1897.] NANSEN" — POLAR EXPEDITION, 1893-96. 443 



the ice across the north polar region. I would especially refer 

 here to some relics from the American ship Jea.nnette, which were 

 found on the southwest coast of Greenland three years after the 

 Jeannette was crushed and sank at a point northeast of the Siberian 

 Islands. The question arose, How could these relics have come to the 

 coast of Greenland ? The only leasible explanation, in my opinion, 

 was that first proposed by Prof. Mohn. The relics must have been 

 drifted straight across the polar region to the north of Franz-Josef 

 Land and Spitzbergen, then must have come southward by the 

 east coast of Greenland, thence around Cape Farewell and north- 

 ward along the southwest coast. (Dr. Nansen then taking his posi- 

 tion by a chart pointed out the supposed course of the relics.) 

 Here is a map of the polar region. The Jeannette was beset in the 

 ice near the Wrangel Island, which was then believed to be a large 

 land, extending northward. She was drifting for nearly two years 

 in a northwesterly direction to a point about here (indicating), 

 where she was crushed by the ice pressure and sunk ; and, as you 

 know, the gallant crew of that vessel had a desperate struggle to 

 reach inhabited parts, and it is unnecessary here to touch upon the 

 sad fate of most of them. 



Three years later some relics were found down here (pointing to 

 the southwest coast of Greenland) and the only explanation was 

 that they must have drifted this way down (indicating). There 

 was, however, other evidence that made me believe still more 

 firmly in this constant drift across, and that was especially that 

 drift timber is found on the Greenland coast, on the Spitzbergen 

 coast and on various other lands in the Arctic regions, and that 

 most of this drift timber proves, on examination, to have come 

 from Siberia. The only explanation, in my opinion, is that this 

 drift timber must have been carried to these shores by the floe-ice 

 across the polar sea somewhere near the pole ; although I must say 

 that this opinion is against that of most authorities. 



As a further proof I will mention a third evidence of great im- 

 portance, and that was some mud that I found on the ice floes on 

 the east coast of Greenland. This map does not show it, but Ice- 

 land would be about here (indicating) and there is a strait between 

 Iceland and Greenland. In this strait I collected, in i888, some 

 specimens of mud, and by a microscopic examination of this mud 

 it was found to contain many diatoms never found anywhere else 

 in the world except near Bering's Strait. Some specimens collected 



