460 MELVILLE — REMARKS ON POLAR EXPEDITION. [Oct. '29, 



Nansen!" and let us plan the next possible drift from the east 

 toward the west to make a high northern latitude, reaching, if pos- 

 sible, within marching distance of the Pole. 



If Dr. Nansen is correct in his conjecture that we have deep 

 water and broken ice, with open "polynias" all the way to the 

 Pole, and, if my theory of a solid ice cap at the Pole (like an 

 inverted saucer) is wrong, let us theorize a little further, and seek 

 the best place to put a. ship in the pack for such a drift as is con- 

 templated. Let us see where our ship, if she holds together (which 

 is doubtful), or if not crushed (possibly being buried in the over- 

 lapping and underrunning floes), let us conjecture, I say, the best 

 place to put the ship in the pack for such a drift. 



Dr. Nansen took several months to proceed from Norway, along 

 the coast of Siberia, toward the river Alaneck, before he pushed 

 north to take up the drift about where the Jeannette let go and 

 sank in thirty-four fathoms of water, thus losing valuable time after 

 leaving any source of supplies. 



We must get north as rapidly as possible after leaving our last 

 depot of provisions, so that if Dr. Nansen's theory of the Arctic 

 ocean currents and of the ice conditions toward the Pole be cor- 

 rect, I believe that the proper place to put a ship in the ice will be 

 through Bering strait. We should keep along the east edge of the 

 pack in about longitude 165° W., attaining the highest possible lati- 

 tude, and westerly longitude, culminating together. Then we 

 should push the ship into the pack as far as possible to the north- 

 ward and westward, and await the fulfillment of the prophecy of 

 one of the jolly whalemen I met at San Francisco. He said : 

 *' Melville, push her into the ice at about the point I have men- 

 tioned, and you will either go to the Pole or to hell, and I believe 

 the chances are about even." I can't agree with my whale-fisher 

 friend about the hell part of the business, for true philosophers 

 have a right to disagree about that. I do believe, however, from 

 the information we have gained from the drift of the Jeannette and 

 of the Fram, that vessels of any kind, such as casks or driftwood, 

 will come out by way of the Spitzbergen — though not necessarily 

 across the Pole. The only reason for sending in ships and men is 

 that there may be observers to make a daily record of events, and 

 of phenomena, such as latitude, longitude, soundings, daily drift, 

 dredging the ocean's bottom if possible ; in fact, recording all the 

 phenomena proper on such an expedition. But for this, I say, a 



