ITALIAN EXPEDITION (1899) 263 



From this point the Polar Star had open water until 

 it reached Maria-Elizabeth Island, but here it was stopped 

 by thick ice ahead and foggy weather. When the fog 

 cleared, a passage was found to the east of the island, and 

 the Polar Star advanced rapidly northwards, and reached 

 82° 4' to the north-west of Prince Rudolf Island. The 

 Alert reached 82° 27', the Polaris attained 82° 11', so that 

 the Polar Star took third place among the ships • which 

 had been navigated towards the Pole. The Fram reached 

 a much higher latitude, but it was by means of the drift. 

 From the farthest north reached by the Polar Star the 

 horizon was carefully observed, but no trace could be 

 found of Petermann Land and King Oscar Land, which 

 Payer thought he sighted from Cape Fligely. It was 

 found that the latitude of this cape was 81° 50' 43", and 

 not 82° 5', as given by Payer. 



The Polar Star was now steered towards the south-east 

 to Tcplitz Bay, the most northern bay of Franz-Josef 

 Land, in latitude 81° 47', where it went into winter 

 quarters. The bay did not provide a very safe anchorage, 

 but its position far to the north made it of great import- 

 ance for the contemplated sledge-expeditions. 



On the 27th August the Polar Star was driven by the 

 pressure of the ice against the ice fixed to the coast, 

 and heeled over about 13 degrees. When the pressure 



v- 



pr. 



ceased, she remained in the same position. On the 7th 

 September the ice-pressure again became severe, and the 

 ship was so seriously damaged that it had to be 

 abandoned. 



Steps were at once taken to have the stores landed, and 

 two large field-tents were erected on the shore to serve as 

 winter quarters. Outside these a second tent was formed 

 to cover the two field-tents, and a third tent covered the 

 whole. 



A space between the two inner field-tents was occupied 



