304 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



these details after the lapse of such a time : the art was lost. 

 But, fortunately, the genius of Nansen had transferred it or 

 built up a new art in Norway. Having modernised the 

 methods of the older English sledge-travellers, he had gathered 

 about him a small body of tradesmen cognisant of his ideas 

 and capable of carrying them out. Christiania had become, 

 so to speak, the centre of the sledging industry, and within 

 easy reach of the city lived and worked the man who had 

 made it so, always ready to give advice and assistance to all 

 who needed it, and always ready to help those who, like 

 myself, were embarking on the field of exploration in which he 

 had played so eminent a part. 



In the autumn of 1900 I visited Christiania, and in Nansen's 

 company interviewed the various tradesmen who worked under 

 his superintendence, whilst obtaining many a practical hint 

 from the explorer himself. But now, as always, Nansen was 

 an extremely busy man, and, kind and considerate as he was, 

 it was impossible not to realise that one was robbing him of 

 hours which he could ill afford to spare. 



Moreover, my own work was of such a nature as to necessi- 

 tate haste ; with so much to be done in England delay was 

 not permissible, and much as I should have liked to Unger and 

 increase my knowledge in this province, I was forced to curtail 

 my visit to the shortest possible limits. However, I had learnt 

 enough to give me a practical idea of the basis on which our 

 equipment should be collected. It seemed evident that we 

 should have to purchase in Norway some important part of our 

 outfit, but I saw no reason why the main portion should not 

 be made under our own superintendence in England, provided 

 we could supply patterns or full instructions to the makers. 

 Sledges, ski, and furs could be made and supplied from 

 Norway at a price and of a quality which we could not hope 

 to equal in England, even had we been prepared to issue the 

 fullest instructions and specifications, which we were not. On 

 the other hand, tents, clothing, cooking-apparatus, and other 

 details could be obtained in London if the necessary superin- 

 tendence were available. 



