386 NANSEN'S MEMORABLE VOYAGE IN THE "FRAM" 



them go past, as was usually the case, a huge bull slid off the ice 

 with a roar, and swam rapidly towards Nansen' s kayak. 



Diving as he came near to it, Nansen anticipated that he 

 intended rising immediately underneath it, and so capsizing it. He 

 therefore paddled as hard as he could, when the walrus rose by his 

 side. It reared high out of the water, towering over the kayak 

 and its occupant, and only by the quickest of manoeuvres was 

 Nansen able to avoid having it fall upon him. Balked in that 

 attempt, the walrus swam alongside and, plunging its tusks through 

 the frail covering of the kayak, strove to upset it with its flipper. 



Nansen swung his paddle in the air, and bringing it down with 

 all his strength on the monster's head, caused it again to rear in 

 the water. Paddling furiously directly the brute's tusks were with- 

 drawn, he managed to elude it till it sank, when he made for the ice, 

 reaching it just in time, the water having almost swamped the kayak 

 through the holes the walrus had made with his tusks. 



When the damaged kayak was taken out of the water, the 

 injury was found to be more extensive than at first supposed. The 

 two explorers determined to stay where they were for a few days, 

 so as to thoroughly overhaul and repair their kayaks, and have a 

 good rest before commencing the difficult journey, which was to be 

 made before they could arrive at Spitzbergen. They made as com- 

 fortable a camp as they could on the ice, and, after supper, got into 

 the sleeping-bag and rested peacefully. Nansen was first awake, 

 and, having crept out of the bag, set to work preparing breakfast. 

 It was ready before Johansen was, and not wishing to disturb his 

 comrade, Nansen put on his ski and set out for a "constitutional" 

 over the ice. He had not proceeded far when he heard a sound 

 which made his heart jump. It was the bark of a dog. 



Hurrying back, he told Johansen, who, however, did not catch 

 the meaning of his words, and then set out in the direction whence 

 the sound had come, in search of, as he believed, a whaling ship. 

 He had not gone very far when he saw in the distance two moving 



