CONCLUSION. 575 



observation, no thorongli investigation of the Arctic 

 regions is possible. This last point is further confirmed 

 by the results of the latest Arctic Expedition, the leading 

 features of which are as follows : — 



Even whilst we were in Greenland, Kara Straits, be- 

 tween Nova Zembla and Continental Russia, which is so 

 often impassable from the ice, was traversed by Nor- 

 wegian fishermen; indeed, in the year 1870, the whole 

 of Nova Zembla was sailed round, and the sea both to 

 the north and east of the island found to be perfectly 

 navigable. This circumstance, in connexion with the 

 observed proportionately high surface temperature of the 

 sea, suggested the belief that the easiest way of advancing 

 to the north, or even of reaching the Pole itself, might 

 be through Barents' Sea. As is already known. Lieu- 

 tenant Weyprecht and First- Lieutenant Payer followed 

 this course, and on the 1st of September, 1871, reached 

 (in 78° 43' N. Lat.) the meridian of 42° 30' E., a point com- 

 paratively remote in this region, although not the first or 

 only instance of the kind. The sea, too, as far as 59° E. 

 Long., and in almost the same latitude, was quite free 

 from ice. 



The ice towards the north is declared to be lighter and 

 looser, and the surface temperature of the sea more often 

 between 39° and 41° Fahr. From these circumstances, 

 combined with the steady motion of the Polar ice, caused 

 by the large ice-current running along the coast of East 

 Greenland, the conclusion was at once drawn by Lieu- 

 tenant Weyprecht that this might probably be the best 

 road to the North Pole, and that this open sea might be 

 connected with the so-called Polynia of the Eussians. 

 At Vienna, on the 7th of December, 1871, in a state- 

 ment made before the Imperial Academy of Science, 



