AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN EXPEDITION (1872) 107 



Ice was first seen on 25th July in latitude 74°. On the 

 29th they were able to continue their course only under 

 steam, and the vessel encountered heavy shocks in charging 

 the ice. Next day they were beset, and did not escape 

 from the ice until 3rd August, when they broke through 

 into the open coast-water of Novaya Zemlya. A belt of 

 ice 105 miles broad lay behind them, and they steered 

 due north in view of the mountainous coasts. 



Great was their astonishment and joy when on 12th 

 August they met the lsbjorn and found on board Count 

 Wilezek, who had given a large donation towards the 

 expense of the expedition, and who was about to 

 establish a depot of provisions at Cape Nassau. The 

 two ships now proceeded north in company to the 

 Barentz Isles, where a depot of provisions was established. 

 Here they parted from the lsbjorn, and steamed towards 

 the north on the 20th August. Within a few hours the 

 Tegetthoff became beset, and was destined never to be 

 again released. The position was now 76° 22' N. latitude, 

 63° 3' E. longitude. Well might Payer write : " Happy 

 is it for men, that inextinguishable hope enables them to 

 endure all the vicissitudes of fate, which are to test their 

 powers of endurance, and that they can never see, as at a 

 glance, the long series of disappointments in store for 

 them ! " 



From day to day they hoped they would be able to 

 escape from the ice ; then they hoped from week to week, 

 then from season to season, and lastly in the chances of 

 new years ! 



The ship drifted slowly towards the north, and had 

 passed the 77° on 2nd October. On the 6th October the 

 first bear was killed and was divided among the dogs. 

 They had on board eight dogs, six of which had been 

 brought from Vienna, and the other two from Lapland. 



On the 12th October only a line of heights some 



