Introduction. 53 



comprehension how Nansen could have thus deviated 

 from the most sacred duty devolving on the commander 

 of a naval expedition. The safe return of brave 

 Captain Sverdrup with the Fram does not excuse 

 Nansen. Sverdrup's consistency, courage, and skill in 

 holding fast to the Fram and bringing his comrades 

 back to Norway, will win for him in the minds of many 

 laurels even brio-hter than those of his able and accom- 



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plished chief." 



One of the few who publicly gave to my plan the 

 support of his scientific authority was Professor Supan, 

 the well-known Editor of Pctenuanns Mitteilungcn. In 

 an article in this journal for 1891 (p. 191) he not only 

 spoke warmly in its favour, but supported it with new 

 suo-o-estions. His view was that what he terms the 



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Arctic "wind-shed" probably for the greater part of the 

 year divides the unknown polar basin into two parts. 

 In the eastern part the prevailing winds blow towards 

 the Bering Sea, while those of the western part blow 

 towards the Atlantic. He thought that, as a rule, this 

 "wind-shed" must lie near the Bering Sea, and that the 

 prevailing winds in the tracts we purposed traversing 

 would thus favour our drift. Our experience bore out 

 Professor Supan's theory in a remarkable degree. 



