12 Chapter I. 



without comparison the route by which one can the most 

 safely and easily reach high latitudes in ice- free waters. 

 It was north of Spitzbergen that Edward Parry made 

 his attempt in 1827, above alluded to. 



Further eastwards, the ice-conditions are less favour- 

 able, and therefore few polar expeditions have directed 

 their course through these regions. The original object 

 of the Austro- Hungarian expedition under Weyprecht 

 and Payer (1872-74) w r as to seek for the North- East 

 Passage ; but at its first meeting with the ice, it was 

 set fast off the north point of Novaya Zemlya, drifted 

 northwards, and discovered Franz Josef Land, whence 

 Payer endeavoured to push forwards to the north with 

 sledges, reaching 82 5' north latitude on an island, 

 which he named Crown Prince Rudolf's Land. To 

 the north of this he thought he coulcl see an extensive 

 tract of land, lying in about 83 north latitude, which he 

 called Petermann's Land. Franz Josef Land was after- 

 wards twice visited by the English traveller Leigh Smith, 

 in 1880 and 1881-82 ; and it is here that the English 

 Jackson-Harmsworth expedition is at present established. 



The plan of the Danish Expedition under Hovgaard 

 was to push forward to the North Pole from Cape 

 Chelyuskin along the east coast of an extensive tract 

 of land which Hovgaard thought must lie to the east 

 of Franz Josef Land. He got set fast in the ice, however, 

 in the Kara Sea and remained the winter there, returning 

 home the following year. 



