388 NANSEN'S MEMORABLE VOYAGE IN THE "FRAM" 



exploration of that group, and prove whether it was the southern 

 portion of a great polar continent or a collection of islands. He 

 had found the latter to be the case. Instead of it being comprised 

 of two large bodies of land, as believed by the original discoverers, 

 it was found to be an archipelago of small islands. The probability 

 of there being a polar continent was largely set to rest when Nansen 

 told him that he had sounded the sea to the north and found it to 

 be from 1,600 to 1,900 fathoms deep. 



As he and Mr. Jackson talked another member of the party 

 joined them, and close behind him came four others, all of them 

 giving the wanderer a hearty greeting. When the encampment of 

 the party on Cape Flora was reached Nansen was photographed as 

 he stood, in his winter garb. Then they took him into the house 

 and supplied him with a luxury he had not known for more than a 

 year a cake of soap and a change of clothes. 



While he was enjoying his bath, his hosts exchanged opinions. 

 The fact that he had arrived on foot and alone suggested to them 

 the idea that he was the only survivor of the thirteen who had set 

 out in the "Fram," and they decided to make no reference to what 

 might be a very unhappy memory. Consequently, when Nansen 

 reappeared, clean and comfortably clad, they had a meal ready for 

 him, and urged him to set to at once. He looked at them and asked 

 where his comrade Johansen was. Had they not brought him in? 

 Of course they knew nothing about Johansen ; they believed Nansen 

 was the only survivor, and he had been so long out of the world that 

 it had never occurred to him it was necessary to tell them Johansen 

 was waiting for him to return to breakfast. When two men see no 

 one else but themselves for more than a year, it is not to be won- 

 dered at that they forget the rest of the world is not in touch with 

 them. 



As soon as he mentioned the fact that Johansen was in the 

 neighborhood, a party at once started off to fetch him, and the 

 worthy lieutenant was as much surprised as they had been when 



