302 



GEOGRAPHICAL PROGRESS AND DISCOVERY. 



tial they pledged to secrecy all the sailors who 

 knew about the affair. 



The Smithsonian communicated these facts to 

 the Danish Government, and this may account for 

 the disappearance of the relics after their exhibi- 

 tion at Amsterdam, but it seems the knowledge 

 never reached Dr. Xansen. It is certain that these 

 relics were the main support of his theory of a cur- 

 rent. He refused to entertain doubts of the verity 

 of these relics, and declared " that there should be 

 any mistake or deceit is certainly much more im- 

 probable than the drift of a floe from Siberia to 

 Greenland, which is certainly not at all improbable, 

 seeing that a great many objects known must have 

 drifted and constantly do drift the same way." The 

 above-mentioned facts seem to speak for themselves 

 and need no further testimony. 



The story did not receive credence everywhere, 

 and the Geographical Society of San Francisco ap- 

 pointed a committee to examine into the matter. 

 As the relics had been destroyed and no photo- 

 graphs or detailed descriptions of them were to be 

 found, it was impossible to reach absolute certainty ; 

 but the report of the committee, signed by Prof. 

 George Davidson and Henry Lund and published 

 in June, was in favor of the genuineness of the 

 relics, and expressed the belief that Xansen would 

 return successful. 



In August dispatches were received that the ex- 

 plorer hud arrived at Vardo, on the northern coast 

 of Xorway, on board the steamer " Windward," 

 which went to Franz Josef Land to carry supplies 

 to the Jackson-Harmsworth party. Xo "very com- 

 plete report of the voyage has been published, but 

 brief accounts were given to the newspapers. Per- 

 haps the most important result, is the discovery 



DR. NANSEN'S SKETCH SHOWING HIS ROUTE. 



that there is a great deep sea around the pole, in- 

 stead of the shallow ice-filled water heretofore sup- 

 posed, and that this sea is comparatively warm 



beneath, being above the freezing point at a depth 

 exceeding 100 fathoms. Dr. Xansen reached a point 

 nearly 3 degrees nearer the pole than has been at- 

 tained by any other explorer, Lockwood and Brain- 

 erd having reached 83 24'. 



His account of his journey, as published in the 

 London " Chronicle," follows : 



" The ' Fram ' left Jugor strait Aug. 4, 1893. We 

 had to force our way through much ice along the 

 Siberian coast. We discovered an island in the 

 Kara Sea, and a great number of islands along the 

 coast to Cape Cheljuskin. In several places we 

 found evidence of a glacial epoch, during which 

 northern Siberia must have been covered by inland 

 ice to a great extent. 



" On Sept. 15 we were off the mouth of the Olenek 

 river, but we thought it was too late to go in there 

 to fetch our dogs, as we would not risk losing a 

 year. We passed the Xew Siberian islands Sept.' 22. 

 \\V made fast to a floe in latitude 78 50' north, and 

 in longitude 133 37' east. We then allowed the 

 ship to be closed in by the ice. 



" As anticipated, we were gradually drifted north 

 and northwestward during the autumn and winter 

 from the constantly exposed and violent ice pres- 

 sures, but the 'Fram' surpassed our expectations, 

 being superior to any strain. The temperature fell 

 rapidly, and was constantly low, with little varia- 

 tion, for the whole winter. During weeks the mer- 

 cury was frozen. The lowest temperature was 62 

 below zero. Every man on board was in perfect 

 health during the whole voyage. The electric light, 

 generated by a windmill, fulfilled our expectations. 

 The most friendly feeling existed, and the time 

 passed pleasantly. Every one made pleasure his 

 duty, and a better lot of men could hardly be 

 found. 



" The sea was up to 90 fathoms deep south of 79 

 north, where the depth suddenly increased, and was 

 from 1,600 to 1,900 fathoms north of that latitude. 

 This will necessarily upset all previous theories 

 based on a shallow polar basin. The sea bottom 

 was remarkably devoid of organic matter. During 

 the whole drift I had good opportunity to take a 

 series of scientific observations, meteorological, 

 magnetic, astronomical and biological, soundings, 

 deep-sea temperatures, extra means for the salinity 

 of the sea water, etc. 



" Under the stratum of cold ice water covering 

 the surface of the polar basin I soon discovered 

 warmer and more saline water, due to the Gulf 

 Stream, with temperatures from 81 to 33. We saw 

 no land and no open water, except narrow cracks, 

 in any direction. As anticipated, our drift north- 

 westward was more rapid during the winter and 

 spring, while the northerly winds stopped or drifted 

 us backward. On June 18, 1894, we were on 81 52' 

 north, but we drifted southward only. On Oct. 21 

 we passed 82 north. On Christmas Eve, 1894, lati- 

 tude 83 D north was reached, and a few days later 

 83 24', the farthest north latitude previously 

 reached. 



" On Jan. 4 and 5 the ' Fram ' was exposed to the 

 most violent ice pressure we experienced. She was 

 then firmly frozen in ice of more than 30 feet of 

 measured thickness. This floe was overriden by 

 great ice masses, which pressed against the port side 

 with irresistible force and threatened to bury, if not 

 to crush her. The necessary provisions, with the 

 canvas kayaks and other equipments, had been 

 placed in safety upon the yacht. Every man was 

 ready to leave the ship if necessary, and was pre- 

 pared to continue with the drift, living on the floe. 

 But the ' Fram ' proved even stronger than our faith 

 in her. The ice was piled up high above the bul- 

 warks, she was broken loose and slowly lifted out 

 of her bed in which she had been frozen, but not 



