.t^'t* 



This photograph shows the historic meeting 

 between Nansen and the British explorer 

 Fredericii Jaciison in Franz Josef Land, 

 June 17, 1896. The Jackson -l-iarmsworth 

 expedition to Franz Josef Land had been in 

 preparation before the Fram set out. 



of exploration, comparable to the meeting of Stanley and Living- 

 stone. On June 17 Nansen thought he heard a dog barking. Was it 

 possible, he wondered, that they were in the vicinity of the English 

 expedition to Franz Josef Land, led by Frederick Jackson, which 

 they knew had been in preparation before the Fram had set out? 

 Nansen set out to reconnoiter. In front of him he saw tracks - but 

 possibly they were fox or wolf tracks. Again he heard barking and 

 wondered if he were dreaming. Then he heard a shout. He yelled 

 in return and then he saw a figure of a man: "We approached one 

 another and I waved my hat. He did the same. I heard him speak 

 to the dog, and I listened. It was English, and as I drew nearer I 



thought I recognized Mr. Jackson I raised my hat; we extended 



a hand to one another with a hearty 'How do you do?' "... On 

 one side the civilized European in an English check suit and high 

 rubber water-boots, well shaved, well groomed, bringing with him 

 a perfume of scented soap, perceptible to the wild man's sharpened 

 senses; on the other side the wild man, clad in dirty rags, black 

 with oil and soot, with long, uncombed hair and shaggy beard. 



"Jackson: 'I'm immensely glad to see you.' 



'"Thank you; I also.' 



"'Have you a ship here?' 



"'No; my ship is not here.' 



"'How many are there of you?' 



" 'I have one companion at the ice edge.' 



"As we talked, we had begun to go in towards land. I took it 

 for granted that he had recognized me, or at any rate understood 

 who it was that was hidden behind this savage exterior, not thinking 

 that a total stranger would be received so heartily. Suddenly he 

 stopped, looked me full in the face, and said quickly: 



"'Aren't you Nansen?' 



'"Yes, lam.' 



"'By Jove! I am glad to see you!' 



'"Where have you come from now?' he asked. 



'"I left the Fram in 84° N. latitude, after having drifted for two 

 years, and I reached the 86° parallel, where we had to turn and make 

 for Franz Josef Land. We were, however, obliged to stop for the 

 winter somewhere north of here, and now are on our route to 

 Spitsbergen.' 



" 'I congratulate you most heartily. You have made a good trip 

 of it, and I am awfully glad to be the first person to congratulate 

 you on your return.' Once more he seized my hand, and shook it 

 heartily." 



Soon after this famous meeting, Nansen and Johansen were on 

 their way home. They put into Vardo, and Nansen reported to the 

 government : 



I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF ANNOUNCING TO YOU AND TO THE 

 NORWEGIAN GOVERNMENT THAT THE EXPEDITION HAS CARRIED 

 OUT ITS PLAN, HAS TRAVERSED THE UNKNOWN POLAR SEA FROM 

 NORTH OF THE NEW SIBERIAN ISLANDS, AND HAS EXPLORED THE 

 REGION NORTH OF FRANZ JOSEF LAND AS FAR AS 86°I4'N. LAT. 

 NO LAND WAS SEEN NORTH OF 82°. 



LIEUTENANT JOHANSEN AND I LEFT THE FRAM AND THE OTHER 

 MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION ON MARCH I4TH, 1895, IN 84°N. 

 LAT. AND I02°27'E. LONG. WE WENT NORTHWARD TO EXPLORE 



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