xxvi FOREWORD 



fog and storm and threatened starvation until they 

 reached Franz Josef Land, late in August. There 

 they built a hut of stones and killed bears for meat for 

 the winter. In May, 1896, they resumed their south- 

 ward journey, when fortunately they met the English- 

 man Jackson, who was exploring the Archipelago. 



Meanwhile the Fram, after Nansen left her, con- 

 tinued her tortuous drifting across the upper world. 

 Once she approached as near as 85° 57 " to the Pole — 

 only fifteen miles less than Nansen's farthest. At 

 last, in August, 1896, with the help of dynamite, she 

 was freed from the grip of the ice and hurried home, 

 arriving in time to participate in the welcome of Nan- 

 sen, who had landed a few days earlier. 



Franz Josef Land, where Nansen was rescued by 

 Jackson, has served as the base of many dashes for 

 the Pole. It was from its northernmost point that 

 the illustrious young member of the royal family of 

 Italy, the Duke of the Abruzzi, launched the party 

 captained by Cagni that won from Nansen for the Latin 

 race the honor of the farthest north, 86° 34', in 1901. 

 From Franz Josef Land also Andree, with two com- 

 panions, sailed in his balloon toward the Pole, in July, 

 1897, never to be heard from again, except for three 

 message buoys dropped in the sea a few miles from the 

 starting-point. 



This land, which consists of numerous islands, had 

 been named after the Emperor of Austria-Hungary 

 by Weyprecht and Payer, leaders of the Austrian- 

 Hungarian polar expedition of 1872-74, who discov- 

 ered and first explored the Archipelago. 



The Northeast Passage was first achieved in 1878- 



