620 APPENDIX 



friction, corrosion, oxidation, etc., that we were compelled not 

 only to use them most cautiously, but also to limit the number 

 of soundings far more than was desirable. It sometimes hap- 

 pened that the line would break while being hauled in, so that a 

 good deal of it was lost. 



The first sounding after the departure of Dr. Nansen and Jo- 

 hansen was taken on April 23d. We thought we should be able 

 to lower away down to 3000 metres (1625 fathoms) in one run, 

 but as the line commenced to slacken at 1900 metres (1029 

 fathoms) we thought we had touched bottom and hauled the 

 line up again. As it appeared that the line had not reached 

 the bottom, we now let down 3000 metres of line (1625 fath- 

 oms), but in doing so we lost about 900 metres of line (487 

 fathoms). Accordingly I assumed that we had touched ground 

 at 2100 metres (1138 fathoms), and I therefore lowered the 

 line to that depth without touching bottom. The next day 

 we took new soundings at depths of 2100, 2300. 2500, and 

 3000 metres respectively (1137, 1245, 1353, and 1625 fathoms), 

 but all without touching bottom. On the third day, April 

 25th, we sounded first at 3000 metres, and then at 3200 metres 

 (1625 and 1733 fathoms) without touching bottom. The steel- 

 line being too short we had to lengthen it with a hemp-line, and 

 now went down to 3400 metres (1841 fathoms). While hauling 

 up we perceived that the line broke, and found that, in addition 

 to the 1 10 fathoms' length of hemp-line, we had lost about 275 

 fathoms of steel-line. We then stopped taking soundings till 

 July 22d, as the hemp-lines Vv'ere so badly worn that we dared 

 not venture to use them again until milder weather set in. 



Wind and weather were, of course, a favorite topic on board 

 the Fraui, especially in connection with our drift. As is but 

 right and proper, we had a weather-prophet on board — to wit, 

 Pettersen. His specialty was to predict fair wind, and in this 

 respect he was untiring, although his predictions Avere by no 

 means inwiriably fulfilled. But he also posed as a prophet in 

 other departments, and nothing seemed to delight him more 

 than the offer of a bet with him on his predictions. If he 

 won he was beaming with good humor for days at a stretch, 



