ABRUZZI, THE ROYAL ITALIAN EXPLORER 417 



ice. With the bay open on two sides, it was scarcely possible for it 

 to escape from the pressure of moving floes outside ; but the opinion 

 was held that the ice along the shores was strong enough to with- 

 stand any pressure from the open sea, and so the " Stella Polare" 

 was moored to the shore. Their trust was nearly to prove fatal. 



Brief journeys along the coast and over the highest land which 

 could be reached, an elevation of 2,900 feet, effectually disposed of 

 the claims of Peterman Land and King Oscar Land, islands placed 

 on the map by the Payer expedition. Nansen also had failed to find 

 these islands, and it seemed certain that the former explorers had 

 been deceived by massive bodies of ice, resembling land. 



By September 7th the work of preparation for wintering in 

 this situation was completed and the explorers made merry over 

 their success to this date and hopefully discussed the prospect before 

 them. The difficulties which beset other explorers, often from the 

 very commencement of their journeys, had not been experienced 

 by them, and now, with their vessel almost as high to the north as 

 any vessel had yet been, with their complete outfit at one of the 

 most northerly stations yet established, and with everything snug 

 and secure for the winter, it is not surprising that they should have 

 allowed their enthusiasm to run away with them. It was the first 

 time that Italy had entered into the contest of winning fame from 

 the mysteries of the Arctic, and the outlook was so rosy that they 

 were not without dreams of carrying the flag to the Pole itself and 

 showing to the world that the all-conquering spirit of ancient Rome 

 still animated the race. Their Norwegian comrades, men of colder 

 temperament, felt like postponing the triumph until the battle was 

 won, but the enthusiasm of the southern nature could not be 

 repressed. 



They were soon to gain a truer idea of the task before them, 

 and to learn the unsafe conditions of their situation. An ice-floe, 

 drifting in the sea beyond the bay, caught the edge of the shore ice, 

 in which the "Stella Polare" lay at rest, as it passed. The ice 



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