182 Chapter V. 



determined that we would, if necessary, try to force our 

 way through with the Fram. 



The 5th of September brought snow with a stiff 

 breeze, which steadily grew stronger. When it was 

 rattling in the rigging in the evening we congratulated 

 each other on being safe on board it would not have 

 been an easy matter to row back to-day. But altogether 

 I was dissatisfied. There was some chance, indeed, that 

 this wind might loosen the ice farther north, and yester- 

 day's experiences had given me the hope of being able, 

 in case of necessity, to force a way through this strait ; 

 but now the wind was steadily driving larger masses of ice 

 in past us ; and this approach of winter was alarming it 

 might quite well be on us in earnest before any channel 

 was opened. 1 tried to reconcile myself to the idea of 

 wintering in our present surroundings. I had already 

 laid all the plans for the way in which we were to occupy 

 ourselves during the coming year. Besides an investiga- 

 tion of this coast, which offered problems enough to solve, 

 we were to explore the unknown interior of the Taimur 

 Peninsula right across to the mouth of the Chatanga. 

 With our dogs and snow-shoes we should be able to go 

 far and wide ; so the year would not be a lost one as 

 regarded geography and geology. But no ! I could not 

 reconcile myself to it ! I could not ! A year of one's life 

 was a year ; and our expedition promised to be a long 

 one at best. What tormented me most was the reflection 

 that if the ice stopped us now, we could have no 



