her keel. Piled high against the vessel's +side, to port, along her entire length, there extended from S.S.E. to +N.N.W. a pressure-ridge reaching up to about the height of the rail +on the half-deck aft and slanting slightly eastward from the ship. At +a distance of about 160 yards to the northwest there extended in the +direction from south to north a long and fairly broad ice-mound, the +so-called "great hummock," as much as 22 feet high in places. Midway +between the Fram and the great hummock there was a newly formed open +lane about 50 yards wide, while across her bow, at a distance of +50 yards, there was an old channel that had been closed up by the +ice-pressure, but which opened later on in the spring. + +Upon the "great hummock," which had been formed by the violent +ice-pressure on January 27, 1894, we had established our depot on +the slope looking towards the ship. The depot consisted of piled-up +tin boxes, containing provisions and other necessaries, and formed +six or seven small mounds covered with sail-cloth. Moreover, our +snow-shoes and sledges were stored there. Half-way between the vessel +and the great hummock lay the petroleum launch, which, when the new +channel or rift had opened right under her, had to be drawn a little +way farther out on to the ice. Finally, there was our forge. This +was situated about 30 yards off, a little abaft the port quarter, +and was hewn out in the slope of the above-mentioned pressure-ridge, +the roof being made of a quantity of spars over which blocks of ice +were piled, with a layer of snow on the top, all frozen together so +as to form a compact mass. A tarpaulin served in place of a door. + +The first and most pressing work which we had to take in hand was +to remove part of the high-pressure ridge on the port side. I was +afraid that if the ice-pressure continued the vessel might be forced +down instead of upward while she had so high a ridge of ice resting +against the whole of her port side. The work was commenced by all +hands on March 19th. We had five sledges, and a box on each, and each +worked by two men. There were two parties at work simultaneously with +one sledge each--forward, and two parties aft--working towards each +other, while the fifth party, of two men with one sledge, were cutting +a passage 13 feet wide right up to the middle of the vessel. The layer +of ice which was in this way removed from all along the vessel's side +reached to double the height of a man, except in the central passage, +where it had previously been removed to a depth of about three yards, +partly in view of possible ice-pressure against this, the lowest part +of the hull, and partly in order to clear the gangway, by which the +dogs passed to and from the vessel. + +The carting away of ice commenced on the 19th and concluded on March +27th. The whole of the pressure-ridge on the port side was removed +down to such a depth that two and a half planks of the ship's ice-skin +were free. All the time while this work was going on the weather was +fairly cold, the temperature down to -38° and -40°C. (-36.4° and -40° +Fahr.). However, all passed off well and successfully, except that +Scott-Hansen was unfortunate enough to have one of his big toes frozen. + +The doctor and I were together at the same sledge. My diary says: +"He always suspected me of being out of temper, and I him." As a +matter of fact, it is my habit to dislike talking when I am busy +with any work, while the reverse is the case with the doctor. As, +according to my custom, I kept silence, the doctor believed that I +was in a bad humor, and in the same way I fancied that he was in the +sulks, because he abstained from chatting. But the misunderstanding +was soon cleared up, and we laughed heartily at it. + +As Dr. Nansen's and Johansen's departure afforded an opportunity for +a more comfortable redistribution of quarters, I moved into Nansen's +cabin, after having packed in cases the effects he left behind, and +stowed them away in the forehold. Jacobsen, the mate, who was formerly +quartered with four of the crew in the large cabin on the port side, +had my cabin allotted to him; and in the starboard cabin, where four +men had been quartered, there were now only three. The workroom, too, +was restored to its former honor and dignity. The lamp-glasses of the +oil-stove there had got broken in the course of the year. Amundsen +now replaced these with chimneys of tin, and fitted thin sheets of +mica over the peep-holes. The stove having thus been repaired, the +workroom became the busiest and most comfortable compartment in the +whole vessel. + +After the various operations of shifting and putting in order the +things on board and in the depot, our next care was to insure easy and +convenient access to the vessel by constructing a proper gangway aft, +consisting of two spars with packing-case planks nailed between them +and a rope hand-rail attached. + +When all this was done we set to work at the long and manifold +preparations of every kind for a sledge journey southward, in the event +(which, as a matter of fact, none of us considered likely) of our +being obliged to abandon the Fram. We constructed sledges and kayaks, +sewed bags for our stores, selected and weighed out provisions and +other necessaries, etc., etc. This work kept us busy for a long time. + +In addition to all the other things we had to provide ourselves with +more snow-shoes, as we were scantily supplied with them. Snow-shoes +we must have, good strong ones, at least one pair to every man. But +where were the materials to come from? There was no more wood fit +for making snow-shoes to be found on board. It is true that we had +a large piece of oak timber left available, but we were in need of +a suitable instrument to split it with, as it could not be cut up +with the small saws we had on board. In our dilemma we had recourse +to the ice-saw. Amundsen converted it (by filing it in a different +way) into a rip-saw; Bentzen made handles for it; and as soon as it +was ready, Mogstad and Henriksen commenced to saw the beam of oak to +pieces. At first the work went slowly, most of the time being taken +up with filing and setting the saw; but gradually it went better, +and on April 6th the timber was cut up into six pairs of good boards +for making snow-shoes, which we temporarily deposited in the saloon +for drying. As I consider Canadian snowshoes superior to Norwegian +snow-shoes, when it is a question of hauling heavily loaded sledges +over such a rough and uneven surface as is presented by polar ice, +I directed Mogstad to make ten Canadian pairs of maple-wood, of which +we had a quantity on board. Instead of the netting of reindeer-skin +we stretched sail-cloth over the frames. This did the same service as +network, while it had the advantage of being easier to repair. With +the snow-shoes which we had we undertook frequent excursions, more +particularly Scott-Hansen and myself. While out on one of these trips, +on which Amundsen, Nordahl, and Pettersen also accompanied us, 3 miles +west of the vessel we came across a large hummock, which we named +"Lovunden," on account of its resemblance to the island "Lovunden," off +the coast of Heligoland. This hummock presented very good snow-shoeing +slopes, and we practised there to our heart's content. + +On May 1st we had finished the snow-shoes intended for daily use, and +I gave orders that, henceforth, daily snow-shoe trips should be made +by all hands from 11 A.M. till 1 P.M., if the weather was good. These +snow-shoe runs were to everybody's taste, and were necessary, not only +in order to afford brisk exercise in the open air, but also in order +to impart to those who were less accustomed to snow-shoes a sufficient +degree of skill in the event of our having to abandon the Fram. + +While the removal of the ridge was proceeding there continued to be +a good deal of disturbance in the ice. Twenty yards from the vessel +a new lane was formed running parallel to the old one between us from +the depot; and in addition to this a number of larger or smaller cracks +had opened in all directions. A little later on, during the time from +April 11th to May 9th, there was on the whole considerable disturbance +in the ice, with several violent pressures in the lanes around the +vessel. On the first-mentioned day, in the evening, Scott-Hansen and +I took a snow-shoe trip towards the northeast, along the new channel +between the vessel and the depot. On our way back pressure set in in +the channel, and we had an opportunity of witnessing a "screwing" +such as I had never seen equalled. First there was quite a narrow +channel, running parallel to the principal channel, which was covered +over with young ice about 2 feet thick. Thereupon a larger channel +opened just beyond the first and running alongside it. During the +pressure which then followed, the edges crashed against each other +with such violence as to force the ice down, so that we frequently +saw it from 3 to 4 fathoms deep under water. + +Newly frozen sea-ice is marvellously elastic, and will bend to an +astonishing degree without breaking. In another place we saw how the +new ice had bulged up in large wave-like eminences, without breaking. + +On May 5th the wide lane aft was jammed up by ice-pressure, and in its +stead a rift was formed in the ice on the port side about 100 yards +from us, and approximately parallel to the ship. Thus we now lay in an +altered position, inasmuch as the Fram was no longer connected with +and dependent on one solid and continuous ice-field, but separated +from it by more or less open channels and attached to a large floe +which was daily decreasing in size as new cracks were formed. + +The principal channel aft of the vessel continued to open out during +the latter part of April, and on the 29th had become very wide. It +extended north as far as the eye could reach, and was conspicuous, +moreover, by reason of the dark reflection which seemed to hover above +it in the sky. It probably attained its maximum width on May 1st, when +Scott-Hansen and I measured it and found that just astern of the vessel +it was 975 yards, and farther north over 1500 yards (1432 metres) in +width. Had the Fram been loose at the time I should have gone north +in the channel as far as possible; but this was not to be thought of, +seeing how the ship had been raised up on and walled in by the ice. + +No later than May 2d the principal channel closed up again. The mate, +Nordahl, and Amundsen, who just then happened to be out on a snow-shoe +trip south along the channel, were eye-witnesses of the jamming of +the ice, which they described as having been a grand sight. The fresh +southeasterly wind had imparted a considerable impetus to the ice, +and when the edges of the ice approached each other with considerable +velocity and force, two large projecting tongues first came into +collision with a crash like thunder, and in a moment were forced up +in a hummock about 20 feet high, only to collapse soon after, and +disappear with equal suddenness under the edge of the ice. Wherever +the ice was not forced up into the air, the one ice-edge would slide +over or under the other, while all the projecting tongues and blocks +of ice were crushed to thousands of fragments, which filled up pretty +evenly any small crevices still remaining of what had before been +such a mighty opening. + +Our drift towards the north during the first month was almost nil. For +instance, on April 19th we had not advanced more than 4 minutes of +latitude (about 4 miles) to the north. Nor did we drift much to the +west in the same period. Later on we made better headway, but not, +by a long way, as much as in 1894. On May 23d I wrote in the Journal +as follows: "We are all very anxious to see what will be the net +result of our spring drift. If we could reach 60° east longitude by +the summer or autumn, I believe we could be certain to get back home +about the autumn of 1896. The spring drift this year is considerably +less strong than last year, but perhaps it may continue longer into the +summer. If we were to drift this year as far as last, during the time +from May 16th to June 16th, we should reach 68° east longitude, but it +will not be possible now to reach that longitude so early. Possibly +we may manage this year to escape the strong back-drift during the +summer, make a little headway instead, and if so it will be all the +better for us. The ice is not so much cut up by channels this year +as it was this time last year. It is true there are a good many; +but last year we could scarcely get about at all, simply on account +of the lanes. This year we have large sheets of ice ahead of us in +which scarcely any openings are to be found." + +In order to observe the drift of the ice we prepared a kind of +log-line, from 100 to 150 fathoms in length, to the end of which +there was attached a conical open bag of loosely woven material, +in which small animals could be caught up. Immediately above the +bag a lead was fitted to the line, so that the bag itself might drag +freely in the water. The log was lowered through a fairly wide hole +in the ice, which it was a most difficult task to keep open during +the cold season. Several times a day the line was examined and the +"angle of drift" was measured. For this measurement we had constructed +a quadrant fitted with a plumb-line. Now and then we would haul in +the log-line to see whether it was still in order and to collect +whatever the bag might contain in the way of little animals or other +objects. As a rule the contents were insignificant, consisting only +of a few specimens of low organisms. + +At the end of May the "spring drift" was over. The wind veered round +to the S.W., W., and N.W. The back-drift or "summer drift" then set +in. However, it was not of long duration, as by June 8th we again +had an easterly wind with a good drift to the west, so that on the +22d we were at 84° 31.7' north latitude and 80° 58' east longitude; +and during the last days of June and the greater part of July the +drift went still better. + +A circumstance which helped to increase the monotony of our drift in +the ice during the winter and spring, 1895, was the great scarcity +of animal life in that part of the Polar Sea. For long periods at a +stretch we did not see a single living thing; even the polar bears, +who roam so far, were not to be seen. Hence the appearance in the +afternoon of May 7th of a small seal in a newly opened lane, close by +the vessel, was hailed with universal delight. It was the first seal +that we had set eyes upon since March. Subsequently we often saw seals +of the same kind in the open channels, but they were very shy, so that +it was not until well on in the summer that we succeeded in killing +one, and this was so small that we ate the whole of it at one meal. + +On May 14th Pettersen told us that he had seen a white bird, as +he thought an ice-gull, flying westward. On the 22d Mogstad saw a +snow-bunting, which circled round the vessel, and after this the +harbingers of spring became daily more numerous. + +Our hunting-bags, however, were very scanty. It was not until June 10th +that we secured the first game, when the doctor succeeded in shooting +a fulmar and a kittiwake (Larus tridactylus). True, he prefaced +these exploits by sundry misses, but in the end he managed to hit +the birds, and "all's well that ends well." As regards the fulmar, +it was an exciting chase, as it had only been winged, and took refuge +in the open channel. Pettersen was the first to go after it, followed +by Amundsen, the doctor, Scott-Hansen, and the whole pack of dogs, +and at last they managed to secure it. + +After this it was a matter of daily occurrence to see birds quite near, +and in order to be better able to secure them, and seals to boot, +we moored our sealing-boat in the open channel. This was equipped +with a sail, and with ballast composed of some of the castings from +the windmill; which we had been obliged to take down; and the very +first evening after the boat had been put on the water, Scott-Hansen, +Henriksen, and Bentzen went for a sail in the channel. The dogs seized +this occasion to take some capital exercise. They took it into their +heads to follow the boat along the edge of the channel backward and +forward as the boat tacked; it was stiff work for them to keep always +abreast of it, as they had to make many detours round small channels +and bays in the ice, and when at last they had got near it, panting, +and with their tongues protruding far from their mouths, the boat +would go about, and they had to cover the same ground over again. + +On June 20th the doctor and I shot one black guillemot each. We also +saw some little auks, but the dogs, entering too eagerly into the +sport, as a welcome break in the prolonged oppressive solitude and +monotony, rushed ahead of us and scared the birds away before we +could get a shot at them. + +As I have already mentioned, the mill had to be taken down. The +shaft broke one fine day below the upper driving-wheel, and had to +be removed and taken to the forge for repair. Pettersen welded it +together again, and on May 9th the mill was again in sufficiently +good order for use. But it wore out very speedily, more especially +in the gearings, so that, after the first week or two in June, it +was almost useless. We therefore pulled it down, and stowed away +all wooden parts and castings on the ridge on the port side, except +portions of hard wood, which we kept on board, and found very useful +for making up into sledge-shafts and other things. + +The weather was good all through March, April, and May, with mild +easterly breezes or calms, and, as a rule, a clear atmosphere. Once or +twice the wind veered round to the south or west, but these changes +were invariably of short duration. This settled calm weather at last +became quite a trial to us, as it contributed in a great measure to +increase the dreariness and monotony of the scene around us, and +had a depressing effect on our spirits. Matters improved a little +towards the end of May, when for a time we had a fresh westerly +breeze. To be sure this was a contrary wind, but it was, at any rate, +a little change. On June 8th the wind veered round to the east again, +and now increased in strength, so that on Sunday, the 9th, we had +half a gale from the E.S.E., with a velocity of 33 feet per second, +being the strongest fair wind we had had for a long time. + +It was astonishing what a change a single day of fair wind would +work in the spirits of all on board. Those who previously moved +about dreamily and listlessly now awakened to fresh courage and +enterprise. Every face beamed with satisfaction. Previously our daily +intercourse consisted of the monosyllables "Yes" and "No"; now we were +brimming over with jokes and fun from morning to night: laughter and +song and lively chat was heard all around. And with our spirits rose +our hopes for a favorable drift. The chart was brought out again and +again, and the forecasts made were apt to be sanguine enough. "If the +wind keeps long in this quarter we shall be at such and such a spot on +such and such a day. It is as clear as daylight we shall be home some +time in the autumn of 1896. Just see how we have drifted up to now, +and the farther we get west the faster we shall go," and so forth. + +The cold which in the middle of March did not exceed -40° C., kept +steadily at from -30° to -25° during April, but it decreased at a +comparatively rapid rate in May, so that by about the middle of the +month the thermometer registered -14°, and in the latter part only +-6°. On June 3d--so far the warmest day--a large pond of water had +formed close to the vessel, although the highest temperature attained +that day was -2°, and the weather was overcast. [87] + +On June 5th the thermometer for the first time stood above +freezing-point--viz., at +0.2°. It then fell again for a few days, +going down to -6°; but on the 11th it rose again to about 2° above +freezing-point, and so on. + +The amount of atmospheric moisture deposited during the above-mentioned +period was most insignificant; only a very slight snowfall now +and then. However, Thursday, June 6th, was an exception. The wind, +which for several days had been blowing from the south and west, +veered round to the northwest during the night, and at 8 A.M. next +morning it changed to the north, blowing a fresh breeze, with an +exceptionally heavy snowfall. + +We saw the midnight sun for the first time during the night of +April 2d. + +One of the scientific tasks of the expedition was to investigate +the depth of the Polar Sea. Our lines, which were weak and not very +suitable for this purpose, were soon so worn by friction, corrosion, +oxidation, etc., that we were compelled not only to use them most +cautiously, but also to limit the number of soundings far more than +was desirable. It sometimes happened that the line would break while +being hauled in, so that a good deal of it was lost. + +The first sounding after the departure of Dr. Nansen and Johansen was +taken on April 23d. We thought we should be able to lower away down +to 3000 metres (1625 fathoms) in one run, but as the line commenced +to slacken at 1900 metres (1029 fathoms) we thought we had touched +bottom and hauled the line up again. As it appeared that the line +had not reached the bottom, we now let down 3000 metres of line +(1625 fathoms), but in doing so we lost about 900 metres of line +(487 fathoms). Accordingly I assumed that we had touched ground at +2100 metres (1138 fathoms), and I therefore lowered the line to that +depth without touching bottom. The next day we took new soundings +at depths of 2100, 2300, 2500, and 3000 metres respectively (1137, +1245, 1353, and 1625 fathoms), but all without touching bottom. On +the third day, April 25th, we sounded first at 3000 metres, and then +at 3200 metres (1625 and 1733 fathoms) without touching bottom. The +steel-line being too short we had to lengthen it with a hemp-line, +and now went down to 3400 metres (1841 fathoms). While hauling up we +perceived that the line broke, and found that, in addition to the +110 fathoms' length of hemp-line, we had lost about 275 fathoms of +steel-line. We then stopped taking soundings till July 22d, as the +hemp-lines were so badly worn that we dared not venture to use them +again until milder weather set in. + +Wind and weather were, of course, a favorite topic on board the Fram, +especially in connection with our drift. As is but right and proper, +we had a weather-prophet on board--to wit, Pettersen. His specialty was +to predict fair wind, and in this respect he was untiring, although +his predictions were by no means invariably fulfilled. But he also +posed as a prophet in other departments, and nothing seemed to delight +him more than the offer of a bet with him on his predictions. If he +won he was beaming with good humor for days at a stretch, and if he +lost he often knew how to shroud both his forecast and the result +in oracular mystery and darkness so that both parties appeared to +be right. At times, as already hinted, he was unlucky, and then he +was mercilessly chaffed; but at other times he would have a run of +astounding luck, and then his courage would rise to such an extent +that he was ready to prophesy and bet about anything. + +Among his great misfortunes was a bet made with the mate on May 4th +that we should have land in sight by the end of October. And on May +24th he made a bet with Nordahl that by Monday night (the 27th) we +should be at 80° east longitude. Needless to say we all wished that +his incredible predictions might come true; but alas! the miracle +did not happen, for it was not until June 27th that the Fram passed +the 80th degree of longitude. + +During the latter part of May the sun and the spring weather commenced +to disperse the layer of snow around the vessel to such an extent as +to make quite a little pond of snow-water on the ice forward. As at +that part especially, but also all along the side of the vessel, the +snow was full of soot, refuse, and the clearings from the kennels, +it was greatly to be feared that an injurious, or, at any rate, +obnoxious smell might arise, and if, besides this, as was the case +last year, a pond should form round the vessel, the water in it would +be too impure to be used in flushing the deck. I therefore set all +hands to work to cart away the snow from the starboard side--a job +which took about two days. + +The setting in of spring now kept us busy with various things for +some time, both on board and on the ice. One of the first things to +be done was to bring our depot safely on board, as lanes and rifts +were now forming more frequently in the ice, and some of the goods +in the depot would not bear exposure to damp. + +The action of the sun's rays on the awning or tent soon became so +strong that the snow underneath the boats and on the davits began to +melt. All snow and ice had therefore to be removed or scraped away +not only under the awning but also under the boats, on the deck-house, +in the passage on the starboard side, in the holds, and wherever else +it was necessary. In the after-hold there was much more ice now than +last winter, probably owing to the fact that we had kept the saloon +much warmer this winter than before. + +In the saloon, the library, and the cabins we had a thorough "spring +cleaning." This was very badly needed, as the ceilings, walls, and +all the furniture and fittings, in the course of the long polar night, +had got covered with a thick, grimy-looking coating composed of soot, +grease, smoke, dust, and other ingredients. + +I myself took in hand the painting of the saloon and of my own cabin, +which little by little had assumed the same dusky ground-tint as their +surroundings, and on the whole looked rather enigmatic. By dint of +much labor, and the application of a liberal supply of soap and water, +I succeeded in restoring them to something like their pristine beauty. + +We finished our general clean-up on Whitsun-eve, June 1st, and thus +spent a really comfortable Whitsuntide, with butter-porridge for +supper and a few extra delicacies afterwards. + +After Whitsuntide we again took in hand various things required in +view of the season, and of the possibility that the Fram might get +afloat in the course of the summer. On the great hummock were many +things I thought might be left there for the present--for instance, +the greater part of our dogs' food. The cases containing this were +piled up to four different heights so as to form a sloping roof off +which the water could easily run, and I had the whole covered over +with tarpaulin. The long-boat on the port side, which I proposed +to leave on the ice till the winter, was deposited in a safe place +about 50 yards from the ship, and provided with sails, rigging, oars, +and a full equipment, ready for any emergency. + +The scraping away of the ice in the holds and on the half-deck was +finished on June 12th. We tried to cut the steam-pipe aft (the pipe +for rinse-water) out of the ice, but had to abandon the attempt. One +end of this pipe had been resting ever since last year on the ice, +and it was now so deeply frozen in that we could not release it. We +cut a hole all round it 4 feet deep, but the hole quickly filled with +water, so we left it to the summer heat to thaw the pipe loose. + +So much water commenced to accumulate in the engine-room about this +time that we had to bale out considerable quantities--certainly 130 +gallons per day. We at first thought that the water was produced by +the thawing of the ice on board, but it subsequently appeared that +it was mainly due to leakages, which probably arose from the fact +that ice forming in the different layers of the ship's skin forced +the planking somewhat apart. + +The state of health continued excellent, and the doctor had virtually +nothing to do in his professional capacity. In the way of "casualties" +there were only a few of the most trifling nature, such as a frozen +big toe, a little skin-chafing here and there, a sore eye or two; that +was all. However, we led a very regular life, with the twenty-four +hours suitably distributed between work, exercise, and rest. We +slept well and fed well, and so we were very little concerned at the +fact that when being weighed on May 7th we were found to have lost +flesh. However, the falling off was not great; the aggregate weight +of the whole party was barely 8 pounds less than the month before. + +There was, however, one complaint that we suffered from--a contagious +one, though not of a dangerous nature. It became a fashion, or, +if you like, a fashionable complaint, on board the Fram, to shave +one's head. It was said that an infallible method of producing a more +luxuriant growth of hair was to shave away the little hair that still +adorned the head of the patient. Juell first started it, and then a +regular mania set in, the others following his example one by one, +with the exception of myself and one or two more. Like a cautious +general, I first waited a while to see whether the expected harvest +sprouted on my comrades' shaven polls; and as the hair did not seem +to grow any stronger than before, I preferred a recipe ordered by the +doctor--viz., to wash the head daily with soft soap and subsequently +rub in an ointment. To make this treatment more effectual, however, and +let the ointment get at the scalp, I followed the example of the others +and shaved my head several times. Personally I do not believe that the +process did any good, but Pettersen was of a different opinion. "The +deuce take me," said he, one day afterwards when cutting my hair, +"if the captain hasn't got some jolly strong bristles on his crown +after that treatment." + +The Seventeenth of May brought the finest weather that could be +imagined. A clear, bright sky, dazzling sunshine, 10° to 12° of +cold, and an almost perfect calm. The sun, which at this time of +the year never sets throughout the twenty-four hours, was already +high in the heavens, when at 8 A.M. we were awakened by the firing +of a gun, and by joyous strains of the organ. We jumped into our +clothes more speedily than usual, swallowed our breakfast, and with +the liveliest expectation prepared for what was in store; for the +"Festival Committee" had been very busy the previous day. Punctually +at 11 o'clock the various corporations assembled under their flags and +insignia, and were assigned their position in the grand procession. I +marched at the head with the Norwegian flag. Next came Scott-Hansen +with the Fram's pennant, and then followed Mogstad with the banner of +the Meteorological Department, richly bedecked with "cyclonic centres" +and "prospects of fair weather." He was seated on a box covered with +bearskin placed on a sledge drawn by seven dogs, the banner waving +behind him on a pole rigged as a mast. Amundsen was No. 4, bearing a +demonstration banner in favor of "the Pure Flag," and he was followed +by his esquire, Nordahl, on snow-shoes with a spear in his hand and a +rifle slung on his back. The flag showed on the red ground a picture +of an old Norwegian warrior breaking his spear over his knee, with the +inscription "Onward! Onward! [Fram! Fram!], ye Norseman! Your own flag +in your own land. What we do we do for Norway." Fifth in the procession +came the mate, with the Norwegian arms on a red background, and sixth +was Pettersen with the flag of the Mechanical Department. Last came +the "Band," represented by Bentzen with an accordion. The procession +was followed by the public dressed in their best--viz., the doctor, +Juell, and Henriksen in picturesque confusion. + +To the waving of banners and strains of music the procession wended +its way past the corner of the University (viz., the Fram), down "Karl +Johan's Street" and "Church Street" (a road laid out by Scott-Hansen +for the occasion across the rift in front and the pressure-ridge), +past Engebret's (the depot on the ice), and then wheeled round to the +"Fortification Parade" [88] (viz., the top of the great hummock), +where it stopped and faced round with flags erect. + +There I called for cheers in honor of the festive occasion, in +response to which there rose a ninefold hurrah from the densely +packed multitude. + +At exactly 12 o'clock the official salute of the Seventeenth May was +fired from our big bow guns. Then came a splendid banquet; the doctor +had contributed a bottle of aqua vitæ, and every man had a bottle of +genuine Crown Malt Extract, from the "Royal Brewery" in Copenhagen. + +When the roast was served Scott-Hansen proposed the health of our +dear ones at home and of our two absent comrades, who he hoped might +achieve the task they had set themselves and return home safely. This +toast was accompanied by a salute of two guns. + +At 4 P.M. a great popular festival was held on the ice. The place was +prettily decorated with flags and other emblems, and the programme +offered a rich variety of entertainments. There was rope-dancing, +gymnastics, shooting at running hares, and many other items. The public +were in a highly festive mood throughout, and vigorously applauded the +artists in all their performances. After a supper which was not far +behind the dinner in excellence we gathered at night in the saloon +around a steaming bowl of punch. The doctor, amid loud applause, +proposed the health of the organizing committee, and I proposed the +Fram. After this we kept it up in the merriest and most cordial spirit +until far into the night. + + + + + + +CHAPTER II + +JUNE 22 TO AUGUST 15, 1895 + + +As spring advanced the disturbance in the ice increased, and new lanes +and pools were formed in every direction. At the same time there was +a daily increase in the number of aquatic animals and birds around us. + +On the night of June 22d I was awakened by the watch, who told me that +there were whales in the lane on the starboard side. Every one hurried +on deck, and we now saw that some seven or eight female narwhals were +gambolling in the channel close upon us. We fired some shots at them, +but these did not seem to affect them. Later in the day I went after +them in the sealing-boat, but without getting within range. In order +to be able to give effectual chase, should they, as we hoped, pay +us a visit in the future, we made ready two harpoon-bladders and an +oak anchor, which we attached to the end of the harpoon line. Should +the whale, when harpooned, prove too strong for us, we would let go +the anchor and the bladders, and if the fates were not against us, +we might be successful. + +We were quite anxious to try the new apparatus, and therefore kept a +sharp lookout for the whales. One or two were seen occasionally in the +channel, but they disappeared again so quickly that we had no time to +pursue them. On the evening of July 2d we had the prospect of a good +hunt. The lane swarmed with whales, and we quickly started out with the +boat in pursuit. But this time, too, they were so shy that we could +not get at them. One of them remained some time in a small channel, +which was so narrow that we could throw across it. We attempted to +steal on him along the edge, but as soon as we had got within a short +distance of him he took alarm, and swam out into the large channel, +where he remained rolling about, turning over on his back for some +four or five minutes at a time with his head above water, puffing +away, and positively jeering at us. When at length we had wearily +worked our way back again to the large channel, intending to assist +him a little in his performances--pop, away he went. + +Some days later we again received a visit from a troupe of these +comedians in another channel newly formed in close proximity to the +vessel. Three of them had long, heavy tusks, which they showed high +above the water, and then used to scratch their female friends on the +back with. We immediately prepared ourselves with rifles and harpoons, +and ran towards the channel as fast as our legs would carry us. But +before we got there the beasts had fled. It was of no use trying to +get within range of these shy creatures, so, after that, as a rule, +we allowed them to remain unmolested. + +Once, however, during the spring of 1896, we were near catching +a narwhal. I had been out fowling, and was just busily taking out +of the boat the birds I had shot, when suddenly a narwhal appeared +in the channel close to our usual landing-place, where the harpoon +with the line attached lay ready for immediate use. I quickly seized +the harpoon, but the coil of line was too short, and when I had got +this right the whale dived below the water, just as I was ready to +harpoon him. + +An occasional large seal (Phoca barbata) also appeared at this time; +we chased them sometimes, but without success; they were too shy. + +With the fowling our luck was better, and so early as June 7th we +shot so many black guillemots, gulls, fulmars, and little auks that +we partook on that day of our first meal of fresh meat during the +year. The flesh of these birds is not, as a rule, valued very much, +but we ate it with ravenous appetites, and found that it had an +excellent flavor--better than the tenderest young ptarmigan. + +One day three gulls appeared, and settled down at some distance +from the vessel. Pettersen fired twice at them and missed, they +meanwhile resting calmly on the snow, and regarding him with intense +admiration. Finally they flew away, accompanied by sundry blessings +from the hunter, who was exasperated at his "mishap," as he called +it. The eye-witnesses of the bombardment had another idea of the +"mishap," and many were the jokes that rained down upon the fellow +when he returned empty-handed. + +However, Pettersen soon became an ardent sportsman, and declared that +one of the first things he would do when he returned home would be to +buy a fowling-piece. He appeared to have some talent as a marksman, +though he had hardly ever fired a shot before he came on board the +Fram. Like all beginners, he had to put up with a good many misses +before he got so far as to hit his mark. But practice makes perfect; +and one fine day he began to win our respect as a marksman, for +he actually hit a bird on the wing. But then came a succession of +"mishaps" for some time, and he lost faith in his power of killing his +game on the wing, and sought less ambitious outlets for his skill. Long +afterwards the real cause of his many bad shots came to light. A wag, +who thought that Pettersen was doing too much execution among the game, +had quietly reloaded his cartridges, so that Pettersen had all the +time been shooting with salt instead of lead, and that, of course, +would make a little difference. + +Besides the animals named, it appears that Greenland sharks are also +found in these latitudes. One day Henriksen went to remove the blubber +from some bearskins, which he had had hanging out in the channel for +a week or so; he found that the two smallest skins had been nearly +devoured, so that only a few shreds were left. It could hardly have +been any other animal than the Greenland shark which had played us +this trick. We put out a big hook with a piece of blubber on it, +to try if we could catch one of the thieves, but it was of no use. + +One day in the beginning of August the mate and Mogstad were out +upon the ice trying to find the keel of the petroleum launch, which +had been forgotten. They said that they had seen fresh tracks of a +bear, which had been trotting about the great hummock. It was now +almost a year since we last had a bear in our neighborhood, and we +felt, therefore, much elated at the prospect of a welcome change +in our bill of fare. For a long time, however, we had nothing but +the prospect. True, Mogstad saw a bear at the great hummock, but, +as it was far off to begin with, and going rapidly farther, it was +not pursued. Almost half a year elapsed before another bear paid us +a visit--it was not till February 28, 1896. + +As I said before, the Fram had, ever since the first week in May, +been fast embedded in a large floe of ice, which daily diminished +in extent. Cracks were constantly formed in all directions, and new +lanes were opened, often only to close up again in a few hours. When +the edges of the ice crashed against each other with their tremendous +force, all the projecting points were broken off, forming smaller +floes, and pushed over and under each other, or piled up into large or +small hummocks, which would collapse again when the pressure ceased, +and break off large floes in their fall. In consequence of these +repeated disturbances the cracks in our floe constantly increased, +particularly after a very violent pressure on July 14th, when rifts +and channels were formed right through the old pressure-ridge to port, +and close up to the side of the vessel, so that it appeared for a time +as if the Fram would soon slip down into the water. For the time being, +however, she remained in her old berth, but frequently veered round +to different points of the compass during all these disturbances in +the ice. The great hummock, which constantly increased its distance +from the vessel, also drifted very irregularly, so that it was at +one time abeam, at another right ahead. + +On July 27th there was a disturbance in the ice such as we had +not experienced since we got fast. Wide lanes were formed in every +direction, and the floe upon which the smith's forge was placed danced +round in an incessant whirl, making us fear we might lose the whole +apparatus at any moment. Scott-Hansen and Bentzen, who were just about +to have a sail in the fresh breeze, undertook to transport the forge +and all its belongings to the floe on which we were lying. They took +two men to help them, and succeeded, with great difficulty, in saving +the things. At the same time there was a violent disturbance in the +water around the vessel. She turned round with the floe, so that +she rapidly came to head W. 1/2 S., instead of N.E. All hands were +busy getting back into the ship all the things which had been placed +upon the floes, and this was successfully accomplished, although it +was no trifling labor, and not without danger to the boats, owing to +the strong breeze and the violent working of the floes and blocks of +ice. The floe with the ruins of the forge was slowly bearing away in +the same direction as the great hummock, and served for some time as +a kind of beacon for us. Indeed, in the distance it looked like one, +crowned as it was on its summit with a dark skull-cap, a huge iron +kettle, which lay there bottom upward. The kettle was originally +bought by Trontheim, and came on board at Khabarova, together with +the dogs. He had used it on the trip through Siberia for cooking the +food for the dogs. We used to keep blubber and other dogs' food in +it. In the course of its long service the rust had eaten holes in +the bottom, and it was therefore cashiered, and thrown away upon the +pressure-ridge close to the smithy. It now served, as I have said, +as a beacon, and is perhaps to-day drifting about in the Polar Sea +in that capacity--unless it has been found and taken possession of +by some Eskimo housewife on the east coast of Greenland. + +As the sun and mild weather brought their influence to bear upon the +surface of the ice and the snow, the vessel rose daily higher and +higher above the ice, so that by July 23d we had three and a half +planks of the greenheart ice-hide clear on the port side and ten +planks to starboard. In the evening of August 8th our floe cracked +on the port, and the Fram altered her list from 7° to port to 1.5° +starboard side, with respectively four and two planks of the ice-hide +clear, and eleven bow-irons clear forward. + +I feared that the small floe in which we were now embedded might drift +off down the channel if the ice slackened any more, and I therefore +ordered the mate to moor the vessel to the main flow, where many of +our things were stored. The order, however, was not quickly enough +executed, and when I came on deck half an hour later the Fram was +already drifting down through the channel. All hands were called up +immediately, and with our united strength we succeeded in hauling +the vessel up to the floe again and mooring her securely. + +As we were desirous of getting the Fram quite clear of the ice-bed +in which she had been lying so long, I determined to try blasting +her loose. The next day, therefore, August 9th, at 7.30 P.M., we +fired a mine of about 7 pounds of gunpowder, placed under the floe 6 +feet from the stern of the vessel. There was a violent shock in the +vessel when the mine exploded, but the ice was apparently unbroken. A +lively discussion arose touching the question of blasting. The +majority believed that the mine was not powerful enough; one even +maintained that the quantity of gunpowder used should have been 40 +or 50 pounds. But just as we were in the heat of the debate the floe +suddenly burst. Big lumps of ice from below the ship came driving up +through the openings: the Fram gave a great heave with her stern, +started forward and began to roll heavily, as if to shake off the +fetters of ice, and then plunged with a great splash out into the +water. The way on her was so strong that one of the bow hawsers parted, +but otherwise the launch went so smoothly that no ship-builder could +have wished it better. We moored the stern to the solid edge of ice +by means of ice-anchors, which we had recently forged for this purpose. + +Scott-Hansen and Pettersen, however, were very near getting a cold +bath. Having laid the mine under the floe, they placed themselves +abaft with the "pram," [89] in order to haul in the string of the +fuse. When the floe burst, and the Fram plunged, and the remainder of +the floe capsized as soon as it became free of its 600 tons' burden, +the two men in the boat were in no pleasant predicament right in the +midst of the dangerous maelstrom of waves and pieces of ice; their +faces, especially Pettersen's, were worth seeing while the boat was +dancing about with them in the caldron. + +The vessel now had a slight list to starboard (0.75°), and floated +considerably lighter upon the water than before, as three oak planks +were clear to starboard, and somewhat more to port, with nine bow-irons +clear forward. So far as we could see, her hull had suffered no damage +whatever, either from the many and occasionally violent pressures to +which she had been subjected, or from the recent launching. + +The only fault about the vessel was that she still leaked a little, +rendering it necessary to use the pumps frequently. For a short time, +indeed, she was nearly tight, which made us inclined to believe that +the leakage must be above the water-line, but we soon found we were +in error about this, when she began to make more water than ever. + +For the rest, she was lying very well now, with the port side along an +even and rather low edge of ice, and with an open channel to starboard; +the channel soon closed up, but still left a small opening, about +200 yards long and 120 yards wide. I only wished that winter would +soon come, so that we might freeze securely into this favorable +position. But it was too early in the year, and there was too much +disturbance in the ice to allow of that. We had still many a tussle +to get through before the Fram settled in her last winter haven. + +Our drift westward in the latter half of June and the greater +part of July was, on the whole, satisfactory. I give the following +observations: + + + Date Latitude Longitude Direction + ° ' ° ' of Wind + + June 22d 84 32 80 58 N. + June 27th 84 44 79 35 N. by E. + June 29th 84 33 79 50 E.N.E. + July 5th 84 48 75 3 S.E. + July 7th 84 48 74 7 W.S.W. + July 12th 84 41 76 20 W.S.W. + July 22d 84 36 72 56 N.N.W. + July 27th 84 29 73 49 S.W. by S. + July 31st 84 27 76 10 S.W. + August 8th 84 38 77 36 N.W. + August 22d 84 9 78 47 S.W. + August 25th 84 17 79 2 E. by N. + September 2d 84 47 77 17 S.E. + September 6th 84 43 79 52 S.W. + + +As will be seen from the above, there were comparatively small +deviations towards the south and the north in the line of the drift, +whereas the deviations to east and west were much greater. + +From June 22d to the 29th it bore rapidly westward, then back some +distance in the beginning of July; again for a couple of days quickly +towards the west, and then a rapid return till July 12th. From this +day until the 22d we again drifted well to the west, to 72° 56', but +from that time the backward drift predominated, placing us at 79° 52' +on September 6th, or about the same longitude as we started from on +June 29th. + +During this period the weather was, on the whole, fair and +mild. Occasionally we had some bad weather, with drift-snow and sleet, +compelling us to stay indoors. However, the bad weather did not worry +us much; on the contrary, we looked rather eagerly for changes in +the weather, especially if they revived our hopes of a good drift +westward, with a prospect of soon getting out of our prison. It must +not be understood that we dreaded another winter in the ice before +getting home. We had provisions enough, and everything else needful +to get over some two or three polar winters, if necessary, and we had +a ship in which we all placed the fullest confidence, in view of the +many tests she had been put to. We were all sound and healthy, and had +learned to stick ever closer to one another for better and for worse. + +With regard to Nansen and Johansen, hardly any of us entertained +serious fears; however dangerous their trip was, we were not afraid +that they would succumb to their hardships on the way, and be +prevented from reaching Franz Josef Land, and thence getting back +to Norway before the year was out. On the contrary, we rejoiced at +the thought that they would soon be home, telling our friends that +we were getting on all right, and that there was every prospect of +our return in the autumn of 1896. It is no wonder, however, that we +were impatient, and that both body and soul suffered when the drift +was slow, or when a protracted contrary wind and back-drift seemed +to make it highly improbable that we should be able to reach home by +the time we were expected. + +Furthermore, the most important part of our mission was in a way +accomplished. There was hardly any prospect that the drift would +carry us much farther northward than we were now, and whatever +could be done to explore the regions to the north would be done by +Nansen and Johansen. It was our object, therefore, in compliance +with the instructions from Dr. Nansen, to make for open water and +home by the shortest way and in the safest manner, doing, however, +everything within our power to carry home with us the best possible +scientific results. These results, to judge from our experience up to +this point, were almost a foregone conclusion--to wit, that the Polar +Sea retained its character almost unchanged as we drifted westward, +showing the same depths, the same conditions of ice and currents, +and the same temperatures. No islands, rocks, shoals, and, still +less, no mainland, appeared in the neighborhood of our frequently +irregular course; wherever we looked there was the same monotonous +and desolate plain of more or less rugged ice, holding us firmly, and +carrying us willy-nilly along with it. Our scientific observations were +continued uninterruptedly, as regularly and accurately as possible, and +comprised, besides the usual meteorological observations, soundings, +measurement of the thickness of the ice, longitude and latitude, +taking the temperature of the sea at various depths, determining its +salinity, collecting specimens of the fauna of the sea, magnetic and +electrical observations, and so forth. + + + + + + +CHAPTER III + +AUGUST 15 TO JANUARY 1, 1896 + + +With the rise in the temperature the snow surface became daily worse, +so that it was seldom fit for snow-shoeing; even with "truger" [90] +on it was most laborious to get along, for the snow was so soft +that we sank in up to our knees. Now and then for an odd day or so +the surface would be fit, even in the month of July, and we took +these opportunities of making short excursions for shooting and the +like. Then the surface would be as bad as ever again, and one day when +I had to go out on the ice to fetch a fulmar which had been wounded, +the snow was so soft that I constantly sank in up to my waist. Before I +could reach the bird the whole pack of dogs came tearing by, got hold +of it, and killed it. One of the dogs seized the bird in his mouth, +and then there was a wild race between it and the others. At last +the whole pack turned back towards the lane in the ice again, and I +watched my opportunity and snatched the bird from them. I had paid +pretty dearly for my booty, all spent and dripping with perspiration +as I was from plodding through that bottomless morass of snow. + +Our chief occupation was still the work at our sledges and kayaks. The +sledges, which were all brought on board from the great hummock +where they had lain all the winter, were repaired and fitted with +runners. By July 16th they were all in good order--eight hand-sledges +and two dog-sledges. + +The kayaks, upon which we had long been engaged, were finished +about the same time. We had now in all five double and one single +kayak. Of these I myself made one, the single kayak, which weighed 32 +pounds. All of them were tested in the channel, and proved sound and +watertight. Both the kayaks and the sledges were hoisted on the davits, +so that they could be let down at a moment's notice in case of need. + +The petroleum launch, which was of no use to us as it was, but would +afford good materials for runners and other things, was brought from +the great hummock and taken to pieces. It was built of choice elm, +and a couple of planks were immediately used for runners to those of +the sledges, which, for lack of material, were as yet unprovided with +these appliances. + +The medicine-chest, which had also lain in depot at the great hummock, +was fetched and stowed away in one of the long-boats, which had been +placed on the pressure-ridge hard by the ship. The contents had taken +no harm, and nothing had burst with the frost, although there were +several medicines in the chest which contained no more than 10 per +cent. of alcohol. + +At that time we were also busy selecting and weighing provisions and +stores for eleven men for a seventy days' sledging expedition and +a six months' sojourn on the ice. The kinds of provisions and their +weight will be seen from the accompanying table: + + + Seventy Days' Sledge Provisions for Eleven Men + + Pounds + + Cadbury's chocolate, 5 boxes of 48 pounds 240 + Meat chocolate 25 + Wheaten bread, 16 boxes of 44 pounds 704 + Danish butter, 12 tins of 28 pounds 336 + Lime-juice tablets 2 + Fish flour (Professor Våge's) 50 + Viking potatoes, 3 tins of 26 pounds 78 + Knorr's pea-soup 5 + ,, lentil-soup 5 + ,, bean-soup 5 + Bovril, 2 boxes 104 + Vril-food, 1 box 48 + Oatmeal, 1 box 80 + Serin powder, 1 box 50 + Aleuronate bread, 5 boxes of 50 pounds 250 + Pemmican, 6 boxes 340 + ,, 7 sacks 592 + Liver, 1 sack 102 + ---- + Total 3016 + + +Besides these we took salt, pepper, and mustard. + + + Provisions for Eleven Men During a Six Months' Stay + on the Ice + + Pounds + + Roast and boiled beef, 14 tins of 72 pounds 1008 + Minced collops, 3 tins of 48 pounds 144 + Corned beef, 3 tins of 84 pounds 252 + Compressed ham, 3 tins of 84 pounds 252 + Corned mutton, 17 tins of 6 pounds 102 + Bread, 37 tins of 50 pounds 1850 + Knorr's soups, various, 2 tins of 56 1/2 pounds 113 + Vegetables: white cabbage, julienne, pot-herbs 60 + Flour, sugar, 3 cases of 40 pounds 120 + Oatmeal, 4 cases of 80 pounds 320 + Groats, 4 cases of 80 pounds 320 + Cranberry, 2 cases of 10 pounds 20 + Margarine, 20 jars of 28 pounds 560 + Lunch tongue, 1 case 20 + Danish butter, 2 cases 336 + Stearine candles, 5 cases 200 + Preserved fish, 1 tin 22 + Macaroni, 1 case 50 + Viking potatoes, 4 cases 208 + Våge's fish flour, 2 cases 200 + Frame-food jelly, 1 jar 190 + Marmalade jelly, 1 jar 54 + Lime-juice jelly, 1 jar 54 + Cadbury's chocolate, 3 cases 144 + Lactoserin cocoa, 1 case 18 + Milk, 10 cases of 48 tins 480 + Tea, 1 case 20 + English pemmican, 13 cases 756 + Danish pemmican, 1 case 68 + Dried liver patties, 3 cases 204 + Vril-food, 5 cases 208 + + +Besides these, 2 tins of salt, 1 tin of mustard, and 1 tin of pepper. + + + +When all the stores were ready and packed, they were provisionally +stowed at certain fixed points on deck, under the awning forward. I +did not want them taken out on the ice until later in the year, or +until circumstances rendered it necessary. We had still abundance of +coal--about 100 tons. I considered that 20 tons would be about enough +for six months' consumption on the ice. With that quantity, therefore, +we filled butts, casks, and sacks, and took it out on the ice, together +with 1400 pounds of tinned potatoes, about 45 gallons of petroleum, +about 80 gallons of gas-oil, and about 34 gallons of coal-oil. + +As the ship was still deeply laden, I wished to lighten her as much as +possible, if only it could be managed without exposing to risk any of +the stores which had to be unloaded. After the windmill was worn out +and taken away we had, of course, no use for the battery and dynamo, +so we took the whole concern to pieces and packed it up, with lamps, +globes, and everything belonging to it. The same was done with the +petroleum motor. The "horse-mill" was also taken down and put out on +the ice, with a lot of heavy materials. One long-boat had been put out +earlier, and now we took the other down from the davits and took it up +to the great hummock. But as the hummock shortly afterwards drifted a +good way off from us, the boat, with everything else that lay there, +was brought back again and placed upon the great ice-floe to which we +were moored--our "estate," as we used to call it. On top of the davits, +and right aft to the half-deck, we ran a platform of planks, on which +the sledges, kayaks, and other things were to be laid up in the winter. + +On July 22d we continued our deep-sea soundings, taking two on that +day, the first to 1354 fathoms (2500 metres) and the second to 1625 +fathoms (3000 metres), without touching bottom either time. In order +to make sure that the lead should sink, we lowered away the line +very slowly, so that it took two hours and a quarter to reach a depth +of 3000 metres. On the 23d we again took two soundings, one of 1840 +fathoms (3400 metres), without finding bottom, and then one in which +we found bottom at 2056 fathoms (3800 metres). It took two hours +and a half to lower the lead to the latter depth. Finally, on July +24th we again took a sounding of 3600 metres without finding bottom, +and therefore concluded the depth to be from 3700 to 3800 metres. + +On July 7th the doctor rowed out in the "pram" in search of algæ, +but came back empty-handed. There were remarkably few algæ to be +found this summer, nor did there seem to be so much animal life in +the water as there had been the year before. + +For a few days after she got loose, the Fram lay in a very good +position in the pool; but during the night of August 14th a high block +of ice came floating down the lane, which had now widened a little, +and jammed itself between the ship's side and the farther edge of +the pool, which it thus entirely blocked. As we did not like having +this uncomfortable and dangerous colossus close at our side, in case +we should remain at the same spot throughout the autumn and winter, +we determined to blast it away. Scott-Hansen and Nordahl at once took +this in hand, and accomplished the task after several days' labor. + +On Saturday afternoon, August 17th, a pretty strong ice-pressure +suddenly set in around us. In the course of a few minutes the Fram was +lifted 22 inches by the stern, and 14 inches by the bow. In stately +fashion, with no noise, and without heeling over in the least, the +heavy vessel was swiftly and lightly raised, as if she had been a +feather--a spectacle at once impressive and reassuring. + +The next day the ice slackened a little again, and the ship was +once more afloat. So it lay quietly until the morning of the 21st, +when another strong pressure began. The ship now lay in a very +awkward position, with a high hummock on each side, which gripped +her amidships for a space of about 9 yards, and screwed her up 6 or +8 inches. But the pressure ended in half an hour or so, and the Fram +sank again into her former berth. + +When there were symptoms of pressure we always tried to warp the ship +as far away as possible from the threatening point, and occasionally +we succeeded. But during the stormy weather, with southerly winds, +which prevailed at this time, it was often quite impossible to get +her to budge; for she offered a great surface to the wind, with +her heavy rigging and the high awning forward. Our united forces +were often unable to move her an inch, and ice-anchors, moorings, +and warping-cables were perpetually breaking. + +At last, on August 22d, we succeeded in warping the ship along a bit, +so that we might hope to escape pressure if the ice should again begin +to pinch. As the ice soon after slackened a good deal, and became +more broken than before, we some days later made another attempt to +haul her a little farther, but had soon to give it up; there was not +enough space between the two great floes on either hand of us. We +now lay at the same spot until September 2d, with half a gale blowing +continually from the southwest, and with heavy rain now and then. On +the evening of August 30th, for instance, we had a violent rain-storm, +which loosened the ice-coating of the rigging and made a frightful +racket as it brought the pieces of ice clattering down upon the deck, +the deck-house, and the awning. + +Our "estate" was very thoroughly ploughed, harrowed, and drained +at this time by wind, rain, pressure, and other such doughty +laborers. Then came the tiresome business of moving the things out +from the ship, which involved the cutting up and parcelling out of +almost the whole "estate," so that what was left open to us was scanty +and cramped enough. + +Thus reduced, the "estate" now formed an approximately oblong floe, +with its greatest length from east to west, and surrounded on all +sides by more or less open rifts and lanes. The Fram lay moored to +the north side close to the northeast point, with her bow heading +west. Immediately astern of her, and separated from the point only by +a narrow lane, lay a large floe, upon which was stowed, among other +things, a part of our provision of coal. Far off to the westward the +great hummock still lay drifting. + +While the other sides of the "estate" were pretty nearly straight, +the east side formed a concave arc or bay, which offered an excellent +winter berth for the Fram. But there was no possibility of getting the +ship into it so long as the channel between the "estate" and the floe +to eastward remained closed. Late in the afternoon of September 2d +the ice at last slackened so much that we could make an attempt. By +the help of our tackle we managed to get her warped a ship's length +eastward, but it was impossible for the moment to get her any farther, +as the new ice was already pretty thick (the night temperature was +-5° C.), and also a good deal packed. Nor was it any use to bring +the ice-saw into play and cut a channel, for the slush was so deep +that we could not shove the fragments aside or under each other. + +The next day began with half a gale from the southeast and rain; but at +6 o'clock the wind moderated and veered to the south, and at 8 o'clock +the ice around the lane began to slacken a good deal. As there was +now more room, we made good progress with cutting our way through the +new ice, and before midday we had got the Fram hauled into the bay and +moored in the winter harbor which we all hoped might prove her last. + +When Nansen and Johansen set out, they left seven dogs behind, the +bitch "Sussi" and the six youngest puppies: "Kobben," "Snadden," +"Bella," "Skvint," "Axel," and "Boris." On April 25th "Sussi" gave +birth to twelve puppies. We had made a cozy little kennel for her +on deck, lining it with reindeer-skin. Pettersen came down in the +morning, and told us that "Sussi" was running round whining and +howling. Mogstad and I went up and shut her into the kennel, where +she at once gave birth to a puppy. When the afternoon came, and we +saw that more and more citizens were being added to our community, +we feared that the mother would not be able to warm all her litter, +and consequently removed the whole family into the saloon. All +the puppies were large and handsome, most of them quite white, and +looking as though they would turn out regular little "bjelkier," as +the Samoyedes call all white dogs. They grew and throve excellently +as saloon passengers, and were petted and spoiled by every one. They +made their home in the saloon for a month, and then we transferred +them to the above-mentioned kennel on deck. After they had been up +there for some weeks it appeared as though they had suddenly stopped +growing, although they were constantly well fed with raw bear's-flesh, +milk, and the broken meat from our table. About the second week of +August two of the puppies died of convulsions. The doctor managed to +save a third by means of warm baths and careful nursing. At the end +of the month another of them was seized with convulsions and died, +although it, too, was treated with warm baths and comfortably housed, +first in the saloon, and afterwards in the work-room. + +In the beginning of September, when the frequent rain made things +very moist and uncomfortable in the kennel and on deck, we built a +kennel out on the ice with a tarpaulin roof and a floor of planks, +with plenty of shavings spread over them. While it was being built we +let the whole pack of dogs out upon the ice; but after playing for half +an hour the puppies, one after another, began to have convulsions. The +attacks passed quickly over, however. We drenched them with soap and +water, and then settled them in their new abode. + +As the puppies grew older we had to keep a sharp watch upon them +when we let them out upon the ice. They romped and gambolled with +such ungovernable glee that it often happened that one or other of +them plumped into the water, and had to be laboriously fished out +again by the Master of the Hounds for the time being or whoever else +happened to be at hand. Moreover, they soon acquired a taste for +longer excursions, and followed our tracks far over the ice. + +One day the doctor and I were out photographing. At a considerable +distance from the ship we came upon a large pool of fresh water, +and took a little rest upon its inviting, mirror-like ice. While we +lay there chatting at our ease, we saw "Kobben" coming after us. As +soon as he caught sight of us, he stopped and stood wondering what +strange creatures we could be. Then we began to creep on all-fours +towards him; and the moment we did so, "Kobben" found his legs to some +purpose. He set off homeward as though he were running for dear life; +and even when we got back to the ship and several other puppies met +us and knew us, the poor creature was still so panic-stricken that +it was a good while before he ventured to come near us. + +On September 28th we again lost one of the puppies. It was seized +with convulsions, and lay whining and howling all day. As the evening +advanced, and it became paralyzed along one side, there was no hope +of saving it, so we put an end to its misery. It was pitiful to see +how these pretty little creatures suffered when the convulsions came +upon them. + +On October 9th "Skvint" gave birth to puppies, but as so young an +animal could not have brought them up, especially in such a cold +season, we allowed her to keep only one of them as an experiment; +the others were at once killed. A week later "Sussi" produced a second +litter, two he-dogs and nine she-dogs. We let her keep the two males +and one of the females. + +It proved inadvisable to have both the mothers with their families +in the same kennel. If one of the mothers went out for a moment, the +other at once took all the puppies into her keeping, and then there +was a battle royal when the first one returned and wanted to reclaim +her property. Something of this sort had, no doubt, occurred one +night in the case of "Skvint," whom Henriksen found in the morning +lying at the door of the kennel frozen so fast to the ice that it +cost us a good deal of trouble to get her loose again. She must have +had anything but a pleasant night--the thermometer had been down to +-33° C. (-27.4° Fahr.)--and her tail was frozen fast to one of her +hind-legs, so that we had to take her down into the saloon to get her +thawed. To obviate such misadventures for the future I had a detached +villa built for her where she could be at peace with her child. + +One evening, when Mogstad was housing the puppies for the night, +two of them were missing. Henriksen and I at once set off with +lanterns and guns to hunt for them. We thought that there had been +a bear in the neighborhood, as we had heard a great deal of barking +earlier in the day out upon the ice to the east of the ship; but +we could find no tracks. After supper we set out again, five of us, +all carrying lanterns. After an hour's search along the lanes and up +in the pressure-ridges we at last found the puppies on the other side +of a new lane. Although the new ice on the lane was strong enough to +bear them, they were so terrified after having been in the water that +they dared not come over to us, and we had to make a long detour to +get hold of them. + +In the middle of December we took the youngest puppies on board, as +they had now grown so big, and ran away if they were not very closely +watched. The gangway was left open at night so that the mothers could +come into them from the ice whenever they wanted to. + +In respect to temper, there was a great difference between the +generation of dogs we had originally taken on board and those we now +had. While the former were great fighters, perpetually at feud with +each other, and often to the death, the latter were exceedingly quiet +and well-behaved, although wild and fierce enough when it came to +chasing a bear. Now and then there would be a little squabble among +them, but this was rare. "Axel" was the worst of them. Shortly before +Christmas he all of a sudden made a fierce attack upon the unoffending +"Kobben," against whom he bore a grudge. But he got the rope's-end +for supper several times, and that improved his manners amazingly. + +During the first half of September the weather was very unsettled, +with prevailing westerly and southwesterly winds, a good deal of rain +and snow, especially rain, and frequent disturbance in the ice. The +frost at night, which sometimes reached 10° or 11°, soon made the new +ice strong enough to bear a man, except just at the stern of the ship, +where all the slops were thrown out. Here the ice was much broken +up, and formed a thick slush, the surface of which was frozen over, +but so thinly that it would not bear much weight. Thus it happened +one day that three men got a ducking, one after another, at the +same treacherous spot. The first was Pettersen. He had to go round +the stern to look to the log-line which hung from the ship's side to +port; but before he got so far, down he went through the ice. Shortly +after the same thing happened to Nordahl, and half an hour later it +was Bentzen's turn to plump in. He plunged right up to his neck, but +at once bobbed up again like a cork, and scrambled gallantly up on +to the edge of the ice without a moment's delay. The observation of +the log-line had to be postponed, while a grand changing and drying +of clothes took place on board. + +On September 15th the ice slackened so much that there was quite a +little sea between us and the great hummock. The following day the +ice was still so much disturbed that we had to think seriously of +fetching back the things which still lay there. About midday I took +a walk over towards the hummock to find out a suitable transport +path, and discovered an excellent one. But some hours later, when I +set off with men and sledges to fetch back the things, so many lanes +had opened around the "estate" that we had to give up the attempt for +that day. During the whole of September, and well on in October, there +was almost incessant disturbance in the ice. New lanes opened on all +sides, some close to the ship, and there were frequent pressures. The +winter harbor we had found proved an excellent one. There was very +little disturbance in the bay where the Fram was moored, thanks to +the new ice we here had around us, of which the pressure was quite +inconsiderable. It was quickly broken up, and the fragments forced +over or under each other, while the two solid points of the bay bore +the brunt of the attacks. Once or twice it seemed as though the Fram +would be afloat again before the winter finally chained her in its +icy fetters. On October 25th, for instance, it slackened so much in +the lane nearest us that the ship lay free from the stern right to the +fore-chains; but soon the ice packed together again, so that she was +once more frozen quite fast. The hardest pressure occurred on October +26th and 27th, but the ship was not very severely attacked. Pressure, +however, is more unpleasant in winter, on account of the deafening +noise it makes when the ice is hurled against the ship's side. It was +quite different in summer, when the ice is more tough and elastic, +and the pressure goes on calmly and quietly. + +After November 1st a more peaceful period set in; the pressures almost +entirely ceased, the cold increased, the wind remained easterly, +and we drifted at a steady rate northward and westward for the rest +of the year. + +During the autumn the drift had put our patience to a severe +test. Owing to the prevailing westerly winds it bore steadily eastward, +and day after day we looked in vain for a change. The only thing that +kept our spirits up was the knowledge that, if we were going backward, +it was slowly, sometimes very slowly, indeed. Even several days of +westerly wind did not take us so far to the east but that a day or +two of favorable wind would enable us to make up what we had lost, +with something to boot. + +September 22d was the second anniversary of our being frozen in, and +the event was celebrated with a little festivity in the evening. We +had reason to be satisfied with the second year's drift, since we +had advanced nearly double as far as during the first year, and, +if this continued, there could scarcely be any doubt that we should +get clear of the ice in the autumn of 1896. + +As will be seen from the following table, September 22d also brought +us a marked change for the better. On that day the winter drift set +in for good, and lasted without intermission through the remainder +of the year, so that between that day and the second week in January +we drifted from 82° 5' to 41° 41' east longitude. + + + Date Latitude Longitude Direction + of Wind + ° ' ° ' + + September 6th, 1895 84 43 79 52 S.W. + September 11th, 1895 84 59 78 15 E. + September 22d, 1895 85 2 82 5 Calm. + October 9th, 1895 85 4 79 30 E. + October 19th, 1895 85 45 78 21 E. to N. + October 25th, 1895 85 46 73 25 N.E. + October 30th, 1895 85 46 70 50 N.N.W. + November 8th, 1895 85 41 65 2 E. + November 15th, 1895 85 55.5 66 31 E.N.E. + November 25th, 1895 85 47.5 62 56 N.E. to N. + December 1st, 1895 85 28 58 45 E. + December 7th, 1895 85 26 54 40 N.E. + December 14th, 1895 85 24 50 2 Calm. + December 21st, 1895 85 15 47 56 N.E. + December 28th, 1895 85 24 48 22 N.W. + January 9th, 1896 84 57 41 41 N. + + +On October 11th we hauled up the log-line and cut a new hole for it +in the ice right astern. Hitherto the log had had only 100 metres +(54 fathoms) of line; now we gave it 300 metres (162 fathoms). + +After the middle of September the cold steadily increased, as the +following observations will show: + + + Date Minimum Temperature + Centigrade Fahrenheit + ° ° + + September 18th -12.5 +9.6 + September 26th -24.0 -11.2 + October 19th -30.0 -22.0 + November 5th -32.2 -25.8 + November 9th -38.3 -36.8 + November 22d -43.6 -46.4 + December 31st -44.6 -48.2 + + +The weather was, as a rule, fine during the last three months of 1895, +with clear air and light breezes; only now and then (for example, on +October 29th, and November 11th, 26th, and 27th) the wind freshened +to half a gale, with a velocity of as much as 48 feet per second. + +In the beginning of September we found that the Fram was drawing more +and more water, so that we had a stiff job every day to pump and bale +her empty. But from the 23d onward the leakage steadily declined, +and about the second week of October the engine-room was quite +water-tight. It still leaked a little, however, in the main hold; +but soon the leak ceased here also, the water having frozen in the +ship's side. For the rest, we employed our time in all sorts of work +about the ship, cutting up and removing ice in the hold, cleaning, +putting things in order, etc. + +Not until September 23d did the state of the ice permit us to carry out +our intention of fetching back the things from the great hummock. The +surface was that day excellent for sledges with German-silver runners; +wooden runners, on the other hand, went rather heavily. We had also +done some road-making here and there, so that the conveyance of the +goods went on easily and rapidly. We brought back to the ship, in all, +thirty-six boxes of dog biscuits, and four barrels of petroleum. Next +day we brought all that was left, and stacked it on the ice close to +the ship. + +On September 16th Scott-Hansen and Nordahl set about preparations +for building a proper house for their magnetic observations. Their +building material consisted of great blocks of new ice, which they +piled upon sledges and drove with the aid of the dogs to the site they +had chosen. Except for one or two trial trips which Scott-Hansen had +previously made with the dogs, this was the first time they had been +employed as draught-animals. They drew well, and the carting went +excellently. The house was built entirely of hewn blocks of ice, +which were ranged above each other with an inward slant, so that +when finished it formed a compact circular dome of ice, in form and +appearance not unlike a Finn tent. A covered passage of ice led into +the house, with a wooden flap for a door. + +When this observatory was finished, Scott-Hansen gave a house-warming, +the hut being magnificently decorated for the occasion. It was +furnished with a sofa, and with arm-chairs covered with bear and +reindeer skins. The pedestal in the middle of the floor, on which the +magnetic instruments were to be established, was covered with a flag, +and an ice-floe served as a table. On the table stood a lamp with +a red shade, and along the walls were fixed a number of red paper +lanterns. The effect was quite festal, and we all sat round the room +in the highest of spirits. Our amiable host addressed little humorous +speeches to every one. Pettersen expressed the wish that this might +be the last ice-hut Scott-Hansen should build on this trip, and that +we might all be home again this time next autumn, and "none the worse +for it all." Pettersen's artless little address was received with +frantic enthusiasm. + +For the rest, Pettersen had just about this time entered upon a +new office, having from September 10th onward undertaken the whole +charge of Juell's former domain, the galley, a department to which he +gave his whole heart, and in which his performances denoted entire +satisfaction to every one. The only branch of the culinary art +with which he would have nothing to do was the baking of Christmas +cakes. This Juell himself had to attend to when the time came. + +When winter set in we built ourselves a new smithy in the place +of the one which drifted off on July 27th. It was constructed on +the pressure-ridge where the boats and part of the stores from the +great hummock had been placed. Its plan was very much like that of the +former smithy. We first hollowed out a cavity of sufficient size in the +pressure-ridge, and then roofed it over with blocks of ice and snow. + +As the year waned, and the winter night impended, all the sea +animals and birds of passage which had swarmed around us and awakened +our longings during the short summer deserted us one by one. They +set off for the south, towards sunshine and light and hospitable +shores, while we lay there in the ice and darkness for yet another +winter. On September 6th we saw the last narwhals gambolling in the +lanes around the ship, and a few days later the last flock of skuas +(Lestris parasiticus) took their departure. The sun moves quickly in +these latitudes from the first day that he peers over the horizon in +the south till he circles round the heavens all day and all night; +but still quicker do his movements seem when he is on the downward +path in autumn. Before you know where you are he has disappeared, +and the crushing darkness of the Arctic night surrounds you once more. + +On September 12th we should have seen the midnight sun for the last +time if it had been clear; and no later than October 8th we caught +the last glimpse of the sun's rim at midday. Thus we plunged into +the longest Arctic night any human beings have yet lived through, in +about 85° north latitude. Henceforth there was nothing that could for +a moment be called daylight, and by October 26th there was scarcely +any perceptible difference between day and night. + +Whenever time permitted and the surface was at all favorable we +wandered about on snow-shoes in the neighborhood of the ship, either +singly or several together. On October 7th, when all of us were out +snow-shoeing in the morning, the mate found a log of drift-wood 7 +feet long and 7 inches thick. Part of the root was still attached +to the trunk. The mate and I went out in the afternoon and brought +it in on a hand-sledge. No doubt it had grown in one of the Siberian +forests, had been swept away by a flood or by the current of a river, +and carried out to sea to be conveyed hither by the drift-ice. + +Besides snow-shoeing, we also took frequent walks on the ice, and on +November 20th I gave orders that every man should take two hours' +exercise a day in the fresh air. I myself was very fond of these +walks, which freshened up both soul and body, and I often wandered +backward and forward on the ice four or five hours a day--as a rule, +two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. + +On October 8th Scott-Hansen and Mogstad made an experiment in dragging +sledges with 230 pounds of freight. They started at half-past nine +and returned at five in the afternoon, after having been about four +miles from the ship, and traversed pretty heavy country. + +We did not believe, indeed, that the Fram ran the slightest risk of +being crushed in any ice-pressure; but it was obviously possible, +or at least conceivable, so that it was our duty to be prepared for +all contingencies. Accordingly we devoted much labor and care to +securing ourselves against being taken by surprise. + +At the end of October we established a new depot on the ice consisting +of provisions for six months, with a full equipment of sledges, +kayaks, snow-shoes, etc. The provisions were divided into five +different piles, and stacked so that the boxes in each pile formed an +arch. Thus stored, not more than two cases could well be lost even if +the worst happened, and the ice split up right under the heap. The +provisions consisted partly of pemmican, as may be seen by the list +quoted--a very nutritious article of diet, which makes an excellent +sort of Irish stew (lobscouse). With 200 grammes of pemmican, 100 +grammes of bread, and 120 grammes of potatoes you can make a very +satisfying and palatable dish. + +On November 28th we passed the sixtieth degree of longitude, and +celebrated the occasion by a little feast. The saloon was decorated +with flags, and a rather more sumptuous dinner than usual was served, +with coffee after it, while supper was followed by a dessert of fruits +and preserves. This meridian passes near Cape Fligely in Franz Josef +Land, and through Khabarova, where we two years ago had bidden farewell +to the last faint traces of civilization. So it seemed as though we +really felt ourselves nearer the world and life. + + + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +JANUARY 1 TO MAY 17, 1896 + + +New-year's-day came with fine, clear weather, moonlight, and about +43 degrees of cold. The ice kept remarkably quiet for about a month, +but on February 4th the pressure commenced again. It was not of long +duration, but made a great noise while it lasted; the ice all round +us roared and screamed as if a tremendous gale were blowing. I took +a walk on the ice for the purpose, if possible, of observing the +pressure more closely, but could see nothing. The following day we +again sallied forth on the ice, and found a comparatively new channel +and a large new pressure-ridge about a mile from the ship. It was +impossible, however, to get any comprehensive view of the state of +the ice, as it was still too dark, even at midday. The surface of the +snow was hard and good, but the hollow edges of the snow-drifts were +so deceptive that we every now and then tumbled head over heels. + +On February 7th Scott-Hansen, Henriksen, Amundsen, and myself took a +run northward from the ship. The farther north we went the more broken +and uneven the ice became, and at last we had to turn, as we came to +a new and wide lane. During the morning a dark bank of clouds had +been gathering in the southwest, and now the fog got so thick that +it was not easy to find our way back to the ship again. At last we +heard the voice of "Sussi," and from the top of a pressure-ridge which +we ascended we got sight of the crow's-nest and the main-topmast of +the Fram, towering above the fog, only a little way off. Close as we +were to the ship, it was not so easy to get on board again. We were +stopped by a large lane which had formed just abaft the ship during +our absence, and we had to skirt it a long way westward before we could +cross it. Those on board told us that the opening of the lane had given +the ship a great shock, very much like the shock felt when we blasted +the Fram loose in August. At 12.30 at night we felt another shock in +the ice. When we came on deck we found that the ice had cracked about +30 yards abaft the ship, parallel with the large lane. The crack passed +along the side of the nearest long-boat, and right through one of the +coal-heaps. On the heap a barrel was standing, which would have been +lost if the crack had not divided itself in front of it at about right +angles and then joined again, after passing through the outer edges +of the heap. On the island thus formed the barrel and some coal-bags +floated about in the channel. However, we soon got the island hooked to +shore, and the coals were all saved, with the exception of a sack of +one hundredweight, which went to the bottom. By way of making sure, +I gave orders that the depot should be inspected once during each +watch, or oftener if the pressure began again. + +On February 13th Henriksen, Amundsen, and I made an expedition +southward to examine into the state of the ice in that direction. We +found that it was very uneven there, too, and full of comparatively +new lanes. The channel abaft the ship widened during the forenoon, and +gave off such masses of fog that we soon lost sight of the ship. The +next day it opened still more, and on the 16th there was a very strong +pressure in it. The ice trembled and roared like a great waterfall, +and splintered into small horizontal flakes on the surface. The +pressure was repeated almost every day, and more cracks and lanes +were constantly to be seen for some time. But after that the ice was +comparatively quiet until April 10th, when it again began to be very +restless. On the night of the 15th the pressure was very strong in +the lane on the port side. We were obliged to haul up the log-line +with the bag and shift the sounding apparatus. The same night the +ice split under two of the provision depots, so that we had to get +them closer to the ship. + +On the morning of the 21st we were awakened by a violent pressure +astern. Nordahl came down and woke me, saying that the ice threatened +to rush in over the vessel. We found that a tremendous ice-floe had +been pressed up over the edge of the ice astern, and came gliding +along unchecked until it ran right against our stern. But the Fram +had borne shocks like this before, and now again she held her own +well. The ice was split against the strong stern, and lay shattered +on both sides of the ship on a level with the edge of the half-deck +all the way forward to the mizzen-shrouds. The ship now lay almost +loose in her berth, and the ice round about was broken up into a mass +of smaller floes. As these were passed down by the heavy drifts, it +was hard work to get round the ship, as one ran the risk of plumping +down into the slush at any moment. + +Late in the afternoon of May 13th the lane between the forge and +the ship began to widen very much, so that in a couple of hours' +time it was about 90 yards wide. From the crow's-nest I saw on the +southeast a large channel extending southward as far as I could +see, and the channel abaft us extended to the northeast as far as +my sight could reach. I therefore went out in the "pram" to try to +find a passage through to the channel on the southeast, but without +result. After supper I was off again southward, but I could not find +any thoroughfare. At 10 o'clock in the evening I again went up in the +crow's-nest, and now saw that the channel had widened considerably +and reached away southward as far as the eye could reach, with dark +air over it. + +Scott-Hansen and I deliberated as to what was to be done. Although +I did not believe it would do much good under the circumstances, we +decided upon an attempt to blast the vessel free. We agreed to try some +mines right aft, and all hands were at once put to this work. First +we fired six powder-mines at about the same spot, but without much +result. Then we made an unsuccessful trial with gun-cotton. At 3 +o'clock in the morning we concluded operations for the time being, +as the ice was so thick that the drill did not reach through, +and the slush so bad that it was impossible to get the ice-floes +shoved away. At 8 o'clock the next morning we laid two new mines, +which Scott-Hansen and Nordahl had made ready during the night, but +neither of them would go off. One or two of the mines which we had +fired during the day had produced some effect, but so little that it +was not worth while to continue. We were obliged to wait for a more +favorable condition of the ice. + +The weather during the two first weeks of January was settled and +good, with clear air and 40 to 50 degrees of cold. The coldest day +was January 15th, when the thermometer showed from -50° C. (-58° +Fahr.) to -52° C. (-61.6° Fahr.). The last two weeks of January the +temperature was considerably higher, but dropped again in February, +until on the 13th it was about -48° C. (-54.4° Fahr.), after which it +was somewhat higher: about -35° C. (-41° Fahr.) during the remainder of +February. On March 5th the thermometer again showed 40 degrees of cold; +but from that time the temperature rose quickly. Thus on March 12th +it was -12°, on the 27th -6°, with a few colder days of course now and +then. April was somewhat cold throughout, about -25°; the coldest day +was the 13th, with -34°. The first week of May was also somewhat cold, +about -20° to -25°, the second week somewhat milder, about -14°, and +on May 21st we had the first rise above freezing-point of this year, +the maximum thermometer showing at the evening observation +0.9°. + +Some days during this winter were remarkable for very great and sudden +changes in temperature. One instance was Friday, February 21st. In the +morning it was cloudy, with a stiff breeze from the southeast. Late in +the afternoon the wind suddenly changed to the southwest, and slackened +off to a velocity of 14 feet; and the temperature went down from -7° +in the morning to -25° shortly before the change in the wind, rapidly +rising again to -6.2° at 8 o'clock P.M. + +In my Journal I wrote of this day as follows: "I was walking on deck +to-night, and before I went down had a lookout astern. When I put my +head out of the tent I felt so warm a current of air that my first +thought was that there must be fire somewhere on board. I soon made +out, however, that it was the temperature which had risen so greatly +since I was under the open sky. Scott-Hansen and I afterwards went +up and placed a thermometer under the ship's tent, where it showed +-19°, while the thermometer outside showed only -6°. We walked for +some time backward and forward, and breathed the warm air in deep +draughts. It was beyond all description pleasant to feel the mild wind +caress one's cheek. Yes, there is a great difference between living +in such a temperature and daily breathing an air 40° to 50° below +freezing-point. Personally, I am not very much incommoded by it, but +many complain that they feel a pain deep in the chest. I only find when +I have been taking a good deal of exercise that my mouth is parched." + +The following day, February 22d, it first blew from the S.S.E., but +later the wind changed to half a gale from the west, with a velocity +of 55 feet per second. The barometer showed the lowest reading during +the whole voyage up till then--namely, 723.6 mm. The air was so full +of drifting snow that we could not see 6 feet from the ship, and the +thermometer-house out on the ice was in a few minutes so packed with +drift-snow that it was impossible to read off the instruments. It +was not very comfortable down in the saloon, as it was impossible +to create any draught. We made unsuccessful attempts to light the +stoves, but soon had to take the fire away, to prevent suffocation by +smoke. Sunday night the storm abated, but on Monday and Tuesday there +was again half a gale, with snowfall and drift, and nearly 28 degrees +of frost. Not before Wednesday afternoon did the weather improve +in earnest; it then cleared up, and the wind slackened to 20 feet, +so both we and the dogs could get out on the ice and take a little +exercise. The dogs wanted to get out of their kennels in the morning, +but even they found the weather too bad, and slunk in again. + +We had a good many rough-weather days like this, not only in the +winter, but also in the summer; but as a rule the rough weather lasted +only a day at a time, and did not involve any great discomfort. On the +contrary, we had no objection to a little rough weather, especially +when it was accompanied by a fresh breeze that might drift the ice +speedily westward. Of course, what most interested us was the drifting +and everything connected with it. Our spirits were often far better +in rough weather than on glittering days of clear weather, with only +a slight breeze or a calm and a brilliant aurora borealis at night. + +With the drift we had reason to be well satisfied, especially in +January and the first week in February. During that time we drifted +all the way from the 48th to the 25th degree of longitude, while our +latitude kept steady--about 84° 50'. The best drift we had was from +January 28th to February 3d, when there was a constant stiff breeze +blowing from the east, which on Sunday, February 2d, increased to a +speed of 58 feet 6 inches to 69 feet a second, or even more during +squalls. This was, however, the only real gale during the whole of our +voyage. On Saturday, February 1st, we passed the longitude of Vardö, +and celebrated the occasion by some festivities in the evening. On +February 15th we were in 84° 20' north latitude and 23° 28' east +longitude, and we now drifted some distance back, so that on February +29th we were in 27° east longitude. Afterwards the drift westward +was very slow, but it was better towards the south, so that on May +16th we were at 83° 45' north latitude and 12° 50' east longitude. + +The drift gave occasion to many bets, especially when it was good, +and spirits proportionately high. One day at the end of January, +when the line showed that we were drifting briskly in the right +direction, Henriksen found his voice and said: "We have never made +a bet before, captain; suppose we make a bet now as to how far south +we have got." "All right," I said, and we accordingly made a bet of a +ration of salmon, I that we were not south of 84° 40', or between 40' +and 41', and he said we were between 36' and 37'. Scott-Hansen then +took an observation, and found that Henriksen had lost. The latitude +was 84° 40.2'. + +Since the last bird of passage left us we had nowhere seen a single +living creature, right up to February 28th. Not even a bear had been +seen during our many rambles on the ice. + +At 6 A.M. Pettersen came rushing into the cabin, and told me that he +saw two bears near the ship. I hurried up on deck, but it was still so +dark that I could not at once get sight of them, although Pettersen +was pointing in their direction. At last I saw them trotting along +slowly towards the ship. About 150 yards away they stopped. I tried to +take aim at them, but as it was still too dark to be sure of my shot, +I waited a little, hoping that they would come nearer. They stood for +a time staring at the ship, but then wheeled round and sneaked off +again. I asked Pettersen if he had something to fry which would smell +really nice and strong and attract the bears back. He stood ruminating +a little, then ran down-stairs, and came up again with a pan of fried +butter and onions. "I am blowed if I haven't got something savory +for them," he said, and tossed the pan up on the rail. The bears had +long been out of sight. It was cold, 35 degrees I should think, and I +hurried down to get my fur coat on, but before I had done so Bentzen +came running down and told me to make haste, as the bears were coming +back. We tore on deck at full speed, and now had the animals well +within range, about 100 yards away. I squatted down behind the rail, +took a good aim, and--missed fire. The bears were a little startled, +and seemed to be contemplating a retreat. I quickly cocked the rifle +again and fired at the largest one. It fell head over heels, with a +tremendous roar. Then I fired at the second one. It first turned a fine +somersault before it fell. After that they both got up and took a few +steps forward, but then they both came down again. I gave them each +one of the two cartridges I had left, but still this was not enough +for these long-lived animals. Pettersen was very much interested in +the sport. Without any weapon he ran down the gangway and away towards +the bears, but then he suddenly had misgivings and called to Bentzen to +follow him. Bentzen, who had no weapons either, was naturally not very +keen about running after two wounded bears. After getting some more +cartridges I met Pettersen midway between the bears and the Fram. The +animals were now crawling along a pressure-ridge. I stopped at a +distance of 30 yards, but first of all I had to shout to Pettersen, +who, in his eagerness, hurried on before me, and now stood just in +the line of fire. At last the great she-bear got her death-wound, +and I ran along the pressure-ridge in order to see where the other +one had got to. Suddenly it stuck its head up over the ridge, and I +at once sent a shot through its neck close up to the head. + +All hands were then called out, and great was the rejoicing. Our +mouths watered at the thought of the delicious fresh meat we should +now enjoy for a long time. It was about 16 months since we had +last shot a bear, and for 14 months we had not had any fresh meat, +except one or two dishes of seals and birds shot during the summer. We +blessed Pettersen's savory frying-pan. The bears were cut up and made +into steaks, rissoles, roasts, etc. Even the bones we laid aside +to make soup of. The ribs were the most succulent. We had them for +dinner, and everybody voted that a sirloin of bear was a dish for a +king. Accordingly we all ate very large helpings, with heartfelt wishes +that it might not be long before some bears again paid us a visit. + +After this Pettersen became so infatuated with bear-hunting that he +talked of it early and late. One day he got it into his head that +some bears would come during the night. He had such a belief in his +forebodings that he made all possible preparations for the night and +got Bentzen to join forces with him. Bentzen had the morning watch, +and was to call him as soon as the bears appeared. A merry fellow, +who wanted to make sure of seeing Pettersen bear-hunting, had taken the +precaution to hang a little bell on Bentzen's rifle, so that he could +hear when they started. Unfortunately no bear appeared. Pettersen, +however, had so set his heart on shooting a bear, that I had to promise +to let him have a shot some time when I myself was by and had a charge +ready, in case the inconceivable should happen, and Pettersen should +miss--a mishap which he would find it very hard to get over. + +On Sunday, March 8th, we had another instance of a sudden change in +temperature like that of February 21st. In the morning it was cloudy, +with a fresh breeze from the E.N.E., but at 3 P.M. the wind fell, +and at 6 o'clock changed to a light S.S.E. breeze. At the same time +the temperature rose from -26° to -8°, and it was very pleasant to +saunter round on the half-deck in the evening and breathe the mild air. + +On March 4th we saw the sun for the first time. It should have +been visible the day before, but then it was too cloudy. By way of +compensation it was now a double festival day, as we could celebrate +both the return of the sun and Nordahl's birthday in one. + +On March 14th it was one year since Nansen and Johansen commenced +their long ice-journey. The day was celebrated by a better dinner, +with coffee afterwards and a punch-bowl in the evening. + +Besides the usual scientific observations, which were continued without +any interruptions worth mentioning, we also took soundings during the +winter, but did not reach bottom with a 3000-metre line (1625 fathoms). + +On April 13th Scott-Hansen and I took an observation with the +theodolite, and Nordahl an observation with the sextant, on the natural +horizon. According to the theodolite, the latitude was 84° 11.5', and +by the sextant 84° 13'. We had previously ascertained that there was +a difference of about two minutes between the artificial and natural +horizons. In using the natural horizon a smaller latitude is obtained, +even though there is no mirage. The deviation will, however, under +favorable circumstances, seldom exceed two minutes. But if there is +much mirage, it becomes almost impossible to obtain a fairly correct +result. As a rule, therefore, in taking observations in the drift-ice, +one has to use the artificial horizon or theodolite, if a very exact +result is desired. + +As the time passed on towards spring the days became longer, and +more rifts and channels were formed round the ship. It was time +to think of beginning preparations for forcing the Fram ahead as +soon as sufficiently large openings should appear in the ice. The +things stored on the ice had been frequently shifted about in the +course of the winter, but as the ice became more broken up, it was +of little use to shift them. So in the middle of April we took the +winter depot on board and stowed it away in the main hold. We also +took on board the sacks from the coal depot, while the barrels and +hogsheads, together with the dog-biscuits, kayaks, and sledges, were +for the present left upon the ice. The sun at this time became so +strong that on April 19th the snow began to melt away on the tent; +along the ship's side it had been melting for several days. + +The first harbinger of spring we saw this year was a snow-bunting, +which made its appearance on the evening of April 25th. It took up +permanent quarters in one of the sealing-boats, where it was treated +with groats and scraps of food, and soon got very tame. It favored us +with its presence for several days, and then flew away. The Fram had +evidently been a welcome resting-place for it; it had eaten its fill, +and gathered new strength for the remainder of its journey. On May 3d +we were again visited by a snow-bunting, and a couple of days later +by two more. I fancy it was our former guest, who in the meantime +had found its mate, and now returned with her to call and thank us +for our hospitality. They remained with us about an hour, and did +their best to cheer us with their chirping and twittering; but as +the dogs would not give them any peace, but chased them everywhere, +they finally took flight, and did not return again. + +After the first few days in May we removed the temporary deck, which +had been laid over the davits, cleared the main-deck, and took both +the sealing-boats and the long-boats on board. The gangway was also +removed, and a ladder put in its place. Next we shipped the rest +of the coal depot, the dog provisions, and the sledges; in fact, +we took in everything that was left on the ice. All that was now +left to be done was to get the engine ready for getting up steam, +and this we set about on May 18th. + +The dogs got on well in their kennels on the ice, in spite of +the prolonged and strong cold, and we had very little trouble with +them. But after the first month in the new year some of the bigger dogs +became so fierce towards the smaller ones that we had to take two of +the worst tyrants on board and keep them locked up for a time. They +also did a good deal of mischief whenever they had an opportunity. One +day, for instance, they began to gnaw at the kayaks that were placed +on the top of the largest dog-kennel. However, we got hold of them +in time before any serious damage was done, and cleared away the snow +round the kennel, so that they could not climb up again to go on with +this amusement. + +On February 10th one of "Sussi's" puppies littered. We took her on +board, and laid her in a large box filled with shavings. We allowed +her to keep only one of her five pups; we killed two at once, one +was born dead, and she had devoured her first-born, the cannibal! + +Some days later "Kara" had a litter. She was the only one of the dogs +who manifested any maternal instinct. It was quite touching to see her, +and we felt sorry to have to take the pups away from her; but we were +forced to make away with them, not only because it was impossible to +bring them up at that time of the year, but also because the mother +herself was only a puppy, delicate and diminutive. + +In the beginning of March the October whelps were let out all day, +and on March 5th we put them, with the older dogs, under the hood +of the fore-companion. In the evening the cover was put on, and when +during the night the hole near the edge of the ice became filled up +with snow, it got so warm in the hutch that the hoar-frost and ice +melted and all the dogs got wet. The pups felt the cold terribly +when they were let out in the morning, and we therefore took them +down into the saloon until they were warm again. + + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE THIRD SUMMER + + +On the Seventeenth of May the Fram was in about 83° 45' north latitude +and 12° 50' east longitude. We again celebrated the day with a flag +procession, as on the previous Seventeenth of May. Mogstad sat on +the bearskins in the sledge, driving a team of seven dogs, and with +the band (i.e., Bentzen) at his side. Just as we were arranging the +procession for the march upon the ice, five female narwhals suddenly +appeared, and immediately afterwards a small seal was seen in the +lane abreast of the ship--an enlivening sight, which we accepted as +a good omen for the coming summer. + +The great hummock, which was the scene of our merry-makings on the +Seventeenth of May last year, was now so far away and so difficult to +reach on account of lanes and rugged ice that the festivities in the +open air were limited to the flag procession. The cortège took its way +southward, past the thermometer-hut, to the lane, thence northward +along the lane, and then back to the ship, where it dispersed, but +not before it had been photographed. + +At 12 o'clock a salute was fired, after which we sat down to an +excellent dinner, with genuine "Château la Fram," vintage 1896. [91] +The table was laid with great taste, and there was an elegant paper +napkin at each cover, with the word Fram in the corner and the +following inscription: + + + "The Seventeenth May, our memorial day, + Recalls what our fathers have done; + It cheers us and heartens us on to the fray, + And shows us that where there's a will there's a way, + And, with right on our side, we may hope to display + The proud banner of victory won." + + +During the dinner speeches were made in honor of the day, of Norway, +of Nansen and Johansen, etc. + +During the days following May 17th we were occupied in getting +the engine and its appurtenances ready for work and clearing the +rudder-well and the propeller-well. First we attempted to pump water +into the boiler through a hose let down into a hole out upon the +ice. But the cold was still so intense that the water froze in the +pump. We were obliged to carry water in buckets and pour it into the +boiler by means of a canvas hose, made for the occasion and carried +from the boiler to the hatchway above the engine-room. Amundsen thought +at first that he had got the bottom cock clear so that he could let +the water run direct into the boiler, but it soon became evident +that it was too slow work as long as there was still any ice around +the cock. Later on we hoisted the funnel and lighted the furnaces, +and on the afternoon of May 19th the steam was up for the first time +since we got into the ice in the autumn of 1893. + +Next we cut away as much of the ice as possible in the propeller-well, +and carried a steam hose down into it. It was very effectual. We +also attempted to use the steam for melting away the ice in the +propeller-sheath around the shaft, but without apparent success. We +easily procured water for the boiler now by filling the water-tank +on the deck with ice and melting it with steam. + +After supper we went down into the engine-room to try to turn +the shaft, and finally we succeeded in giving it a three-quarters +turn. This was victory, and we were all fully satisfied with the +day's work. + +The following day we melted away the ice in the rudder-well by steam, +and at 1.30 P.M. Amundsen began to "move" the engine. Some large pieces +of ice floated up from the rudder-stock or frame; we fished them up, +and everything was in order. Amundsen let the engine work some time, +and everybody was down with him to see the wonder with their own eyes, +and to be convinced that he really had got it to turn round. + +This was quite an event for us. It filled us with renewed courage +and hope of soon getting out of our long captivity, though the way +might be ever so long and weary. The Fram was no longer a helpless +ball, tossed to and fro at the caprice of the drift-ice. Our gallant +ship had awakened to renewed life after her year-long winter sleep, +and we rejoiced to feel the first pulsations of her strongly beating +heart. It seemed as if the Fram understood us, and wanted to say: +"Onward! southward! homeward!" + +The state of the ice around the ship, however, was still far +from being so favorable as to give us any prospect of getting out +just at present. It is true that symptoms of spring began to show +themselves; the temperature rose, and the snow vanished rapidly; +but we still remained at about the same latitude where we had been +lying for months--namely, at about 84°. From the crow's-nest, indeed, +we could see a large channel, which extended southward as far as the +eye could reach; but to get through the belt of ice, over 200 yards +wide, which separated us from it, was impossible before the thick +pack-ice slackened somewhat. We therefore made no attempt to blast +the ship free, but devoted our time to various duties on board, did +whatever was left undone, got the steam windlass in order, examined +all our cordage, and so forth. + +In the hole in the ice which was always kept open for the striking of +the log-line, we had placed the heads of the two bears, so that the +amphipodes might pick off the meat for us, a task which they usually +perform quickly and effectually. One day, when a swarm of amphipodes +appeared above the bears' heads, Scott-Hansen caught a lot of them in a +bag-net, and had them cooked for supper, intending to give us a regular +treat. But we were sadly disappointed. There was not a particle of meat +on the miserable creatures--nothing but shells and emptiness. If we +put a couple of dozen into our mouths at a time they tasted somewhat +like shrimps. But I am afraid that were we limited to such fare, +and nothing else, we should soon diminish unpleasantly in weight. + +In the later days of May the prospects became brighter, as the wind +changed to half a gale from the east and north. The ice began to +drift slowly towards the southwest, and continued to slacken at the +same time, so that on May 29th we could see to the southward a good +deal of open water, with dark air above, as far as the eye could reach. + +After several requests had been made to me, I decided to make an +attempt at blasting the vessel clear. At 1 P.M. we set off a mine +of 110 pounds of gunpowder. It had an astonishingly good effect, +wrenching up heavy masses of ice and sending them rushing out into +the channel. Our hopes revived, and it really seemed that another +such blasting would entirely liberate the vessel. Immediately after +dinner we went to work to lay out another large mine 20 yards abaft +the stern. It gave us an incredible amount of work to make a hole +in the ice to get the charge down. We first bored a hole; then we +tried to make it larger by blowing it out by means of small gunpowder +charges, and later with gun-cotton; but it was of no avail. Then we +had to resort to lances, ice-picks, steam--in short, to every possible +means; but all in vain. The ice had, however, got so cracked in all +directions, owing to the many charges which had been exploded in +the same place, that we presumed that a large mine in the log-line +hole would blow up the whole mass. As the ice was thinner at that +part, the mine was lowered to a depth of 10 yards. It exploded with +terrific effect. A mighty column of water was forced as high as the +foretop. It did not consist of water alone, but contained a good +many lumps of ice, which rained down for some distance round. One +piece of over one hundredweight came down right through the tent and +on to the forecastle; other pieces flew over the vessel, and fell on +the starboard side. Scott-Hansen and Henriksen, who were standing on +the ice at the electric battery used for firing the mine, were not +pleasantly situated when the mine exploded. When the shock came they +of course started to run as fast as their legs would carry them, but +they did not get away quickly enough to reach the deep snow. The pieces +of ice rained unmercifully down upon their backs. After a great deal +of trouble we laid and fired two other large gunpowder mines, besides +some smaller ones, but without much effect. We then began to bore holes +for two gun-cotton mines, which were to be fired simultaneously. But +when we had got down two and a half drill-lengths the screw broke, +and before we could proceed new grooves had to be filed on the other +drill before we could use it again. At 12 o'clock at night we knocked +off work, after having been at it unceasingly since the morning. + +Next day at 6 o'clock the boring was continued. But the ice was so +hard and difficult to work at that, although four men were handling +the drill, we had to erect a small crane with tackle to hoist the +drill out every time it got clogged up. The ice was so thick that +it took four drill-lengths (about 20 feet) to make a hole through +it. One of the gun-cotton mines was now lowered into the hole, while +the other was put beneath the edge of an old channel by means of a long +pole. Both mines were fired simultaneously, but only one exploded. We +connected the wires, and then the other went off too. But the result +was far from answering our expectations. Although the large mines +were carried down to a depth of 20 yards where the ice was thin, +the resistance was too great for us. + +The blasting was now discontinued till June 2d, when during the night +the ice opened up along the old lane close to the vessel. First we +fired a gun-cotton mine right abaft. It took effect, and split the ice +close to the stern. Next we drilled a hole about 16 feet deep right +abreast of the ship, and loaded it with 10 prismer, or 330 grammes, of +gun-cotton (equivalent to about 30 pounds of ordinary gunpowder); but +as I thought it would be too risky to explode a mine of this strength +so near the vessel, we first fired a small gunpowder mine of 11 pounds, +to see what effect it would have. The result was insignificant, so the +large mine was fired. It made things lively indeed! The ship received +such a shock that one of the paintings and a rifle fell down on the +floor in the saloon, and the clock in my cabin was hurled from the +wall. It was evidently felt in the engine-room as well, for Amundsen +had a bottle and a lamp-chimney smashed. On the ice the explosion +took such good effect that the ship nearly broke loose at one blow; +she was now merely hanging on a little forward and aft. With a little +more work we might have got quite clear the same evening, but I left +her as she was to avoid the trouble of mooring her. Instead of that +we had something extra after supper; we considered that we had done +such a good stroke of work that day that we deserved a reward. + +Next morning we blew away the ice that held our bow. I myself took a +pickaxe and commenced to hack away at the ice which held the stern +fast. I had hardly been at work at this for more than four or five +minutes before the vessel suddenly gave a lurch, settled a little +deeper at the stern, and moved away from the edge of the ice, until +the hawsers became taut. She now lay about 6 inches higher at the bow +than when she froze fast in the autumn. Thus the Fram was free, and +ready to force her way through the ice as soon as the circumstances +would permit. But we were still unable to move. + +Even in the month of May there had been signs of whales and seals +in the channels, and an occasional sea-bird had also put in an +appearance. During the months of June and July there was still more +animal life around us, so that we could soon go in for hunting to +our hearts' content. During the summer we not only shot a number of +fulmars, black guillemots, skuas, auks, and little auks, but also a +couple of eider-ducks, and even a brace of broad-beaked snipe. We also +shot a number of small seals, but only got hold of six; the others +sank so rapidly that we could not reach them in time. As a matter +of course, we welcomed every opportunity of a hunting expedition, +especially when there was a bear in the case. It was not often he did +us the honor, but the greater was the excitement and interest when +his appearance was announced. Then the lads would get lively, and +hastily prepare to give the visitor a suitable reception. Altogether +we killed sixteen or seventeen full-grown bears during the summer, +and a young one, which we captured alive, but had to kill later on, +as it made a fearful noise on board. + +One night in the beginning of June, when Henriksen was on his way to +the observation-house to take the readings of the instruments, a bear +suddenly came upon him. Before starting on his scientific quest he +had been prudent enough to go up on the bridge to have a look around +and see whether the coast was clear, but he did not observe anything +suspicious. When he approached the observation-house he suddenly heard +a hissing sound close by, and caught sight of a grinning bear, which +was standing at a pressure-ridge staring at him. Naturally Henriksen +felt anything but comfortable at this unexpected meeting, unarmed as he +was. He at first considered whether he should beat a dignified retreat, +or whether he should fly at the top of his speed. Both parties were +equally far from the vessel, and if the bear had evil intentions it +might be advisable to retreat without delay before he approached any +nearer. He started off as fast as he could, and was not sure whether +the beast was not at his heels; but he reached the vessel safely and +seized his gun, which was standing ready on deck. Before he came +out upon the ice again the dogs had scented the bear, and at once +attacked him. The bear at first jumped up on the observation-house, +but the dogs followed, so down he went again, and with such alacrity, +too, that Henriksen had no time to fire. The bear started off to +the nearest channel, where he disappeared both from the dogs and +the hunter. In his eagerness "Gorm" jumped out upon some pieces of +ice which were floating in the thick brash in the channel, and now +he was afraid to jump back again. There he sat howling. I heard the +wailing, and soon caught sight of him from the crow's-nest, whereupon +Scott-Hansen and I started off and rescued him. + +Some days later, at about 10 o'clock in the morning, we heard Nordahl +crying, "Bear!" and all hurried on deck with our rifles. But the +dogs had had the start of us, and had already put the bears to +flight. Mogstad perceived, however, from the crow's-nest, that the +dogs had come up with them at a small lane, where they had taken +the water, and he then came down to tell me. He and I started off in +pursuit. The condition of the ice was good, and we made rapid progress; +but as we had the wind on our side, it was some time before we could +distinguish the barking of the dogs so as to be able to guide ourselves +by it. Presently I caught sight of one of the dogs behind a small +ridge; soon I saw some more, and at last I sighted the bears. They +were both sitting on a floe in the channel, leaning with their backs +against a big piece of ice. Two of the dogs had jumped out upon the +floe, while the others stood on guard round the channel or pool. The +dogs had played their part well, keeping such a close watch upon the +bears that we had no difficulty in giving them their quietus. They +both tumbled over on the spot; but as they moved slightly, we gave +them a final shot, just to make sure. + +Well, there they lay. But to get out to them was not so easy. Finally, +having walked round the pool, we succeeded in getting out upon the +floe from the other side, where the distance from the solid ice was +less and where some small floes formed a kind of bridge. We cleaned the +game, and then tried to haul the bodies over upon the solid ice. This +we accomplished by putting a running noose over the muzzles of the +bears and pulling them through the water to the edge of the ice, +where we pushed some small floes beneath them; and then, with our +united strength, we hauled them up. When homeward bound we met Nordahl, +Pettersen, Bentzen, Henriksen, and the mate, who had guessed from the +report of our guns that there was business on hand, and had started +out to meet us with sledges and harness for the dogs. The sledges +were lashed together, one bear was placed on each, and, with nine dogs +harnessed to them and a man sitting astride each bear, off they went +at such a speed that the rest of us had to run to keep pace with them. + +On the night of June 24th we again received a visit from two +bears. Nordahl discovered them when, at 12 o'clock, he went out to +the observation-house; he came running back, and called those who +had not yet gone to bed. But when they hurried out upon the ice the +bears saw them immediately and disappeared. + +Three days later a she-bear, with a young cub, came trotting towards +the vessel at noon. We burned some blubber in order to attract them, +but the bear was very cautious, and it was some time before she +approached to within 200 to 300 yards. Then the mate could not restrain +himself any longer and fired, so the rest of us sent her a few shots +at the same time, and she fell after walking a few paces. Some of us +took the "pram" and pulled across to the place, as there was a wide +channel between the bear and the vessel. The cub, poor thing, was a +fine little fellow, with almost perfectly white fur and a dark muzzle; +it was about the size of one of our smallest dogs. When they came +up, he sat down on his mother's body, remained there quite still, +and seeming for the present to take matters calmly. Henriksen put +a strap around his neck, and when the mother was conveyed to the +channel he followed quite willingly, and sat down on her back again +when she was towed across. But when, on arriving at the ship, he +found he was to be separated from his mother and brought on board, +it was quite another story. He resisted with all his strength, and +was in a perfect rage. He got worse when he was let loose under the +companion-hood on board. He carried on like a frenzied being, biting, +tearing, growling, and howling with wild rage, like a veritable fiend, +ceasing only as long as he was occupied in devouring the pieces of +meat thrown to him. Never have I seen in any one creature such a +combination of all the most savage qualities of wild beasts as I +found in this little monster. And he was still quite a cub! In the +evening I gave orders to rid us of this unpleasant passenger, and +Mogstad ended his days with a well-aimed blow of the hatchet. + +For about a fortnight we saw no bears, but during the night of July +12th we had a visit from three, one of which, after a hot pursuit, +was killed by Scott-Hansen, the mate, Nordahl, and Bentzen. The dogs, +too, did good service this time. The other two bears sneaked off at +the first shot, and were lost to sight in the fog. + +On the evening of July 18th Mogstad and I shot a bear, which we +should hardly have got hold of but for the sagacity and alacrity of +"Bella." The dogs at first attacked him once or twice, but after +a short resistance he jumped into the water, and crossed over two +broad lanes, which it took the dogs a long time to get round. He was +just about to plunge into a third channel when "Bella," who in the +meantime had come round, intercepted him not 20 feet from the edge. At +a distance of 200 or 300 yards Mogstad fired, and was lucky enough +to hit him in the head, bringing him down, and he now made only some +feeble attempts to keep the dogs off. I then sent him a shot behind +the shoulder; but, as he was not quite dead, Mogstad gave him the +final one. + +On July 20th the mate shot a large bear, which came swimming across +a channel; and we killed our last bear on the evening of August 6th, +but in such an awkward position that we had to leave the meat, and +it was as much as we could do to get the hide on board. + +In the matter of birds, we were also pretty fortunate. For instance, +Scott-Hansen and I one night shot 9 little auks, 1 kittiwake, +and 1 skua, and the following day 21 more little auks and 2 black +guillemots. Henriksen in one day's shooting bagged 18 little auks and +1 black guillemot, and Nordahl, 26 little auks and 1 black guillemot; +and, later on, when there had been an abundance of game for some days, +we killed as many as 30 to 40 birds in the course of a few hours. + +This hunting life had not only a beneficial effect upon our spirits, +which occasionally were rather low, but it also gave us an appetite, +which sometimes was quite ravenous. When we were weighed at the end +of the month we found that, whereas some of us had previously been +losing weight, we had now steadily and uniformly increased from the +time when auk's breast, roast guillemot, stewed kittiwake, skua soup, +and last, but not least, ribs of bear, became the daily fare on board. + +Indeed, we stood in need of all the encouragement and good living +which our hunting procured us. The state of the ice was anything but +cheering, and the prospect of getting out of it during the present +year became less every day. + +During the first days following the release of the Fram the ice +was comparatively quiet; but on June 8th and 9th we had some bad +pressures, especially on the latter day, when the stern of the vessel +was pressed about 6 feet upward, so that the rudder-well was quite +out of the water, while the bow was raised about 2 feet, with 4° +list to port. On the 10th and 11th the pressure was also strong, +especially during the night, from 11.30 P.M. till 3 or 4 A.M. + +Finally the ice slackened so much on the morning of June 12th that +there was a prospect of warping the vessel some distance ahead. As +the brash was still very thick we did not think it possible to haul +ourselves along without using the steam windlass, so I gave orders to +start a fire under the boiler. But before steam was up the channel +opened so much that we succeeded in warping the ship through the +narrowest passage. When steam was up we steamed through the pool, +where I had found a good berth for the ship. As the rudder was not +yet shipped I had sometimes to go astern, so as to be able to turn +the vessel. We remained there till June 14th, when the ice slackened a +little, and we saw a channel in a S.S.W. direction, and determined to +make for it. So we lighted the furnace, shipped the rudder, and made +at full speed for a narrow rift, which led into the channel. Time +after time we forced the vessel into the rift, but all in vain: +the edges would not budge a hair's-breadth. I let the vessel remain +for some time, working at full speed endeavoring to force the rift, +altering the position of the rudder occasionally. This manoeuvre was +partially successful, as we got the vessel into the rift as far as the +fore-rigging. But that was all we could do. The opening began to close +up, and we had to return and moor in the same place as before. This +was all the more provoking as the whole opening was not longer than +about three-fourths the ship's length. + +We remained there till the evening of the 27th, when the ice slackened +so much that I decided to make a new attempt. We got up steam and +commenced to force the ice at 11.30. It was slow work in the heavy +ice, and at 2 o'clock we had to moor the ship, having advanced about 2 +miles S.E. by S. We tried the engine this time as a compound engine, +with a favorable result. It made 160 revolutions per minute; but the +consumption of coal was of course correspondingly greater, almost +twice as much as usual. We remained there about a week, until on July +3d the ice opened sufficiently to allow us to advance about 3 miles +through a channel, which ran S.S.W. During the night between the 6th +and the 7th we made another attempt to force the ice, but had only +made about 1 mile when we had to moor again. + +The southerly wind which predominated at that time held the ice +thickly packed together, and there was no drift to speak of. On the +other hand, there had been since the middle of June a good deal +of current, owing to the set of the tide. We could not, however, +observe that the current really flowed in any definite direction; +sometimes the line would show every point in the compass during the +twenty-four hours. The current was, however, often very strong, +and would occasionally spin the ice-floes around in the channels +in a way that made you uncomfortable to look at it. The ship, too, +would often receive such violent shocks from these dancing floes and +blocks of ice that loose objects tumbled down, and the whole rigging +shook. The sea continued very deep. For instance, on July 6th we could +not get bottom at 3000 metres (1625 fathoms); but two days later--we +were then about 83° 2' north latitude--we took soundings and reached +bottom at 3400 metres (1841 fathoms). + +On July 6th we succeeded in warping the ship some two or three short +stretches at a time, but it was slow and hard work: the ice was bad, +and the contrary wind impeded us very much. But though progress was +slow, yet progress it was, and I gave orders that the ship should +be hauled along as often as there was any opportunity to advance a +little southward. + +But although we struggled along in this manner by short distances +at a time, the observation on the 13th revealed to us the fact that +we had actually been drifting a considerable way backward, having +returned to 83° 12' north latitude. It might seem ridiculous, under +such circumstances, to continue pushing forward; but, gloomy as the +prospects were, we tried to keep up our hopes, and were ready to +utilize the very first chance which should present itself. + +Late in the evening of July 17th the ice began to slacken so much +that we decided to get up steam. True, it closed up again at once, +but nevertheless we kept up steam. Nor were we disappointed, for at 1 +o'clock in the morning the water opened so much that we were able to +steam ahead, and we made 3 miles in a southerly direction. Later in +the morning we were stopped by an immense floe of ice, extending many +miles; and we had to make fast. The whole day following we remained +there. About midnight the ice slackened a good deal, but the fog was +so dense that we could see nothing. At last, on the 19th, we made +what we considered excellent headway. Starting when the fog lifted a +little in the forenoon, we made about 10 miles from 12.30 P.M. till +8 P.M. This stroke of good luck made our spirits revive wonderfully, +and they rose still more the following day when, notwithstanding the +fog and though we had to stop three times, we advanced from 83° 14' +in the morning to 82° 52' at noon and 82° 39' midnight. From the 20th +to the 27th we continued to make good progress. By midnight on the +last-named day we had reached 81° 32' north latitude. + +From July 27th till August 2d it was slow and tiresome work. By +August 2d we had not got beyond 81° 26' north latitude. At the same +time we had been carried some distance eastward--namely, to 13° 41' +east longitude. + +On Monday, August 3d, we made about 2 miles to the southwest, but had +to remain moored in impossible waters till the 8th, when it slackened +so much around the vessel that we were able to proceed again at 9 +A.M. However, we had only made about 6 miles, when we were stopped +by a long, narrow strait. We tried blasting with ordinary gunpowder, +and later with gun-cotton, and time after time we steamed full speed +against the smaller floes that blocked the strait, but without +effect. These floes, as a rule, are not so small and innocent as +they appear. They consist generally of the fragments of old, thick, +and very tough pressure-ridges which have been broken up. When these +pieces get free, they sink deep below the surface of the water, leaving +only a comparatively insignificant part of them discernible, while +the lower parts may be very large. It was precisely this description +of floe that blocked the channel against us. They were so tough that +it was useless to try to break them with the stem of the vessel, +although we repeatedly made at them with full speed. We could plainly +see how the tough old ice bent and rose up at the shock without +breaking. The blasting of such floes was frequently impracticable, +as they were of such a thickness that we were unable to lay the mine +under them. And even if we succeeded in blowing up one of these floes +we gained little or nothing, as the channel was too narrow to allow +the pieces to float astern, and they were too heavy and thick to be +forced beneath the solid edge of ice. + +Occasionally it happened that old, thick ice suddenly emerged from +beneath the water in a channel or opening which we were just about +to pass into, thus blocking up the passage before us. On one of these +occasions the Fram received a blow in the ribs that hardly any other +vessel would have withstood. As we were passing through an open channel +I saw from the crow's-nest one end of a large submerged floe appearing +above the edge of the solid ice, and I immediately gave orders to +steer clear so as to pass round it. But at the very moment when we +reckoned to clear it the floe was released, and came to the surface +with such a rush that the spray rose high into the air and struck the +Fram at the fore-rigging on the starboard side with such tremendous +force that the ship lurched violently and fell about 10 points out +of her course, until she ran up against some small floes. When the +monster floe emerged it lifted a huge mass of water and sent it like +a roaring cataract out into the channel. + +Something similar happened when we occasionally touched a drifting +hummock that was just on the point of rolling over, owing to the +quicker melting of the ice below the water-line. The slightest push +would be enough to capsize the hummock and turn it over in such a +violent way that the sea around us would become as agitated as during +a storm. + +On August 9th we worked the whole day clearing the channel, but only +made slight headway. On the 10th the work was continued, and in the +course of the forenoon we finally succeeded in getting through. During +the rest of the day we also made some headway to the south until the +ice became impassable, and we were compelled to make fast at 10 P.M., +having made about 2 miles. + +On account of the fog we were unable to take any observation until +the 9th, when we found ourselves in 81° 48' north latitude, the last +latitude observation we made in the drift-ice. + +On Tuesday, the 11th, we again proceeded southward by dint of arduous +labor in clearing floes and brash, which often blocked our way. At +7.30 P.M. we had to make fast in a narrow strait, until, in the course +of the night, we cleared the obstacles away and were able to proceed +to the southwest. Progress was, however, slow, and on the morning +of August 12th we were stopped by a very awkward floe. We tried to +blast it away, but while we were at work on this the ice tightened up +quickly, and left the vessel imprisoned between two big floes. In the +course of a couple of hours it slackened again in a S.W. direction, +and we steamed off in comparatively fair channels until 12.30 P.M., +when a floe stopped our farther progress. We had made 9 1/2 miles in +about five hours this forenoon. Some thin ice now appeared, and from +the crow's-nest we could see, when the fog cleared off a little for a +few moments, several large channels running in a southerly direction +both east and west of our position. Besides, we noticed an increase +in the number of birds and small seals, and we also saw an occasional +bearded seal--all evidences that we could not be very far from the +open water. + +Between 3 and 4 P.M. we were released from the floes which had held +us enclosed, and at 5.30 P.M. we steamed off in a S.E. direction +through steadily improving ice. The ice now became noticeably thin +and brittle, so that we were able to force the smaller floes. From +5.30 P.M. till midnight we advanced about 16 miles; the engine was +used as compound during the last watch. + +After midnight on August 13th we steered S.W., then S. and S.E., +the ice continuing to grow slacker. At 3 o'clock we sighted a dark +expanse of water to the S.S.E., and at 3.45 we steered through the +last ice-floes out into open water. [92] + +WE WERE FREE! Behind us lay three years of work and hardships, with +their burden of sad thought during the long nights, before us life and +reunion with all those who were dear to us. Just a few more days! A +chaos of contending feelings came over each and every one. For some +time it seemed as if we could hardly realize what we saw, as if the +deep blue, lapping water at the bow were an illusion, a dream. We +were still a good way above the eightieth degree of latitude, and it +is only in very favorable summers that ice-free water stretches so +far north. Were we, perhaps, in a large, open pool? Had we still a +great belt of ice to clear? + +No, it was real! The free, unbounded sea was around us on every side; +and we felt, with a sense of rapture, how the Fram gently pitched +with the first feeble swells. + +We paid the final honors to our vanquished antagonist by firing a +thundering salute as a farewell. One more gaze at the last faint +outlines of hummocks and floes, and the mist concealed them from +our view. + +We now shaped our course by the compass S.S.E., as the fog was still +so dense that no observation could be taken. Our plan was at first +to steer towards Red Bay, get our landfall, and thence to follow +the west coast of Spitzbergen southward till we found a suitable +anchoring-place, where we could take in water, shift the coal from the +hold into the bunkers, and, in fact, make the Fram quite ship-shape +for our homeward trip. + +At 7 A.M., when the fog lifted slightly, we sighted a sail on to port, +and shaped our course for her, in order to speak to her and try to +get some news of Dr. Nansen and Johansen. In an hour or so we were +quite near her. She was lying to, and did not seem to have sighted us +until we were close on her. The mate then ran down to announce that a +monster ship was bearing down upon them in the fog. Soon the deck was +crowded with people, and just as the captain put his head out the Fram +passed close up on the weather-side of the vessel, and we greeted her +in passing with a thundering broadside from our starboard cannon. We +then turned round astern of her, and fired another salute to leeward, +after which "hostilities" were discontinued. No doubt it was a rather +demonstrative way of making ourselves known to our countrymen, who were +lying there so peacefully, drifting in the morning mist, and probably +thinking more of seals and whales than of the Fram. But we trust that +Captain Botolfsen and his crew will forgive us our overflowing joy +at this our first meeting with human beings after three long years. + +The vessel was the galliot Söstrene (The Sisters), of Tromsö. The first +question which was shouted to him as we passed alongside was this: +"Have Nansen and Johansen arrived?" We had hoped to receive a roaring +"Yes," and were ready to greet the answer with a thundering "Hurrah" +and salute; but the answer we got was short and sad "No." + +Captain Botolfsen and some of his crew came on board to us, and had +to go through a regular cross-fire of questions of every conceivable +kind. Such an examination they had certainly never been subjected to, +and probably never will be again. + +Among the many items of news which we received was one to the effect +that the Swedish aeronaut, Engineer Andrée, had arrived at Danes +Island, intending to proceed thence by balloon to discover the +North Pole. + +Botolfsen came with us as a passenger, leaving his vessel in charge +of the mate, and accompanied us as far as Tromsö. We reshaped our +course about noon for Red Bay, intending to steam from there to Danes +Island and see Mr. Andrée. About midnight we sighted land ahead, +and supposed it to be the cape immediately to the west of Red Bay. It +was 1041 days since we last saw land. + +We lay to for some time at this point, waiting for the fog to clear +away sufficiently to allow us to find the landmarks. As it did not +clear, we steamed slowly westward, taking frequent soundings, and +soon found ourselves, as we anticipated, right in "Norsksundet" +(Norwegian Sound), and proceeding up, we anchored at 9.30 A.M., +off "Hollændernæset" (Dutch Cape). The fog was now cleared, and +we soon saw the steamship Virgo, of the Andrée Expedition, and the +balloon-house ashore. + +Through the telescope we could see that our arrival had been observed, +and a steam-launch soon came alongside with Mr. Andrée, the other +members of the expedition, and Captain Zachau, of the Virgo. + +Neither could these gentlemen give us any news of the fate of our +comrades. Our spirits became still more depressed than before. We +had confidently expected that Nansen and Johansen would reach home +before us. Now it seemed as if we were to be the first to arrive. + +We did not, however, entertain any serious fears for their safety, +especially when we learned that the Jackson expedition had spent two +winters in Franz Josef Land. It was highly probable that Dr. Nansen and +Johansen would sooner or later meet with this expedition, and were, +perhaps, only waiting for a chance of getting home. But if they had +not met with Jackson, something had evidently gone amiss with them, +in which case they needed assistance, and that as soon as possible. + +Our plans were soon laid. We would hurry home to Tromsö to get reliable +information, and, in case nothing had been learned there either, +we would complete our coal supply--we were not in want of anything +else--and immediately proceed to Franz Josef Land, to make a search +for them, and, as we hoped, have the unspeakable pleasure of bringing +them home to our expectant fatherland in our own faithful Fram. + +Our stay at Danes Island was consequently cut as short as possible. We +paid visits to the Virgo, saw the balloon, which was now ready to start +as soon as a favorable wind would permit of it, and received return +visits from our amiable Swedish friends. During the night we finished +taking in water and shifting the coal; the vessel was ready for sea, +and at 3 A.M. on August 15th the Fram steamed off, with sails set, +through Sneerenburg Bay and out to sea. + +During the passage across we had good weather and a fair and often +fresh breeze, the vessel making good speed: upward of 9 1/4 knots. + +At 9 A.M. on the 19th we saw the first blue ridges of our native +mountains. By noon we sighted Lögö, and at 8 P.M. the north point +of Loppen. Then we steered into Kvænangen Fjord, and anchored off +Skjærvö at 2 o'clock in the morning of August 20th. + +As soon as the anchor had fallen, I called the doctor and Scott-Hansen, +who both wanted to go ashore with me. But as they were too slow with +their toilet, I asked Bentzen to put me ashore in the pram, and was +soon at the telegraph station, where I tried to knock life into the +people by thundering with my clinched fist first at one door, then at +another, but for a long time in vain. At last a man put his head out +of a window on the second floor to inquire what kind of night-prowlers +were making such a disturbance. It was the chief of the telegraph +station himself. He describes the nocturnal incident in a letter to +one of the Christiania newspapers in the following pleasant manner: + + +"It was with anything but amiable feelings and intentions that at +about half-past four I turned out to see what wretch it was who was +making such a lively rattle at my front door. Rather lightly clad, +I put my head out of the window, and roared out, 'Hallo! What's the +matter? Deuce of a noise to make at this time of night!' + +"A man dressed in gray, with a heavy beard, stepped forward. There +was something about his appearance that made me think at once that I +had perhaps been somewhat too hasty in giving vent to my displeasure +at being called up, and I felt a little crestfallen when he slyly +remarked, 'Yes, that's true; but all the same I must ask you to open +the door. I come from the Fram.' Immediately it dawned upon me who it +was. It could be none other than Sverdrup. 'Coming directly, captain,' +I answered, and jumping into the most necessary clothes, down I went +to let him in. He was not at all annoyed at the long waiting, or the +unfriendly words with which he had been received, when he set foot +again in his native country after the long and famous expedition, +but was very kind and good-humored when I begged his pardon for the +rudeness with which I had received him. In my inmost heart I made an +even warmer apology than I had stammered out in my first embarrassment. + +"When Sverdrup was seated, the first question was naturally as to +the way he had come. They had just arrived from off the coast of +Spitzbergen. On the 13th they had got out into open water, where +they almost immediately met with Captain Botolfsen, from Tromsö, +who was there with his whaling-ship. They had brought him with +them. They had next visited Andrée, who was about to pack up and go +home, and had then proceeded to this place. They had first learned +from Botolfsen, and then from Andrée, who ought to have had some of +the latest tidings from Norway, that nothing was known about Nansen, +whom they hoped to find at home, and the joy they were feeling at the +prospect of reaching home soon was considerably damped by this news. + +"'Ah, but I can give you news of Nansen,' said I. 'He arrived at Vardö +on August 13th, and is now at Hammerfest. He's probably starting for +Tromsö to-day in an English yacht.' + +"'Has Nansen arrived?' + +"The stalwart form bounded up in a state of excitement rarely shown +by this man, and exclaiming, 'I must tell the others at once,' he +vanished out of the door. + +"A moment later he returned, accompanied by Scott-Hansen, Blessing, +Mogstad, and Bentzen, all of them perfectly wild with joy at the latest +news, which crowned all, and allowed them to give full vent to their +exultation at being once more in their native land after their long +and wearisome absence, which the uncertain fate of their leader and +his comrade would otherwise have damped. And they did rejoice! 'Is +it true? Has Nansen arrived?' was repeated on all sides. 'What a day +this is, what joy! And what a curious coincidence that Nansen should +arrive on the same day that we cleared the last ice and steered +homeward!' And they congratulated each other, all quivering with +emotion, these sturdy fellows. + +"In the early morning two thundering reports were suddenly heard from +the Fram, followed by the ringing cheers of the crew in honor of +their absent comrades. The inhabitants of the place, who were fast +asleep, were quite startled, and soon got out of bed; but when it +finally dawned upon them that it could be none other than the Fram, +they were not slow in turning out to have a look at her. + +"As they anchored here, the fragrance of the new-mown hay was +wafted to them from the shore, and to them it seemed marvellous. The +green meadows with their humble flowers, and the few trees bent and +almost withered by the merciless wind and weather, looked to them +so delightful that our poor island was a veritable Eden in their +eyes. 'Yes, to-day they would have a good roll on the grass.' + +"For the rest, Mother Nature was as smiling and festally arrayed as +could be expected so late in the year in these northern latitudes. The +fjord was calm, as though it feared by the faintest ripple to interrupt +the tranquillity which enveloped the tried and weather-beaten warrior +now resting upon its smooth surface. + +"They were all quite enthusiastic about the vessel. I do not believe +there is a man on board who does not love the Fram. Sverdrup declared +that a 'stronger and finer ship had never been built, and was not to +be found in the wide world!'" + + +On my way to the fjord I met five of our comrades. Nordahl hurried at +once on board with the glad tidings, while the rest of us settled down +with the telegraph manager around a smoking cup of coffee, which tasted +delicious. A better welcome we could not have had. But it did not end +with the coffee or with the telegraph manager. Soon the popping of +champagne corks sounded successively in the houses of the store-keeper +and local magistrate, while the telegraph manager sent message upon +message announcing our arrival to Dr. Nansen, his Majesty the King, +the Norwegian Government, and to relations and friends. + +At 10 A.M. we weighed anchor and set off to meet Nansen and Johansen +at Tromsö, passed to the north of Skjærvö, and steamed south. Off +Ulfstinden we met the steamer King Halfdan, with 600 passengers on +board, coming from Tromsö to meet us. We accepted the offer to take us +in tow, and at 8.30 P.M. the Fram glided into the harbor of Tromsö, +accompanied by hundreds of flag-covered boats, and was received with +cheers and hearty welcome. + +Next day, August 25th, at 4 P.M., Sir George Baden-Powell's steam-yacht +Otaria, with Dr. Nansen and Johansen on board, arrived. After a +separation of seventeen months, our number was again complete, and +the Norwegian Polar Expedition was once more united. + + + + + + +CONCLUSION + +By Dr. Nansen + + +What, then, are the results of the Norwegian Polar Expedition? This +is a question which the reader might fairly expect to find answered +here; but the scientific observations brought back are so varied +and voluminous that it will be some time yet before they can be +dealt with by specialists and before any general estimate of their +significance can be formed. It will, therefore, be necessary to +publish these results in separate scientific publications; and if +I now attempted to give an idea of them, it would necessarily be +imperfect, and might easily prove misleading. I shall, therefore, +confine myself to pointing out a few of their more important features. + +In the first place, we have demonstrated that the sea in the immediate +neighborhood of the Pole, and in which, in my opinion, the Pole +itself in all probability lies, is a deep basin, not a shallow one, +containing many expanses of land and islands, as people were formerly +inclined to assume. It is certainly a continuation of the deep channel +which extends from the Atlantic Ocean northward between Spitzbergen +and Greenland. The extent of this deep sea is a question which it is +not at present easy to answer; but we at least know that it extends +a long way north of Franz Josef Land, and eastward right to the New +Siberian Islands. I believe that it extends still farther east, as, +I think, may be inferred from the fact that the more the Jeannette +expedition drifted north, the greater depth of sea did they find. For +various reasons, I am led to believe that in a northerly direction +also this deep sea is of considerable extent. In the first place, +nothing was observed, either during the drift of the Fram or during our +sledge expedition to the north, that would point to the proximity of +any considerable expanse of land; the ice seemed to drift unimpeded, +particularly in a northerly direction. The way in which the drift set +straight to the north as soon as there was a southerly wind was most +striking. It was with the greatest difficulty that the wind could head +the drift back towards the southeast. Had there been any considerable +expanse of land within reasonable distance to the north of us, it would +have blocked the free movement of the ice in that direction. Besides, +the large quantity of drift-ice, which drifts southward with great +rapidity along the east coast of Greenland all the way down to Cape +Farewell and beyond it, seems to point in the same direction. Such +extensive ice-fields must have a still larger breadth of sea to come +from than that through which we drifted. Had the Fram continued +her drift instead of breaking loose to the north of Spitzbergen, +she would certainly have come down along the coast of Greenland; +but probably she would not have got close in to that coast, but would +have had a certain quantity of ice between her and it; and that ice +must come from a sea lying north of our route. On the other hand, +it is quite probable that land may exist to a considerable extent on +the other side of the Pole between the Pole and the North American +archipelago. It appears to me only reasonable to assume that this +multitude of islands must extend farther towards the north. + +As a result of our expedition, I think we can now form a fairly clear +idea of the way in which the drift-ice is continually moving from +one side of the polar basin north of Bering Strait and the coast of +Siberia, and across the regions around the Pole, and out towards +the Atlantic Ocean. Where geographers at one time were disposed +to locate a solid, immovable, and massive ice-mantle, covering the +northern extremity of our globe, we now find a continually breaking +and shifting expanse of drift-ice. The evidence which even before our +expedition had induced me to believe most strongly in this theory is +supplied by the Siberian drift-wood that is continually being carried +to Greenland, as well as the mud found on the ice, as it could scarcely +be of other than Siberian origin. We found several indications of this +kind during our expedition, even when we were as far north as 86°, +furnishing valuable indications as to the movement of the ice. + +The force which sets this ice in motion is certainly for the most +part supplied by the winds; and as in the sea north of Siberia the +prevailing winds are southeasterly or easterly, whereas north of +Spitzbergen they are northeasterly, they must carry the ice in the +direction in which we found the drift. From the numerous observations +I made I established the existence of a slow current in the water +under the ice, travelling in the same direction. But it will be some +time before the results of these investigations can be calculated +and checked. + +The hydrographic observations made during the expedition furnished +some surprising data. Thus, for instance, it was customary to look +upon the polar basin as being filled with cold water, the temperature +of which stood somewhere about -1.5° C. Consequently our observations +showing that under the cold surface there was warmer water, sometimes +at a temperature as high as +1° C., were surprising. Again, this +water was more briny than the water of the polar basin has been +assumed to be. This warmer and more strongly saline water must +clearly originate from the warmer current of the Atlantic Ocean +(the Gulf Stream), flowing in a north and northeasterly direction +off Novaya Zemlya and along the west coast of Spitzbergen, and then +diving under the colder, but lighter and less briny, water of the +Polar Sea, and filling up the depths of the polar basin. As I have +stated in the course of my narrative, this more briny water was, +as a rule, warmest at a depth of from 200 to 250 fathoms, beyond +which it would decrease in temperature, though not uniformly, as the +depth increased. Near the bottom the temperature rose again, though +only slightly. These hydrographic observations appear to modify to +a not inconsiderable extent the theories hitherto entertained as +to the direction of the currents in the northern seas; but it is a +difficult matter to deal with, as there is a great mass of material, +and its further treatment will demand both time and patience. It must +therefore be left to subsequent scientific publications. + +Still less do I contemplate attempting to enter here into a discussion +on the numerous magnetic, astronomical, and meteorological observations +taken. At the end of this work I merely give a table showing the mean +temperatures for each month during the drift of the Fram and during +our sledging expedition. + +On the whole, it may probably be said that, although the expedition +has left many problems for the future to solve in connection with +the polar area, it has, nevertheless, gone far to lift the veil of +mystery which has hitherto shrouded those regions, and we have been +put in a position to form a tolerably clear and reasonable idea of +a portion of our globe that formerly lay in darkness, which only the +imagination could penetrate. And should we in the near future get a +bird's-eye view of the regions around the Pole as seen from a balloon, +all the most material features will be familiar to us. + +But there still remains a great deal to be investigated, and this +can only be done by years of observation, to which end a new drift, +like that of the Fram, would be invaluable. Guided by our experience, +explorers will be in a position to equip themselves still better; but +a more convenient method for the scientific investigation of unknown +regions cannot easily be imagined. On board a vessel of this kind +explorers may settle themselves quite as comfortably as in a fixed +scientific station. They can carry their laboratories with them, +and the most delicate experiments of all kinds can be carried out. I +hope that such an expedition may be undertaken ere long, and if it +goes through Bering Strait and thence northward, or perhaps slightly +to the northeast, I shall be very much surprised if observations are +not taken which will prove of far greater scope and importance than +those made by us. But it will require patience: the drift will be +more protracted than ours, and the explorers must be well equipped. + +There is also another lesson which I think our expedition +has taught--namely, that a good deal can be achieved with small +resources. Even if explorers have to live in Eskimo fashion and content +themselves with the barest necessaries, they may, provided they are +suitably equipped, make good headway and cover considerable distances +in regions which have hitherto been regarded as almost inaccessible. + + + + Mean Temperatures (Fahr.) for every Month + during the Drift of the "Fram" + + Months 1893 1894 1895 1896 + ° ° ° ° + + January -- -32.3 -28.1 -35.3 + February -- -32.1 -34.2 -30.5 + March -- -35.1 -30.6 - 1.7 + April -- - 6.1 -19.7 - 0.6 + May -- +13.8 +10.2 +12.6 + June -- +29.3 +28.0 +28.9 + July -- +32.4 +32.5 +31.8 + August -- +30.2 +27.3 +34.1 + September +29.1 +17.1 +14.9 -- + October - 1.1 - 8.5 - 6.2 -- + November -11.6 -23.4 -23.6 -- + December -20.6 -30.8 -27.2 -- + + + +Continuous Periods of Temperature under -40° + +Years Dates + January February March November December + +1894 11 to 12 3 to 7 5 to 15 14 to 15 8 to 10 + 14 to 15 11 to 19 17 to 19 -- 17 to 18 + 27 to 29 23 to 24 25 to 26 -- 30 to 1 [93] + +1895 14 to 18 9 to 10 19 to 23 20 to 23 7 to 8 + 23 to 26 13 to 16 26 to 28 -- -- + -- 18 to 22 -- -- -- + +1896 29 [94] to 18 4 to 9 4 to 5 -- -- + -- 11 to 20 -- -- -- + + + + The Mean Temperature of the Twenty-four Hours for these + Periods + + Years January February March November December + ° ° ° ° ° + + 1894 -36.8 -48.5 -47.9 -- -40.7 + -39.1 -43.4 -45.8 -42.3 -37.3 + -40.5 -38.6 -40.2 -- -42.7 + + 1895 -41.1 -41.4 -39.8 -- -- + -46.3 -43.1 -37.7 -41.1 -39.5 + -- -42.2 -- -- -- + + 1896 -45.8 -41.1 -35.7 -- -- + -- -43.2 -- -- -- + + + + + + +NOTES + + +[1] He did not return, after all. + +[2] We had used for this purpose our pure grape-spirit. + +[3] The word svalkelem, which has throughout been translated "gangway," +means rather a sort of port-hole. As the svalkelem, however, was the +means of exit from and entrance to the ship, "gangway" seemed the +most convenient expression for it. + +[4] The crossbars on the sledge that connect the perpendicular supports +of the runners with each other. + +[5] The sledge runners were connected in front by a bow, consisting +of three or four pieces of rattan cane lashed together; it is to this +bow the hauling-lines are fastened. + +[6] This odometer had been made on board, shortly before starting, out +of the works of an old anemometer. The odometer was fastened behind the +last sledge, and indicated fairly correctly the distance covered by us. + +[7] They were 12 feet long, 1 foot 9 1/2 inches broad, and rode about +5 inches above the snow. + +[8] Compare my description of "finsko," in The First Crossing of +Greenland, pp. 47 and 48. + +[9] I had also had prepared a large quantity of pemmican, consisting of +equal parts of meat-powder and vegetable fat (from the cocoanut). This +pemmican, however, proved to be rather an unfortunate invention; +even the dogs would not eat it after they had tasted it once or +twice. Perhaps this is accounted for by the fact that vegetable fat +is heavily digested, and contains acids which irritate the mucous +membranes of the stomach and throat. + +[10] It was not advisable, for many reasons, to cross the lanes in +the kayaks, now that the temperature was so low. Even if the water +in them had not nearly always been covered with a more or less thick +layer of ice, the kayaks would have become much heavier from the +immediate freezing of the water which would have entered, as they +proved to be not absolutely impervious; and this ice we had then no +means of dislodging. + +[11] Used by the Lapps to their dog.--Trans. + +[12] Whereas eating snow may increase the above-mentioned feeling of +thirst, and have disagreeable consequences in other ways, sucking a +piece of ice, which will soon quench it, may safely be resorted to, +particularly if it be held in the hand a little while before putting it +in the mouth. Many travellers have, no doubt, had the same experience. + +[13] We always kept a supply of our various provisions in small bags +inside the kayaks, so that we could get out whatever we wanted for +our daily consumption without undoing the big sacks, which were sewed +up or securely fastened in other ways. + +[14] When I left the ship I had purposed to travel northward for 50 +days, for which time we had taken provender for the dogs. + +[15] This was the latitude I got by a rough estimation, but on further +calculation it proved to be 86° 13.6' N.; the longitude was about +95° E. + +[16] I felt convinced we could not have reached such a westerly +longitude, but assumed this for the sake of certainty, as I would +rather come down on the east side of Franz Josef Land than on the +west side. Should we reach the latitude of Petermann's Land or Prince +Rudolf Land without seeing them, I should in the former case be +certain that we had them on our west, and could then look for them +in that direction, whereas, in the event of our not finding land +and being uncertain whether we were too far east or too far west, +we should not then know in what direction we ought to look for it. + +[17] We saw no real ice-mountains at any period of our journey before +we got under land; everything was sea-ice. The same was the case +during the drift of the Fram. + +[18] In point of fact it was nearly three months (till July 24) +before this marvel happened. + +[19] As on the previous day, the ice on the north side of the lane +was moving westward, in comparison with that on the south side. The +same thing was the case, or could be seen to have been so, with the +lanes we met with later in the day. We naturally conceived this to +mean that there was a strong westerly drift in the ice northward, +while that southward was retained by land. + +[20] The lanes form most frequently in windy weather, as the ice is +then set in motion. + +[21] In point of fact, we were then about 6° farther east than +we thought. I had on April 14th, it will be remembered (compare my +notes for that day), surmised that the longitude I then set down (86° +E.) was more westerly than that we were actually in. + +[22] For melting water in the cooker it is better to use ice than +snow, particularly if the latter be not old and granular. Newly fallen +snow gives little water, and requires considerably more heat to warm +it. That part of salt-water ice which is above the surface of the sea, +and, in particular, prominent pieces which have been exposed to the +rays of the sun during a summer and are thus freed from the greater +part of their salt, furnish excellent drinking-water. Some expeditions +have harbored the superstition that drinking-water from ice in which +there was the least salt was injurious. This is a mistake which cost, +for instance, the members of the Jeannette expedition much unnecessary +trouble, as they thought it imperative to distil the water before +they could drink it without incurring the risk of scurvy. + +[23] As will be understood by our later discoveries, my surmises were +not quite correct. We really were at that time north or northeast +of Wilczek's Land, which seems to be only a little island. Meanwhile +there must have been extensive open water the previous autumn where +this ice was formed. But when it is shown later how much open water +we saw on the northwest coast of Franz Josef Land even in winter, +this can easily be imagined. + +[24] Whereas Finn shoes are made of reindeer-skin with the +hair on, "komager" are made of under-tanned hide without hair, +generally from the ox or bearded seal (Phoca barbata), with tops +of reindeer-skin. They are strong and water-proof. (See description +of equipment.) + +[25] It was undoubtedly from seals, which often utter a sound like +a protracted "ho!" + +[26] It was from about 82° 52' N. south to 82° 19' N. that we travelled +over young ice of this description; that is to say, there must have +been open water over a distance of fully 32 English geographical miles +(33' of latitude). We also found ice of this kind farther south for +a long distance, and the open sea must have been considerably greater. + +[27] It was the first diary I used on the sledge journey. + +[28] Until this day we had eaten what we required without weighing out +rations. It proved that, after all, we did not eat more than what I +had originally allowed per day--i.e., 1 kilo. of dried food. We now +reduced these day's rations considerably. + +[29] It was probably pressure of the floes against each other which +caused this movement. We noticed the same motion several times later. + +[30] We found water on the ice here suitable for cooking for the +first time. It was, however, somewhat salt, so that the "fiskegratin" +was too well seasoned. + +[31] As it proved later, we were, in reality, about 6° farther east +than we thought. + +[32] I called my watch thus after Johannsen, the watchmaker in London +who supplied it. + +[33] In reality we were somewhat near the point I here assume (we +were in 67° E., approximately). The reason why we did not see the +land here mentioned was because it does not exist, as was proved later. + +[34] A proper hauling harness is an important item, and in the long run +is much less trying than the ordinary hauling strap or rope crosswise +over the chest and one shoulder. The form of harness I use consists of +two straps, which are passed over both shoulders, like the straps of a +knap-sack, and are fastened crosswise over the back to a leather belt, +where the hauling-rope from the sledge is also attached. It is thus in +one's power during the work of hauling to distribute the strain equally +between both shoulders and the belt (i.e., the thighs and abdomen). The +hauling "centre of gravity" is in this manner lower in the body, just +above the legs, which do the work, and the hauling-rope does not, +as is usually the case, press only on the upper part of the body. + +[35] Certain straps which are fixed on the kayak, just in front of +the occupant, and through which the paddle is passed when shooting, +etc. The blade thus lying laterally on the water very much increases +the steadiness of the occupants. + +[36] Compare, however, what I say on this subject later--i.e., +July 24th. + +[37] This was taken in case it might be wanted for soldering the +cooking apparatus or the German-silver plates under the sledge-runners. + +[38] We eventually decided to retain this, however. + +[39] The vessel we expected to catch in Spitzbergen. + +[40] This supposition is extremely doubtful. + +[41] It proved later that this must be Crown Prince Rudolf Land. + +[42] In reality we were probably farther from it than before. + +[43] We saw more and more of these remarkable birds the farther +we went. + +[44] As a rule, we crossed the lanes in this manner; we placed the +sledges, with the kayaks on, side by side, lashed them together, +stiffened them by running the snow-shoes across under the straps, +which also steadied them, and then launched them as they were, with +the sledges lashed underneath. When across, we had only to haul them +up on the other side. + +[45] The first island I called "Eva's Island," the second "Liv's +Island," and the little one we were then on "Adelaide's Island." The +fourth island south of us had, perhaps, already been seen by Payer, +and named by him "Freeden Island." The whole group of islands I named +"Hvidtenland" (White Land). + +[46] Icebergs of considerable size have been described as having been +seen off Franz Josef Land, but I can only say with reference to this +that during the whole of our voyage through this archipelago we saw +nothing of the kind. The one mentioned here was the biggest of all +those we came across, and they were, compared with the Greenland +icebergs, quite insignificant masses of glacier-ice. + +[47] I have called it granite in my diary, but it was in reality a +very coarse-grained basalt. The specimens I took have unfortunately +been lost. + +[48] "Houen's Island." + +[49] "Torup's Island." + +[50] This color is owing to a beautiful minute red alga, which +grows on the snow (generally Spaerella nivalis). There were also +some yellowish-green patches in this snow, which must certainly be +attributed to another species of alga. + +[51] It proved later to be Crown Prince Rudolf's Land. + +[52] Off Brögger's Foreland. + +[53] Clements Markham's Foreland. + +[54] Helland's Foreland. + +[55] On Helland's Foreland. + +[56] I took specimens of the different rock formations, lichens, etc., +that we came across; but in the course of the winter the collection +was stolen by the foxes, and I thus brought little home from the +tracts north of our winter hut. + +[57] As this promontory is probably the land Jackson saw farthest north +in the spring of 1895, it has no name upon my map. It is otherwise +with the islands outside, which he did not notice. They are only +indicated approximately (as Geelmuyden Island and Alexander's Island), +as I am not certain of either their number or their exact situation. + +[58] These three islands, whose bearings we were subsequently enabled +to take, and which we could see from our winter hut, are probably +the land which Jackson saw and took to be "King Oscar Land." In +consequence of his having seen them from only one point (his Cape +Fisher), due south, in 81°, he has placed them 40' too far north, +in 82°), having overestimated their distance. (See his map in the +Geographical Journal, Vol. VII., No. 6, December, 1896, London.) + +[59] Called Steinen on the map. + +[60] I now thought I could safely conclude that we were on the west +coast of Franz Josef Land, and were at this moment a little north of +Leigh Smith's most northwesterly point, Cape Lofley, which should lie +a little south of 81° north latitude, while our observation that day +made us about 81° 19' north latitude. + +[61] Ice which is frozen fast to the bottom, and is therefore often +left lying like an icy base along the shore even after the sea is +free from ice. On account of the warm water which comes from the land, +an open channel is often formed between this ice-base and the shore. + +[62] It was a registering thermometer, which was also used as a +sling-thermometer. + +[63] It often blew very fresh there under the mountain. Another time, +one of my snow-shoes, which was stuck into the snowdrift beside the +hut, was broken short off by the wind. It was a strong piece of maple. + +[64] Christmas-eve and New-year's-eve were the only occasions on +which we allowed ourselves to take any of the provisions which we +were keeping for our journey southward. + +[65] These rumblings in the glacier are due to rifts which are formed +in the mass of ice when the cold causes it to contract. New rifts +seemed to be formed only when the temperature sank lower than it had +previously been in the course of that winter; at least, it was only +then that we heard the rumblings. + +[66] It proved afterwards that the distance was about 56 miles. + +[67] We had now, as the spring advanced, a good opportunity of seeing +how the little auk in great flocks and the black guillemots in smaller +numbers, invariably set forth from land at certain times of the day +towards the open sea, and then at other times returned in unbroken +lines up the ice-bound fjords to their nest-rocks again. + +[68] This was a slip of the pen; it ought to be 102° east longitude. + +[69] Jackson's "Cape M'Clintock." + +[70] Jackson, who saw it in the spring of 1895, called it Mary +Elizabeth Island. + +[71] Jackson's "Cape Fisher." + +[72] This was on the south side of Jackson's "Cape Richthofen," the +most northerly point which Jackson had reached earlier the same spring. + +[73] It proved afterwards to be "Hooker Island." + +[74] It proved to be "Northbrook Island." + +[75] The sound between Northbrook Island and Bruce Island on the one +side and Peter Head, on Alexandra Land, on the other side. + +[76] Cape Barents. + +[77] The ice-foot is the part of a floe which often projects into +the water under the surface. It is formed through the thawing of the +upper part of the ice in the summer-time by the warmer surface layer +of the sea. + +[78] He had reached Cape Richthofen, about 35 miles to the south of us. + +[79] We had not any nautical almanac for 1896, and had hitherto used +the almanac for the previous year. + +[80] New Lands within the Arctic Circle. By J. Payer, Vol. II., p. 129. + +[81] Where they are generally called diabases. + +[82] Leigh Smith had already brought back from Spitzbergen a fossil +cone, which Carruthers classified as a Pinus; but he regarded it as +belonging to the upper part of the cretaceous system. + +[83] I did not dream that Sverdrup a year after would be in command +of this steamer. + +[84] Jackson had brought with him several Russian horses, which he +had used along with dogs on his sledge expeditions. Only one of these +horses was alive at the time of our arrival. + +[85] Vide pp. 91-98, Vol. II. + +[86] Little "Barnet," who weighed only 38 pounds, and was one of +the smallest of the dogs, was a regular fighter, and, as a rule, +the aggressor. + +[87] On April 18th, when the doctor and I were out looking for a +suitable piece of ice for determining the specific gravity of the ice, +we observed a remarkable drop of water hanging under a projecting +corner of a large block of ice, reared up high by pressure. There +it hung, in the shade, quivering in the fresh breeze, although the +thermometer registered about -23° of frost. "That must be very salt," +I said, and tasted it--"Phew!" It was salt in very truth--rank salt, +like the strongest brine. + +[88] These are well-known localities in Christiania, Engebret's being +a restaurant. + +[89] A small keelless boat. + +[90] A round wicker snow-shoe like a basket-lid. + +[91] This claret was made for the occasion, and consisted of the +juice of dried red whortleberries and bilberries, with the addition +of a little spirits. I was highly complimented on this beverage, +and served it again on other occasions. + +[92] Twenty-eight days' work of forcing this more or less closely +packed ice had brought us a distance of 180 miles. + +[93] January + +[94] December + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FARTHEST NORTH *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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