NANSEN'S EXPEDITION (1896) 239 



Nansen had to admit that the real force which caused the 

 drift was the wind — an opinion previously formed by 

 De Long from the drift of the Jeannette — this did not 

 alter the final result. 



The drift of the Fram also forcibly proves that the 

 great mass of ice in the Polar Sea is in a constant state of 

 movement. It was found that in the sea north of Siberia 

 the prevailing winds were south-easterly or easterly, and 

 therefore the drift was towards the north-west or west. 

 On the other hand, to the north of Spitzbergen the winds 

 are north-easterly, and the drift is to the south-west. 



The manner in which the Fram drifted also allows 

 speculations to be made as to the likelihood of the existence 

 of land to the north of the Frames track. It was found 

 that with a southerly wind the ice moved easily towards 

 the north. This is in favour of the view that no land 

 exists within a considerable distance to the north. The 

 depth of water and the absence of bears during 1895 also 

 favour this view. There is a greater probability that land 

 may exist north of Greenland or north of Grinnell Land. 1 

 The Fram began to drift to the south when it reached 

 the neighbourhood of 66° E. longitude, or to the north of 

 Franz- Josef Land. The latitude was then 85° 55 5'. It is 

 probable, however, that the Fram was now within the 

 direct influence of the drift which constantly passes down 

 the east coast of Greenland, and that the drift to the 

 south was not due to land towards the north or west. 

 More ice is formed in the Polar Sea during the long winter 

 than is melted during the short summer, and the surplus 

 must find an outlet into the warmer water of the south. 

 The ice of the Polar Sea may be compared to the ice of 

 a mighty glacier : the surplus of both moves on until it 

 finds an outlet, and moves in the path of least resistance. 



1 These remarks were written before the discovery of Crocker Land and 

 Bradley Land. 



